random-movie-ideas

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Marvel Legends: Henry Peter Gyrich

Henry Peter Gyrich first appeared in 1977 as the government-assigned liaison to the Avengers, and is mostly characterized as extremely anti-superhero, always doing everything he can to undermine them and stop them from doing what they need to do.

He is basically just an ordinary human, and exists to be a naysayer, much like Walter Peck from Ghostbusters. Sometimes, he is even more extreme, like when he was an anti-mutant supremacist in X-Men: The Animated Series.

In an adaptation, there’s plenty of room for a guy like him to have a small antagonistic role in any given Avengers or X-Men movie. To be honest, I’m surprised he hasn’t really shown up at all in the post-Civil War MCU, considering how much he would thrive in that period.

As for casting, any smarmy government agent type would do. William Atherton could work if we really want to lean into the Walter Peck vibes, or maybe John de Lancie in a role similar to his Stargate SG-1 character.

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Marvel Legends: Hellcat

Patsy Walker first appeared in 1944 as the main protagonist of a teen romance comic published under the Marvel banner, one of the earliest characters ever created by Marvel comics. In 1976, she made her first appearance in the Marvel universe as an assistant to Hank McCoy as a small cameo, leading to a writer choosing to take her and turn her into a superhero.

At first, Patsy is merely a trained martial artist, wearing a costume once used by Greer Grant, but later training has led to her developing strong psychic abilities, and even later powerful magic, even spending some time trapped in hell and learning to use the power there.

In an adaptation, considering the character’s origins, you could arguably slot Patsy in practically anywhere you wanted in a Marvel universe. Jessica Jones did it pretty well, with her old comics being referenced as a childhood sitcom she was a part of, but you could honestly pop in a random teenager at some point as a cameo, and then later pursue the hero angle if you wanted. She feels almost like the Marvel version of Snapper Carr in a way, considering how many different ways he’s been adapted.

As for casting, Rachael Taylor was decent for what they were going for in the Jessica Jones show. If you wanted to cameo her as her teenage self, naturally I’d skip casting, but starting her as Beast’s assistant, you might go for someone like Emily Bett Richards or something.

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Marvel Legends: Hawkeye (Kate Bishop)

Kate Bishop first appeared in 2005 as a part of the new Young Avengers team. Originally just a civilian who had trained herself to fight after being assaulted, she rescued the team from a supervillain, earning herself a spot on their team, making herself a costume based on Hawkeye and Mockingbird.

Just like Hawkeye, she is a skilled archer and markswoman, with other martial arts training on the side, with a number of trick arrows made for her after she is officially allowed to take up the Hawkeye name.

In an adaptation, the MCU version ramped up her Hawkeye fangirl-ness up to eleven and made her a direct apprentice to Clint Barton, which I personally view as an improvement, but a new series could go back to the earlier version. Or we could have a movie leading into a Young Avengers movie, featuring Clint taking Kate under his wing.

As for casting, Hailee Steinfeld was and still is iconic in the role, and she could come back if we swung older for her character, but considering the Young Avengers team would most likely all start as teenagers, I’d probably cast someone new but still use Hailee as a blueprint.

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Marvel Legends: Hawkeye (Clint Barton)

Clint Barton first appeared in 1964 as an unwitting adversary of the Avengers, manipulated by Black Widow into helping steal information on them. Realizing the manipulation, he breaks away from her and joins the Avengers team. He has since been a standard face throughout the team’s many iterations.

Raised in a circus, Clint was taught in multiple forms of martial arts, but his primary focus is archery and marksmanship, widely considered one of the best shots in the Marvel universe. He is also equipped with a number of high-tech trick arrows.

In an adaptation, Clint works well as a supporting figure in multiple different stories you could pursue, be it Avengers, Black Widow, anything SHIELD-related, Ant-Man and the Wasp, the Great Lakes Avengers, and so on. He could also stand to have a story or two of his own if you wanted. He’s a very versatile figure in the universe.

As for casting, Jeremy Renner has been a very solid pick for the role, but I might swing a little bit younger in a new series. Possibly someone like Lucas Till or Alex Pettyfer could work well in the role. The character has also been inconsistently portrayed as deaf or partially deaf, so we could maybe search for a deaf actor as well.

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Marvel Legends: Happy Hogan

Happy Hogan first appeared in 1963 as Tony Stark’s faithful chauffeur and bodyguard, a former military man and boxer, the one-time husband of Pepper Potts, and one of the first few to know Tony’s secret identity.

For the most part, Happy is simply an ordinary human. That said, he has had, on a few occasions, been transformed into a large purple monster called the Freak. Turns out, that part of What If? wasn’t just the writers getting off on their own goofy idea.

