When nerds…eh, and fans go to a Kevin Feige-helmed film, they know Marvel characters will be on full display. Their origins and powers, arcs and failures — a Marvel Studios‘ film bares it all. (Well, most of the time. Those same fans still want their money back for Thor: Love and Thunder.)
Over the span of more than 30 films, 23 of those fulfilling an entire Infinity saga and a parade float full of the comic’s greats, Feige bellied up to the Variety.com bar and slammed his shot.
“The great thing about Marvel truly is how many wonderful, interesting characters we have in the comics — they’ve been at it for 85 years,” said Feige on the universe’s longevity. “Even after 32 movies, it feels like we’ve barely scratched the surface.”
Barely?! Someone’s got the humblebrag machine working.
Casual fans of comic book movies (CBMs) read that with blank thought bubbles above their head. This is the most successful movie franchise in cinematic history earning close to $30 billion. Two of Marvel’s sub-franchises are numbers 4 and 6 (Spider-Man and The Avengers, respectively).
To use a cinematic parlance, let’s ask Denzel…
If anyone outside of Captain Excelsior can say that, it would be Feige. The man eats, sleeps, breathes, and cashes in on all Marvel characters. His pedigree is proof.
In 2000, the baseball-cap-wearing-to-cover-the-solar-panel-on-his-dome comic aficionado joined Marvel to become a producer. It took seven short years for him to become president of the entire department. The coronation was in 2019 when Feige was named Marvel Studios President and Chier Creative Officer. For comparison, it took 20-plus years for Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment to figure out what a Creative Officer job description looked like before they put it out on Indeed.
(Memo to Walter Hamada: Yeah, you suck out loud, bro. At least Geoff Johns can write.)
“I feel so lucky that I get to do this job,” Feige said. “Every costume fitting, when we see the actors transform for the first time, there’s always this moment of awe. It’s so incredible to take these Marvel characters and bring them to life on the screen.
If he gets that happy over dudes putting on tights in the dressing room (don’t judge), then he’s probably right about his vantage point. And, if his opinion is that Marvel Studios has only scratched the service of that comic’s IP, wherein the red and blue hell is going to scratch?
Glad that question is out there because your friends at CoveredGeekly put our noggins together and came up with 10 premier Marvel characters with a rash, ready for the big screen.
Author’s Note: The X-Men franchise, and all that implies, have been confirmed to enter the MCU at some time so consider them scratched. Same for Nova. And if you saw the post-credit scene from Eternals, same for Captain Britain too.
10. Moondragon
Captain Marvel, Shuri, and Lady Sif are probably the most intimidating heroines among Marvel characters at the moment. If we met Moonshadow (aka Heather Douglas), we would the definition of “Girl Power.” The girl gave Galactus a run for his planet-eating money!
Thanos killed her parents, so she was raised by Titan monks who taught her psionic forces greater than most in the Marvel pantheon. And you know “monks” = “kicking ass, John Wick-style.” With Eternals looming and the rise of A-Force, teased in Endgame, Moondragon would curl her tail in nicely.
9. Hyperion
DC is home to the ultimate GOAT of heroes, Superman. Marvel and DC have stolen from each others for decades, and this is no exception. Meet Hyperion (aka Marcus Milton). He is a child of the Eternals, but raised by human parents. Since he is a Tier-2 hero in Marvel, he doesn’t join the Avengers. The Squadron Supreme beckons his call.
The MCU connection for Hyperion is the Avengers confront Milton in their dimension. To make things interesting, Sal Buscema and Roy Thomas (co-creators) created an internal conflict for identity inside this super one among Marvel characters–one half, Superman and the other, General Zod. That would be great in the hands of Kevin Feige.
8. Brother Voodoo
Kevin Feige knew the Sorceror Supreme would be amazing on screen. He did the same for the Scarlet Witch. In whatever phase he wants, Brother Voodoo would give the three-eyed Doctor Strange a run for his money in the MCU. Jericho Drumm witnessed his brother’s death in Haiti (his home), so he gets into Voodoo.
He masters the incantations and sinister spells unlike anyone before him. Drumm can talk to animals and the dead–both bending over backwards to do his bidding. His magic is so powerful that, at one point in his life, Drumm becomes the Sorcerer Supreme. Dude is that great, one of the most magical of Marvel characters.
