In the sixteen years since theMarvel Cinematic Universestarted in 2008 with the dual release ofIron ManandThe Incredible Hulk, the franchise has dipped its toe into various genres.Captain America: The Winter Soldierwas modeled after a 1970s political thriller,Ant-Manwas pitched as a heist movie, andShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringswas a martial arts movie.
In recent years, they have also experimented withhorror-based projects likeDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessand the Halloween specialWerewolf by Night.This will continue with Blade, which is currently set for release in 2025.
Marvel has a long history with horror, as before the Marvel Age of superheroes began with the Fantastic Four, the comic publisher was known for crafting giant monster comics. Then, following the loosening of restrictions by the Comics Code of Authority, the company invested heavily in horror-themedcharacters in the 1970s, like Man-Thing, Blade, Werewolf by Night, and Ghost Rider.
In a world filled with superheroes, the Marvel Universe has plenty of horror stories that the Marvel Cinematic Universe should adapt into a film or television series. Here are ten horror-themed storylines Marvel storylines that should be adapted into film.
10Absolute Carnage
Before we jump into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, let’s take a look at the other Marvel Universe, specifically the Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSU), which features characters like Venom, Morbius, Madame Web, and soon Kraven the Hunter.
Right now, Sony Pictures is struggling to unite its various characters (and based onthe reaction toMadame WebandMorbius, they are struggling to make a good movie), but one way to possibly save their various investments is to find a way to connect them, and there is no better villain than Carnage. This is why the 2019 event seriesAbsolute Carnagecould be the film to unite them all.
Carnage in the Multiverse
While Carnage was already featured and killed off inVenom: Let There Be Carnage, thanks toMadame Webtaking place in another multiverse andVenom: Let There Be Carnageestablishing that the symbiote hivemind spreads across universes, another Carnage could pose a threat to the wider multiverse.
This Carnage could be more of a terrifying serial killer, one that could vanquish many other Sony Marvel variants that would unite the monstrous Venom, vampire Morbius, and Kraven the Hunter to make for a bloody, scary movie that even Sony would have a hard time screwing up. Sydney Sweeney, who played Julia Cornwell / Spider-Woman inMadame Web, is abig horror movie fan, so it would be a great way to bring her back by pitching her a superhero-themed horror film.
When it comes to Marvel heroes, Doctor Druid is one of the most mocked. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961 before The Fantastic 4, originally he was known as Doctor Droom before changing the name as it was too similar to the villain,Doctor Doom.
Many of the ideas for Doctor Druid would later be reworked much better in the character of Doctor Strange, and the character would pop around the Marvel Universe in a number of minor roles but largely forgotten. Newsarama even named Doctor Druid as the fourth worst Avengers character.
However, one bright spot for the character was 1995’sDruid, a four-issue miniseries by writer Warren Ellis and artist Leonardo Manco that reimagined the character as a villain, showing his journey to becoming a sorcerer, leading him to slowly lose his grip on reality and become obsessed with obtaining power.
A Dark Doctor Strange
An adaptation of Druid would be adark mirror of the origin of Doctor Strange, as his film showed a man becoming a hero by studying the mystic arts; Druid shows a similar storyline, but as a man becomes consumed by desire and becomes power-hungry.
Playing off the idea of Druid as a joke would be an interesting narrative hook, as nobody would take this individual seriously, and that drove him into dark magic and becoming a force for evil that could face off against other magic users like Doctor Strange or Agatha Harkness. With psychological torment to morbid visuals,Druidwould make for a strong villain-centric story.
8The Immortal Hulk
It has been sixteen years sinceThe Incredible Hulkhit theaters, and due to complications over the solo film rights with Universal Pictures, it appears that a sequel will not happen. The Hulk story has continued in The Avengers movie and also inShe-Hulk: Attorney at Lawand the upcomingCaptain America: Brave New World, but it would be great to see the character get a solo film and return to the horror roots of the franchise that were the basis for the original comic.
In 2018, Marvel launchedThe Immortal Hulk, written by Al Ewing and drawn by Joe Bennett, that followed Bruce Banner’s resurrection. Whenever Banner dies, he returns to life when the sun sets as The Immortal Hulk seeks vengeance.
Psychological and Body Horror
Ewing’sThe Immortal Hulkbuilt on the dissociative identity disorder premise Peter David introduced into the Hulk run while also adding supernatural elements. The comic series put an emphasis on other monstrous foes, like Xemnu the Titan, while also embracing body horror of horrific Hulk transformation and the psychological torment of Banner being haunted and spoken to be this new Hulk persona who turned out to be the Devil Hulk.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe version of the Hulkhas undergone a character growth into a lighter character. While this has been great and unique,The Immortal Hulkis filled with great visuals and rich psychological stories that would make for an incredible film to reinvent the Hulk character.
