FEATURE: Ten More Marvel Shows We Want to See

In recent years, Marvel’s television division has seriously beefed up its lineup. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which debuted in 2013, served as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first entry onto the small screen. Since then, we’ve gotten Agent Carter on ABC (RIP) and five shows plus The Defenders miniseries on Netflix, with Runaways on Hulu and Freeform’s Cloak & Dagger and New Warriors premiering next year. Plus, Inhumans is premiering its first two episodes in IMAX theaters this fall before airing on ABC.

Additionally, Marvel TV has collaborated with Fox to create shows featuring X-Men characters; Legion aired on FX this year, with The Gifted on Fox and an animated Deadpool series on FXX coming soon. And we haven’t even gotten into the company’s other animated shows on Disney XD, which currently consist of Avengers Assemble, Guardians of the Galaxy, and a new Spider-Man.

But why stop there? There are countless other Marvel characters who could easily hold their own television shows. Below, we’ve narrowed them down to 10 potential shows. Five of these are live action, and five are animated.

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Live Action:
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Ghost Rider

Marvel regained the rights to Ghost Rider back in 2013, after two unsuccessful movies. After a couple years of speculation, the studio announced that the character is joining Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for its fourth season. This version of Ghost Rider, named Robbie Reyes, became a big favorite with viewers. So, it would make perfect sense to spin him off into his own series, either on ABC or Netflix.

ABC has tried in the past to create an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. spin-off, which would have centered on Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter. But Ghost Rider would be an even better choice. A potential series would explore more of the Ghost Rider lore, such as the previously teased Johnny Blaze. Having Reyes team up with Blaze would be awesome. However, one concern would be the budget. At one point on S.H.I.E.L.D., Reyes was written out for a while because they couldn’t afford to have him in every episode. That would also be a concern for a solo series…at least if it’s another 22-episode show. If the series was, say, 10-13 episodes, it could be more doable.

If they can figure out the financial aspects of it, a Ghost Rider show would be very cool.

Moon Knight

Moon Knight is one of the more recognizable Marvel characters who hasn’t popped up in the MCU yet. A television series starring Marc Spector, a former soldier-turned-vigilante, was actually announced back in 2006, but obviously, that never went anywhere. In more recent years, Moon Knight has been a frequently rumored choice for Marvel’s next Netflix series. That would definitely be the best way to bring him into the MCU.

Despite some fantastical elements in his backstory – Egyptian moon god Khonshu revives Spector, who becomes his avatar on Earth – Moon Knight would fit perfectly into the more grounded, street-level approach by Marvel’s Netflix shows. Netflix would capture the character’s grit, seriousness, and more. Plus, imagine the fight scenes. (Hopefully they’d be more like Daredevil and less like Iron Fist…)

Ultimately, if Marvel ever brings Moon Knight to life, then a Netflix series is the ideal way to go about it.

Blade

Blade already has a prolific history in live action. The vampire slayer, played perfectly by Wesley Snipes, headlined a trilogy of films by New Line Cinema. A couple years later, a television series continued Blade’s story, running for one season on Spike. Eventually, Marvel also regained the rights to the character, but has been in no hurry to revive him. If/when Blade does come to the MCU, another TV show would be a great way to do it.

Blade is another character who would benefit from a Netflix series. He would do well in this more grounded, grittier corner of the MCU. However, given the financial success of the original trilogy, it’s also possible for Marvel to pursue a new Blade movie (such a film, starring Blade’s daughter, was rumored back in 2015). But given the more mature content in Blade lore and Marvel’s disinterest in making an R-rated movie, would the studio really make another film? Especially when they now have Netflix for the adult-oriented stuff.

So, whenever Blade makes his grand return, we’d love to see him join the Defenders on Netflix.

Howard the Duck

As we all know, Howard the Duck was the star of a movie that was a critical and financial failure. However, the character resurfaced in the MCU in Guardians of the Galaxy‘s post credits scene. He was briefly seen again in Vol. 2 this year. While fans continue to speculate on Howard’s MCU future, it would be a neat idea to bring him to the small screen.

A Howard the Duck show could easily be Marvel’s most comedic series to date, shedding new light on the character while Marvel continues to cash in on Guardians of the Galaxy‘s success. And with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 expected to set up new stories for the cosmic side of the MCU, Howard the Duck could also serve as an opportunity to explore it on the small screen. As for a network, ABC would be a pretty good fit.

So, hey, if Squirrel Girl can be the star of a Marvel TV show, why not Howard the Duck?

Fantastic Four

And now, we have Marvel’s First Family. The Fantastic Four have struggled in recent years, with its comic book being cancelled and none of the movies really succeeding. 2015’s Fant4stic was the biggest failure, as it bombed at the box office and is one of the worst-reviewed superhero films of all time. This killed Fox’s plans for a sequel and X-Men crossover. Currently, the franchise’s future is unclear. Will Fox try again in a few years? Will Marvel finally regain the rights? Regardless, I think one idea to bring the Fantastic Four back is through television.