7. Northstar
Northstar may not be the most powerful among Marvel characters, but he is–without doubt–one of the most important ever created in the franchise. Don’t be misled, Northstar can handle his own just fine. After all, he helped pioneer the super group, Alpha Flight.
Jean-Paul Beaubier is a beacon of hope in real life for the LGBTQ+ community, who was created as a gay superhero back in the ’90s (“Alpha Flight #106,” 1992.) He handles commentary on social ills almost as well as he has mastered his superhuman powers. He is a force of good, in more ways than one and should have a presence–and a voice–in the MCU.
6. Quasar
This is Wendell Vaughn, also known as Quasar. He was a former Agent of SHIELD, but thanks to Eon, he was dubbed “Protector of the Universe.” As fans will soon discover, there is raw, untapped potential within the cosmic realm of the MCU — a place with Wendell dominates.
His destny unfolds in a peculiar way. Vaughn was asked to be head of security for “Project PEGASUS.” (Marvel sure loves their acronyms.) Asked to protect the Quantum Bans with his life, he puts them on and becomes on with the Quantum Realm. And if you need anything else from his resume, the guy’s middle is “Elvis.” Yes, really. Dude is the truth!
5. Phyla-Vell
Half-Kree, half-titan, all awesome. Phyla-Vell could fall in line perfectly where The Marvels leave off wherever it is they stop in their movie. This is confusing, even for the methodical quills of Marvel Comics. Phyla-Vell is also known as Quasar because she was the next iteration of this cosmic disguise.
That said, she is Number 5 because she is that powerful. She is the daughter of Mar-Vell and suited to whoop up on any Skrull in the universe. As long as Phyla-Vell wears the cosmic-powered Quantum Bands (see No. 2), she is a force of reckoning. And with Feige’s commitment to traverse the multiverse, who better than this GPS on cosmic crack to be your tour guide?
One last thing: Moondragon is her Boo. Hot, right?
4. Beta Ray Bill
Fat Thor is gone, probably to a Weight Watchers commune in New Asgard. Not many fans want Jane to helm the resistance, so where can Feige turn? Beta Ray Bill. He’s right there. Taiki Waititi put his face on an Asgardian statue as a clever Easter Egg for a conversation starter.
So, time to chat about the time when Thor and Bill were fighting over Mjolnir. It was a clash of the titans. Thor won, but so impressed by his machismo, Odin built Bill his own hammer. It was called “Stormbreaker.” The ingredients are there. Time to make a cake!
3. The Sentry
Arguably, the most fascinating aspect of The Sentry (aka Bob Reynolds) is that his origin is an origin story–he doesn’t even know what it is. He’s practically a Boomer when he figures out his powers and who he really is. The Sentry is a walking testament of the Multiverse’s power, and trust that he possesses all of it.
Through his eyes, Feige could share past and present tales of supernatural proportions. As fans follow the journey of Bob Reynolds sojourning through his life like Jason Bourne in a Super Walmart, fans learn about the malevolent force, The Void, who took his memories in the first place…and then becomes The Sentry. Oh, this would rock in the MCU!
2. Blue Marvel
Proof that Marvel Comics did not die with Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby is Blue Marvel. With the advent of Ironheart, Shuri, Ms. Marvel, and the new Captain “Falcon” America, there is an open door and fresh welcome mat for the younger generation of Marvel characters. And Adam Brashear would fit in nicely to defend the cosmos.
His origin story is steeped in the Civil Rights Movement. And given his superpowers are enriched with anti-matter and the “Negative Zone,” he doesn’t age, wither, or lose energy. Also, guess who else has dabbled in the aforementioned zone? Take one “fantastic” guess.
1. Ghost Rider
Aside from the Fantastic Four, there isn’t a single superhero in the Marvel characters’ crusade that has been done more wrong than Ghost Rider. Johnny Blaze is a force for good amid evil in the world. Heaven won’t take and hell don’t want him, which means Marvel needs him in the MCU.
The guy lives in the fire and on a Harley. It’s made for the Kevin Feige treatment. Mephisto, one of the most intimidating and powerful villains in all of Marvel’s Rogue Galleries comes with Ghost Rider, and that is such a good thing. Between his mystical abilities, hell-bent temper, and some sweet weapons, Ghost Rider would roar on the big screen. You know? Like he didn’t come close to doing as Nic Cage.
Make this one happen, Feige!