7Jason Aaron’s Ghost Rider Run
Ghost Rideris one of Marvel’s most famous horror-based superheroes, and a version of the character has already been introduced in the seriesAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.Fans hope to see him in a feature film soon, withRyan Gosling expressing interest in playing the iconic hero.
While Ghost Rider has plenty of horror stories to draw from, writer Jason Aaron’s run on the character from 2008 to 2009 was a great mix of road trip horror legends mixed with biblical horrors and digging deep into the mythology of Ghost Rider, including featuring multiple Ghost Riders and terrifying imagery that fans likely picking up following the then-recent Nicolas Cage movie was not ready for.
Riders on the Storm
Jason Aaron has become one of Marvel’s most important writers as thanks to his run onThor: God of Thunder,The Mighty Thor,andThe Avengers, he has dug deep into the Marvel Universe history with his Avengers run, even revealing a prehistoric Avengers team which included a caveman Ghost Rider who rode a flamming woolly mammoth.
His work has influenced many recent MCU entries, includingEternalsandThor: Love and Thunder, so it would make sense for Marvel to look at his Ghost Rider run, which not onlyfeatures various Ghost Ridersbut can be seen as a horror story of one Ghost Rider hunting another. That opens the door for plenty of great horror movie imagery.
Related:Ghost Rider: Why Ryan Gosling is the Perfect Choice For the MCU
6Monsters Unleashed
Before Stan Lee and Jack Kirby started the Marvel Age of Comics with the creation of The Fantastic Four in 1961, the company was famous for publishing comics focused on giant monsters, cashing in on giant monster movies likeThem!or the then-newGodzillamovies.
In 2017, Marvel published a crossover event titledMonsters Unleashed, named after a short-lived horror title from the 1970s. The event series focused on bringing back many giant monsters from Marvel’s pre-superhero age that ended up attacking the Marvel Universe.
MCU Could Cash In on Kaiju Mania
Giant monster movies have certainly seen a boom in popularity, as seen by thebox office hit ofGodzilla x Kong: The New Empire. While the MCU has faced a bit of an uphill battle in terms of fighting superhero fatigue, maybe the key would be to bring in giant monsters. There certainly would be a lot of fun watching a superhero team like The Avengers facing off against giant monsters.
This is a classic foundation in the comics that the films have often ignored. A film could feature the fun of seeing superheroes and giant monsters share the screen, as well as the terror that these creatures' massive scale would be in terms of destruction, making the heroes not only focus on battling monsters but also saving civilians.
A major character in the comic wasElsa Bloodstone, who was introduced inWerewolf by Night, and a Monsters Unleashed film could be where Marvel brings her and other horror-themed heroes next.
5Legion of Monsters
Marvel appears to be building up towards a team of monster-based heroes like Werewolf by Night, Man-Thing, Blade, and Moon Knight combined with rumored heroes like Ghost Rider.Most people assume the title will be Midnight Suns, given Marvel recently released a video game featuring supernatural heroes teaming up against a supernatural threat.
Yet there is another name and title Marvel should consider that would be better:Legion of Monsters. The team debuted inMarvel Premiere#28 in February 1976 (16 years before the Midnight Suns) and was created by Bill Mantlo, Frank Robbins, and Steve Gan. Like the Midnight Sons, the basic theme is a supernatural-based team of heroes, but the Legion of Monsters puts an emphasis on the team being monsters.
Move Over Creature Commandos
While the name Legion of Monsters might be too similar toDC’sCreature Commandos, the name is certainly more eye-catching than Midnight Suns, as the average audience member knows what a Legion of Monsters is just based on the title.
The various heroes in the MCU that could become the team fit the famous monster archetypes of vampire (Blade), werewolf (Werewolf by Night), demon (Ghost Rider), mummy (Moon Knight), and Frankenstein science monster (Man-Thing). Combine them with Elsa Bloodstone, someone from a family of monster hunters who wants to reject her fate. The Legion of Monsters could be a horror-based superhero team that could be as popular as The Guardians of the Galaxy.
