Unless you haven't left your house in the past 10 years, you should probably know that Marvel Studios has been dominating box offices year after year with their smash hit films that follow the traditional arc of good vs. evil with their superhero characters. In the past decade, specifically looking at Marvel Studios, the company has made upwards of 20 plus films along with plenty of television spin-offs. However, there is always room for more, and with Marvel Comics having a library of close to 3,000 characters, take a look at these 5 heroes that you may not have known to exist in the comic books, but need to be adapted for the screen.
1. Wonder Man
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You can't ask for a better character arc than Wonder Man (Simon Williams) who starts out fighting against the Avengers, but then later is reborn as a superhero who eventually fights alongside the team. This character was originally introduced in "The Avengers #9" as a rival to Tony Stark after he was caught with embezzlement within his own company, and was swiftly thrown in jail. After being released, he underwent radiation and chemical treatments with "ionic" energy that gave him superhuman strength, speed, agility, and reflexes (to name a few).
Fun fact about Wonder Man: His brainwaves following the experiment were used for scientific purposes and eventually helped to build Vision--how cool is that? Why haven't we been introduced to this character yet? You can read more about him here.
2. Misty Knight
If Marvel Studios needs anything, it's more strong female characters on screen and who better than Mercedes "Misty" Knight? She first premiered in "Marvel Premiere #21". After an explosion left her without an arm, this former NYPD police officer refused to give up on what she originally set out to do: to help others and fight crime. With the help of her bionic arm, she continues to help civilians who need her to come to the rescue.
Although Knight appears in the TV series "Luke Cage" and "The Defenders", I still think it would pretty awesome for her to have her own film. You can read more about her here.
3. She-Hulk
I had no idea She-Hulk was a thing, which is pretty much the only reason that fuels my argument that I want to see her on screen. The She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters) is actually a cousin to Bruce Banner, and after receiving a blood transfusion from him, she gained all the powers of the Hulk and she uses her massive strength to fight evil.
Maybe the idea of her own movie is far-fetched (seeing as how horribly the individual Hulk films did years ago), but maybe a brief appearance in a future film? That would be pretty neato-burrito in my book. You can read more about her here.
4. Nighthawk
There is A LOT to unpack with Nighthawk (Kyle Richmond), and as he's affiliated with the Defenders, let's hope that he makes an appearance in the television show under the same name. After experiencing tragedy after tragedy and being rejected by the military for a heart murmur, Kyle threw himself into finding a cure. After finding a formula to fix his heart and consuming it, he discovered his superpowers that (interestingly enough) only show themselves at night. He is almost like an amazing athlete with his strength and speed that he utilizes from dusk to dawn.
Kyle starts out as a villain, but after growing uncomfortable with the tasks he is given, he contacts the Defenders to defeat the Squadron. Doctor Strange then casts a spell to revive Nighthawk, and he is affiliated with the Defenders afterwards. So maybe we'll see Nighthawk in future films or television shows, but if not, let's hope to see his origin story on the big screen. You can read more about him here.
5. Josiah X
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Hundreds of African-Americans were tested for the Super Soldier project, and only three survived, with Isaiah Bradley (also known informally as the African-American Captain America) being one of them. The project left Isaiah sterile, and he and his wife conceived their son, Josiah, through artificial insemination and his genetic code was manipulated to show side effects of the Super Soldier serum.
Josiah X was eventually involved with the Black Panther movement and learned of the abuse that the Super Soldier project caused, especially to African-Americans. His descent into heroism thus stems from this.
How cool is this plot line? I'm getting excited just thinking about how awesome this would be if it was adapted into a film. You can find more information about him here.
There's so many to choose from and I know I missed so many great characters, so leave a comment telling me who you think would make a great hero on screen!