What Superhero Movies should appear on the Silver Screen?
You think there are too many superhero movies and television shows now? Wait ’til we’re done planning the next decade or so of releases. These things make bank. Everyone loves a good superhero movie. Except John Carter. No one liked that. That’s why you won’t find Taylor Kitsch as our choice for any of the ten comic characters who deserve a superhero movie.
Buckle up, strap in, and get ready for our first survey of Comic Characters Who Deserve Their Own Project.
Green Arrow: “See where it says “Heroes one and all”? That’s what it’s all about. The crowd doesn’t care who can bench press a mountain, or shoot lasers out of their ears.”
– Justice League: Unlimited “Patriot Act” )Season 3, Episode 7
Old lady: “Where’s Superman?”
Man: “How come none of the good ones are here?”
Kid: “I didn’t come here to see some stupid cowboy!”
What do people think when they hear the phrase “superhero movie”? Do they picture Batman swooping down to capture The Joker? Superman vanquishing Lex Luthor’s latest creation? Or the Avengers assembling to save the world? In recent years, lesser known heroes have started appearing. Instead of A-listers like the X-Men and Spider-Man, we get the likes of Jessica Jones and the Guardians of the Galaxy. With focus turning to these unknown heroes, it’s time to see which lesser heroes should get their own movies or shows.
Our criteria will be superhero and comic characters who haven’t had a movie adaptation or live-action show. We’ll also discount any characters who have been announced for a show.
Scene Select
#10 The Haunted Tank
Ma Murder: “It’s curtains for you Batman. Nothing’s gonna save you now![a tank crashes through a wall] Mother of Pearl! A haunted tank driven by the ghost of J.E.B. Stuart!”
Batman: The Brave and the Bold ” Menace of the Madniks!” (Season 2, Episode 18)
Major General Stuart: “Ma’am, this known aggression has forced me to do you bodily harm!”
Yes, this was real. And awesome.
Sgt. Jeb Stuart was a man who fought in WWII alongside his childhood friends. He and his friends were assigned a tank, but soon gained a more potent weapon. You see, Jeb was haunted by the ghost of his ancestor, Confederate Major General J.E.B. Stuart. The elder Stuart watched over his descendant and gave him cryptic advice on how to survive upcoming battles. J.E.B. was even able to exert a little control if Jeb fell unconscious.
While this might seem like a ludicrous idea for a movie, it could be interesting. Besides, when’s the last time you saw a movie about the ghost of a Confederate general helping his descendant fight Nazis?
Likelihood of a movie: 30%. The premise is too ludicrous for anyone to gamble on.
Our Choice: C. Thomas Howell as the Confederate General. Ponyboy is grown up now.
#9 Morbius: The Living Vampire
Spider-Man: “You have to end this nightmare. I can help!”
Morbius: “I don’t want your help! When I awoke this evening, I felt different. I like this life now. I cannot be hurt. Cannot be destroyed! I am immortal!” – Spider-Man: The Animated Series “Morbius” (Season 2, Episode 6)
Michael Morbius was a Nobel Prize winning scientist who learned he had a fatal blood disease. He performed experiments with bat DNA and even tried shock treatment. This wound up mutating him, giving him super-strength, flight and a healing factor. It also gave him a need to absorb blood to counteract the disease, much like a vampire. Rather than harm the innocent, he preys on criminals. He occasionally has to fight heroes that try to stop him from feeding though.
Morbius is a tragic character who would be well suited for an action or horror movie… if there weren’t already dozens of movies like that. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him turn up as a supporting character in a Blade Netflix show.
Likelihood of a movie: 50%. There are too many movies like this, but he could cameo.
Edit: confirmed with Jared Leto’s flop.
Our Choice: Tommy Wiseau, Nicholas Cage
#8 The Demon: Etrigan
Jason Blood: “Gone, Gone, the form of man
Justice League “A Knight of Shadows” (Season 1, Episode 20)
Arise, the Demon Etrigan!”
In Camelot’s darkest hour, Merlin summoned forth a demon to fight the forces of Morgan le’ Fay. Merlin bound this demon, named Etrigan, to a knight named Jason Blood. This binding made Blood immortal and allowed him to transform into Etrigan. Blood eventually showed up in Gotham City, using his knowledge of demonology to help people involved with the supernatural.