In an adaptation, just like Pepper and Jarvis, there’s plenty of room for Tony to have a chauffeur and bodyguard running around as part of his main crew. I don’t think I’ll pursue a Freak storyline, but I’ll keep my options open.

As for casting, Jon Favreau has been solid in the role, but a new version could lean into him being a bit more buff, a bit more obviously former military and a boxer. Luke Hemsworth comes to mind.

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Marvel Legends: The Hand

The Hand first appeared in 1981 as a secret ninja clan operating within the Marvel universe, with heavy ties to heroes like Daredevil and Elektra and Psylocke, with a deep-seated enmity against Stick and his followers, the Chaste. They were also the original founders of HYDRA apparently.

Though they started out as simply a clan of ninjas seeking to overthrow the oppressive ruling class of feudal Japan, they were soon overtaken by a cult worshipping a demon called the Beast, which endowed its followers with dark magic.

In an adaptation, working with them is going to be tough, as it is pretty universally apparent that the Hand were easily the weakest part of the Marvel Netflix shows, dragging the quality to a grinding halt nearly every time they entered the story. That said, it can be done, considering the Foot Clan are a parody of the Hand, and they are some of the most well-beloved villains out there. I think we just need to figure out how to use them right.

As for casting, Japanese actors would be preferred for the most part, but we do have quite a few notable branches that exist outside of Japan, so we’d diversify wherever appropriate. Most of the Hand would be extras and stuntmen, with main characters like Kirigi played by notable actors.

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Marvel Legends: The Guardians of the Galaxy

The Guardians first appeared in 1969 as a band of heroes from the 30th century, similar to the Legion of Super-Heroes for DC, with a few time-travel crossovers to the present. In 2008, they were reinvented as a modern day team of spacefaring heroes brought together to actively protect the galaxy from various threats.

The original team featured Vance Astro, a modern day astronaut who’d spent a thousand years in suspended animation while being sent to a new world, alongside his new friends Martinex T’Naga, Charlie-27, and Yondu Udonta, with Stakar and Aleta Ogord and Nikki joining up later. The new team featured Peter Quill, Mantis, Rocket Raccoon, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Phyla Vell, Groot, and Adam Warlock, with Cosmo the Space Dog helping them.

In an adaptation, obviously James Gunn’s MCU version of the 2008 crew has become an iconic and beloved team with most of the team makeup still intact in some form. Obviously a new universe would have plenty of room to adapt the 1969 version, set in the far future as before, and we probably still could have the 2008 team represented at the same time.

As for casting, as with all teams, it comes down to who you’d cast in the various roles. Nathan Fillion feels like he could play a solid corny 1960s astronaut stuck in the far future as Vance Astro, and obviously, most of the James Gunn versions of the 2008 team are welcome back if they wish.

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Marvel Legends: Grim Reaper

Eric Williams first appeared in 1968 as the brother of Wonder Man, Simon Williams, and a mercenary working for the Maggia. He had a central role in Simon’s transformation into Wonder Man, tempting him with the power to take revenge on Tony Stark.

Eric is primarily armed with a special techno-scythe, with which he can fire electric and energy blasts. In some later stories, the scythe is enchanted, enabling him to use magic to capture souls with it.

In an adaptation, Eric would have an obvious place in any movie featuring Wonder Man. The MCU’s upcoming version will have a more meta take on the characters, so any new series I come up with could just tell the basic comic storyline and we’d be golden. Possibly in the build-up to a Masters of Evil movie.

As for casting, I think ultimately I would choose Eric’s actor based on his resemblance to Simon’s actor. For instance, Demetrius Grosse does bear a certain resemblance to Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and I would follow in that pattern. As for guys who just look like someone named Grim Reaper, Frank Grillo would be available.

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Marvel Legends: Green Goblin

Norman Osborn first appeared in 1964 as a masked criminal who flew around on a glider and threw pumpkin bombs. He was later revealed to be Spider-Man’s best friend Harry’s father, who developed a split personality after a lab accident and used his company’s tech to commit crimes. He is best known for his murder of Spider-Man’s love Gwen Stacy.

Thanks to the goblin serum he was exposed to in the explosion, he gained enhanced physical abilities such as strength, speed, and healing, but was driven mad in the process. He also has his special glider at his disposal, as well as his pumpkin bombs and other tech.

In an adaptation, just like with Batman starting out post Jason’s death, so we can get on with some of the later stories, I would like to start out just post-Gwen Stacy and Norman’s death, possibly just after, with J. Jonah Jameson investigating what happened, and thus using him to get most of Spidey’s prior history.

