As I write this, we’re 9 days away from the premiere of Marvel’s much anticipated
Daredevil series. As well as marking the Man Without Fear’s return to live-action (hopefully washing away the taste of the exceptionally mediocre 2003 movie starring Ben Affleck), it also marks Marvel’s first entry in their new partnership with Netflix. Let me fill you in if you don’t know the details- it was announced in late 2013 that Marvel and Netflix had teamed up to produce 4 series focusing of several street level heroes- Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. These would eventually culminate in a
Defenders miniseries, which would see the four unite in an Avengers-style team up event.
Netflix is probably the biggest thing in the entertainment industry right now. It’s revolutionising the way people consume media, and countless awesome shows have been delivered exclusively for it (
House of Cards,
Orange is the New Black etc.). So Marvel not only gets the benefit of being able to access a whole new consumer base, but airing shows on Netflix also enables them to go in directions they never could with the movies. It also lets them use characters they would never have room for in the movies. We’re already getting several new heroes debuting in the Netflix shows, but why stop there? If these shows succeed (and judging by the early reviews of
Daredevil, they’re in good hands), it opens up room for dozens of Marvel characters to be given their own shows. So, without further ado, I present to you 10 Marvel characters I feel are ripe for a Netflix show. Enjoy!
1. Punisher
Who is he?: Frank Castle was created in 1974 and originally conceived as a recurring antagonist for Spider-Man. A former Navy Seal, Frank Castle’s wife and children were gunned down by Mafia men after accidentally witnessing a ‘hit’. He tried to take the mobsters to court, but the mafia’s connections within the NYPD meant he was unable to have them arrested. Outraged by the lack of justice for his family, Castle decided to clean up the streets himself, using his Navy Seal training and vast arsenal of weapons to wreak havoc on the criminal underworld responsible for his family’s deaths.
Reasons: Let’s get the most obvious one out of the way first. Ever since the Netflix deal was announced, fans have hoped that Frank Castle would eventually get his own series. Daredevil showrunner Stephen S DeKnight has spoken about his desire for the character to get a series, and it’s easy to see why- he totally fits the gritty, bloody, street-level tone they’re going for with these shows. There have been numerous direct-to-DVD movies made about the character, but none of them have really managed to capture the spirit of the character. With Netflix however, the 13-hour movie format Marvel appear to be going for enables them to dig deeper into what makes the character tick, and explore his world and his deeply disturbed psyche. Bottom line- Punisher is made for Netflix. Make it happen Marvel.
Who should play him?: Gerard Butler
2. Moon Knight
Who is he?: Created in 1975, Marc Spector is a former US marine turned mercenary who was sent on a mission to find the tomb of an Egyptian pharaoh. His partner, Raoul Bushman, brutally murdered the inhabitants of an Egyptian town to find the tomb. He confronted Bushman, who attacked and mortally wounded him. Before he died, he crawled into the tomb, underneath an idol of the god Khonshu. After he died, his spirit met with Khonshu, who promised to save his life in exchange for Spector’s service to him. This inspired him to become the vigilante known as Moon Knight, and he now fights crime alongside his best friend Frenchie.
Reasons: Another pretty common choice, but for good reason. Moon Knight is essentially Marvel’s Batman- a street-level vigilante who trained abroad for many years and incorporates symbolism from his name into all of his gear. Given that similarities to the Caped Crusader would probably prevent the character from getting a movie, a Netflix series is the next best thing. One of the most interesting aspects of Moon Knight is his multiple identities- as well as being a playboy millionaire, he also moonlights (pardon the pun) as a taxi driver to gain information about goings on in the city. This would be a very interesting angle from which to explore his character- looking at the effect maintaining multiple personas has on him as a person and the people around him.
Who should play him?: Sharlto Copley
3. Ghost Rider
Who is he?: Johnny Blaze was born into a world of carnival lights and cheering crowds. His mother left when he was very young, and he ended up following the family of his girlfriend, Roxanne Simpson, into the world of stunt motorcycle racing. His mentor and surrogate father, Crash Simpson, was gravely injured attempting to set a world record. In an attempt to save Crash’s life, Johnny made a deal with the demon Mephisto- the demon would save Simpson’s life in exchange for Johnny’s servitude. Soon after this, Johnny’s spirit was bonded with the demon Zarathos and he becamethe Ghost Rider- a terrifying demonic bounty hunter responsible for finding demons and bringing them back to Hell.
Reasons: Let’s face it- after the two terrible Nicholas Cage movies, Johnny Blaze has taken a serious hit to his credibility. The movies were poorly acted, poorly choreographed, poorly written and far too goofy- yes, I understand it’s about a guy with a flaming skull who rides a hellcycle, but the movies just pushed it beyond any shred of credibility. So the hellish bounty hunter is in need of a second chance- and where better to get it than on Netflix? With Iron Fist coming to Netflix, and Doctor Strange coming to cinemas, Marvel are clearly beginning to delve into the mystical side of the Marvel Universe, and Ghost Rider would be a welcome addition to that.
