Tag: Man-Thing

A Potential ‘Moon Knight’ Season 2 Could Feature ‘Werewolf By Night’ Characters

After the raging success of Marvel Studios’ first Special Presentation, Werewolf by Night, fans are anxiously awaiting Jack Russell’s, Ted Sallis’ (Man-Thing), and Elsa Bloodstone’s returns to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The special itself appeared to open the door to the MCU’s monsterverse, but it has also been confirmed that Werewolf By Night has no intention of being a pilot for future series. Of course, there are Midnight Sons and Legion of Monsters rumors and theories. And there’s always Blade, though the film is in a rough spot after recently losing its director. But perhaps the answer—or one of the answers—is a bit less obvious. After star Oscar Isaac’s comments that there is more Moon Knight in the MCU’s future, it may not be too farfetched to think that characters from the monster special could appear in a potential second season of that series.

The most obvious connection Moon Knight has to these characters is that his first appearance was as an adversary in Werewolf by Night #32 in 1975. Originally, Moon Knight was written as a mercenary hired to capture Russell, which explains his moon-themed persona and silver weapons. By the end of his original two-issue appearance, Moon Knight changes course and helps the titular werewolf instead. From here, the character went on to have his own solo and team-up careers unrelated to Werewolf by Night. Moon Knight’s connections to Man-Thing and Elsa Bloodstone are less obvious, though the three of them were all part of a relatively recent Midnight Sons lineup in the Damnation crossover event. Still, Man-Thing’s connection to the Nexus of All Realities makes his general presence in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga make sense, and Jack and Ted were set up as a pair in Werewolf by Night.

While Marc Spector has a colorful resume, he is not particularly well known for his connection to monsters. As such, there are not many clear storylines from the comics that a Moon Knight Season 2 could adapt from the comics. But without a doubt, Moon Knight is the first character aside from Doctor Strange to truly open up the paranormal and supernatural worlds of the MCU. That aspect of the universe is gaining more steam, but in terms of seeing Werewolf by Night or related characters sooner rather than later, there do not seem to be a lot of obvious options at this moment. Phase 6 is almost entirely unannounced, and so is a second season of Moon Knight. Still, an appearance in the series might be fundamental to the steady rise of the monsterverse and its related projects.

While Moon Knight is not generally found constantly battling or working with monsters, the vigilante is certainly not foreign to them. In the series alone, the character had to face some rather monsterous Ancient Egyptain-themed creatures, and the finale was aptly titled, “Gods and Monsters.” The supernatural angle of the character was definitively established in Moon Knight. In the comics, the actual existence of Khonshu is sometimes debated as the stories play around with Marc Spector’s unique mental state. But in the MCU, Khonshu’s presence and related supernatural truths are presented as fact. While, so far, the live-action of the character has been limited to the very specific Egyptian god-focused aspect of the supernatural, Moon Knight has ample reason to encounter more. After all, a key component of the vigilante in print is that, as the Fist of Khonshu, he is a protector of those who travel at night—and plenty of things go bump in the night.

While nighttime is clearly special for Moon Knight and monsters alike, the concept also highlights the stylistic compatibility of characters like Werewolf by Night and Moon Knight. Both rely on supernatural themes, but the series and Werewolf by Night are noticeably some of the MCU’s darkest projects both literally and figuratively. The potential seedy and gritty vigilante life of Marc Spector, Khonshu’s ghostly presence, and surreal psychological components could easily accommodate some additional bizarre components. Even more, Moon Knight’s character and Werwolf by Night have a reputation of (by MCU standards) particularly brutal or gruesome violence.

For these reasons, it would not be entirely surprising if Werewolf by Night, Man-Thing, or other related characters made some type of appearance in a second season of Moon Knight. They likely would not be a major part of the full season, but rather could be integrated in a similar way to Moon Knight’s comics introduction. If the MCU’s Marc Spector does take on the vigilante lifestyle as expected, perhaps he has run ins with various beings causing havoc, including an out-of-control Werewolf by Night. It is easy to picture Marc Spector being hostile to monster-type creatures before understanding that they are not necessarily villains, which could be a vital moment in the building of teams like the Midnight Sons or Legion of Monsters or crossover of related characters. Or, perhaps the hero gets caught up in the Bloodstone’s longer narrative in the MCU, as the likely alien relic ties together the MCU’s supernatural side before the big events of Avengers: The Kang Dyanasty and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Only time will tell if Marvel Studios announces a second season of Moon Knight. Either way, fans will get much more of all of these characters in the MCU’s future.

