From AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR To VENOM - 10 Characters Most Likely To Steal The Show In 2018
There are nine major Marvel and DC Comics movies coming out in 2018 and there are upwards of 100 characters in them combined. We've singled out the ten who we're confident will steal the show in each...
2018 is going to be an amazing year for superhero fans. What's on the way? Brace yourselves. We have Black Panther, New Mutants, Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2, Ant-Man and The Wasp, Venom, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, Aquaman, and an animated Spider-Man movie focusing on Miles Morales. What a year, eh? Most of those have a complete cast now and they all feature some amazing characters.
The casts of each of those movies are also all incredible and when it comes to both performances and characters, it's fair to say that we have an awful lot to look forward to as soon as these are released.
What you'll find here then is our definitive ranking of the ten characters we believe are going to steal the show in 2018. It wasn't easy choosing such a small amount when there are so many great heroes and villains about to return to the big screen or grace it for the first time but we think you'll agree that these are the ten to watch out for. Why? Well, you're going to have to keep reading to find out...
10. Venom (Venom)
Most fans seem to agree that Venom isn't a particularly good idea, especially as the signs are pointing to it not being connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Spider-Man in any way. Eddie Brock without Peter Parker makes no sense and while it's feasible this movie will take place in a world where a Spider-Man does exist but isn't seen, that uncertainty is causing a lot of scepticism right now.
However, with Tom Hardy suiting up as the iconic villain, it's hard not to imagine the British actor delivering a take on the character which is both loved by everyone and the version of Venom we've all been waiting to see since Topher Grace let us all down in 2007's Spider-Man 3. Seeing Hardy go full on psychopath as the host for the alien symbiote also promises to be great fun and should make up for the fact that the wall-crawler will probably be nowhere to be seen.
9. Magik (New Mutants)
Production on New Mutants is well underway but we've yet to see so much as a single official image from the X-Men spinoff. Plot details are also scarce but it has at least been confirmed that we're getting an adaptation of The Demon Bear Saga, something which is exciting news for fans of the team's comic book adventures. Director Josh Boone has assembled an impressive cast but there's one person in particular who stands out.
That's The Witch breakout Anya Taylor-Joy and seeing her take on the role of Magik - Colossus' deranged younger sister with some impressive magical powers - should put her on the map. Yes, she's surrounded by a lot of very talented actors but Taylor-Joy is someone with a lot of raw talent who has the potential to take a character like Magik and make both her and the New Mutants franchise an A-List comic book movie property.
8. Thanos (Avengers: Infinity War)
Josh Brolin didn't make much of an impact when he showed up as Thanos in Guardians of the Galaxy. Sure, he made for a menacing presence in the movie but the actor wasn't really given the opportunity to shine and give fans a reason to be really excited about seeing him clash with Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Avengers: Infinity War.
However, with the actor set to take on a leading role here, it's not all that tough to imagine Brolin finally unleashing his talents and making the mo-cap villain someone we're talking about for a long time to come. Based on what we saw in the leaked trailer for this movie, Thanos is going to a) show off some mind-blowing powers when he gets his hands on the Infinity Gauntlet and b) deliver lines which ensure he'll steal the spotlight from The Avengers. Brolin is an incredible talent and if anyone can make Thanos the MCU's best villain to date, it's him.
7. The Wasp (Ant-Man And The Wasp)
Evangeline Lilly did a fantastic job in Ant-Man but was mostly relegated to the sidelines and it wasn't until just before the credits rolled that we finally got a hint that she might be suiting up as The Wasp. Moving into the sequel - which is quite appropriately titled Ant-Man and The Wasp - Hope Van Dyne is going to be sharing top billing with Scott Lang and seeing how the hero copes with joining him on his adventures should be great fun.
Lilly is someone who fans spent years fantasy casting in a variety of superhero movies roles but The Wasp is one she feels particularly well-suited to, even if she is playing what is essentially a newly created version of the character. Throw in the fact that Hope will also be dealing with her mother's return and Lilly should have enough material here to really make a lasting impact as one of the MCU's most exciting new heroes.
