Yes, the Avengers was an incredible movie that literally rocked my world and fulfilled all of my childhood dreams, but with the exception of the eight more times I plan to see it, now seems like the best time to look into the future and examine what Marvel Studios will do next in the first of a two part series.
Given how overwhelmingly successful The Avengers just was for Marvel, I’m under the impression that the guys running things in the movie department really know what they’re doing with this project. That also means that they’re well aware that their ability to continue bringing in giant bags of money is directly dependent on what they do with phase two of their Marvel continuity plan. Phase one, bringing the Avengers to the big screen, was executed perfectly, but that success will not be replicated by simply doing the same thing over and over again. What keeps Avengers books interesting in the comic book world, and what will be necessary if the movies are to be successful, is their ability to mesh high profile heroes like Captain America and Iron Man with their B and C list counterparts, thus keeping an interesting variety in the characters.
Now, don’t take this to understand that I’m tired of these properties already. Far from it. I’m already eager for Iron Man 3, Thor 2, and Captain America 2, but I’m equally interested, perhaps even more so, with the new properties that are entering this cinematic universe and the new characters that will be brought forth from already established properties. How this phase of the process is handled will determine how long Marvel will reign supreme in the comic book movie world. If they can integrate lower level heroes and make audiences fall in love with them, their empire may last for decades. If not, we’ll look back on these days with the notion that the experiment was an overwhelming success that still had so much more potential to give.
But who are these characters I speak of, and what movies could possibly be coming to expand on this already expansive universe? Well, this is where I get to put on my speculation hat and make some predictions of what will come next from Marvel Headquarters. If nothing else, Marvel’s success with these movies has given them a lot of trust from their audience, and they now have the freedom to pursue all or none of these ideas in time, but the comic book nerd in me is hoping that each of these will see the light of day at some point.
Today, I’m looking at the characters from already established franchises that I believe would make good fits in the movie universe, specifically as members of the Avengers. Each one of these characters would fulfill a very important role in the Marvel Universe: sustainability. Most of them are variations of the already existing main characters, which means their skill set would not be lost if, say, an actor got tired of playing the same part after a while. It also means that there can be a mix and match with the two parts shuffling in and out as necessary, keeping things new with new personalities and the chemistry issues that can bring while still enjoying similar battle styles. It’s a win for everybody, especially the fans. Let’s get started!
Red Hulk
Who he is: Remember 2008’s The Incredible Hulk? Well, there may be a good reason why Marvel kept the movie in continuity despite the relatively lower quality of the movie and changing the main actor (a wise choice, as Mark Ruffalo was incredible). Thunderbolt Ross, the guy who was in charge of overseeing Bruce Banner’s project and spent the rest of the movie trying to hunt the Hulk down becomes crazy trying to destroy the creature that is attacking his city and making a mockery of his armed forces. He exposes himself to gamma radiation and becomes the Red Hulk. In this form, he is able to maintain his intellect and remains a master of battle strategy, but his rage emits heat instead of making him stronger, and too much of it can weaken him severely.
How he’d fit in: If Marvel ever made an Incredible Hulk 2, he’d be the perfect villain. His daughter is Banner’s romantic interest, which makes his discovery that his daughter is literally sleeping with the enemy the perfect catalyst to convince him to go mad to try to stop the Hulk at any cost. Even if the Hulk seems to have learned how to keep his cool in most situations, a charging Red Hulk coming towards him would definitely be enough to bring out his angrier side. A giant Hulk v. Hulk battle would be fun to watch, and in the end, Banner’s ability to help General Ross control that deadly weakness of his would be enough to get him to join the Avengers. A more strategic Hulk would be a valuable asset on the battlefield.
Likelihood: Not that good, sadly. There seems to be a definitive peak on revenue brought in from Hulk movies; though the 2008 movie was far superior to its 2003 brethren, the final box office numbers were nearly identical. Yes, Red Hulk has been very popular in the comic book world, but that rarely leads to increased revenue on its own. Given the Hulk seemed to have good self-control over his anger issues in The Avengers, it’s hard to imagine any movie in which Thunderbolt is driven to these lengths that isn’t pretty contrived. Also, there might not be enough to distinguish the Red Hulk from Abomination, the villain from the last Hulk movie that also had a similar power set to the Hulk. If another Hulk movie is going to be made, I wouldn’t rule this out, but it may be a while before this becomes a true possibility.
