New Disney movie Big Hero 6 is based on a fairly obscure Marvel comic about the adventures of a bunch of young superheroes in the fictional city of San Fransokyo. Chief among them is loveably squishy robot Baymax, already on course to become one of Disney's most beloved animated creations.
But what other Marvel characters should make the leap to the big screen? We choose our favourite five…
Spider-Woman
So far there’s been a lamentable lack of women superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU for short). Aside from the promised Captain Marvel movie (which Marvel Studios supremo Kevin Feige has confirmed to be the Carol Danvers version of the character), there’s only Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow, and there’s no sign yet of a solo spin-off flick for the Rusky butt-kicker. So what about Spider-Woman? Created in 1977, Jessica Drew inherited her superpowers from her mother, after she was struck with a beam of radiation containing the DNA of several different types of spiders while pregnant. So no, she’s not Peter Parker’s sister.
Ideal casting: Emily Blunt.
The Silver Surfer
We’ve seen the Silver Surfer before, as a heavily CG-ed supporting character in the second Fantastic Four movie (subtitle: Rise of the Silver Surfer) in 2007, but he’s such a visually awesome superhero that it’s high time he was put centre-stage. Roaming the cosmos on his faster-than-light surfboard, the Surfer made his comic book debut in 1966, another genius creation of Stan Lee and the late Jack Kirby.
Ideal casting: Doug Jones played him (although Laurence Fishburne did the voice) in Fantastic Four 2 and was probably the best thing about the movie. Doug, come back!
Captain Britain
The UK has already cropped up in the MCU (in Thor: The Dark World), but wouldn’t it be swell if we had a British-accented superhero on Marvel’s cinematic roster? Created in 1976, and intended as a British answer to Captain America, CB was given his extraordinary powers by Merlin, and was assigned to uphold the laws of the United Kingdom. Imagine an all-guns-blazing Marvel movie where the main location is central London, not New York City... Surely that would freshen up the universe…?
Ideal casting: Dan Stevens
Deathlok
Once human, Deathlok is a cyborg who, after death, was reanimated using cybernetic technology. With his half robot, half decomposed features, it would probably push Marvel into the 15 certificate category, but then why should every Marvel Studios film be chasing the same demographic? Guardians of the Galaxy proved that the MCU could support a space opera, so why not a hard SF character like Deathlok?
Ideal casting: Definitely someone as tough as nails. Josh Brolin, are you free?
The Sub-Mariner
Prince Namor, AKA the Sub-Mariner has been a part of the Marvel stable since before Marvel were even called Marvel. Born of a human sea captain and a princess from Atlantis, Namor possesses super-strength, the ability of flight and is able to breathe underwater. Not only that, but he sports a cracking six-pack. During the 1960s and 70s, the Sub-Mariner was one of Marvel’s top-tier characters. His crown may have slipped a little in the subsequent decades, but those watery adventures have so much cinematic potential.
Ideal casting: Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Look at pictures of Prince Namor and ask yourself, who else?
Big Hero 6 arrives at Cineworld on 30th January.
