Avengers Assemble – Speculating on Marvel Studios Phase Two
Which film is the fourth highest grossing film of all time? Why, that would be The Avengers. Yep, as of this writing, the only films to have earned more than the Avengers at the box office are Avatar, Titanic and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2. And I think we can all agree that Avengers was way better than any of those other three. Avengers is still showing in most cinemas, and doing respectable business, but what say we all agree to go see it, oh, another three or four times each, and propel it up the list to the number 1 slot? C’mon, guys and gals, we can do this! The Avengers saved the world. It’s only fair we do something for them. Other than that, it’s actually been a pretty slow news week for the Marvel movie franchise (unless there’s something glaring I missed. I have been busy). I did hear rumours that one of the films in development is going to be pretty low budget, which is actually quite a good argument for a Doctor Strange film. Yeah, he’s got the magic powers flying here, there and everywhere, but he’s also a good opportunity for one of Marvel’s most introspective films, with a small cast and fewer sets. We’ll find out soon enough, I suppose. In the mean time, who wants to continue listing Avengers and guessing wildly about whether we’ll be seeing them on screen in the next few years or not? Yeah, me too. As ever, there are minor spoilers within if you haven’t seen Avengers, so proceed at your own caution. But then, if you haven’t seen Avengers yet, what are you doing here?
Captain Marvel / Photon / Pulsar (Monica Rambeau)
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16 (1982)
Created by: Roger Stern and John Romita Jr.
Joined the Avengers: Avengers #227 (1983)
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: None
There are two reasons we won’t see Monica Rambeau on screen any time soon. The first is simply a case of popularity. While she was kind of a big deal in the eighties, even leading the Avengers for a while, after that, she mostly faded into obscurity, only really cropping up in supporting roles here and there, or in more off beat titles like Warren Ellis’s Nextwave. The second reason is her powers. Monica can become and manipulate any form of energy there is. Light, heat, lasers, electricity, even the energy from a Green Lantern ring, it doesn’t matter. While this might seem cool, it does make her quite hard to write effectively. How do you stop someone who really, when you think about it, has no limits?
Starfox (Eros of Titan)
First Appearance: Iron Man #55 (1973)
Created by: Jim Starlin and Mike Friedrich
Joined the Avengers: Avengers #232 (1983)
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: None
Starfox’s chances of appearing somewhere in the next batch of Marvel movies have been dramatically increased by the credits sting in Avengers. After all, the surprise bad guy appearance we were given was none other than Stafox’s own brother. It’s by no means definitely going to happen, but don’t be surprised if he does show up somewhere. That said, whoever is responsible for bringing him to the screen is going to have a challenge on their hands. Sure, Starfox’s powers include flight and super strength, but he also has the ability to make people fall in love with him, which led to the storyline in She-Hulk where Shulkie had to defend him from numerous sexual assault charges. He’s going to be a tricky prospect on screen.
Moira Brandon
First Appearance: Avengers West Coast #100 (1993)
Created by: Roy Thomas and Don Hudson
Joined the Avengers: Avengers West Coast #100 (1993)
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: None
A former Hollywood actress, Moira Brandon only ever appeared in one issue of Avengers West Coast, in 1993, but since the issue was a flashback tale set before the forming of the West Coast branch of the Avengers, this is where she falls in the membership list chronologically. She’ll almost certainly never appear in a Marvel film, except maybe as an in jokey cameo, because she’s far too obscure. Now, watch her be front and centre in ever Marvel movie over the next few years.
Mockingbird (Barbara “Bobbi” Morse)
First Appearance: Astonishing Tales #6 (1971)
Created by: Len Wein and Neal Adams
Joined the Avengers: West Coast Avengers #1 (1984)
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: None
Trying to describe who actually created the character of Mockingbird is complicated. The first story to feature the character was by Len Wein and Neal Adams, but the first to see print was actually written by Gerry Conway and drawn by Barry Windsor Smith. She then appeared in a number of titles under a number of different identities, before developing into the character we know today, with creators such as Roy Thomas, Mark Gruenwald and more having a hand in her development. She would later become not only a founding member of the West Coast Avengers, but Hawkeye’s wife and a kick-ass agent of SHIELD to boot. All of which makes an appearance not entirely out of the question, either in a potential Hawkeye film or a SHIELD movie. Sure, the sexy secret agent lady working for Nick Fury position has already been filled by the Black Widow, but we can’t have two of them? Chances are good we’ll be seeing Bobbi in the next few years.
Iron Man / War Machine (James “Rhodey” Rhodes)
First Appearance: Iron Man #118 (1979)
Created by: David Michelinie and Bob Layton
Joined the Avengers: West Coast Avengers #1 (1984)
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: Iron Man, Iron Man 2
War Machine was arguably the biggest omission from the Avengers. Sure, he’s not the Iron Man the fans would want in the film, but surely Nick Fury has his phone number? Still, it’s easily understandable why he wasn’t there, but you can guarantee he’ll be appearing again, most likely in Iron Man 3, still in the form of Don Cheadle. There have also been rumours of a War Machine spin-off, but take them with a pinch of salt. Wherever we see him next, don’t be surprised if he’s recruited into the Avengers in Avengers 2.