War Machine
Who he is: You’ve already met War Machine if you watched Iron Man 2. James Rhodes is a lieutenant colonel in the Marines who also happens to be friends with Tony Stark. In the movie universe, Rhodes has to use Stark’s newest power suit to prevent Tony from self-destructing and damaging others while drunk in the Iron Man suit at a birthday party gone out of control. Rhodes kept the suit and put it in the hands of Justin Hammer, Stark’s rival who had a weapons deal with the United States, went mad with power, and trying to kill a whole bunch of people. Eventually, Rhodes was able to help Tony fight off all the attack drones and save the day, keeping the suit for himself in the aftermath.
How he’d fit in: Rhodes is essentially a more disciplined Iron Man. His military strategy and ability to follow orders makes him a far more easy to work with replacement should Tony Stark have to go out of the picture for a while. He’s a true professional while also being a complete badass in that power armor, which uses more traditional weaponry than Iron Man’s energy beams. Introducing him to S.H.I.E.L.D. could also create some interesting tension in their relationship, as Stark prides himself on being the best, and War Machine gives him a solid run for his money.
Likelihood: We are literally a big naming moment away from already seeing this happen. To what degree the character will be integrated has yet to be seen, but Rhodes seems like the most likely candidate to join Stark on the Avengers from the other characters in the Iron Man universe. Given Rhodes has already been confirmed for Iron Man 3 and is listed, at least on wikipedia, as War Machine, I get the feeling we’ll see very soon just how big a figure War Machine will be in the Marvel Movie Universe.
Valkyrie
Who she is: Valkyrie is the strongest of the Valkyrior, who are very similar to the Norse mythological warriors known as valkyrie. While not a god like Thor, she does age far more slowly and has superhuman strength and toughness. Her age has given her centuries of combat experience, making her one of the most notable strategic minds in addition to her incredible combat skills. Valkyrie also has a weird connection with death, able to sense when someone is about to die and able to take spirits back and forth between the realms of the living and the dead (this gives her a weird attraction to Deadpool, whose rights sadly are not with the Marvel movies studio; that scene alone would be worth putting her into cinematic form).
How she’d fit in: With no offense meant to Black Widow, there simply aren’t many female superheroes that can claim the power that Valkyrie does. Having a strong female character known for her prowess on the battlefield more than her beauty (though her beauty doesn’t hurt) can only be good for the Marvel universe. Also, she plays perfectly off of Thor’s character flaws of humility, as she is a formidable match for him, and I doubt Thor would take too kindly to being seriously challenged by a female warrior.
Likelihood: Moderate to high. She’s been on several Avengers teams in the past, and her abilities on the battlefield as a guardian of sorts make her exactly the kind of warrior S.H.I.E.L.D. would want for their Avenger initiative. Protecting a planet like Earth would come naturally for her, and I would not be surprised to see her leading a charge of Valkyrior into battle the next time a truly dangerous threat comes around.
Beta Ray Bill
Who he is: Beta Ray Bill is a Korbinite, an alien species from a far away galaxy that has been rendered nearly extinct, that crash lands on Earth. In the comics, Bill fights and defeats Thor’s alter ego. While Thor is unconscious, Bill finds and is able to wield Mjolnir, deemed worthy by the hammer itself. After discovering what had happened, Thor challenges Bill to a battle for the hammer, which drains both fighters but eventually finds Bill the winner (he emerges from being knocked out slightly before Thor does). Thor is dismayed at first, but Bill is so filled with respect for everyone’s favorite Asgardian that he lets Thor keep Mjolnir. For his strength and virtue, Odin grants Bill his own hammer called Stormbreaker, which has the same powers as Mjolnir, and Thor and Bill become true brothers-in-arms.
