12 Marvel And DC Characters That Still Need Their Own Movie

When Stan Lee created the Fantastic Four in 1961 and later Spider-Man in 1962, little did he know that he was spawning a dynasty. Fifty years on, Lee and the Marvel brand have never been stronger and their heady rivalry with DC Comics has laid the ground for some of the biggest summer blockbusters in history. But where are we headed? Is the future solely dedicated to tentpole franchises boasting established names, or is there room to grow new blood on screen, too? Here, we take a look at comic book characters who could carry their own film. Some you may be familiar with, some you may never heard of, but each and every one has the potential to be a star and bring attention to the good work of the artists that created them. Also, just a quick note before we begin: While some of these characters have starred in their own movies in the past, they weren't very well received and as such, they deserve a shot at redemption - we're looking at you, Frank Castle. Carnage And Venom Two of the greatest villains in Marvel history are crying out for treatment on the silver screen. Yes, Carnage and Venom have been notably overlooked by execs looking to cash in on big-budget adaptations of beloved comic books. Now, while we're at it, let's forget all about Spider-Man 3. Topher Grace was the wrong choice for a role of the lifetime, and never imbued the viciousness of the symbiotic nasty known as Venom. In fact, we can leave Spider-Man out of it altogether. A showdown between Venom and Carnage would be a match made in heaven and a film that would send nerds into meltdown. What's there not to love about the grudge match? They're badass, bloodthirsty, and powered by a parasitic alien known as the Symbiote. The costumes would be first-rate, and here's hoping the next few years brings it to life. Catwoman The original antihero has had rough treatment on the silver screen with some dodgy outings that reached crisis point with 2004's Catwoman. Thirteen years on, those lasting flesh wounds might still be enough to put execs off the character, but Christopher Nolan's 2012's The Dark Knight Rises demonstrated the fascinating duality at the heart of Selina Kyle. Anne Hathaway had the necessary sass and savvy to pull it off, but she brought an element of humanity that's so desperately needed as well. Having carried the character quite competently, Hathaway would be an obvious choice for a Catwoman reboot or origin story, but where would a Hathaway-led outing sit within the canon of the Nolan films? A better fit, then, would be a new choice altogether; an actress with the necessary bite to bring Catwoman to life. You could imagine Alicia Vikander or Rooney Mara giving the role a new edge, but with both actresses in demand, a fresh face would work, too. Either way, Catwoman is an indelible part of the Batman lore, and provided the actress, script and filmmaker is right, she's noteworthy enough to strike out on her own. Punisher Time and time again, filmmakers have tried and failed to bring Frank Castle to life on screen. Say what you want about Thomas Lane and Ray Stevenson, but neither actor was truly able to transmit the tortured crimefighter to audiences and The Punisher brand has languished as a result, losing ground to more palatable characters in the Marvel and DC ranks. Now, Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead) has the chance to give his own take in an upcoming Netflix series. Reports suggest it'll closely hew the line sowed by Marvel and is being developed in conjunction with the comic book powerhouse. That's good news, as is the inclusion of Bernthal, who has the acting chops and personality to pull off Castle's savagery. If The Punisher proves third time lucky, there's no reason we won't be treated to a movie further down the line. Darkseid Time will tell whether we'll get a Darkseid to remember in the upcoming Justice League film, but one thing's for sure: few characters in the DC stable are as scary as the dark one: an intergalactic tyrant who operates from the shadows and manipulates his foes. There's no word yet on who's playing the character, but one rumor floating around is that Jeff Bridges will take on the role of the bad guy who arranges his minions like pawns on an enormous chess board. After Bridges' turn as Obadiah Stane in Iron Man, he has the necessary cunning to pull off a character who is the comic book version of a modern-day politician. Darkseid favors his intellect over his brawn, but if push comes to shove, he's got immense strength and laser beams to boot. Those help. Spider-Man 2099 We still can't say for sure if the upcoming Spider-Man reboot starring Tom Holland satiates fans, but if it fails, there's always a future incarnation of Spidey to turn to. Yup, we're talking about Spider-Man 2099. Sporting one of the cooler suits in superhero history, 2099 is not Peter Parker at all, but a geneticist named Miguel O'Hara living in a future dystopian society. Miguel sets about recreating Spider-Man's abilities and