Sub-Mariner (Namor McKenzie)
First Appearance: Marvel Comics #1 (1939)
Created by: Bill Everett
Joined the Avengers: Avengers #262 (1985)
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: None
The chances are high that we’ll be seeing Namor show up on screen somewhere in the not too distant future. It’s just a question of where. Some kind of cameo or flashabck to his World War II time in the Invaders in a Captain America sequel? A Defenders film? Avengers 2? Hell, even a future X-Men or Fantastic Four film (unlikely, especially with rights issues). But then, there are those persistent rumours of a solo Sub-Mariner movie currently in development hell. This seems the most likely place to find Prince Namor of Atlantis. Let’s hope so. Namor deserves some recognition. After all, alongside Cap and the original Human Torch, this guy is one of Marvel’s original big three.
The Thing (Benjamin Jacob Grimm)
First Appearance: Fantastic Four #1
Created by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Joined the Avengers: West Coast Avengers #9
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: None
Yep, the ever lovin’ blue eyed idol of millions spent a very brief spell as an Avenger on the west coast, and, in recent years, has rejoined the New Avengers as well. He’s one of the most popular characters Marvel has, and with good reason. Strong enough to go toe to toe with the Hulk, yet also one of the most caring characters going, Ben Grimm is everyone’s favourite member of the Fantastic Four. And Fox own the rights to the Fantastic Four, and are currently fast tracking a reboot movie into production to avoid those rights going back to Marvel. Which means no Ben Grimm anywhere in the Marvel Studios shared universe for the forseeable future. More’s the pity.
Doctor Druid (Doctor Anthony Ludgate Druid)
First Appearance: Amazing Adventures #1 (1961)
Created by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Joined the Avengers: Avengers #278
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: None
Doctor Druid may simply appear to be a carbon copy of Doctor Strange, but the truth is a little different. The Silver Age of comics is generally thought to have started in nineteen fifty-six, with the debut of the Barry Allen version of the Flash in DC’s Showcase Comics. Over the next few years, DC introduced a number of other superheroes before banding them together in the Justice League of America. Their closest rivals, Marvel Comics, wanted a slice of the superhero pie for themselves, and so Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created the Fantastic Four, the first Marvel superheroes of the Silver Age. Except, they weren’t. The Fantastic Four debuted in November, nineteen sixty-one, five months after a character named Doctor Droom appeared in the pages of the premier issue of Amazing Adventures, the title which would later become Amazing Fantasy and see the first appearance of Spider-Man. Doctor Droom, also created by Stan and Jack, appeared regularly for the first few issues of Amazing Adventures, fighting bizarre monsters and aliens using powers taught to him by the Ancient One, but he never really took off. Droom was forgotten, and Stan created Doctor Strange with Steve Ditko, reusing the Ancient One, and giving him a very similar origin to Droom. Strange caught on, and Droom slipped into obscurity. Until he was revived in the pages of The Incredible Hulk in the seventies, now renamed Doctor Druid to avoid any confusion with the infamous Doctor Doom. Druid continued to appear regularly throughout the eighties and early nineties, to little fanfare or acclaim, and was eventually killed off. We won’t see him in any upcoming Marvel movies, largely due to his similarities with the much more popular Doctor Strange. It’s understandable, but a shame for the character who really was Marvel’s first silver age superhero.
Marrina (Marrina Smallwood)
First Appearance: Alpha Flight #1 (1983)
Created by: John Byrne
Joined the Avengers: Avengers #286 (1987)
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: None
Originally appearing in Alpha Flight, Marrina was a member of an alien race called the Plodex. She eventually met, fell in love with and married Namor, the Sub-Mariner, who was himself an Avenger at this time. Marrina joined the team as well, then turned into a giant monster and had to be killed by the Black Knight, though she has since returned. It was all very strange, and not something you’ll be seeing on a cinema screen any time soon.
Moon Knight (Marc Spector)
First Appearance: Werewolf by Night #32 (1975)
Created by: Doug Moench and Don Perlin
Joined the Avengers: West Coast Avengers #33 (1988)
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: None
Moon Knight was basically Marvel’s answer to Batman. A dark avenger who also happens to be a rich millionaire with all sorts of wonderful toys and a butler from Europe? All there. His original tenure as an Avenger was brief, to say the least, though thanks to a recent resurgence in popularity, due in no small part to a successful solo comic which played up Spector’s instability and the mystical angle of the character (he gained his abilities when he was resurrected by the Moon God, Khonshu), Moon Knight was once again found working with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes for a while as one of Steve Rogers’ Secret Avengers. He’s a good character, with a pretty cool look, but the chances of him showing up in a Marvel movie any time soon are slim to none.
To be continued…
About the Author
PJ Montgomery Writer of various things, lover of comics, films, books and computer games, loveable rogue and proud Sidekick.
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I would love, LOVE, to see either a Secret Avengers or Marvel Knights flick starring Moon Knight, Daredevil, Mockingbiord, Black Widow and Hawkeye, headed up by Nick Fury in full on Charlies Angels mode…only darker.
This is the only way I can see us getting a character like Moon Knight on screen. Marvvel really could do well with Secret Avengers film, the title has Avengers in the title but could be lower budget if they fill it with street level heroes/espionage type characters. I’m all for it.
I realise this isn’t really a comment on your article…maybe I should add something in here…bring back Dr Droom!
I agree, a Secret Avengers film would be awesome, but probably not really feasible until after Avengers 2.
And I will back your bring back Droom campaign!