Marvel Films Update

Riddle me this: when is a Marvel film not a Marvel film?

After my previous post, I had some queries about the lack of Marvel films in 2009. Now, it's true that Marvel are not planning to release any films in 2009, but that only includes the films they own and are financing.

You see, before Iron Man, Marvel did not make any films. They sold their characters to different companies, who then made the films. Marvel had very little control over these films, and I expect they made little money compared to the producers of these films. Also, with different companies owning the rights to use different characters and trade marks, you could never have a crossover or team-up (except with franchises, such as Daredevil/Elektra)

So, yes there will be Marvel films in 2009, but there are no plans for a Marvel produced film in 2009.

So, which films featuring Marvel characters are due for release?

The Punisher: War Zone
Lions Gate Films, December 5th 2008

X-Men Origins: Magneto
20th Century Fox, 2009 release, no confirmed date

X-Men Origins: Wolverine
20th Century Fox, 2009 release, no confirmed date

Spider-Man 4
Columbia Pictures, 2010 release, no confirmed date

So that's one at the end of the year, two next year, and one for 2010.

Now this is a list of all Marvel properties currently in development. Note that it can take years from development till the film's release, so who knows when these will be released, if ever? Oh, I've added ratings out of 3 for my anticipation, film potential and villain potential, for no reason other than to take up space beside the pictures.

Black Panther
Marvel Studios

Nothing to do with the black terrorists of the 70s, but an African prince who gains mad acrobatic skills from eating special "herbs" in the jungle. Bah, you would no more give the Panther his own film, than you would do any other sidekick - and let's be honest, being in a team is the only way this character works.

My anticipation: 1

Film potential: 1

Bad guys include Klaw, a man made of living sound, and Man-Ape, a large dude who dresses up as a white gorilla.

Villain Potential: 1

Cloak and Dagger
Marvel Studios

Hmm, a film about two teenage runaways who get hooked on crack and heroin, take some dodgy stuff and gain super powers, where they fight drug dealers of the New York underworld. Yeah, I could see this being a hard sell - whats the moral here, run away, become homeless, take drugs and become a super-hero? There's something about a comic where this sort of nonsense can (and does) work, but I can't imagine it working on the big screen at all.

My anticipation: 1
Film potential: 1

Bad guys include Silvermane, who is an old guy in a bionic suit, and Kingpin, who has already been used in Daredevil.

Villain potential: 1

Deathlok
Paramount Pictures

A film about an assassin cyborg trying to overcome his programming. Interesting fact: the character of Deathlok and the Six Million Dollar Man are both based on the same novel, Cyborg, but quickly went completely separate ways. I have fairly high hopes for this, and believe this has the potential to be a new Blade.

My anticipation: 2

Film Potential: 3

Bad guys... um, I'm not really sure...

Villain Potential: 1

Doctor Strange
Marvel Studios

Could be cool, could be absolute rubbish. Unfortunately, I think it will be the latter. Doctor Strange is a sorceror, and these have proven hard to get right in the films. Really, the only one remembered for being any good at all is Gandalf, who is a supporting character, and doesn't use much magic.

My anticipation: 1

Film potential: 2

Bad guys include Baron Mordo, another sorceror who likes tight green latex with a receding hairline and goatee (not a good luck) and Dormammu, sorceror supreme of another dimenion with a flaming pumpkin for a head.

Villain potential: 2

The Gargoyle
Columbia Pictures

What? Seriously? I can't even be bothered to rate this one.

Ghost Rider 2
Columbia Pictures
IT can't be any duller than the first, can it? I'd be amazed if Nicholas Cage agreed to do this, but then he may be locked into a 3-film contract. Ironic, as the story is about the devil holding a contract for Cage's soul...

Iron Fist
Lions Gate Films

Everybody was kung foo fighting - HA! Yeah, Marvel's answer to Bruce Lee. Except he's a blonde white dude whose fist can become like a thing of iron or something.

If you like martial arts super-hero movies, then this is the one for you.

My anticipation: 3

Film potential: 3

Bad guys include Sabretooth (from X-Men), Boomerang and various other martial artist themed foes.

Villain potential: 2

He's also partner to...

Luke Cage
Marvel Studios

Angry black dude with steel hard skin. He's a super-hero with a difference - he hires out his services as a hero to make money. He also says "Sweet Christmas" a lot. Very much a black stereotype from the '70s, not sure how well he would translate to the cinema screen.

Seems to have undergone something of an image change in comics recently, however, and is more of gangsta than a brother; shaven head, tight black vest, gold teeth etc. Shame.

My anticipation: 3

Film potential: 2

Bad guys include lots of racial stereotypes with shite names, like Cotton Mouth (a type of snake) and Moses Magnum.

Villain potential: 1

Nick Fury
Marvel Studios

Already introduced in Iron Man. Samuel L Jackson as a super-spy with an eye patch and a flying car. Can't really miss can it, except I doubt we'll see Fury using the term "motherfucker" at all.

And notice how the comic version bears more than a passing similarity to Sam the Man himself...

My anticipation: 3

Film potential: 3

Bad guys include terrorist organisations HYDRA and AIM, as well as assassin robots called Dreadnaughts.

Villain potential: 3



Silver Surfer
20th Century Fox

Hey, its the Silver Surfer... what else do you need to know, except he's the coolest surfer in the universe...

My anticipation: 3

Film potential: 3

Bad guys include Galactus, obviously, as well as alien races such as the Skrulls and Badoon, as well as other heralds of Galactus, like Terrax and Firelord

Villain potential: 3

Sub-Mariner
Universal Studios

The Rock has been approached for this film. But really, it's about an anti-hero who lives (mainly) in the sea, his costume consists of speedos, and he flies by means of ankle wings. In the comics he tries to invade the surface land quite often, fights other super-heroes (and nazis) and tries it on with the Invisible Woman. Ugh.

My anticipation: 1

Film potential: 2

Enemies include the Fantastic Four, and other sea beings such as Attuma (not a tuna! lol) and Tiger Shark.

Villain potential: 1

Venom
Columbia Pictures
Talk about scraping the bottom of the Spider-Man barrel. But that is a cool pic.

My anticipation: 1

Film potential: 2

Enemies include... um, Spider-Man?

Villain Potential: 1

And thats all the crap I could find for this Marvel movie post. Any errors or omissions, let me know.