With the success of Werewolf by Night and the excitement over the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, Marvel Studios seems to be adding to more “Special Presentations” on Disney+. Shorter than a full-length theatrical film, but not as long as a series like Moon Knight or WandaVision. This format seems like the ideal way to bring in certain characters we’ve been waiting to see in the MCU. Here’s who we think should get on Kevin Feige’s and Marvel’s shortlist for the “Special Presentation” treatment, stat.
Beta Ray Bill
We’ve had four Thor movies, and despite some teases in Ragnarok, we haven’t seen the Thunder God’s buddy Beta Ray Bill yet. Well, we don’t want to wait for Thor 5. We say give the horse-faced alien his own Disney+ Special Presentation. In the comics, Bill was one of the few beings in the universe that could wield Mjolnir. Eventually, Bill got his own hammer, Stormbreaker. The MCU gave that weapon to Thor in Infinity War, and his daughter Love now owns it. But we’d love to see Bill get a crack at it at least once. The best place would be in his very own special.
Dazzler
Before she was a member of the X-Men, Alison Blaire was a disco singer with a mutant power that let her turn sound into light. It turned out to be a handy power in showbiz. Dazzler has a wild history in the comics, once having the power of the godlike Beyonder, and even being a Herald of Galactus. But a Special Presentation could go back to her original ‘70s roots, maybe presented as a disco variety hour with many special guests and musical numbers. Marvel Studios can choose any pop star to play Dazzler, but Lady Gaga seems born to play the part.
Longshot
Speaking of Dazzler, her one-time boyfriend Longshot would also make for a great special presentation on Disney+. Although once an X-Man, he’s not actually a mutant. He’s a genetically engineered warrior from the Mojoverse, a dimension ruled by the grotesque Mojo. One where all life centers on media, especially televised gladiatorial matches (so, kind of like our world). This would make for a great special, especially if they used it to skewer modern reality competition shows. Longshot could lose the mullet for the special, though. Its time has come and gone, buddy.
Captain Britain
There’s a reason the MCU didn’t call superpowered Peggy Carter “Captain Britain” on What If…? and Multiverse of Madness—despite her costume having the Union Jack. It’s because the Marvel Universe already has a Captain Britain, Brian Braddock. But he’s no UK version of Steve Rogers. Braddock doesn’t have a super serum; he’s an aristocratic heir to the mystical power of England. With ties to Merlin and the magical realms of the Marvel Universe, we think the good Captain would shine in a special presentation.
Hercules
Thor: Love and Thunder‘s post-credits scene introduced Hercules (Brett Goldstein), but we don’t want to wait until the next Thor movie to see him in action. Give the Son of Zeus his own special where he goes to Earth to try to remind everyone who the Greek gods really are and why they rock. Maybe make this special presentation in the style of Ray Harryhausen movies like Jason and the Argonauts or Clash of the Titans. Hercules saving New York from stop-motion mythical monsters? Sign us up, please.
Squirrel Girl
First debuting in the early ‘90s, mostly as a gag character, Squirrel Girl has become a fan favorite in recent years. Yes, her power is the ability to talk to squirrels, but Doreen Green’s lighthearted adventures in a world with much heavier hitters has endeared her to many readers. She’s even had her own ongoing series a few times. A comedic superheroine, kind of in the same vein as She-Hulk, would make for a truly fun special presentation—especially since a series or full-length movie would be a bit excessive for her.
Tigra
Sure, Catwoman and Black Cat are cool. Even cooler than dressing up as cat, though, is being a cat. That’s why longtime Avenger Tigra would make for a fun Disney+ Special Presentation. We can imagine a fun retro-style special for Tigra, maybe filmed like an old ‘80s/90s TV show like Manimal or She-Wolf of London. The character of Greer Nelson, a.k.a. Tigra, might already be in the MCU, too. Hawkeye name dropped a friend of Kate Bishop’s named Greer. The character has never had her own long-term ongoing series to draw lots of stories from. Therefore, a special would be an ideal way to bring Greer into the MCU.