October 11, 2022
Five Marvel Monsters Who Should Get a Special Next

Marvel Studios had a pretty stacked panel at this year’s D23 convention, but there was one reveal that seemed to stand above the rest. Werewolf by Night, a zany new Halloween-themed short film, was finally unveiled after numerous months of rumors. Being released under the new banner “A Marvel Studios’ Special Presentation,” the project will be unlike anything the Marvel Cinematic Universe has attempted before. Michael Giacchino‘s fright fest is filmed entirely in black-and-white, with animatronic effects and cheeseball dialogue ripped straight from the classic Universal horrors. Should Werewolf by Night succeed, the studio will likely want to follow up on its new formula with more terrifying specials in the years to come. Luckily for them, there are plenty of Marvel monsters to choose from.

Follow along as Murphy’s Multiverse breaks down some of the best options:

1. Man-Thing

Man-Thing

This one is sort of a cheat because Werewolf by Night‘s trailer has already confirmed Man-Thing is coming to the MCU, but maybe his appearance simply exists to set up a future spin-off? The character is sort of the flagship monster on Marvel’s roster, so it feels like, if the studio plan on delving deeper into its spooky lore, Marvel Studios will end up giving him his own project somewhere down the line. There’s plenty of source material to draw from, and the tone of the final product could fit into any number of genres. Heck, according to Thor: Ragnarok, the Man-Thing has somehow already been off-world. Unfortunately, despite all the potential, the creature may not warrant his own feature film (2005’s cult classic Man-Thing was not well received), so another Marvel Studios’ Special Presentation could be the landing spot for his solo story.

For those outside of the know, Man-Thing is a rather large swamp monster who traditionally exists within the Florida Everglades. He began life as Dr. Ted Sallis, a biochemist working to recreate the Super Soldier Serum, until his wife Ellen Brandt – played by Stéphanie Szostak in Iron Man 3 – turned him over to agents of A.I.M. and indirectly sent him and his car crashing into the nearby swamp. There, a dosage of the new Serum and a splash of magic turn Sallis into the Man-Thing, a lumbering plant-matter beast with little human intellect. Famously, among many other magic and science-based abilities, Man-Thing is empathic and angered by fear, which causes him to burn those who show the emotion around him. As his classic comic covers put it, “Whatever knows fear burns at the Man-Thing’s touch!”

2. The Living Mummy

N’Kantu, The Living Mummy

If Marvel Studios wants another horror special that plays to the Universal classics and sticks with the pulpy nature of Werewolf by Night, then N’Kantu might just their man – er, mummy. Known to comic fans as “The Living Mummy,” the character is not actually the Egyptian baddie most people think of when they see a human covered in wraps. The chieftain of a North African tribe, N’Kantu and his people are taken by Egyptian soldiers and forced into slavery for the Pharaoh Aram-Set. Always a fighter, N’Kantu ends up leading a rebellion that results in the death of the Pharaoh but puts himself in a tomb instead. Aram-Set’s priestess finds a way to mummify N’Kantu while keeping him alive, and when he’s unearthed several millennia later, the Marvel Universe is forced to confront a mystic mummy situation they weren’t expecting.

Plainly put, this would be a great way for Marvel to counter Sony’s Morbius film. They can keep their Living Vampire, because Marvel has the Living Mummy instead. All jokes aside, N’Kantu actually has several strong comic ties to both Werewolf by Night and Man-Thing, having encountered them both on many occasions, and could be tied firmly to the greater MCU with only some minor tweaking. An easter egg in Moon Knight confirmed Kang the Conqueror’s Egyptian alter-ego, the Pharaoh Rama-Tut, did in fact exist at some point in the timeline. Perhaps a Living Mummy special could elaborate on this further, making him N’Kantu’s captor instead of Aram-Set, and giving the hypothetical Halloween spooktacular even more reason to be part of the Multiverse Saga. Or maybe fans will just get to see a mummy roam the streets of modern America. Either option is fun.

3. Manphibian

Manphibian

Should Marvel Studios’ Special Presentation: Man-Thing not work out, Marvel does have another marsh-based monster hidden up their sleeve. Well, sort of. Manphibian, who has the greatest name in comics, is actually an alien from another world. They just look a lot like the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and are therefore, often thought of as a fish monster. Instead, they come from a once peaceful civilization where no one Manphibian ever harmed another. That is, until someone killed their mate, and the Manphibian felt a strong urge to pursue revenge. Traveling across the galaxy in search of their mate’s murderer, the nautical-faced extraterrestrial finds themself on Earth, where they confront their enemy and are then stranded with their children. Oh, they’re also a single parent.

If the Werewolf by Night trailer proved anything, it’s that Marvel is going all-out for weird with these shorts. Manphibian’s classic monster look, combined with an out-of-this-world backstory, could make for the perfect Marvel Studios’ Special Presentation recipe. It also ticks off the ‘alien’ box on the long list of horror tropes the studio could be looking to cover. Imagine an opening that feels like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, only for Manphibian and their many kids to come tumbling out of the spaceship. Terrifying, and also incredibly watchable.

