Superheroes Next in Superhero Movies:
The Superhero genre might be reaching a saturation point but the audience is yet to reach a viewing threshold. The world needs more superheroes, both in reel as well as in real life. The Superhero movies we have seen up until now are just the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much more to them than what meets the eye. There are as of yet tons of superheroes that could become the future successors of Batman, Superman, Captain America, Thor and many more. This list is not about the heroes whose saga is already known but the ones whose story is yet to be told. These guys, for all they are worth, deserve some recognition for all they have done for us. They are amazing and they deserve a solo movie production of their own.
1. Daredevil
Granted the guy has had a successful career in Netflix, but there’s so much more to his guy. The movie version, featuring Ben Affleck as the titular character was a huge bomb because the Director forgot one basic tenet while making a movie on the Man without Fear – the human element, something the Netflix series got right in their very first attempt. Now that we know the correct formula to make a Daredevil production that is likable enough, it is time Charlie Cox, who plays Daredevil in the Netflix series of the same name, take his act to the movie theatres. This guy needs to come to the movies ASAP. Imagine – The Hand replacing Hydra as the next global terrorist organization in the MCU.
2. Moon Knight
The Agent of the Egyptian Moon God Khonshu, Moon Knight is Marvel Comics’ answer to Batman. But rest assured Moon Knight is nothing like Batman. While the latter is a dark, brooding figure with a lot of childhood issues, Moon Knight does what he does because he is freaking crazy!! He will use whatever means necessary, even if it means doing a few wrongs here and there, to do the right thing. The most successful superhero movies have been the ones that combined different genres with superhero fiction. Deadpool was comedy and superhero while Spider-Man: Homecoming was a teenage comedy thriller. Moon Knight could be a psychological thriller with tinges of horror comedy.
3. Mister Terrific
Mister Terrific is an Olympic level athlete and a Polymath. His real name is Michael Holt and he is the third smartest man in the World. Mister Terrific is told to have an ability to learn things so quickly that it almost counts as a super power. Why we want Mister Terrific in the movies is because he has been one of the most crucial cogs in the wheel that is Justice League since time immemorial. Mister Terrific also has issues with faith and religion. His personal conflict between being a man of science and the fact that he tries his best to believe in a higher power is a struggle that could be highlighted in depth in a movie.
4. Sentry
The Sentry is Marvel’s most powerful superhero, hands down. You can scream Captain Marvel or Thor or Iron Man all you want but no one in their right minds would hold even a candle against this guy. Robert Reynolds has the power to turn into the Sentry – a superhero with the power of a million exploding suns running through his veins. The Sentry has a very unique and critically acclaimed origin story which is extremely live action adaptation worthy. The Sentry is only one of two beings Robert Reynolds could turn into, the other one being the Void – an evil entity a thousand times stronger than the Sentry that forms a fractured part of Reynolds’ psyche that takes hold whenever the Sentry tries to push himself too hard.
5. Blue Beetle
Ted Kord is a very famous character in the DC Comic Book Universe. He is the founder of Kord Industries, a multi-billion dollar weapons and military complex that Ted Kord personally administers. In his free time when Kord does not masquerade around as a wealthy and careless industrialist, he puts his blue beetle mask on and uses the very technology his company creates to fight evil. Ted Kord is also one of the sharpest minds in DC. While there are already talks of Booster Gold and Blue Beetle coming to the silver screens, we wanted to highlight Kord because he is an already established character and should be the first stepping stone before DC tries and drops the Booster Gold and Blue Beetle movie bomb.
6. Zatanna
One of the hottest superheroes of all time, Zatanna is as dangerous as she is hot to look at. Zatanna comes from a long line of wizards and sorcerers, her father being one of the greatest magic based superheroes the world had ever seen until Zatanna came along. Zatanna has been associated with a lot of major DC Superheroes like Batman and John Constantine, both of whom have had a romantic relationship with her. Zatanna would be the perfect candidate to bring in gender diversity and the much needed ‘oomph’ factor in the DC Extended Universe.
7. Beta Ray Bill
We already have Thor. So why do we need this guy you ask? Because Thor is but one guy! There is a lot of outer space adventures the God of Thunder has been to that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has failed to show us. And with most of the good Thor story arcs being used up, it will be extremely hard for Thor to be featured in any other significant story arcs. That is where Beta Ray Bill comes in. The guy already exists in the MCU. That much we knew from a not so subtle Easter egg in Thor: Ragnarok. All it would take is for Marvel to move around a few pieces here and there and Beat Ray Bill, with his Stormbreaker axe, will be swinging high and mighty in a movie of his own.
8. Nightwing
Joel Schumacher’s portrayal of the Nightwich character in Batman and Robin was the closest we got to a live action adaptation of Nightwing in the theatres. Nightwing is the first ever member to be included as a vigilante superhero within the Bat Family. After Batman died in one specific story arc, it was Dick Grayson who truly upheld his legacy by becoming the new Batman. He is fit for a solo feature movie. While featuring as a main character might be too much to ask of DC since they are hell-bent on Batman, how about introducing him as a member of the supporting cast?
9. Namor
The King of Atlantis in the Marvel Comic book Universe is a very renowned anti-hero. Namor is the world’s first ever mutant superhero to feature in a comic book. Namor’s mutant ability allows him to fly, an ability the rest of the ocean w=dwelling Atlanteans do not possess. Several Easter eggs hinting at Atlantis existing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe all point to the fact that Marvel is actually considering Namor as a potential recruit into their movie squadron. Let us just hope they do not drop the ball too early.
10. Martian Manhunter
J’onn J’onzz is the last of his kind. His entire race was wiped out by a Civil War on Mars. Ad the final Martian to walk the universe, Martian Manhunter is a powerful being whose abilities are sometimes too much to handle even for the most powerful of DC’s superheroes which also includes Superman. Since the Marvel Cinematic Universe is moving towards outer space, why should DC not jump into the same bandwagon? Martian Manhunter would not only make for a good addition to the team and a wonder full superhero but also give the Outer Space element to the DCEU that it so desperately needs. With DC’s potential plans for New Gods and the Green Lantern Corps, Space looks like to be the final frontier. If DC truly is serious about this stuff, they should definitely rope in Martian Manhunter.