Etrigan could work as a movie, but seems better suited for television. Picture Supernatural by way of Angel, and you have a good idea what such a show would be like.
Likelihood of a movie: 70%. It would work better as a show but could easily be made into a movie.
Our Choice: Paul Blackthorne, veteran of The Dresden Files and Arrow.
#7 Taskmaster
Taskmaster: “Your technique…”
Ultimate Spider-Man
Iron Fist: “Years of training in K’un-Lun.”
Taskmaster: “Years for you, seconds for me!”
What do you do when you need henchmen trained fast? Call Taskmaster, the supervillain with “photographic reflexes”. This lets him copy any action he sees performed. He watches a video of Bruce Lee fighting and can fight just as well as Bruce Lee. He sees Jimi Hendrix playing guitar and can shred like Hendrix.
Taskmaster runs several schools where he teaches lackeys and henchmen to fight as well as superheroes. He’s so good that some heroes and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents come for training as well.
Taskmaster is something uncommon in superhero stories. He’s in it for the money, not petty revenge. His story could make for an interesting movie.
Likelihood of a movie: 60%. He will most likely just be a supporting character in a Captain America movie. Edit: Actually the villain of 2021’s Black Widow.
Our Choice: Brett Dalton, most recently seen in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
#6 Arcade
Colleen Wing: “If you’re going to kill [The X-Men], at least have the decency to do it quickly, painlessly!“
Uncanny X-Men #124
Arcade: “Decency’s dull… besides, Miss, your way, they’re dead and that’s that. My way, they’ve got a chance. Not much of one, but a chance.”
Arcade is a rich orphan with a talent for murder. He was one of the greatest assassins in the world, but was extremely bored by it. He used his vast wealth to create the world’s first assassination amusement park, Murderworld. For $1 million, he would kill people with the park’s death traps. He always left in a slight flaw to give his victims a sporting chance. He has been repeatedly hired to kill superheroes, but almost never succeeds.
Arcade is a perfect fit for a movie villain. I could easily see him trapping Tom Holland’s Spider-Man or Deadpool in his “Disneyland of death”.
Likelihood of a movie: 80%. Easily a green light with the right actor.
Our Choice: Jesse Eisenberg’s zany antics are note-perfect for Arcade.
#5 Ms. Marvel
Kamala: “This guy thinks he can threaten us where we live? Ms. Marvel has a message for him… This is Jersey City. We talk loud, we walk fast, and we don’t take any disrespect. Don’t mess.”
Ms. Marvel
What would you do if you gained superpowers? If you’re Kamala Khan, you adopt your favorite hero’s name and become a hero too.
Kamala is a nerdy, Pakistani-American who was exposed to Terrigen Mist, which is a lot stronger than Sierra Mist. This mist, which gives Inhumans their superpowers, gave Kamala shape-shifting powers. She used these powers to become Jersey City’s new hero, Ms. Marvel.
Ms. Marvel is one of Marvel’s best selling comics and even won a Hugo Award for its first volume. Combine that with a lack of female or Middle-Eastern superheroes, and you’ve got a recipe for a very successful movie.
Likelihood of a movie: 90%. It will most likely happen after Captain Marvel comes out or during he Inhumans movie. Maybe Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but you are almost certain to see Ms. Marvel on a video screen.
Edit: Screw a movie, she got her own show on Disney+ in 2022
Our Choice: Hannah Simone from TV’s The New Girl can be nerdy, beautiful, and a superhero.
#4 Booster Gold
Skeets: “Booster Gold, protecting his past to ensure your future!”
Justice League Unlimited “The Greatest Story Never Told” (Season 1, Episode 7)
Michael Carter is a 25th century college football player who is caught betting on his own games. He got a job at a superhero museum and has a brilliant idea. He stole weapons and an outfit from the displays and used a time machine to go back in time to become a hero and make a bit of cash. During a press conference, Ronald Reagan used his football nickname, “Booster” in addition to his planned name of Goldstar, leading the press to name him Booster Gold.
Booster began as a vainglorious jerk, but eventually became a real hero. His character is best suited to comedy and maybe even a buddy superhero movie with Blue Beetle II.
Likelihood of a movie: 70%. He might get a movie, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Booster will probably show up in Legends of Tomorrow, since he is Rip Hunter’s father.