4. FrankenCastle

FrankenCastle

Ok, hear this one out. Marvel does have its version of Frankenstein’s Monster, but he’s not the patchwork behemoth that should get his own special. That honor should belong instead to FrankenCastle, an undead version of – wait for it – Frank Castle, better known as The Punisher, sewn together and resurrected to aid the Legion of Monsters after being dismembered by Wolverine’s child, Daken, on orders from Norman Osborn. A mouthful, for sure, but also a great set-up for another pulpy adventure set within the MCU. Of course, it’s debatable whether Castle, played by Jon Bernthal in Netflix’s universe of shows, actually exists in the MCU at the moment. Even if he doesn’t, though, there are plenty of opportunities coming up (like Disney+’s Daredevil: Born Again) to get him in and set him up before Marvel Studios’ Special Presentation comes calling.

So, why The Punisher and not Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s most morbid creation? Because the story of Frankenstein’s Monster has been told a thousand times over, and Frank Castle offers something new to the age-old tale. A few years from now, there’s a very real possibility the character has reappeared in the MCU and had one or two more stories thrown his way. If so, Marvel could find a way to briefly make him dead and then alive again in time for his very own horror special, fitting in a fan favorite comic arc without awkwardly changing the tone of a potential solo series mid-way through or sacrificing a whole film to a rather risky premise. Also, Castle’s time as a monster is mostly spent with the other characters mentioned on this list and his resurrection is only made possible through the use of the Bloodstone, which will also seemingly be a focus in Werewolf by Night. As Marvel always likes to say – it’s all connected.

5. Ghost Rider: Kushala

Kushala

Let this be prefaced with a true statement: Ghost Rider deserves his own franchise. That being said, he can hypothetically have a franchise that’s kickstarted by a short film. It’s well-known that Johnny Blaze, the character most people associate with the Rider, made a deal with the devil and lost his soul in the process, becoming the Spirit of Vengeance and tearing pavement across the globe in his lifelong search for evildoers. However, most people don’t realize there have been quite a few Ghost Riders over time, and a Marvel Studios’ Special Presentation covering a Rider from elsewhere in the Marvel timeline could be a very unique chance to expand the mythos and tell the kind of story that couldn’t otherwise be told in Ghost Rider film.

Kushala, specifically, gives Marvel the best chance at something truly unique. An Apache woman who lived in the mid-1800s, Kushala’s wish to avenger the death of her parents led to a possession by the Spirit of Vengeance, transforming her into a version of the Ghost Rider she referred to as the ‘Demon Rider’. Seeking to learn more about her curse, Kushala traveled the world learning magic, eventually becoming so skilled she achieved the rank of Sorcerer Supreme in her own era. Yes, that’s right, this is a single character who is both Ghost Rider and Sorcerer Supreme. The storytelling possibilities are endless. Moreover, this could be fans’ best shot at finally seeing Mephisto done properly in live action. Without the involvement of one Ralph Bohner.

September 11, 2022
RUMOR: Man-Thing May Appear in Marvel Studios’ Untitled Halloween Special

The supernatural side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in full bloom as projects like Blade and the upcoming Halloween special are set to explore that side of the world. The special is rumored to focus on the character Werewolf By Night, a lycan that has been around the Marvel Universe since 1972, with Gael Garcia Bernal set to paly the role. As we await confirmation on the Halloween special, it seems yet another creepy character will debut in the special.

The folks over at the Cosmic Circus are reporting that none other then Man-Thing is set to make his MCU debut in the upcoming special. This rumor comes after last months rumblings of a Man-Thing-focused Halloween special from Screen Geek, but it seems these could possibly be the same project.

The role is reportedly a cameo in the special with the character supposedly being partially practical effects. We previously reported on a rumor from After Hours Media in which they discovered the folks from Universals Halloween Horror Nights working on the projects practical make-up for the character of Jack Russell.

The special is shaping up to be quite the monster mash if these rumors pan out with Cosmic Circus reporting just a few days ago that actress Laura Donnelly would be playing Elsa Bloodstone, a famous marvel universe monster hunter.

No release date for the Halloween special has been set just yet, as the project still remains unannounced by Marvel Studios. We do know however that composer Michael Giacchino will make his directing debut with this, which we expect to release sometime this October.

