Between the upcoming Black Widow, as well as 2019’s Captain Marvel, the MCU is fully embracing the prequel concept. In a Black Widow press conference (via Slashfilm), Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige said “The notion of exploring the past, present, and future of the MCU is certainly in the cards for all of our characters.”
Essentially, between the movies and the series coming soon on Disney+, we could see more MCU prequels in the future. Of course, we have some ideas of which characters deserve a spotlight on their backstories. And here are a few we hope make the cut.
Captain America and the Invaders
Marvel
Rumors swirled earlier this year that Chris Evans was coming back to the MCU in some capacity. But unless it’s under old-age makeup as “Grandpa Steve,” we don’t see how he can be in the present MCU. Many of his adventures in World War II are still untold, however. We’d love for a Captain America prequel, set in that era that defined him.
Instead of going solo, we think a Cap prequel should show him going on a special mission with the classic Marvel Comics WWII team, the Invaders. The original Human Torch (who was teased in The First Avenger) and Namor, the Sub-Mariner had roles in this group. Imagine Cap, Bucky, and these guys punching Nazis left and right. You know you want to see it.
Tales of Asgard
Marvel
They might not look it, but Thor and Loki are old. Like, thousands of years old. After all, they inspired all those Norse myths. Back in the ’60s, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby had a series of backup features in Thor called The Tales of Asgard. A new version of this might be a perfect way to tell stories of our favorite Asgardian characters’ youths.
In a live-action Tales of Asgard, we could see the teenage Odinsons, getting into all kinds of trouble in the Nine Realms. And if they’re teens, we shouldn’t see any backlash at recasting such iconic roles. Although it would be fun to get Hemsworth and Hiddleston back for part of it. Maybe for a story set in something closer to the modern-day? This could be a film, but might be even more suited for a series on Disney+.
Captain Mar-Vell
Marvel
In the comics, the original heroic Captain Marvel was the Kree warrior Mar-Vell. And, he was a dude. But the MCU reimagined Mar-Vell as a woman, played by Annette Bening. In the backstory given in Captain Marvel, the Kree sent her to Earth as an emissary, but then she ultimately turned against her own people. She took on the human name of Dr. Wendy Lawson. In the comics, the male version of Mar-Vell took on the human identity of Dr. Walter Lawson.
Much like her comics counterpart, she likely lived on Earth for decades before her death in 1989. It would be fascinating to explore her life and career, perhaps working in secret as the heroic Captain Marvel, long before Carol Danvers ever did. Also, in the comics, the Young Avenger named Hulkling was the child of Mar-Vell and a Kree Princess. A Mar-Vell project could give us the origin story for one of the few Young Avengers not yet teased in the MCU.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Marvel Studios / Marvel Comics
The MCU’s current Ant-Man and Wasp are Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne. But we know that in the past, Dr. Hank Pym and his wife Janet were the original Ant-Man and the Wasp. And in the ’80s, they both went on secret missions for S.H.I.E.L.D. One where Janet disappeared into the Quantum Realm for decades. Since both Hank and Janet have long and storied careers as heroes in the comics, we’d love to see these adventures explored in some form. Much like Tales of Asgard, a young Hank and Janet series on Disney+ would be ideal.
Black Panther: The Adventures of T’Chaka
Marvel Studios
Many Black Panthers came before T’Challa—a long line of Wakandan Kings, going back thousands of years. A Disney+ series or a movie exploring these different Black Panthers throughout the centuries would be amazing. And we’d start with T’Challa’s immediate predecessor, his father T’Chaka. Imagine a movie set in the 1970s, with a young King having adventures outside of Wakanda for the first time. Something that’s a cross between all the great Black action films of that era and an MCU superhero movie. We think this would be an instant hit.
The Rampaging Hulk
Marvel Studios
The MCU’s Hulk has been a cornerstone Avenger since day one. But the films have never fully explored his backstory. The Edward Norton Incredible Hulk showed us how Bruce Banner became an irradiated monster in brief flashbacks in the opening credits. But we didn’t see much. With She-Hulk getting a series on Disney+, maybe her famous cousin should be next. Mark Ruffalo couldn’t really play a young Banner anymore. But at this point, we’ve had three actors play the character in less than twenty years. What’s one more?
Featured Image: Marvel