Who should play him?: Jake Gyllenhaal
4. Blade
Who is he?: Erik Brooks was born the son of Lucas Cross, a member of the mysterious Order of Tyrana. Blade’s mother was sent away to London whilst heavily pregnant with him. Whilst going through labour, the doctor revealed himself to be a vampire named Deacon Frost, who feasted on Brooks’ mother as he was born. As a result of this, a series of enzymes were passed into the child, making him half-human and half-vampire. Blade grew up on the streets of London, until he came across an American vampire hunter named Jamal Afari and saved him from being attacked by vampires. Afari took Eric under his wing, and trained him to be a deadly, stealthy and ruthless vampire hunter.
Reasons: Unlike a lot of the characters on this list, Blade has actually been done justice off the comic page. The first two Blade movies starring Wesley Snipes are awesome, and did a lot of hard work to restore credibility to the CBM genre after movies like Batman & the Death of a Franchise severely damaged the genre. The third film however chose to put the spotlight on two annoying young sidekicks and was also incredibly underwhelming, and its failure means that a fourth movie is unlikely. So I feel that Netflix is the best way for the character to be re-introduced to the GA. It enables them to have the level of violence from the films and also lets them have Eric interact with other mystical characters and vigilantes introduced via Netflix. Plus, it would also help add some diversity to Marvel’s universe.
Who should play him?: Michael Jai White
5. Nova
Who is he?: Richard Rider was a college student who was chosen at random by dying Nova Corps officer Rhomman Dey to be a Nova Centurion. Granted the powers of super strength, speed, flight, invulnerability and energy blasts, Rider briefly fought costumed criminals on the streets of NYC before being called into space to serve as an officer in the Nova Corps. He quickly carved out a name for himself as one of the galaxy’s greatest heroes, fighting all manner of cosmic threats.
Reasons: Nova is one of Marvel’s most important cosmic characters, and given that we won’t be seeing the Human Rocket appear in GOTG2, what better place for him to show up than on Netflix? We’ve already been introduced to Rhomman Dey, who gives him his powers in the comics. I know that in the movies, the Nova Corps don’t have powers, but there are plenty of ways thy could set this up. I remember reading one GOTG2 fanfic that suggested the Nova Corps initiates the ‘Centurion program’, which gives the Nova Corps powers. And for those of you who think the special effects needed would be impossible to achieve on a TV budget, look at shows like Doctor Who or The Flash- they’ve got great special effects and they’re on TV. And with the backing of both Marvel and Netflix, why couldn’t Nova have the same?
Who should play him?: Garrett Hedlund
6. Ms Marvel (Kamala Khan)
Who is she?: Kamala Khan is a teenage Muslin-American born in Jersey City. She grew up feeling isolated, due to her nerdy interests and strict parents. She also idolized superheroes, particularly Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel. Whilst leaving a party one night, she accidentally walked into a cloud of Terrigen mist released by the Inhuman king Black Bolt. This gave her powers of morphogenetics, meaning she can stretch and manipulate her body in any way she likes, and healing. After this, she chose to become a superhero, taking up her hero Carol’s old moniker and protecting Jersey City from all manner of evildoers.
Reasons: I understand a lot of people on this site don’t like this character due to something about her stealing the name from the ‘real’ Ms Marvel, but I don’t really care. Kamala Khan is probably the biggest breakout character Marvel has introduced in recent years. Her comics are outselling almost everything else Marvel has, and when the new Marvel universe is born post-Secret Wars, she’ll be joining the Avengers. Kamala is a great character- she’s resourceful, funny and crucially, relatable. This is why I think a lot of he Spidey comparisons she’s been getting are apt- she’s a very relatble character, which I think is part of why she’s become so popular. Plus, just like Blade, the inclusion of a teenage Muslim-American girl would help add some diversity to the MCU.
Who should play her?: I have no idea. If anyone can think of a decent teenage Muslim-American actress, then let me know.
7. Hawkeye
Who is he?: Clint Barton is a former circus carnie with incredibly good aim. After witnessing Iron Man in action, Barton decided to become an adventurer, wearing a colourful costume and employing his archery skills to fight crime. However, he was mistaken for a thief and enlisted by Russian spy the Black Widow to be her partner, which led him to clash with other heroes a few times. However, he was unhappy with being a criminal, and when the Avengers put out the call for new members, he answered, joining Captain America, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch in the new Avengers. Since then, he has been a stalwart of the team, although his cocky and rebellious personality has led to clashes with his fellow teammates over the years.
Reasons: ‘But he’s already a movie character!’ I hear you cry. Well hear me out. Poor old Clint Barton has gotten an unfair amount of slack over the years. ‘Nobody’s favourite Avenger’, ‘the least popular Avenger’, ‘the useless Avenger’- it just keeps coming. He’s only ever appeared in movies where he has to share the limelight with far more popular and recognisable heroes. And given that he won’t be getting his own movie anytime soon, why not let the archer Avenger shine on Netflix? If there was a Hawkeye Netflix series, I’d like them to use Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye as an inspiration or basis- it absolutely nails Clint’s personality and uses all the jokes about him to its advantage. I’d be perfectly fine if they just copied Fraction’s Hawkeye exactly, to be honest.
