Comic book movies have been successfully lighting up the big screen since Tobey Maguire became Spiderman back in 2002. Since then, there has been a plethora of Marvel characters that have been granted their stand-alone movie. Obviously, characters like the Hulk, Iron Man, and Wolverine have all gotten their time as the headliner of the movie. For good reason too because these are all names that people recognize and will spend money to see; but what about the lesser-known characters? How many people actually knew who Deadpool was before Ryan Reynolds portrayed him? What about Dr. Strange? Of course, Marvel fans have always known about these “tier two” characters, but I believe a majority of casual science-fiction fans didn’t. These characters weren’t household names before, but they are now. The crazy thing about Marvel is that there are so many characters that you have probably never heard of; and in some cases, are more interesting than the ones you have. Here are 5 characters that I believe could make great additions to the big screen and also have success at the box office. Some of them have made appearances in previous movies, but none of them have been given the spotlight they deserve.

5. Namor, the Sub-Mariner

Namor is the mutant son of a blue-skinned Atlantean princess and an American sea captain. How they met and hit it off? I have no idea, but it sounds like quite the love story. Namor grew up in Atlantis and hated anything that was above the surface. He could be considered an anti-hero because of his hatred for mankind. The Sub-Mariner has clashed with the likes of the Fantastic 4 and Black Panther on many occasions and it has been rumored that the next Black Panther movie will be centered around the war between Wakanda and Atlantis (which could be why in Avengers: Endgame, Okoye mentions an earthquake on the ocean floor, hinting at some sort of relationship between the surface world and something below). Although this would make for a great film, I think Namor deserves a movie of his own. His path from hatred and war, to love and compassion is a magnificent storyline worth telling. I just have no idea at all who would be a fitting actor to portray Namor in a such a large movie production.

4. Firestar

Angelica Jones has incredibly unique powers. She can project microwave energy to create extreme heat. She can also use her power to fly by mentally pushing microwave energy around herself. She began her training at the age of 13 to become a silent and deadly assassin. Firestar was apart of a group known as the Hellions and her trainer was a woman named Emma Frost. The Hellions conflicted with the X-men throughout their history. After many years of fighting, Firestar began to doubt her Hellion companions and she decided to leave her clan. She briefly became a member of the Avengers and fought for good. She has another great superhero storyline. Trained by twisted minds at a young age, but later overcame her old mentors to become a strong force for justice in the Marvel Universe. Firestar would make a great movie and addition to the MCU.

3. Silver Surfer

A 6’4” space-wanderer, Norrin Radd became bored of life on his home world of Zenn-La. Radd was given a chance to become something greater when Galactus arrived to destroy Zenn-La. Galactus was ready to consume the planet and absorb its energy for his own life. Radd bargained with him to spare his home world and become Galactus’s servant. Galactus agreed, gave Radd the Power Cosmic, and transformed him into the Silver Surfer. His powers allow him to channel cosmic energy to travel faster than the speed of light, healing powers, and restructure matter. As the Silver Surfer, Radd traveled the cosmos and searched for planets void of life that would be satisfactory for Galactus to devour for his own energy. Eventually, Radd finds Earth and becomes attached to our planet. He teams up with the Fantastic 4, betrays Galactus, and drives him away from Earth on several occasions. Laurence Fishburne (Morpheus from “The Matrix”) voiced Silver Surfer and Doug Jones (?) played him in the 2007 movie “The Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer.” Who remembers this movie? … Anyone…? I know I saw it, but I couldn’t tell you one thing about it. That means its terrible and Silver Surfer deserves better. An origin movie that ties into the Fantastic 4 franchise would be ideal for Norrin Radd. His powers and connection with many other Marvel characters makes him a great character that has been criminally underrated by MCU fans.

2. Omega Red

Russia’s KGB had an incredible obsession with creating a super-solider. They eventually succeeded and Omega Red was conceived. The test subject was Arkady Rossovich, a former Russian serial killer. The KGB gave Rossovich many genetic alterations which granted him mutant powers, but in order to survive, he must drain life energy from victims. He led New York’s Red Mafia for may years and fought against many Marvel heroes, most often clashing with Wolverine. Wolverine eventually bested Omega Red and killed him but shortly after, several clones of him were created and formed the Omega Clan. Omega White, Omega Black, and another Omega Red were created and continued the fight against Marvel heroes. Omega Red is in no way shape or form a hero or anti-hero. He is pure evil, but when was the last time we got a Marvel movie about a purely evil villain? Maybe it’s time.

1. Gambit

Gambit has made brief appearances in a few X-Men movies in the past, but none have ever done him any justice. His real name is Remy LaBeau. He is a mutant in the X-Men universe and has the power to charge small objects with an unknown form of energy which causes them to explode when they are thrown at a target. He’s from New Orleans and was born into the Thieves’ Guild. He was exiled from the guild and became an international thief on his own. Gambit later assembles a crew, the Marauders, which became a notorious gang of thieves. Eventually, he leaves his master thieving behind to join Storm and the X-Men. Awesome powers and a great backstory make Gambit a wonderful Marvel character that definitely deserves to get some big screen recognition.

Written By Andrew Silvers

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