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While the likes of Batman and Spider-Man will likely grace the silver screen until the end of time, it’s extremely difficult for lesser-known heroes to even get a movie made about them, let alone start a franchise. However, breakout hits like the Blade and Iron Man franchises have proven that B-listers have potential. Here are few of our favorite characters that deserve their chance in the limelight, and the storylines that would best suit a feature film.
Iron Fist – Immortal Iron Fist
Raised in the mystical city of K’un-L’un, Danny Rand spent his entire youth training to become a master of the martial arts. When the time came to face the dragon Shou-Lao the Undying, Rand prevailed, plunging his fists into the Shou-Lao’s heart to gain the power of the Iron Fist. Since Iron Fist’s origin will presumably be covered in his forthcoming Netflix TV series, a potential film could focus on the excellent Immortal Iron Fist series, which revealed new secrets about the history of the Iron Fist power, gave Danny a fantastic mentor in AWOL Iron Fist Orson Randall, and featured a Mortal Kombat-esque martial arts tournament.
Green Arrow – Super Max
It’s unlikely the current CW show Arrow will connect with the emerging DC Cinematic Universe, but it has at the very least introduced viewers to the general conceit of the Green Arrow character. Once again, a film could benefit from being liberated from the requirements of telling an origin story. In fact, David S. Goyer (screenwriter of movies featuring Blade, Batman, and Superman) wrote a script that found the Emerald Archer imprisoned in a supervillain jail for a crime he didn’t commit. The film would follow Green Arrow as he attempted to escape from the prison and fights his way through the criminals within, some of which are there because of him.
Thunderbolts – Faith in Monsters
The Thunderbolts are ostensibly a team of redeemed supervillains trying to atone for their past affronts. However, it’s not uncommon for some members to harbor ulterior motives. One of the best Thunderbolts storylines in recent years had Norman Osborn (aka Green Goblin) assume control of the team following Marvel’s Civil War event. Osborn added more ruthless members to the roster, including Bullseye and Venom, creating friction with some heroic holdovers from the previous incarnation of the Thunderbolts. Since Marvel Studios would probably be company taking on this film, Osborn and Venom would be off-limits, but they could be replaced onscreen with Justin Hammer and Abomination who have already appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Martian Manhunter – Origin/A Day in the Life/Hidden Faces
Despite being a founding member of the Justice League, Martian Manhunter has never come close to reaching the levels of popularity that his compatriots have. Because of this, it’s unlikely that he’ll get a solo film right out of the gate, but it is possible that he’d initially feature in the almost certainly forthcoming Justice League movie. Since that film will probably spend more time on the more audience-friendly members of the team, a standalone Martian Manhunter film could cover in flashbacks what Justice League skips over in terms of his origin. This would leave more time to focus on one of the most interesting aspects of the Manhunter from Mars; he maintains a litany of secret identities around the world in order to defend those that the other mostly America-based superheroes can’t protect.
