With Captain Marvel flying into cinemas this weekend, it seems like a good time to mention other superheroines who should get their own movies.
The list below are those who have no movies in development and
— for the most part — haven’t played a big role in other media. That means Squirrel Girl, Black Widow, Faith and Harley Quinn, all of whom should be hitting the big screen within a few years, are not present. Others, such as Batwoman, will also be absent, since she will soon have her own TV series.
That said, that still leaves plenty of other fascinating ladies who deserve more of our attention. Let’s begin.
She-Hulk
Hollywood is all about gender-swapping failed franchises, and that means it’s time for Hulk, whose two solo outings lead him to be recast in 2012’s The Avengers, should move aside so She-Hulk can advance. The character, real name Jennifer Walters, is quite fascinating in her own right after she received a blood transfusion from her cousin Bruce Banner, the original Hulk. Since then, she’s teamed up with everyone from the Avengers to the Fantastic Four and has used her barrister skills to assist many heroes. She even has her own law firm. She’s also explored many other issues, such as PTSD, and is friends with many other superheroines such as Patsy Walker, also known as Hellcat.
Miss America
Don’t let the name fool you — America Chavez is no wilting violet. She’s a superhero with similarly superhuman strength, ability to fly and kick holes in one reality so she can travel to others. She’s also an openly queer Latina, often spending about as much time learning how to open up in her relationships — romantic or otherwise. Her travels to other dimensions have also led to her punching out Hitler and befriending Peggy Carter. She also has a lengthy friendship with Kate Bishop, the new Hawkeye. The potential for a movie here is staggering, both for diversity and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole.
Moon Girl
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Lunella Lafayette, or Moon Girl, breaks a lot of barriers. Not only is she one of the few heroes of color to have her own series, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, the 9-year-old just happens to be a genius (who is dubbed as the Marvel universe’s smartest). She also has a strong bond with a dinosaur who together have dealt with everything from bullying to Doctor Doom himself. Moon Girl also constantly uses her intelligence to turn the tables on her enemies and create new inventions. She’s a more lighthearted heroine who shatters stereotypes while appealing to nerdy girls who may feel isolated due to their STEM interests.
Ms. Marvel
Kamala Khan was a Pakistani-American Muslim teenager in Jersey City who was already struggling with the ostracization she faced and the need to define her identity. Then she gained the ability to alter her physical appearance and size, including extending her limbs to elongate various parts of her body. Having idolized Captain Marvel, she took up her old alias Ms. Marvel after she embraced the superhero life. Kamala has since become a major part of the Marvel Universe, playing an integral role in many of their biggest storylines, and eventually even forming her own superhero team. Now that Captain Marvel is here, it’s time to introduce a complex female character whose struggles are deeply relatable while being a refreshing change in big-screen representation of Muslims.
Catwoman
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Every other heroine on this list are relatively recent arrivals who quickly gained a passionate fandom. Catwoman, meanwhile, goes all the way back to 1940, where the wily Selina Kyle started off as one of Batman’s antagonists. Quickly growing into her own with a long-running series, she has played a major role in video games, TV shows and movies. There was a different, nearly unwatchable version of the character in 2004 featuring Halle Berry as Patience Phillips and then reborn as the feline burglar. One of the most memorable portrayals of Catwoman was from Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns; the actress embodied a woman whose self-destructive impulses and need for vengeance meant she could never reach out for the immediate happy ending. But she has never been the center of her own film, at least not one with a theatrical release like her counterpart Batman. But now that women are taking over and writing the narrative, maybe this egregious, and long overdue, oversight can be promptly addressed?
Did we miss anyone? Sound off in the comments.
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