Top 5 Marvel Characters We Want For Netflix Phase 2

We already know The Punisher is getting his own series, but what other Marvel heroes would we like to see brought to life on Netflix?

While we have a couple of frequently seen names on this list such as Ghost Rider, Blade and Moon Knight, that doesn’t diminish their value as characters I’d like to see hit the small screen. The first thing I looked at when considering which heroes I’d like to see on Netflix was diversity, not just diversity as in race or gender, but in how their powers functioned. All of the Netflix heroes we have in The Defenders are very physical, they all use their fists. I wanted to try and move away with that with my picks, and while some still use more physical means of fighting such as Moon Knight and Blade, there are other factors that make those characters a bit more interesting. I also looked at connecting various corners of the MCU- both TV and film, as well as broadening locations outside of Manhattan.

Ghost Rider

At number five we have Ghost Rider, a character many fans would be rebooted under the Marvel umbrella after Nicholas Cage’s unsatisfactory two-film run with the character, and what better place to do this reboot than on Netflix? Ghost Rider doesn’t really fit in with what Marvel is doing on the big screen right now, just like all of the Netflix characters; he’s too big for ABC, but too grim for what Marvel is doing with their films. His demonic powers and backstory also are a departure from Netflix’s current offerings which are very grounded- although this is expected to change once Iron Fist comes around. Bringing demons into the Marvel Cinematic will also help flesh out a bit more of the universe and explore unseen corners, which is a big theme will my picks. Doctor Strange will begin to delve into the mystic corners of the MCU, but doing so on the TV side of things won’t hurt either. While his power set will certainly have the second biggest budget out of my picks, with the Runaways at number one, if any platform besides the films could tackle the character it would be Netflix.

Ms. Marvel

Clocking in at number four we have Ms. Marvel. While she’s a relatively new character, she’s already a fan favorite. Although it’s been rumored that a show is being worked on for her over at ABC and she’s considerably brighter than what Netflix is doing currently, there is no reason the Netflix shows can’t have a mix of darkness and levity. I also don’t trust ABC to do justice to her power set, as her shape shifting body parts would likely look laughable on cable television– just think back to Atom Smasher on Flash this past season. Her power set and bright outlook on the world also factor in to the diversity I mentioned in the introduction, let alone her being a female Pakistani Muslim, and would be a welcome addition to the Netflix platform as a more family oriented series.

Ms. Marvel would also heighten the connections between various parts of the MCU as Kamala Khan is an Inhuman, something we’ve only seen on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. thus far. And should Lockjaw appear as he did in the comic series, it would mark the first superhuman pet to appear in the MCU, as well as the third superhuman animal after Rocket Raccoon and Howard the Duck. A Ms. Marvel series would also continue to breath life into the Marvel Universe by showing that not all superheroes are in Manhattan, even if Jersey City is pretty damn close by. Her being close to the city would still allow for interactions with other characters, but feel refreshing by giving us a new neighborhood to dive into.

Blade

My third pick is Blade, a character Wesley Snipes portrayed back in the early 2000’s as has mentioned interest in playing yet again. While Snipes might be a bit old for what Netflix seems to be doing with its Netflix series, Snipe’s portrayal of the character was the best part of those early films. Blade would bring in more of the supernatural into the Marvel Cinematic Universe by adding in Vampires, as well as our first swordsman. He would also work with the ultra-violent dark world that Netflix has already established in New York City, but his origins in London would expand the Netflix shows outside of Manhattan. Blade would be the easiest to incorporate into the world Netflix has currently established and would be the easiest to accomplish with the Netflix budget, making him a perfect contender for phase 2. Vampires appearing in comic book adaptations has recently been proven as something that can work in AMC’s Preacher, and adding them to Marvel could allow for some interesting storylines and villains appearing down the road.

Runaways

At number two we have a group I’ve wanted to see adapted to live action for some time now, the Runaways. Back before even The Avengers was planned, Marvel had a film script ready for Runaways but it got put aside to focus on the larger story arcs we now see in the Marvel films, and there have even been rumors of this project going to television. So as there is obviously interest in the group from Marvel, the Runaways seem like a no-brainer on the corporate side of things. In my opinion Netflix is a better platform for these characters than a film would be as we’d be able to spend more time with their story. Another great part of Runaways is that the teenagers actually act like teenagers, they curse, their parents worry about them watching porn, and they’re discovering who they are. Should the property be brought to film, most of the qualities that made the comic great would probably have been nixed to fit the PG-13 family friendly vibe the MCU films have. Sure the Runaways is a group of young teenagers and a little kid, but that doesn’t mean the property isn’t mature in its own right.

Bringing Runaways to live action would also be a great time to introduce LGBT characters to the MCU as Nico Minoru, who becomes the leader of the team, is bisexual. With a variety of powers on display such as sorcery, alien glowing hair, flight, telepathic raptors, and super-advanced technology, Runaways would be an extremely fun show to watch. The group is formed from the children of super villains based in California, offering a different location to Netflix’s current Marvel offerings and a perspective we haven’t seen in any superhero story up to this point. The characters could still run into our current Netflix heroes as the Runaways trek all over the United States during their series, and would be a great way to expand the universe. Runaways could be a nearly direct adaptation of the comic (changing only small things such as one character from Mutant to Inhuman) with cameos from Cloak and Dagger after their premier on Freeform, and would be groundbreaking for the superhero genre.

Moon Knight

The real Batman of the Marvel Universe is my number one pick for his own Netflix series. While Moon Knight’s technology and delving into the supernatural may be a bit much for the Netflix budget, the series would be incredible to watch. After getting killed on a hitman mission in Cairo, Mark Spector is resurrected by the Egyptian God Konshu to protect the travelers of night under the guise of Moon Knight. Spector’s suffering from multiple personality disorder and insecurity about whether or not Konshu is just another persona his mind has created would be an incredible journey to witness on television. Audiences have proven they enjoy superheroes with real life disorders after eating up Jessica Jones season one, and Moon Knight would continue the humanization of superheroes while going completely off the deep end.

Moon Knight fights the more “street level” supernatural threats as opposed to Doctor Strange, and his rich lifestyle is what garners all of the Batman comparisons. The Netflix series could use the recent suit version of Moon Knight’s costume for the first iteration, while he upgrades to the iconic costume as the series progresses. Battling ghosts, traveling to different dimensions, and incredible action set-pieces with high-tech gadgets while our hero battles with his own brain will make for one of the most riveting series on air.

Leon Brill

Leon Brill

Leon Brill is a staff writer for Heroic Hollywood, superhero/comic enthusiast, gamer, and film lover.