While the Marvel cinematic universe has been publicly plotted out through 2019, much less is known about their plans for the television side of their productions. This past April Daredevil surprised both fans and critics with its level of quality and it instantaneously legitimized the partnership between Marvel Studios and Netflix. Marvel has been open in their intentions for the near future with the company, however it seems that their plans may be more long reaching than most were anticipating.
According to a new report by That Hashtag Show, Marvel has identified the second phase of their filmmaking cycle with Netflix and are contemplating developing a Thunderbolts show to debut during it. The Thunderbolts is a superteam that is made up of Marvel villains and antiheroes who claim to have been reformed. Their origin story had one of the biggest twists in comic book history and while it couldn’t be replicated, there are a wealth of stories that could be told. Here are a few reasons why Marvel developing a Thunderbolts show for Netflix needs to happen.
Thunderbolts’ Huge Roster
While the Thunderbolts’ history is less than twenty years old, a huge collection of villains and heroes have served on the team. The original leader of the team was Baron Zemo, who fans will be introduced to next summer in Captain America: Civil War, when Daniel Bruhl brings him to life. We have previously reported that Marvel is already searching for the ideal Norman Osborn for the Spider-Man franchise. In the comics Osborn ends up leading the Thunderbolts. Getting a film actor willing to cross over to Netflix would take the series and MCU to even greater heights. However, even without Zemo or Osborn, there is a wide range of possible lineups available for writers to play with. Other present and future MCU characters that have been Thunderbolts include Crossbones, Mister Hyde, Red Hulk, Luke Cage, Bullseye, Elektra, Punisher, even Avengers such as Hawkeye and Black Widow. So it is clear how the Thunderbolts’ show could benefit from its wide range of connections, throughout the cinematic universe.
Gives Characters Some Breathing Room
It has been no secret that one of Marvel’s biggest areas of criticism has been their inability to craft believable and compelling villains. Aside from Loki, and arguably Ultron, the heroes have gotten the lion’s share of character development in the MCU. The only other villain that was able to break out of the mold was Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin, in Daredevil. Of course that’s because the character had the opportunity to develop over a season, including an entire episode that primarily featured him. Getting 13 episodes to give more backstory and motivations for many of the characters who have already appeared in movies, will ultimately only strengthen the Marvel cinematic universe.
Thunderbolts vs Suicide Squad
What a difference a year makes. Last year WB/DC was seen as the Washington Generals to Marvel Studios’ Harlem Globetrotters, born to lose in superhero movie competition. However, with the reveal trailers of both Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad at San Diego Comic Con, WB has balanced the scales and Marvel has to be paying attention to its rival now. The Thunderbolts could be Marvel’s answer to the Suicide Squad, a team of anti-heroes who are able to go on a self-contained mature adventure, while simultaneously bolstering the given cinematic universe. While they would be screened on different mediums, their impact could be equally as profound.
Marvel/Netflix Phase 2
There has been a lot of talk about Marvel Studios’ strategy of breaking up their filmmaking schedule into “phases.” The final post-credits scene of Ant-Man signaled the formal beginning of Marvel’s Phase 3. Fans are eagerly anticipating the upcoming slate of films including Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Avengers: Infinity War and more. The first phase of Marvel and Netflix’s partnership was mapped out early, with plans for solo series for Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, and a Defenders team-up series. However, Marvel was caught slightly off-guard with the success of the first season of Daredevil, which is already filming its second season. A season which will include multiple costumed heroes, anti-heroes, and villains, including Elektra and the Punisher, expanding the grounded world that was already established.
It looks as if the second phase of Marvel/Netflix’s production will get much more fantastic. Although most of the members of the Thunderbolts are generally the more grounded (often literally) characters from the comics, it is clear that there will be a sense of superpowered escalation in the Netflix world. By this point, aside from parts of Iron Fist, all of the shows will have centered in and around New York’s Hell’s Kitchen. It is presumable that the canvas would need to be expanded in order to necessitate a group like the Thunderbolts. Not to mention, the state of the MCU will be in a much different point by that time. The Infinity War may be over and the Thunderbolts could be connected to another new overarching MCU storyline. We will be sure to bring you all the latest info as it is uncovered.
This is a very exciting development for Marvel if they decide to go ahead with the Thunderbolts. What lineups would you like to see? Do you like the idea of a Thunderbolts show? Let us know on , , !
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