As for casting, he’d probably mostly appear in flashbacks this way, but I’d like to think his presence would be still felt throughout. Willem Dafoe will always be irreplaceable, but a few possibilities could include Denzel Washington or Mads Mikkelsen or Nicolas Cage, depending on the level of gravitas to unhinged we want.

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Marvel Legends: Great Lakes Avengers

The Great Lakes Avengers first appeared in 1989 when a man named Craig Hollis discovered he was immortal and decided to become a hero. Deciding he’d be more effective in a team, he put out a want ad and formed said team out of all those who answered. The team was later sued (?) for using the name Avengers, leading them through a cycle of different names.

The team was originally made up of Mr. Immortal, alongside a pterodactyl-woman from the Savage Land named Dinah Soar, a model would could control her body’s fat content named Big Bertha, a man who could press himself flat and bend into any shape named Flatman, and a man who could turn his body into a portal named Doorman. Hawkeye and Mockingbird later became mentors for the team, and Squirrel Girl is a notable later member.

In an adaptation, I would not pursue the “sued” angle, as that to me is about as silly a legal concept as Wong suing someone for the right to use magic *cough cough.* That said, I could see a storyline where the team crops up, and Hawkeye and Mockingbird are sent to investigate whether or not they are a threat and/or rookies getting in way over their head, and the decision being made to let them continue operating, with the duo as instructors.

As for casting, that would come down to whoever you’d cast in the roles, and I’d probably swing for more comedic actors, like say Alan Cumming as Mr. Immortal, Rebel Wilson as Big Bertha, Alan Tudyk as Doorman, Zoe Saldana as Dinah Soar, and Jim Parsons as Flatman. People who’d really play into the goofiness of some of their powers, but could still show a sincere desire to be heroes when it came down to it.

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Marvel Legends: Graviton

Franklin Hall first appeared in 1977 as a scientist working in a research lab caught in an explosion that fused his genetic structure with special gravitons. Drunk with the power it gave him, he trapped his fellow scientists in the lab and used the entire thing as a meteorite to threaten the entire world.

After the explosion, he found himself capable of manipulating gravity at will, using it to make himself fly, increasing gravity to hold people hostage by forcing them to the ground, even using it to make people implode in some of his darker iterations.

In an adaptations, Graviton feels like just the perfect villain to feature in a small-time Avengers movie, similar to the Justice League movies I had included in my DC Universe, pitting them against Starro, Amazo, Lobo, and Prometheus. He is on the top of my list for a movie like that, where we just have a fun movie of Avengers working together that doesn’t have to be the culmination of a huge story arc.

As for casting, Canadian is generally preferred, and I’d like to find someone who can rock that long dark hair and beard. Barry Pepper or Elias Koteas aren’t bad, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t say Keanu Reeves, since he does rock the hair, but I can’t see him playing the role.

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Marvel Legends: The Grandmaster

En Dwi Gast first appeared in 1969 as yet another Elder of the Universe, one of the oldest beings in existence, created shortly after the Big Bang. He passes most of his time with games, abducting various heroes and teams and pitting them against each other for his own pleasure.

As an Elder, he is functionally immortal, with incredible cosmic powers at his fingertips, on par with his fellow Elders, a little bit less than someone like Galactus. Despite this, he holds himself to a personal set of rules that he adheres to in all of his games.

In an adaptation, honestly, there could be any number of teamups and crossovers that could be brought about purely by using him as the villain, so I’m just going to mark him as a possibility for any movie like that, and keep him in mind as we build the universe. I like something Annihilators-related best.

As for casting, Jeff Goldblum in the role was certainly something. I’d say I want someone more serious for a new version, but to be honest, he works best as a flashy showman. Alan Cumming or Richard E. Grant are also possibilities for the role.

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Marvel Legends: Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes)

Robbie Reyes first appeared in 2014 as a young teenager who stole a car in order to compete in a street race so that he could help support himself and his brother, only for the brothers to be gunned down by criminals. Afterwards, Robbie found himself resurrected and possessed by Eli Morrow, the previous owner of the car, later revealed to be a serial killer.

Though his powers come from a different source than Johnny Blaze or Danny Ketch, Robbie has more or less the same powers, with a flaming skull form, the car acting as his ride, and access to hellfire and demonic power, including the Penance Stare.

In an adaptation, Robbie could come around in a Ghost Rider sequel or somewhere down the line, possibly with Eli Morrow as the villain, a serial killer acting as the Ghost Rider, with Robbie more fully possessed by him until he breaks free by the climax of the movie.