Who should play him?: Jeremy Renner (duh)
8. Young Avengers
Who are they?: A young man named Nathaniel Richards, fleeing the wrath of time-travelling warlod Kang the Conqueror, arrived at Stark Industries in the wake of the ‘Avengers Disassembled’ event and accessed the AI of Vision. The AI activated the ‘Avengers Fail-Safe Protocol’, designed to seek out young heroes related to the Avengers. Richards donned an Iron-Man esque suit of armour and teamed up with heroes Patriot, Wiccan and Hulkling to form the original Young Avengers. Over time, their roster has grown, incorporating new members such as ace archer Kate Bishop, Scott Lang’s daughter Cassie Lang aka Stature and even the Vision himself.
Reasons: If there’s one genre at the moment that’s almost as big as superhero movies, it’s the YA genre. So why wouldn’t Marvel choose to combine the two hottest genres in entertainment at the moment in Young Avengers? One of the things I think it would do is help show the impact the presence of the Avengers has on the people of the world. Young people styling themselves after the Avengers is something that would be really interesting to explore- looking at why they do it and the way people perceive them. The team links to virtually every aspect of the Marvel universe- the mystical, the cosmic, the WW2 stuff, the street level heroism and more. Plus, they’re a very diverse set of heroes, and more diversity is never a bad thing.
Who should play them?: Just off the top of my head: Kate Bishop- Hailee Steinfeld, Wiccan- Asa Buttefield, Iron Lad- Freddie Highmore
9. She-Hulk
Who is she?: Jennifer Walters is the cousin of Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk. She is a lawyer, and was mortally wounded when she was shot by criminals whose boss she was prosecuting. Bruce was forced to give her some of his own gamma-irradiated blood in a transfusion. This meant that she transformed into She-Hulk, a green-skinned powerhouse with strength almost equal to that of her cousin. Unlike Banner, Walters retains her normal personality and intellect when in She-Hulk form, and can transform into She-Hulk at will. Over the years, she has fought all manner of foes, become a regular member of the Avengers and even stood in for the Thing in the Fantastic Four when he left the team for a while.
Reasons: Even though he won’t be getting another solo film soon, the Hulk remains one of Marvel’s most popular characters. So why not capitalise on that and introduce one of Marvel’s most popular female characters, one who is intrinsically connected to the Green Goliath? She-Hulk is a lawyer just like Daredevil, and courtroom dramas are always a big hit on TV. A She-Hulk movie was planned in the mid-1980s, with actress Brigitte Nielson even posing in costume as the character, but it fell through. She-Hulk bridges the gap between the massive, superhuman threats faced by the Avengers characters and the more street-level, organised-crime based threats faced by the other characters Marvel is putting on Netflix. On top of all this, more female super-heroes are always welcome, and if CBS’ Supergirl does well, a She-Hulk series could be a distinct possibility.
Who should play her?: Rose Bryne
10. Thunderbolts
Who are they?: Originally, the Thunderbolts were a ‘superhero’ team assembled by Baron Zemo after the Avengers and the Fantastic Four disappeared fighting Onslaught. He gathered together several super-villains and gave them new identities and codenames- the Beetle was now Mach-1, the Fixer was now Techno etc. They began to masquerade as heroes, and succeeded, to the point where many of them began to think of themselves as heroes. When the Avengers and the F4 returned, Zemo deliberately unmasked his teammates, who by now had turned on him and thought of themselves as true heroes, using a mind-controlled Avengers and F4 against them. Later, the team was reassembled. Later, in the aftermath of the Phoenix war, a new Thunderbolts team was assembled by Thunderbolt Ross aka Red Hulk as a strike force against superhuman threats.
Reasons: Marvel Studios has an annoying habit of killing off their villains, but there are a few who slipped the net. Tim Roth’s Abomination is one example, as is Frank Grillo’s Brock Rumlow/Crossbones and, crucially, Thunderbolt Ross. I would love for them to approach the Thunderbolts as a government-assembled strike team of villains. This would also be a great opportunity for them to introduce other well-known Marvel antiheroes and villains- Elektra, Ghost and Yelena Belova are all part of the team in the comics. There is a possibility they could even have Ross himself turn into Red Hulk. Also, a Thunderbolts series would be a great way to explore the Marvel universe from the other side of the spectrum- to get the villain’s perspective on the world, which is something we’ve yet to see in the MCU. Make it happen, Marvel.
Who should play them?: Thunderbolt Ross- William Hurt, Abomination- Tim Roth, Crossbones- Frank Grillo, Elektra- Berenice Marlohe, Yelena Belova- Olga Kurylenko
So there you have it! Thank you for taking the time to read this monster of an article. I’ve out a ton of work in this, so please leave your thoughts below and tell me what you think about it. That’s all for now though. Thank you for reading!