We are just at the start of Marvel’s Phase Two set of films, but that doesn’t mean we can’t look ahead to what’s coming in Phase Three. After The Avengers 2 is released in 2015 we know we have Edgar Wright’s long-awaited Ant-Man film and the promise of a Doctor Strange film, but what else? We are sure to see sequels to Captain America, Thor and Guardians of the Galaxy, but we are also bound to get some fresh faces in the mix. So, with that in mind, here are five characters I would love to see in Phase Three and beyond!
Captain Marvel
Carol Danvers is a military pilot who is imbued with her powers when a device called the Psycho-Magnetron explodes and imprints her with the DNA of Kree warrior Captain Mar-Vell. The result of this genetic reformatting gives her the power of flight, super strength and the ability to harness and expel cosmic energy.
The origin is not only legally tricky for Marvel/Disney, since they share the rights to the Kree race with Fox, but is also narratively complicated due to the importance of the Kree to the history of the Marvel Universe. The best course of action would be to only hint at the larger galactic implications of her powers and instead focus on her and Mar-Vell on Earth. It would be a fantastic science fiction tale, an affecting love story and would set up the Kree to enter the stage for The Avengers 3.
Who should play her: Katee Sackhoff
Daredevil
The Marvel Universe has cosmic characters, globetrotting billionaires and thawed soldiers, but what they don’t have is any real street-level characters. Well, they need look no further than the blind defender of Hell’s Kitchen and his crusading lawyer alter-ego: Matt Murdock. Marvel President Kevin Feige has stated the company is in no rush to bring ole’ horn head back to the big screen, but it would only stand to reason they would want to capitalize on having one of their more recognizable characters back in the fold.
It also doesn’t hurt that the tone of the current Mark Waid/Chris Samnee run – which deals with serious, emotional situations, but never lacks a sense of fun or adventure- is the perfect fit for the current Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Who should play him: Michael C. Hall
Up until this point Marvel has focused on creating large scale, summer epics that carry with them massive budgets, but I would love to see them broaden their horizons into smaller films about their lesser-known characters. The first on that list would be the Heroes for Hire, which is comprised of the unlikely duo of Luke Cage – a streetwise man from Harlem with indestructible skin – and Iron Fist – a wealthy industrialist who spent years of his life training in the mystical city of K’un-L’un.
This would be a buddy-cop film with a little dash of The French Connection, and it would prove that the studio was capable of handling the small scale as well as they handle the large. I’ll admit this one is more a wish than a likely scenario, but the very idea of seeing these two characters solving mysteries on the big screen brings a smile to my face.
Who should play them: Anton Yelchin (Iron Fist) and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (Luke Cage)
Namor
Marvel has done a great job of keeping their superhero films fresh by constantly changing up the setting and tone from movie to movie. Thor took us to Asgard, Captain America to World War II and Guardians of the Galaxy promises to take us to the far reaches of space. So, why not have Namor take us to the lost city of Atlantis? The visual possibilities are endless, as is the complex nature of the character himself.
I may not want to see Superman performing morally questionable acts, but seeing Namor do some nasty stuff in the name of protecting Atlantis could add a sense of danger that isn’t present right now in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the comics the character fought alongside Captain America and the original Human Torch during World War II, which could add some fascinating wrinkles to what people expect from a movie about an underwater king.
Who should play him: Ian Anthony Dale
Black Panther
T’Challa is as athletically gifted as Captain America, as smart as Tony Stark and his costume is completely badass. Let’s face it, there is only a matter of time before the king of Wakanda joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s more a matter of when than of if. This is yet another example of Marvel being able to expand their world into different and exotic places. The nation of Wakanda is the most advanced on Earth, but it has also been hidden away from the rest of the planet. So, Black Panther gives us a peek at an interesting new civilization and affords the opportunity for a first contact story. It also doesn’t hurt that his inclusion would bring some welcome diversity to the current roster of heroes hitting the big screen.
Who should play him: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Those are my picks for the characters I want to see included in Marvel’s Phase 3. Is there a character you’d like to see? An actor you’d like to see play one of the roles I cast? Let me know in the comments below!
