Avengers Assemble – Speculating on Marvel Studios Phase Two
One piece of big news this week, and one rumour which has a strong chance of being fact. Let’s talk the rumour first. It’s been known for a while that Fox, who currently own the movie rights to the X-Men, the Fantastic Four and Daredevil, have been looking to reboot the DD franchise and make a new film based on the Man Without Fear. However, Fox keeping these rights is dependant upon them putting a film into production by a certain date (October this year), a deadline they have now realised they cannot meet. So, Fox went to Marvel to see if they could get an extension on their deal. Marvel said okay, if you give us back the rights to the character of Galactus (tied up in the Fantastic Four rights after his appearance in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer). Fox said no, and it now looks like the Daredevil rights will be reverting back to Marvel later this year. Look for Marvel to waste no time in bringing DD into their shared universe, which is a very exciting prospect indeed. Of course, there hasn’t been any official confirmation on this story yet, so it could still turn out to be completely false, but fingers crossed, eh? The other bit of news is something you probably already know. Joss Whedon has reportedly signed on to not only direct Avengers 2 (due out in 2015), but to also consult on all of the next few Marvel films, and to get involved in a mooted live-action TV series set in the Marvel film universe. Exactly what role he’ll take with the TV show remains unclear, though you’d imagine he’ll be a producer of some kind, as well as writing and helming the pilot episode. What this series will be is also not clear at this time, with three possibilities currently doing the rumour round, including an unnamed cop show set in the Marvel Universe, AKA Jessica Jones, based on Brian Michael Bendis’s excellent Max comic, Alias, or the much mooted Guillermo del Toro produced Incredible Hulk TV series. Whichever of these it turns out to be, Whedon getting involved will only be a boon to the show. The man who steered Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly and Dollhouse to critical acclaim knows his way around a TV show. The next few years are going to be very exciting for Marvel movie fans. And now, more Avengers supporting characters who may or may not show up in the next batch of films.
Pepper Potts
First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #45 (1963)
Created by: Stan Lee and Don Heck
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), The Avengers (2012)
Near as I can tell, a lot of people, myself included, aren’t the biggest fans of Gwyneth Paltrow. However, there is no one who can deny that she is wonderful in the role of Tony Stark’s long suffering PA, Virginia “Pepper” Potts in the Iron Man films, bringing just the right amount of humour and sympathy to the character. Seeing the character again in the Avengers was an unexpected pleasure, and we know for a fact that she’ll be in the upcoming Iron Man 3. However, rumours about the plot of the Iron Man threequel suggest that it’s not all going to plan for Tony and Pepper, so it’s hard to say if Pepper will still be around for a cameo in Avengers 2 or not at this point.
Betty Ross
First Appearance: Incredible Hulk #1 (1962)
Created by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Liv Tyler played Bruce Banner’s sometime girlfriend/lover/wife in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, and let’s be honest, she didn’t do a brilliant job. It’s currently uncertain where we’ll see the Hulk next (his own film, on TV or in Avengers 2), which means things are even more uncertain for his supporting cast. If Hulk does get another shot at a solo movie, or the television show comes to fruition, then Betty, in some form, will probably appear there. Don’t count on seeing her in either her Harpy or Red She-Hulk incarnations though.
Jimmy Woo
First Appearance: Yellow Claw #1 (1956)
Created by: Al Feldstein and Joe Maneely
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: None
Starting life in the comics as an American secret agent assigned to stop the Yellow Claw’s plans for world domination, Jimmy Woo was later folded into the Marvel Universe proper as an agent of SHIELD working under Nick Fury. Since then, Woo has gone on to be one of the more prominent SHIELD agents Marvel has, appearing in a number of SHIELD related titles, guest starring in other books, and being given main character status in both Marvel’s Godzilla series, and Agents of Atlas. After Fury himself, Maria Hill and Dum Dum Dugan, it’s probably Woo, of all the SHIELD agents Marvel has, who stands the best chance of appearing somewhere in a Marvel film. If the Nick Fury movie ever materialises, chances are it will be based on the legendary run of the comics by Jim Steranko, in which Nick faces the Yellow Claw. If this happens, Woo is bound to appear.
Happy Hogan
First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #45 (1963)
Created by: Stan Lee and Don Heck
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010)
Tony Stark’s chauffeur, and a former boxer, Happy Hogan was played by Jon Favreau in the first two Iron Man films. While Favreau is not directing Iron Man 3, it has been confirmed that he will be returning to play Happy once more. Whether Happy’s role will be expanded further is unknown at this time, but keep in mind that, in the comics at least, it was Happy Hogan who ended up married to Pepper Potts, not Tony Stark.