Source: Cosmic Circus

April 27, 2022
Phase 4 Is Man-Thing’s Time to Shine in the MCU

For over 80 years, Marvel Comics have taken fans on adventures spanning the cosmos, the multiverse, the depths of Hell and more. Thousands of characters have gone on countless journeys and saved the universe time and again and, over the past 13 years, have begun to make their respective ways into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel stable of comic characters is so vast that fans can’t reasonably expect all their favorite characters will find their ways to the MCU but, as we learned from our interview with Malcolm Spellman, Marvel Studios lets their writers work and then going to their expansive roster of characters to find just the right one for the job. As the MCU moves into Phase 4, there’s a character on Marvel’s bench that could serve as the connective tissue to a couple of key Phase 4 themes while also setting the stage for some properties in development: enter the Man-Thing.

Man-Thing already exists in the MCU. We saw his loveable face on the Grandmaster’s tower in Thor: Ragnarok, met his comic book ex, Ellen Brandt, in Iron Man 3, got a name drop in Season 1 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Nexus of All Realities, of which he is the guardian, was seemingly referenced in WandaVision and definitely referenced by Erik Selvig in Thor: The Dark World. However, other than the look at his mug, we’ve never seen him in action but the revelation that Isaiah Bradley is a part of the MCU and that his blood has been used to attempt to recreate the Super Soldier serum could finally open the door for Dr. Ted Sallis’ story to be told and for us to finally meet the Man-Thing!

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier was all about the legacy of Steve Rogers and the Super Solider serum that made him Captain America and, as we found out, that serum has been at the heart of some terrible things. In the comics, Dr. Ted Sallis worked for the U.S. Army on a project which was intended to create a way to help soldier survive biological warfare. Before long, he found his way down the same road many Marvel Comics’ scientists have: attempting to recreate the Super Soldier serum. Betrayed and sold out to A.I.M. by his wife, Ellen, Sallis injected the only existing sample of the new serum into himself (as all good scientists do) and crashed into the swamp where, because magic, he was transformed into the Man-Thing. Sallis’ story has some other twists and turns, such as working alongside Curt Conners and also having a bit of his regen serum in him as well (I guess he could get his hands on that if say Curt Conners were to show up in Spider-Man: No Way Home), but the MCU is actually set up really well to retrofit his story and insert his story into the present day.

The Past: Sallis’ Research and Brandt’s Betrayal

Much of Dr. Ted Sallis’ comic book origins could easily be kept intact and adapted into the existing MCU, especially now that we know samples of Bradley’s blood have been the subject of experimentation since the 1950s. We know from The Incredible Hulk that the U.S. Department of Defense has experimented with Super Soldier serum during the interim and we could easily see Sallis retconned into being a part of the DoD’s research and working into the Everglades. While not something they necessarily need to do, Marvel Studios could easily retcon Ellen Brandt’s story (we only know that she was in the military herself and lost an arm) by having her be one of Sallis’ partners on the project, acting as an agent of A.I.M. (another organization that could really use some retconning). In the current MCU timeline, A.I.M. came into being sometime after 2000 and Brandt joined up in 2009. Sallis’ story could easily take place in the early-to-mid 2000s and allow him to meet and fall for Brandt, have her betray him and try to steal his work and have him encounter her one time as the Man-Thing, explaining the scarring on her face. Maybe we could even find out how he won the Contest of Champions!

The Present: The Nexus of All Realities

Spider-Man: No Way Home is set to bring all sorts of characters from their respective multiverses to the MCU, a theme that seems like it’ll spill over into both What If…? and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. In the comics, the Nexus of All Realities is the type of interdimensional gateway that would allow for characters like Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker or Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock to travel from one universe to another and it’s Man-Thing’s job to protect that gateway as it is the crossroads for the entire Multiverse. As the guardian of the Nexus, Man-Thing has the ability to transplant people and places from their home reality into this one by opening portals to other realities. While we’ve never heard anything about Man-Thing showing up in any of these projects, if there were ever a time for big fella to arrive in the MCU, that time is now.

The Future: Midnight Sons

Doctor Strange is present and Brother Voodoo is expected to join him shortly. Moon Knight is coming soon. Blade is headed to the MCU. Ghost Rider is in development. The supernatural side of the MCU is about to get crazy and bring in any manner of vampires, demons or other horrific creatures. Should the threat get bigger than any one hero could handle and a team-up be necessary, the Midnight Sons are that team and one that fans have been hoping to see come together for quite some time. Having first come together in the early 1990s, the team reassembled recently in Doctor Strange: Damnation with a few changes to the roster. If we were to meet Manny sometime soon, we could see him join this team in time for something like the third Doctor Strange film or even an event series on Disney Plus.

Given that the set up exists thanks to the MCU’s past, the great opportunity for him to tie into so many of Phase 4’s projects and the fact that the spooky side of things is going to make its way into the MCU, Man-Thing might be the nexus point of the shared cinematic universe if they give him a chance.

May 13, 2021