6. Erik Killmonger (Black Panther)
Michael B. Jordan was wasted in 2015's abysmal Fantastic Four reboot but still managed to make something of an impact as Johnny Storm (not that it made much of a difference in Fox's critical and financial flop). However, the talented actor is finally being given a superhero movie where he can really showcase his incredible talents and as he's reteaming with Creed director Ryan Coogler to do so. As a result, the ingredients are all there for Jordan to steal the show from Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa.
The signs are also pointing to Killmonger being a layered and more complex villain than most, while action figures have promised a golden Panther suit which should ensure this guy is one of the most visually memorable MCU big bads to date. With any luck, Killmonger isn't going to be a one and done villain after Black Panther is released early next year.
5. Aquaman (Aquaman)
When Jason Momoa was cast as Arthur Curry/Aquaman in Justice League, fans were more than a little sceptic. The actor had done some good work in Game of Thrones and Conan but was he really the best choice to play a layered hero like this? Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice sadly did nothing to reveal what we should expect but did prove that he does at least pretty cool as the iconic DC Comics character.
However, based on what we've seen from Justice League, Aquaman could very well be the standout in the team of A-List heroes and that's got to bode well for his solo movie. Everyone involved with the project has praised Momoa and seeing as he's working with a filmmaker as talented as James Wan, there's really no reason to believe he won't deliver one hell of a performance in this highly anticipated movie.
4. Jessica Chastain (X-Men: Dark Phoenix)
Should we be worried about X-Men: Dark Phoenix? Simon Kinberg is writing and directing the movie and given how spotty his track record, things aren't necessarily looking good for this release. After all, Kinberg penned the underwhelming X-Men: The Last Stand and helmed those abysmal Fantastic Four reshoots so you can't blame anyone for being concerned what he'll wind up doing with a new take on the Dark Phoenix Saga.
One of the most exciting things about this adaptation, though, is the fact Jessica Chastain has been cast as the movie's lead villain. Yes, she's denied that she's playing Lilandra but chances are we're getting a version of that character even if Kinberg has infuriatingly grounded both her and this story on Earth. Chastain is someone we've been waiting to see in a superhero movie for a long time now and I'm confident she'll deliver in a big way here.
3. Miles Morales (Spider-Man)
While many fans hoped to see Miles Morales take on the titular role in Spider-Man: Homecoming, the character is instead getting his own animated movie set for release next year. It's too soon to say whether or not it will be any good, especially as we don't even know what animation style it will use but the prospect of seeing Miles take on a lead role like this is definitely going to be fun to see.
While comic book fans may love Miles, most people don't know who he is so this movie should go a long way in establishing him as being as notable as Peter Parker. That could lead to big things to come for the young hero and with the talented Donald Glover voicing the character here, you just know we're going to be in for a treat. An animated Spider-Man franchise has a lot of potential and if this opens the door for Miles to swing into a live-action setting, that's just a bonus!
2. Cable (Deadpool 2)
Once again, we return to Josh Brolin but that's not solely because he's the only actor set to star in two superhero movies next year. Based on what we've seen from his take on Cable in Deadpool 2, the Avengers: Infinity War actor has fully committed to making the fan-favourite mutant everything fans have been hoping to see from the character on the big screen and more. He's bulked up a considerable amount since being cast and looks perfect for the role.
There's obviously more to playing a comic book movie character than that, though, and based on everything those involved with Deadpool 2 have said, Brolin will be giving Ryan Reynolds' Merc with the Mouth a run for his money in terms of who moviegoers leave the theater talking about in 2018. Fox is clearly confident in his abilities too as they're already making plans for an X-Force spinoff.
1. Ocean Master (Aquaman)
With any luck, Ocean Master is going to be a complex character who is more than just jealous of his half-brother and as the two battle for Atlantis' throne, it will be fun watching how their war escalates and what that means for the DC Extended Universe moving forward. Wilson is an incredible actor and him upstaging Momoa feels like an inevitability.
Which of these characters do you think will steal the show in next year's superhero movies? Have we missed any other worthy candidates? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.