With Marvel director/producer Louis D’Espisito (“Agent Peggy Carter”) hinting that the House of Ideas was eying the possibility of putting a female character in the lead role of one of their movies, the first name mentioned was Captain Marvel, who was recently given a more dynamic name and a *ahem* more actress-friendly uniform. She is also the last female character left with her own solo book at the publisher.
With her military background, she could easily tie into S.H.I.E.L.D. Or with her cosmic origin, she could even connect to ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ Captain Marvel is the most logical choice for her own movie.
But with the continued success of superhero movies, could Marvel’s train just keep going for years? Once Captain Marvel busts open the door for female characters, could others follow her lead? Let’s hope!
One problem though, is that most of Marvel’s most popular ladies are parts of teams. There’s really no way there’s ever going to be an Invisible Woman movie. The same probably goes for characters like The Wasp and Scarlet Witch and most of the female X-Men. Who does that leave? Here are a few recommendations!
10. Hippolyta
This is my snarky, “wink wink” selection. Hippolyta is the legendary Queen of the ancient Greek Amazons. She possesses incredible strength, the ability to fly and the bird on her mask detaches and can be thrown like a boomerang. She even occasionally goes by “Warrior Woman.” All that’s missing is a magic lasso and invisible jet! I just think it would be a hilarious middle finger (and more than a little karmic) for Marvel to crank out a “Warrior Woman” movie before DC gets its act together and does a proper Wonder Woman movie!
9. Songbird
Melissa Gold had a pretty tragic upbringing, running away from her alcoholic father and incarcerated mother. She survived on the streets, eventually joining the colorful all female wrestling group the Grapplers. The ladies were equipped with devices that allowed them to embark on a life of crime. Gold gained a sonic scream ability and called herself Screaming Mimi. Eventually, Screaming Mimi became affiliated with the Masters of Evil and became Songbird when the team decided to masquerade as heroes, calling themselves The Thunderbolts. Songbird grew to prefer being a hero and she and her teammates turned on their leader Baron Zemo. The team was later taken over by the government and Songbird assumed leadership. (Okay, yes this is more of a Thunderbolts movie, but I’d focus heavily on Songbird as she has always been the group’s emotional center.)
8. Spectrum
Monica Rambeau was a lieutenant in the New Orleans harbor patrol who was bombarded by alien energy from a device built by a criminal scientist. She gained the power to transform into any form of energy and can even project this energy. (In the Justice League/Avengers crossover, she even turned into Green Lantern’s emerald power.) She proved a quick study, with her background in the harbor patrol and proved to be a natural leader. In the comics, she led the Avengers and Nextwave. Initially, she went by the name Captain Marvel, but later changed to it Photon. She just adopted a new name Spectrum. I think she is a fantastic character with loads of potential. And setting a superhero movie in New Orleans would give it a really unique flavor, as this is one of the most colorful cities in the US with a history seeped in mysticism. She even had a clumsy romance with fellow New Orleans dweller Brother Voodoo, which opens the door for another hero to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
7. Silver Sable
Silver Sable is an international, jet-setting mercenary, leading her small army The Wild Pack on espionage missions for the highest bidders. This movie could bring a James Bond/Jason Bourne element to Marvel’s films and it’s only natural that she would run afoul of S.H.I.E.L.D. This movie also has to potential to crisscross the globe, showcasing a lot of beautiful, exotic locales. Since Silver Sable doesn’t have any powers, that could help keep the special effects budget down.
6. Dazzler
This one might be tricky since her rights may belong to Fox, who have the rights to the X-Men. But what the heck. Though Dazzler is an X-Man, rarely has she been a focal character. She debuted in their book, but then headlined her own solo title for several years. Her series followed her struggles in Hollywood, trying to make it as a singer, and later actress, while still finding herself embroiled in criminal activity. Most of it was pretty mundane, but in the beginning, she squared off against heavy weights like Dr. Doom, The Enchantress and even Galactus! The idea of a person with powers who doesn’t actually want to be a hero is a unique spin. Setting it in the world of entertainment is also a different energy than most super hero movies.
5. Daughters of the Dragon
Misty Knight and Colleen Wing are a natural fit for the big screen. Uma Thurman’s character “The Bride” in ‘Kill Bill’ was practically already an adaptation of sword-slinging Colleen! There seems to be a fascination with butt-kicking ladies on the big screen, so these two badass detectives should fit right in. Colleen is a martial arts expert, while Misty is a gun-toting cyborg. (Her cybernetic arm was built by Tony Stark.) Misty was also romantically involved with Iron-Fist, so once more the door is open for another hero to enter the picture. Like Silver Sable, since there aren’t a ton of flashy powers involved, the budget on this could stay modest.
4. Spider-Woman
Another possibly tricky one, Spider-Woman’s rights may be tied to Spider-Man’s, who are held by Columbia. The truth is, Spider-Woman has almost nothing to do with Spider-Man. Her origin has fluctuated over the years, but her most popular take is that after an accident when she was a young girl, her scientist father had to use an experimental process to save her life, resulting in her gaining bizarre spider powers. Like Spider-Man, she can cling to walls and has super strength. Unlike Spider-Man, she can fly, fire energy bolts and has a pheromone ability that helps her influence others. She has worked as a double agent, infiltrating both S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra. (I *think* she was really working for S.H.I.E.L.D.) It’s a little convoluted, but a stripped down, more straightforward origin could easily work on the big screen. Plus, she has one of the best costumes ever!
3. Tigra
When Greer Nelson was in college, her mentor Dr. Tumolo exposed her to an experiment that was designed to unlock her full potential. Later, Greer learned that Dr. Tumolo was a member of a race of cat people and came to acquire a cat head amulet that transformed her into Tigra, the Were-Woman. Tigra is very much a cat-woman, expressing the playful nature of a feline. She has served with the Avengers off and on through the years. I’ve notice fanboys have a thing for sexy cat-ladies so… get ready to let your furry flag fly proudly!
2. She-Hulk
Brigitte Nielson hoped to portray the She-Hulk in the 80s, but failed to get the film financed. After both live-action Hulk movies failed at the box office, there were even rumblings that the She-Hulk may take his place in ‘The Avengers.’ Of course that didn’t happen, but after Mark Ruffalo’s fan-favorite performance, it should be a breeze to create a spin-off. Unlike her rampaging cousin, Jennifer Walters retains her intelligence and flirty personality in Hulk mode. A successful lawyer who specializes in cases involving super heroes and villains, this film could give a fun, legal spin to the world of super movies.
1. Black Widow
This one should be a no brainer! No female Marvel hero has as a high a profile these days, after Scarlett Johansson’s depiction in ‘The Avengers.’ There has already been some talk of this character along with Hawkeye possibly getting their own movies at some point. With her major role in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’, her star is only going to rise! If any female hero has a shot at her own movie, it’s her!
So what do you think? Would you pay money to see any of these ladies light up the big screen? Are there any other characters you’d rather see? Leave your comments below!
