To date there have been 14 big Marvel movies, plus those from Fox and Sony. Add to that the characters with Netflix shows. Still, there are a few Marvel characters that should get their own solo movie.
7 Marvel Characters Who Need Their Own Movie
7. Mystique. Regrettably, I must begin this list with a caveat. I think Mystique would make an amazing lead for a movie, but only if Marvel gets the character’s rights back from Fox, in order to roll back the weird character shift that capitalized on the popularity of Jennifer Lawrence.
Granted, Lawrence did fine with the character, but as the Fox X-Men movies went on, the character of Mystique drifted further from her portrayal in the comics. But what if the character was taken back to her roots?
Imagine an espionage movie where you never truly knew who to trust? The fun thing about Mystique is that she can be anywhere, be anyone. A self-contained movie where we could watch as Mystique infiltrated an organization in deep cover would be a lot of fun to watch.
6. Dazzler. Look, there are a lot people who love the X-Men movies. There are also some people who thought X3 was OK. Then there is a tiny sliver who thought X3 was the best X-Men movie. They are looney weirdy-pants people, but X3 people do indeed exist. But you’ve probably never met one. They’re rare, impossibly rare. They are Led Zeppelin fans who didn’t care for II. They’re statistical anomalies. Ironically, they’re very vocal on Reddit.
I bring that up because X3 might be preferable to a Dazzler solo movie for some people. She’s an odd character, created when Disco was queen. But a superhero movie that had musical numbers and dealt with fame could be interesting. I don’t know what you would do for a villain, but Longshot would 110% need to be in the movie as a sidekick character.
5. Thunderbolts. Sure, DC beat Marvel to the punch on this one with Suicide Squad. But the villains-as-heroes genre isn’t totally saturated.
The main problem with a Thunderbolts movie is a general audience won’t know the characters, but look what Guardians of the Galaxy was able to do with unknown characters. And Thunderbolts has some interesting mixes and power sets that could play on film.
We’ve written lots about the Thunderbolts. Here is a lineup they could use. Here is a look at their villainous origins.
4. Squirrel Girl. I’ve written about Squirrel Girl before. The character and her solo comic are absolutely delightful, and I don’t toss around that word often. What’s more, there is a groundswell of fan support for a movie and stars such as Anna Kendrick have lobbied to play the role.
Squirrel Girl eats nuts and kicks butts. Sure, it sounds silly, but it could be a romp of a move. Imagine the irreverence of Deadpool, but oozing with heart and aimed at young audiences.
Even though Squirrel Girl is #4 on this list, it’s one of the two that I’m most confident we’ll see happen.
3. Ms. Marvel. This is a character that is newer on the scene, but has quickly become as beloved as pretty much any comic character. For that reason, my opinion is this the other movie that is likely to happen. If not, there is always this fan film of Ms. Marvel.
I’m on the bandwagon for this one. A young Muslim girl who is super stoked to find herself with new found powers–while also struggling to balance boys, school, and parental pressure–could generate a very compelling screenplay.
Plus, she’s an Inhuman and if that television series finds legs, it provides a plausible introduction for the character.
As a bonus, young character with stretchy powers would be great for the screen and special effects are easily advanced enough that it would look excellent.
2. Spider-Woman. This is an established character with a long history in the comics. But she’s also sort of a blank slate as well. This provides ample opportunity to pulls bits and pieces from the comics, while also blazing new territory on the screen.
In fact, I’m surprised Sony hasn’t pitched a Spider-Woman movie, giving that they’ve pitched Sinister Six, Venom, and heavens knows what else. But undoubtedly tied up in a rights dispute with Sony and a lack of iconic storyline to pull from, I give this a weak chance to happen.
Still, a fan can dream. With zap and pheromone powers, Spider-Woman has an entirely different vibe than Spider-Man, which could create for a distinct look. Hey, maybe it can happen on Netflix or something.
1. Black Widow. I’m shocked that this one hasn’t happened yet, but the fact that it hasn’t probably is proof that it never will. But it’s baffling to me as Scarlett Johansson is one of Hollywood’s truly bankable stars and Black Widow is a great character.
In fact, one could argue that Black Widow has been the key character that has tied the MCU together. While the big boys are punching each other and arguing over the best plan of attack, Black Widow stands in for the audience and has helped them navigate the through line of the overarching story.
Besides, like Mystique above, a solo Black Widow movie could be a great espionage / spy flick. What’s more, her fighting style is really energetic and exciting on the screen. Fans would line up for it.
That’s my wish list for the Marvel characters who should have their own solo movies. What is yours? Tell us over at our Facebook page or in our Twitter feed.
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