An episodic format could work really well for the Fantastic Four. If a television series was made in the style of, say, The Flash, it would be awesome. As for what network it would be on, it would be a good fit on ABC. Netflix would be great too, but it’s focused on the street-level side of the MCU. The only issue is, Marvel has kept most of its TV characters separate from the films so far. So, if this series is in the MCU, that could create complications. Say that Doctor Doom is the main antagonist on a season of Fantastic Four. Would that keep him from appearing in a Marvel movie? Or, he may not even be able to appear on TV, if Marvel wants to reserve him for the films. Unless Marvel burns its bridges and allows more film/TV crossovers, then Fantastic Four would probably remain separate from the greater MCU.

Whether the F4 returns to Marvel or is given new life by Fox, maybe they can try the small screen for the next go around.

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Animation:
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X-Men

The X-Men have had a huge presence in animation, most famously the iconic 1990s series. The most recent series was 2009’s Wolverine and the X-Men, which was cancelled after just one season. Since then, an anime series was released in 2011, while Wolverine appeared in a couple episodes of Ultimate Spider-Man and Hulk & The Agents of S.M.A.S.H. But beyond that, the team has been largely absent from animation in recent years. Well, with the movie series still going strong and the comics returning to form, it’s time that changed.

A new X-Men animated series (which is actually rumored to be announced this year) would be great. There are plenty of characters and story arcs that they can include; for example, with the New Mutants and X-Force coming to the big screen soon, it would make sense to feature them on this series. I personally would love to see something in the vein of the current “X-Men Gold” comic. As for a network, Disney XD has been home to all of Marvel’s recent animated shows, so why not X-Men too? But if the series were to aim for a more adult-oriented tone for some reason, they could make it compatible with FXX’s Deadpool cartoon.

Ultimately, a new X-Men cartoon should be a priority for Fox and Marvel. Fingers crossed it happens in the near future.

Captain America

Captain America has frequently appeared in Marvel’s Avengers cartoons and countless other animated shows. But beyond a segment in the 1960s umbrella series The Marvel Super Heroes, the Sentinel of Liberty has never had his own animated series. With the character’s popularity and relevance at an all time high, it’s only logical for a solo cartoon to happen sooner or later.

A Captain America animated series could focus on his adventures in World War II, or it could take place in the present day. They can also make it a spin-off from Avengers Assemble if they wanted to, but it can work just as well if it was its own thing. They can feature characters such as Winter Soldier, Red Skull, Zemo, and many others. There’s a lot of potential, as a lot of Captain America lore has yet to be covered by the other cartoons.

Why Captain America hasn’t had an animated series yet is anyone’s guess, but if they can change that sooner than later, that’d be great.

Doctor Strange

Dr. Stephen Strange has appeared in several Marvel cartoons, such as Spider-Man: The Animated Series and Disney XD’s shows. But he’s never had his own series before. The character recently joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe; Doctor Strange released last fall, while he is set to appear in Thor: Ragnarok and the next two Avengers sequels. So, with the Sorcerer Supreme becoming a household name, they can cash in by making an animated series.

The Doctor Strange movie had some jaw-dropping visuals, with the powers and alternate dimensions looking beautiful. So, the potential is there for some truly great animation. They can also explore Strange’s supporting cast, including Clea, Baron Mordo, and Dormammu. Again, they can make this a spin-off from the other Marvel shows or make it a standalone series. Either way would be very cool. Also, the character’s emphasis on magic would make this series stand out from the multiple other superhero cartoons.

With Doctor Strange’s popularity rising, it would be a missed opportunity to not focus on him in animation.

Captain Marvel/Ms. Marvel

Carol Danvers originally held the mantle of Ms. Marvel, but more recently became Captain Marvel. Since then, the Ms. Marvel mantle has been assumed by Kamala Khan, who has become a big fan favorite since her creation in 2013. Both characters are currently on Avengers Assemble. While Kamala isn’t expected to appear in the MCU anytime soon, Carol is getting her own movie in a couple years and appearing in the next Avengers movie(s). So, why not have them star in an animated series?

A potential series would explore Carol and Kamala’s relationship, perhaps one where a new hero is being mentored by a more seasoned one. They can team up against villains such as Moonstone, while it can also further expand the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe. The series would cash in on Captain Marvel’s popularity, while expanding Ms. Marvel’s fanbase.

Overall, a good way to expand the Captain Marvel/Ms. Marvel brand is to team them up for their own animated series.

Thor

And finally, we have the Mighty Avenger. Like Captain America, Thor has been a key supporting character in many Marvel cartoons, but (besides a segment on The Marvel Super Heroes) has yet to get his own animated series. Thor has been one of the MCU’s main heroes, with this fall’s Ragnarok looking to revitalize his movie franchise. With that on the way, why not give Thor his due in animation?

A Thor series has a lot of potential, given the vast scope of the character’s mythos. You can explore the world of Asgard and the rest of the Nine Realms, while you can have everyone from Loki to Valkyrie to Hela. It can also be a way to further explore Marvel’s cosmic universe; with Thor: Ragnarok going for more of a sci-fi approach, an animated series that reflects that would be cool.

Overall, it’s about time Thor starred in a solo animated series.

Which Marvel character(s) do you want to see on the small screen next?