10 Iconic Marvel Comics That Are Still Missing Satisfying Screen Adaptations
Marvel movies, and indeed TV shows, are pretty competent at taking popular comic book narratives and adapting them in some capacity. A couple of stories, like the Dark Phoenix saga, have had multiple attempts at on-screen interpretation while some arcs have yet to be adapted at all.
These comic book narratives have either never even been brought to fans yet or are worthy of a second shot, potentially within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It may well be that the characters don't currently exist within the wider franchise, or the variation on the story thus far wasn't able to touch upon the comic book elements Marvel relied upon on the page. Note that this does not take into account animated shows like X-Men.
The Clone Saga might strangely be one of the most controversial comic book storylines within Marvel history. It's often debated how effective the narrative really was and indeed whether it's a classic at all. Yet, it's hard to ignore the impact the story had on Spidey's life going forward.
Boasting incredible villains like Jackal and introducing audiences to Ben O'Reilly, there's definitely a place for the Clone Saga on screen and any adaptation could even address some of the problems fans have with the piece. With Miles Morales recently undergoing his own parallel to the story, now more than ever is the time to give it a go in the MCU.
Audiences have already been treated to a variation of Civil War on the big screen, pitting the ideology of Captain America and Iron Man against one another. It's a fantastic film and one that has real repercussions for the rest of the MCU. But it isn't totally comic book accurate.
There's absolutely room to have another crack at this story, with some inspiration taken from Civil War II as well. The scale of the film was far smaller than the graphic novel, but now that the MCU has expanded rapidly, it would be fascinating to see where these heroes side now and what the ensuing conflict would look like.
Secret Invasion is in development at Disney+ so there may finally be a satisfying take on the storyline. For now though, fans only have the comic books which are brimming with tension and action as Earth's mightiest heroes try to uncover the imposters amongst their roster.
The scale of the original run might not be quite portrayed in the same way, as it's unlikely any major heroes will be swapped out for sleeper Skrulls. But the basic concept behind this quiet infiltration is absolutely genius and would play out fantastically in a cinematic format.
Two variations of the Dark Phoenix Saga have been put to screen thus far and neither quite got it right. While the movies are certainly enjoyable, they do not have years of storytelling to back them up and the time needed to really dive into those core emotional beats.
It's really unlikely that another adaptation of the series will happen for quite some time, but if and when it does happen it's more likely to be based around a phase of the MCU rather than a simple entry. Those initial films definitely have something to bring to the table but these X-men stories have aged poorly nonetheless; a modern interpretation is required to satisfy fans.
The fallout of the Secret Invasion was Dark Reign which saw Norman Osborn take the lead in a surprisingly gritty and status-quo altering narrative that changed the landscape of Marvel Comics. With the villains now in charge, no one was safe from the regime that was put in place.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is gone, H.A.M.M.E.R. takes its place, the Dark Avengers are now Earth's mightiest heroes while the Thunderbolts back up their command. Everything is twisted on its head and the depth of this story has to be placed in the MCU in some capacity, perhaps with Zemo in the lead instead.
The United States Of Captain America is a recent storyline that simply hasn't yet had a chance to be brought to screen. But it's definitely an arc that could actually inspire season 2 of Falcon And The Winter Soldier if there is to be one.
The story takes place across the nation as Steve, Sam and Bucky discover alternative Captain Americas, each donning the shield and star in order to clean up their local community. It's an inspiring tale that demonstrates anyone can step into the iconic role. It would also be a great way to introduce Barnes as a variation of Cap as well.
Why the Thunderbolts haven't been adapted in some way yet is still a mystery, but their debut is surely imminent. Regardless of the roster at play, the first version of the team is perhaps the best in terms of the story behind it. Each of these so-called heroes was actually a villain in disguise.
It's masterful writing, as a couple of the members don't even realize they are surrounded by crooks, while others are genuinely invested in their redemption. With Zemo leading the way this could be a vitally compelling plot to bring to audiences on Disney+ as an ongoing saga.
Daredevil has taken a gritty path on Netflix but has clearly redeemed himself as he enters the MCU officially. Yet, there's more to tap into in the shadows of his soul and the Shadowland story would be perfect in transforming New York and incorporating the other street-level heroes and villains.
Daredevil takes over The Hand and to the disagreement of his allies, puts a new, more violent rule over the streets of the city. His regime is backed-up by merciless killers as his former friends struggle with what side they will fall on. It would be a really satisfying arc for shows like Moon Knight or movies like Blade to build to while bringing back the likes of Elektra or Luke Cage.
House Of M has already inspired some of Wanda's character beats, as seen in WandaVision. But there's a long way to go before the false reality created by the Scarlet Witch in the comics is brought to the MCU on the scale that fans are familiar with.
"No more mutants" was the iconic quote that capped off the saga, but could the reverse be possible within Marvel, after what Wanda might have seen in the Multiverse? Regardless, this reality-altering storyline is packed full of interesting developments and holds so much potential for Marvel Studios.
Secret Wars could be next on the list of major comic book events for Marvel to adapt, considering the Multiverse conflicts which are currently playing out throughout the MCU. The graphic novels brought a lot to audiences including Spider-Man's Symbiote suit and the concept has since been replicated to varying degrees.
Considering some of the stories that have been brought to screen like the Infinity Saga it's shocking that one of Marvel's earliest trademark crossovers hasn't actually been given a chance yet. If that were to change there might be variations in the beats, but the same satisfying premise will be present.