Related:The 10 Best Marvel Teams Who Aren’t the Avengers or X-Men
The X-Men are back in the spotlight thanks toX-Men ‘97and the upcoming release ofDeadpool & Wolverine. With the X-Men finally set to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as theyrecently signed a screenwriter for the reboot, there are plenty of storylines to adapt. One that would certainly make a big impact and could impact the wider Marvel Universe is “Inferno.”
Published in 1989, the series focused on theJean Grey clone Madelyn Pryor into the Goblin Queen, leading a demonic invasion of New York City that impacted not only the various X-Men comics but also Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, and Daredevil. “Inferno” was already adapted into an episode of X-Men ‘97, but the full scale of the comic storyline could benefit as a feature film.
A Massive Demon Invasion
“Inferno” featured the heroes of the Marvel Universe dealing with a massive supernatural threat, which in the comics was close to the scale of the Battle of New York in The Avengers. Inferno could be the basis of an X-Men movie or even brought over into an Avengers movie or whatever the supernatural-themed heroes are that unite.
A massive demon invasion of Earth could create both the scale of an epic action movie but with full-on demonic and body horror. If they did use it as the first X-Men movie, it could establishMister Sinister after many failed attempts in the live-action movieswhile giving the X-Men a new type of threat to battle audiences are not used to seeing them face off against.
3Curse of the Mutants
Another horror-based story based around the X-Men, this time tying in with vampires, which will be a major recurring theme across the next three entries. “Curse of the Mutants"is an X-Men storyline where the mutants face off against vampires, with Jubilee herself being turned into one as a bomb causes the infectious blood to cover citizens in San Fransisco’s Union Square. A vampire-infested city with the X-Men outnumbered would ramp up the scares.
X-Men and Blade Is a Pairing Nobody Could Have Expected
While Marvel is hard at work bringing the mutants into their shared universe, vampires are another big priority. For the past few years, the studio has been working on aBlademovie, which has faced many delays.Bladeis certainly on the way, and so is anX-Menreboot, but possibly a crossover film based on “Curse of the Mutants” in the future would be a perfect way to unite two very different corners of the Marvel Universe.
How do the X-Men deal with a more violent supernatural threat like vampires? How does Blade work alongside an established team, and where do the vampire mutation and X-gene mutation differ? While the X-Men and Blade might not seem like the obvious pairing, “Curse of the Mutants” could be the crossover fans didn’t even know they wanted.
2The Tomb of Dracula
Speaking of vampires, we must mention the 1970s Marvel Comic,The Tomb of Dracula,which is seen as assuring in the Marvel horror boom of the decade. While originally not part of the Marvel Universe, being a self-contained story featuring aretelling of the popular Dracula tale, the story was later established as part of the main Marvel Universe, and Dracula would face off against Spider-Man while the series introduced Blade.
Putting one of the greatest vampires in the Marvel Universe would be a strong pitch and could make up for the failed attempt atBlade Trinity’s attempt at adapting the story.
Marvel and Disney Could Do What Universal Has Been Failing At
SinceTomb of Dracula’s publication, Dracula has factored into a number of different Marvel storylines and even founded a vampire nation.
Tomb of Draculaitself could allow Marvel to put their own unique spin on one of pop culture’s most famous figures, one that even Universal Pictures has struggled with in recent years, as seen withbox office flops likeThe Last Voyage of the DemeterandRenfield.Tomb of Draculaitself could be a strong basis for theBladeMCU reboot. Bringing Dracula into the MCU opens up so many doors for the franchise.
1Blood Hunt
Blood Hunt, the most recent Marvel event comic, is a supernatural-themed one based around thethreat of vampires. Everyone remembers the hook of30 Days of Nightbeing that Alaska is a perfect place for vampires as it has thirty days of no sunlight, andBlood Hunttakes it even further by having various characters who tap into the Darkforce dimension (Cloak, Blackout, Doctor Dark) to block out the sun and cover the Earth in darkness as the vampire nation attacks.
The Avengers, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and many other heroes are left facing off against a swarm of vampires in this still ongoing series.
Marvel Loves Adapting New Events
Blood Huntis a new event, so new that at the time of this publication, only two issues have been published so far. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe pulls from the rich history of comics, they also have shown to have a certain affinity for recent titles, as seen inSecret InvasionorThor: Love and Thunder, adapting Jason Aaron’s Thor run from 2012 to 2018.
In many ways, the comics are test kitchens for potential stories, characters, and arcs that could make for good movies andBlood Hunt, with its emphasis on soon-to-be-new MCU hero Blade to various characters that are MCU heroes like Sam Wilson’s Captain America and Captain Marvel being lead characters,Blood Huntis a horror movie event waiting to happen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