soon faces off against familiar arch-enemies with a futuristic twist. The character has garnered a cult following since his unveiling in 1992's memorable origin story and with a suit this goddarn slick, it'd be fascinating to see future Spidey on screen. Namor Marvel's answer to Aquaman is Namor The Sub-Mariner, a son of Atlantis and long-standing fixture of Marvel lore since his unveiling in 1939. A Namor movie has been tentatively in the works for years, but nothing has come to fruition yet - though that may soon change. With the upcoming Aquaman set to be released in 2018, the time is nigh for a motion picture that explores Namor's complex and often unsavoury character. Could we get a Marvel vs DC style face-off with Namor pitted against Aquaman? That's unlikely, but if Jason Mamoa's underwater adventure is a success with audiences, expect Marvel to want a piece of the action, too. Azrael After a memorable turn in the Batman: Arkham series, Azrael must be on the radar of DC executives. An assassin for the Order of St. Dumas, Azrael aspires to be a man of honor in Batman's image. Armed with the Sword of Sin and an enemy of Ra's and Talia al Ghul, this skilled assassin is a conflicted yet honorable crimefighter. That conflict would be at the heart of a movie bearing Azrael's name; one that explores the origin of a hired killer who turns to vigilante justice in search of a higher purpose. Expect a film with slick violence in the style of Sin City. Looking for family-friendly fun? Look elsewhere, because an Azrael film by rights should be noir inspired with appropriate levels of bloodshed. Vision When the AI known as J.A.R.V.I.S is fused with an Ultron shell in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron, Vision is created, the original Marvel android. Paul Bettany dons the red mask of a character steeped in lore, yet one who's received little attention. His relationship with Scarlet Witch would make for a fascinating spinoff film though, pleasing fans who have followed Vision's progress in comic books and the awesome Marvel Masterpieces cards of the '80s and '90s. Mister Sinister Sinister has always been one of Marvel's coolest villains, replete with billowing cape and hair styled like an '80s drill sergeant. While he's a relatively recent addition to the world of comic books, Sinister has the iconography to pull off a major role in a future X-Men film, or carry the film on his own. His link to Apocalypse means he could easily fulfill the role of supervillain in the next X-Men outing and it's really quite surprising that he has't been included before. With genius intellect and superhuman strength, he's a memorable adversary that'll stop at nothing to achieve domination. But it's his sheer cunning that sends shivers down the spine. The post-credits scene of X-Men: Apocalypse seemingly teased an appearance from him further down the road, so hopefully that comes to fruition. Robin Robin is an under-utilized character in Marvel lore, long relegated to the role of sidekick beside the Dark Knight. But after The Dark Knight Rises teased the possibility of Robin going it alone, fans began to wonder: would a spinoff film work? While a Nightwing movie is set to appear soon, one has to wonder whether the film wouldn't be better served exploring the origins of the character in his guise as Robin. Joseph Gordon-Levitt would be an obvious choice to take up the mantle, but there's no reason why a reboot couldn't nix Gordon-Levitt and stick to a new actor completely. In fact, why not reboot Robin minus Batman, too? The character has a well-known backstory, and by stepping out of Bats' shadow, it could renew interest in the character, creating another important fixture in the DC film stable going forward. Doctor Doom Ah, the Victor von Doom. Perhaps no other Marvel villain has been so poorly portrayed on the big screen, with all recent Fantastic Four films trying and failing to bring this enigmatic character to life. Created by Stan Lee and and Jack Kirby, Doom's famous mask and coat have been the stuff of legend for comic book readers since the '60s, and Doom's famous duels with the Fantastic Four have helped keep that franchise going. But perhaps what we need is a Doom origin story that leaves the Fantastic Four to one side and asks: What makes the Doctor evil? Where does his hatred of Reed Richards stem from? Done right, a Doctor Doom reboot would revive interest in the flailing Fantastic Four and give audiences a reason to care again. Typhoid Mary Unless you read comic books or were once a collector of the old comic book cards, chances are you haven't hard of Typhoid Mary. Outside of a character assassination in the 2005 botch job Elektra, Typhoid Mary has had no screen time of relevance. That's a shame, because she's a genuinely fantastic creation with an unstable personality and the ability to inflict poisonous pain on enemies. Part Harley Quin, part Poison Ivy, she would struggle to justify a big screen release on her own, but alongside a bigger character like, say, Deadpool? You bet.