How he’d fit in: Again, Thor is a hero whose flaw comes from his lack of humility, and giving him a challenge like this where he’d have to accept that there are many out there with power that can surpass even his own, provides exactly the kind of foil needed to have the character grow. Beta Ray Bill is definitely a fun character in his own right, whose incredible combat abilities would make him very fun to watch.
Likelihood: Depends on what you’re looking for. Every other character on this list has spent time with the Avengers and is a good fit for that team, but Beta Ray Bill has never done that, and given his character, I don’t see any reason he would. He could, however, assist the Avengers against a certain bad guy that may have been revealed at the end of The Avengers as a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy (more on that tomorrow). If a Guardians of the Galaxy movie is announced, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Beta Ray Bill as a member at some point, and since Marvel has shown that nothing is too comic-y to be put to film, Bill’s quirky characteristics don’t rule him out.
Who he is: Falcon is widely recognized as mainstream comics’ first African-American superhero. Though his early days were largely defined by his status as outsider because of his race, the character has largely grown past that due in large part to his friendship with Captain America, who helped train him in martial arts and turn him into an incredibly capable fighter in addition to the empathic link he shares with birds. He’s able to command birds to his will to some extent (it changes depending on the writer), tap into their memories to determine what they’ve seen (though their lack of concept of time means events can be out of order), and see through their eyes to spy on enemies or find someone who is missing.
How he’d fit in: I hate to play the diversity card, but having a strong minority character can only be a good thing for Marvel marketing. Outside of that, such spying abilities would make him a perfect addition to any espionage mission the Avengers would need to pull, and his fighting skills ensure that he’ll be a valuable asset when battles roll around. Also, and this may be just me, but I feel as if the Cap needs a friend to get him through the harsh transition into the modern world, and the two characters bounce off each other really well.
Likelihood: Low to mid, probably. One should never rule out a strong minority character with the interesting skill set that Falcon has, but he’s probably not the biggest priority from Captain America continuity. I could see Falcon showing up in Captain America 3, if such a movie is ever made, before I would believe he’d make an appearance in Captain America 2. Especially since there’s a really obvious choice that comic fans everywhere are clamoring for…
Winter Soldier
Who he is: Remember Bucky Barnes, Captain America’s best friend from the first movie? Were you heartbroken when he fell to his death in that mission gone wrong? Well, have no fear! Being frozen isn’t the death it used to be, at least not in the comic universe. It turns out that the Soviets discovered Bucky’s frozen body and all but brainwashes him, taking advantage of his amnesia to turn him into one of the most effective assassin’s the Russians had ever seen, the Winter Soldier. Heck, he even has a brief romance with the Black Widow (and we know movie audiences are just looking for reasons to put Scarlett Johansson in a tight leather outfit again).
How he’d fit in: In my perfect world, Captain America 2 is essentially the Winter Soldier’s story. Cap is mourning over the loss of everything he loved when a deadly assassin starts reaping havoc on important S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives. Captain America is called in and starts hearing rumors that this assassin is, in fact, his best friend Bucky brought back from almost certain death. With mixed feelings, the Cap now has to go off and fight his best friend, hoping to restore his memory and bring him back into the fold. The climatic scene where Captain America reminds him of the soldier he used to be and Bucky breaks down with guilt would be incredibly powerful if done properly, and the two would be reunited after all these years. Marvel can take all my money if they pull that movie off properly.
Likelihood: I have to think this is where they’re going with this. They never did show Bucky’s body, and honestly, I’m not sure where else Captain America’s story would likely go without this kind of blast from the past. It’s the most fun storyline I can come up with, the deep emotions behind it would make it one of the most memorable of the marvel cinematic universe if done right. With the exception of the inevitable Avengers 2, the idea of having a Captain America movie with the Winter Solider is by far the most exciting possibility in my mind, and I really hope the heads of the Marvel movie studios agree.
Now it’s time to let me know who you think would make a good addition to the Avengers roster from the Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America universes. Sound off in the comments below, or follow us on twitter at @RedShirtCrew. And don’t forget to come back tomorrow when I look at which new Marvel movie franchises are likely to see the light of day. Until then, this is MaristPlayBoy, signing out.
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