Our Choice: Nathon Fillion is a picture perfect Booster Gold
#3 Blue Beetle III
Scarab: “Sorry, Jaime. We must submit to the will of the Reach.”
Batman: The Brave and the Bold “Revenge of The Reach!” Season 2, Episode 2)
Jaime Reyes: “No! We have to make our own choices, use our own will! We’re stronger than the Reach, but only together! Me and you, the best team ever!”
Scarab: “We are The Reach.”
Jaime Reyes: “No. We are the Blue Beetle!”
During Infinite Crisis, a teenager named Jaime Reyes found a strange artifact, a blue scarab that had powered the first Blue Beetle. The scarab attached to his body and bonded with Jaime, giving him an advanced alien warsuit. For perspective, think the Venom Symbiote if it copied Iron Man instead of Spider-Man. Jaime became the Blue Beetle and fought to stop the Reach, the world-conquering species that created the scarab.
Blue Beetle has become very popular in recent years and could easily be made into a movie. The only question is whether BB should join the Justice League or stay solo.
Likelihood of a movie: 80%. With the overarching threat of the Reach, Blue Beetle has plenty of material for a few movies.
Edit: Confirmed for 2023 with Xolo Mariduena in the Scarab seat.
Our Choice: Jake T. Austin late of the Wizards of Waverly Place and The Fosters. Look for him on Dancing with the Stars next.
#2 Batman Beyond
Bruce Wayne: “The voice kept calling me “Bruce.” In my mind, that’s not what I call myself.”
Batman Beyond
Terry McGinnis:” “What do you call yourself? [Bruce just looks at him for a moment] Oh, yeah. I suppose you would. [Batman voice] But that’s my name now.”
Bruce Wayne: “Tell that to my subconscious.”
This isn’t your grandfather’s Batman. This is Grumpy Ol’ Bruce Wayne, and Batman Beyond is his protege. Bruce knows he won’t live forever, but he wants Batman to carry on much like the Dread Pirate Roberts.
Decades after he gave up being a superhero, Bruce Wayne encountered a teenager named Terry McGinnis. Terry wanted to save Gotham City from the crime spree that had erupted with Batman’s retirement, so Bruce started training Terry to be the new Batman.
Let’s face it, with all the Batman movies coming out, people are starting to get over-bat-urated. So focusing on a different Batman gives people the chance to enjoy Batman without having to see Mr. and Mrs. Wayne gunned down for the eight zillionth time.
Likelihood of a movie: 70%. Terry is a fan favorite, but DC might not want to alienate casual fans.
Our Choice: Asa Butterfield is ready to be an iconic hero after big roles in Ender’s Game and Hugo
#1 Mysterio
Mysterio: “You’re catching on. But what is illusion and what is reality?”
Spectacular Spider-Man, the animated series
Spider-Man: “Around here? Not much.”
Not to be confused with a wrestler, Quentin Beck was a struggling actor and special effects supervisor who realized he could become a supervillain. He framed Spider-Man for a robbery and used his special effect expertise to become Mysterio, the Master of Illusion. Mysterio isn’t the most dangerous villain, but he is one of the most annoying opponents. After all, how can you fight someone you aren’t even sure is there?
Mysterio is one of the only members of the Sinister Six who hasn’t shown up in a movie yet. There were plans for him to be in Spider-Man 4, but Spider-Man 3 sucked so much that they had to do a reboot.
Likelihood of a movie: Damn near certain. Mysterio will show up in a Spider-Man movie. After all, they’ve got the Tinkerer in Spider-Man: Homecoming, and when’s the last time you heard about him?
Edit: And it’s Jake Gyllenhaal in Spider-Man: Far From Home!
Our Choice: Bruce Campbell would have played Mysterio in Spider-Man 4. He was foreshadowed for the role THREE TIMES in cameos in Spider-Man 1-3, but Mark Hamill is our go-to choice.
Those are our ten. Who do you think deserves a movie? Tell us in the comments!
Image Credits: C. Thomas Howell by Stemoc, Brett Dalton by Gage Skidmore, Hannah Simone by Genevieve, Jake T. Austin by Joella Marano. All images via CC 2.0
Jared Bounacos has written for Movie Rewind since 2016.
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