Odin
First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #85 (1962)
Created by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: Thor (2011)
Thor’s father, and the king of the Norse gods of Asgard, Odin was portrayed by Anthony Hopkins in Thor, and will return in Thor: The Dark World in 2013. There’s some crossover potential for Odin to appear in an Avengers sequel as well, as the character has appeared in, and even been the catalyst for, numerous Avengers storylines in which Earth’s Mightiest Heroes fought against or alongside various gods and other all-powerful beings. Odin has also met Thanos once or twice, so could well be a factor in Avengers 2. However, Marvel do have a habit of killing off or sidelining Odin for extended periods of time, so future appearances depend entirely on what happens in the Thor sequel.
John Jameson
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #1 (1963)
Created by: Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: None
The son of Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson, John Jameson was part of the Avengers support staff for a while, serving as Captain America’s personal pilot. He also (very briefly) married She-Hulk, and has a long history with Spider-Man, so Jameson’s ties to the Avengers are pretty strong. He also sometimes turns into a crazy werewolf type creature known as the Man-Wolf, but I digress. Since he was in Spider-Man 2, the rights issues with the Spidey franchise mean we won’t be seeing him in the Marvel film universe for a good long while.
The Young Avengers
First Appearance: Young Avengers #1 (2005)
Created by: Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: None
A group of teenage heroes who appeared after the Avengers disbanded in the wake of Disassembled, the Young Avengers original line-up consisted of Iron Lad, Patriot, Wiccan and Hulkling. Iron Lad turned out to be a younger version of Kang the Conqueror, who had fled to the past to avoid becoming his future, despotic self. Finding the Avengers were no more, he hacked into files compiled by the Vision, which had been designed to keep the legacy of the Avengers alive in the event of the team disbanding. While Iron Lad eventually had to accept his destiny and return to the future, his armour merged with the remains of the deceased (at the time) Vision, creating a new Vision who also joined the Young Avengers. The team was joined by Stature (the daughter of Ant-Man), Hawkeye (who had no previous connection to the Avengers, but was handy with a bow, and was granted the name of Hawkeye by Captain America, since Clint Barton was also dead at the time) and Speed. Speed and Wiccan turned out to not only be twin brothers, but were also the reincarnated children of the Scarlet Witch and the Vision, Patriot was actually the grandson of Isaiah Bradley, a black man who had been experimented on in World War II with a prototype version of the Super Soldier Serum, making him the “black Captain America”, and Hulkling was Kree/Skrull hybrid, born after Captain Marvel had a relationship with a Skrull princess. The story of the Young Avengers is a good one, and also features, in Wiccan and Hulkling, one of the most positive portrayals of a gay relationship in comics. The Young Avengers are ripe for a movie adaptation, but it’s a long way off if it happens. Maybe at some point after Avengers 3, Marvel should look into it.
Goliath (Bill Foster)
First Appearance: Avengers #32 (1966)
Created by: Stan Lee and Don Heck
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: None
Starting out as Hank Pym’s lab assistant, Bill Foster eventually became a superhero in his own right thanks to a dose of Pym Particles, and took the name Black Goliath (thankfully just shortened to Giant-Man, and later simply Goliath, later on). While never officially joining the Avengers, Goliath helped the team out on a number of occasions, before being killed by a clone of Thor during Civil War. Don’t be surprised if Bill shows up in Ant-Man, though he won’t be gaining any superpowers just yet.
Lady Sif
First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #102
Created by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: Thor (2011)
Thor’s sometime Asgardian girlfriend, who was once bonded to his other girlfriend, Jane Foster, much as Thor and Don Blake were once joined, Sif appeared in Thor played by Jaimie Alexander, who is set to return to our screens in Thor: The Dark World. She’s unlikely to appear outside of the Thor films, unless the Avengers ever visit Asgard, or Marvel adapts Siege on screen.
The Warriors Three
First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #119 (1965)
Created by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Marvel Studios Film Appearances: Thor (2011)
Fandral the Dashing, Hogun the Grim and the Voluminous Volstagg, Asgardian gods collectively known as the Warriors Three, have fought alongside their friend Thor on numerous occasions in the comics. They appeared in Thor with Joshua Dallas playing Fandral, Tadanobu Asano as Hogun and Ray Stevenson portraying Volstagg. The Warriors Three will also return in Thor: The Dark World, though Fandral will now be played by Chuck’s Zachary Levi.
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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