Dear Marvel: These six superheroes are ready to fly solo
Just when you think the Marvel Cinematic Universe can’t get any bigger, another superhero comes along to add some signature magic.
The latest: Stephen Strange, the neurosurgeon-turned-sorcerer played by Benedict Cumberbatch in Doctor Strange (in theaters Friday). He’s getting the solo film treatment just like Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) before him. Marvel is also prepping outings for the new Spider-Man (Tom Holland) next year, Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) in 2018 and Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) in 2019.
'Doctor Strange': It's a trippy kind of magic
Fourteen movies in and billions of dollars later, the Marvel saga is only going to expand from here. Here are six comic-book heroes who deserve their own movie and a reality check on their chances:
SHE-HULK
Cousin of the Hulk (played in the movies by Mark Ruffalo), attorney Jennifer Walters received an emergency blood transfusion from her gamma-powered relative and turned into a muscular green goddess. Not only is there a natural introduction into the MCU through her massive family member, she would immediately be one of the strongest in a bunch of powerful female characters. Plus, her day job could give Marvel its first chance to experiment with the legal genre.
Reality check: Doable, whether they want to go the CGI route like the current movie Hulk or stick Jennifer Lawrence in the gym for six months.
MOON KNIGHT
As the Fist of Khonshu, Marc Spector is a masked vigilante gifted with the powers of an Egyptian moon god. He’s also a man who's haunted by his memories and past personas, so maybe that whole deity thing is just the twisted thoughts of a guy who should be in a mental institution. The possibilities are endless if Marvel wants to do its first real psychological thriller or horror movie.
Reality check: An obscure character with an oddball backstory seems like a long shot, but no one knew who Doctor Strange was a couple years ago, either.
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WONDER MAN
A superman powered by ionic energy with the charisma of Captain America and the physical presence of Thor, Simon Williams is one of the oldest Marvel characters (introduced in 1964) who hasn't appeared in the MCU. If Hollywood wasn’t already in love with superhero movies before, it would be with this guy: Wonder Man moonlights as a journeyman movie star when he's not punching baddies.
Reality check: Is there a reason he hasn't been plucked from comics yet, unlike Avengers colleagues such as Vision and Scarlet Witch? Also, it could be a risk if DC's Wonder Woman movie is a massive success.
NOVA
The intergalactic law-enforcing Nova Corps made its debut on the big screen in Guardians of the Galaxy, so that mini-franchise could spawn a spinoff starring Sam Alexander, the current Nova in the comics. The Arizona youngster learns his father was in the corps, inherits his dad's powerful helmet and trains with Guardians mainstays Gamora and Rocket Raccoon.
Reality check: If Guardians films stay popular, seems like a no-brainer to expand that universe.
MS. MARVEL
Marvel’s forward-thinking mind-set in terms of diversity would get a big boost with the addition of Kamala Khan, the Pakistani-American teenager from Jersey City who can stretch and compress her body in all sorts of superhuman ways. The ultimate superhero fangirl would also give the studio a chance to tap into a female young-adult audience.
Reality check: Kamala has a strong female fan base online, and she'd be a good follow-up if the Captain Marvel movie hits big.
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AMERICA CHAVEZ
If Ms. Marvel is a little too similar to Captain Marvel, this Latin-American teen lesbian superheroine could be a more groundbreaking choice. She’s bulletproof and super-strong, isn’t big on old-school good guys, and takes no guff. Miss America just sounds like a great movie title — or maybe she takes over the star-spangled shield if Marvel needs a new Captain America one day.
Reality check: She's still on the rise in comic fans' eyes, so America might need a few years to build up a fandom — but the diversity potential there is huge.