As for casting, we want a teenager, of Hispanic origin. As my stance was in the DC posts, I’ll hold off on casting any teenage characters, leaving them open as the possible big break for a young up-and-comer. Robbie would be on the later end, closer to eighteen, but still.

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Marvel Legends: Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)

Johnny Blaze first appeared in 1972 as a young stunt biker who made a deal with the devil to spare his mentor Crash Simpson from cancer, only for Crash to die in an accident the next day. This left Johnny stuck as the devil’s servant, hunting down and collecting wicked souls for him.

Whenever he is in the presence of evil, Johnny is transformed into a flaming skeleton, his motorcycle transforming with him. He is able to race at inhuman speeds on the bike, and uses a fiery chain and the hellfire that surrounds himself to reap souls.

In an adaptation, Johnny would very much be one of my main picks for a Midnight Suns team, so his origin movie would likely come in the phase leading up to that. Danny Ketch would also be a main part of the team, so maybe a new movie would tell Danny’s origin with Johnny as a mentor.

As for casting, while Nicolas Cage is always a delight, I’d probably veer a different direction for casting, probably look for someone who very much looks like a stunt biker. Honestly, probably just because it’s recent, Austin Butler and Matt Smith from Caught Stealing are probably the look I want to go for, or the Trainspotting cast if they were younger.

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Marvel Legends: Galactus

Galactus first appeared in 1966 as an enormous cosmic being created during the Big Bang who suffers from a constant hunger and travels the universe devouring planets. He is best known as a regular adversary of the Fantastic Four and the Silver Surfer, who served as his herald, warning planets of their upcoming demise.

Galactus is enormous, much larger than the Earth, though many stories depict him able to change size at will, or are simply inconsistent with his size. He has a number of cosmic level powers that make him nearly indestructible, most of his defeats coming from working out a deal with him or trapping him in some way.

In an adaptation, the proto-version of all this that I did before had a concept for him as the starting villain of a Fantastic Four movie, but the new MCU movie is very similar in concept, so . . . I think a new series could possibly focus more in on the Silver Surfer and Galactus’s dynamic, traveling the universe, showing Galactus as more of a tragic sympathetic figure as he has sometimes been portrayed, and showing off a ton of the other heralds like Terrax, Air-Walker, Firelord, and Stardust.

As for casting, Ralph Ineson certainly has an iconic voice that fit Galactus well, and I think, no matter what, we should be looking for someone with deep, booming, iconic voices for the role. Liam Neeson or Keith David are some alternative options.

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Marvel Legends: Falcon

Sam Wilson first appeared in 1964 as a social worker lured to a place called Exile Island, where former Nazis had been abandoned by Red Skull, and who had enslaved the people there. Sam helped Captain America overthrow the island and free the people, followed by Cap suggesting he should take up a costume and become a symbol of freedom and justice for the people. He has since been a standard ally of Cap through most of his fights, and has even spent time wearing the mantle of Captain America himself.

Sam wears a specialized suit with high-tech wings that allow him to fly. They were originally of his own invention, but he has received upgraded versions from various inventors and the Wakandan government at different points in time. He also has a pet falcon named Redwing, with whom he shares a psychic link.

In an adaptation, Sam and his relationship with Captain America have been portrayed well throughout the MCU, though the Exile Island story was left out of their origin, so a new series could possibly delve into that, maybe. Also Redwing the actual bird was left out, instead having a small drone named Redwing added to his arsenal, so a new series could also feature the real bird possibly.

As for casting, Anthony Mackie has given a very solid performance in the role, so he could be kept around if he wanted to return. Otherwise, some younger actors could include Jahi Winston or Issac Ryan Brown or Caleb McLaughlin.

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Marvel Legends: The Eternals

The Eternals first appeared in 1976 as a race of immortal beings created by the Celestials and placed on Earth millennia ago to protect it from a race called Deviants. A splinter group left Earth centuries ago and settled on Saturn’s moon Titan.

The Eternals are effectively immortal, with enhanced strength and durability and a few unique abilities here and there. Some notable members include the king Zuras, his son Ikaris, Ajak, Makkari, Thena, the Avengers Sersi and Gilgamesh, the villainous Druig and Sprite, and many others.

In an adaptation, the MCU cut them down from an entire civilization to a specific team of ten. I think a new series could return to the civilization, with more centralized focus on specific core characters and a history of isolationism enforced by their leaders to better explain their lack of action in certain events.

As for casting, it would all depend on the individual castings, but hey, if some of the actors from the MCU wanted to return, I’d be open for discussion at any rate.