A long-awaited Black Widow movie has finally entered development. But what other female-led solo superhero movies could Marvel bring to life?
While another female-led solo movie is a welcome addition to the Marvel slate, it does feel – to some fans, at least — that a Black Widow movie is coming much, much later than we might have liked.
Of course, Marvel has no shortage of female heroes to draw inspiration from. A Black Widow movie, as well as the upcoming Captain Marvel solo outing, could pave the way for other female heroes to join them on the big screen. A move that could even out the roster of heroes in the MCU a little more.
With the potential to also put several more women in prominent positions behind the camera, here are some of the heroes we’d like to see join Natasha and Carol.
America Chavez — Miss America
It’s hardly a secret that Chris Evans is coming to the end of his contract with Marvel. Much of the recent speculation has been over who will pick up Captain America’s shield next. But what if the MCU went in a completely different direction?
Thanks to Doctor Strange and Guardians of the Galaxy, alternate dimensions aren’t as far-fetched a concept as when the MCU was firmly grounded in the realities of our Earth. Thus, having America Chavez arrive from the Utopian Parallel would be another way to expand the scope of the Marvel universe on our screens.
America gained her powers from her proximity to the Demiurge, which include, but are not limited to, super speed, strength, self-propelled flight, interdimensional travel and invulnerability. That opens up a wealth of possibilities for exploring the character on screen, not least that she can travel between dimensions. America is also a member of the Young Avengers — a team that could be poised to make their debut, with the original Avengers’ contracts about to wrap up.
Additionally, America would be some much-needed queer representation, in a cinematic universe that is sorely lacking — beyond Thor: Ragnarok’s Valkyrie.
Kamala Khan — Ms. Marvel
We might be getting a little ahead of ourselves here, with Captain Marvel’s debut a little ways off yet, but Kamala Khan would be a fantastic addition to the MCU.
When Kamala took over as Ms. Marvel, she quickly became beloved amongst fans, and has already made her debut in the Marvel animated shows. She brings a vibrancy and energy, wherever she does, and her stories are a breath of fresh air. Kamala is, much like those of us watching Marvel movies, a geek and a fan herself — and she’s a fairly prolific fanfiction writer. Outside of Peter Parker, we haven’t really had a character quite like her on screen before.
Kamala can stretch, deform, expand, or compress her entire body, or parts of her body, however she sees fit — think Ant-Man, but without the suit. We’ve already seen how successful that physical humor and action can be on the screen, but with Kamala behind it? It could be taken to new heights (pardon the pun).
Jennifer Walters — She-Hulk
Your mileage may vary on whether or not the Hulk movies are successful, but there’s a lot of potential for seeing Bruce Banner’s cousin make her big screen debut.
A Jennifer Walters movie would be much different than most Marvel movies we’ve seen thus far, mostly due to the role she has played in the wider universe. Much like Matt Murdock in Daredevil, Jennifer is also attorney, but with one key difference — she doesn’t hide her superhero identity.
Jennifer prefers to stay in her She-Hulk form, which would be interesting to see the world reckon with, particularly in the wake of the Sokovia Accords. There’s no shortage of potential legal battles to see Jennifer tackle — and resolving Bucky Barnes’ story could be one of them — and executed correctly could be the perfect mix between a thrilling mystery, crime drama, and high stakes action.
Monica Rambeau — Captain Marvel/Spectrum
While Carol Danvers is, arguably, the most prolific and well-known Captain Marvel, she certainly wasn’t the first. And no, we’re not talking about Mar-Vell. Monica Rambeau was Captain Marvel ahead of Carol Danvers, though that is often forgotten.
Seeing a solo movie focused on Monica might be the most likely on this list, as it has been largely speculated that she was recently cast in Captain Marvel. Should she track well with audiences, a spinoff of her very own could be in order.
In terms of her powers, Monica can transform herself into any form of energy within the electromagnetic spectrum. She was also, for a time, the leader of the Avengers. With the Avengers team as we’ve known them set to fundamentally change over the next few films, a new leader will likely be required. Monica would be the perfect candidate. (She has also teamed up with Black Panther, and we really, really want to see that happen on the big screen as well.)
Doreen Green — Squirrel Girl
Though Doreen, technically, has already found a place in New Warriors, the television series has entered a bit of a flux. With no home, currently, after being dropped by Freeform, there’s no telling whether the project will move forward.
But that won’t stop us from desperately hoping that Squirrel Girl will hit our screens, maybe even with her own movie.
Much like Kamala, Doreen’s story has the potential for a lot of fun. Her power is continuously and constantly underestimated, which gives her the upperhand in a lot of situations — and with the potential for Doctor Doom to appear in the MCU? Well, what we wouldn’t give to see that showdown.
Kate Bishop — Hawkeye
With a Black Widow movie in development, Hawkeye will be the only original Avenger not to receive a solo outing. Though, unlike Natasha, there isn’t nearly as much demand for a Clint Barton focused film.
But what if, when a Hawkeye solo movie does eventually come, it introduces Kate Bishop — the other Hawkeye — to the MCU instead. Some pieces have already started moving into place to lead to an eventual Young Avengers movie, with Scarlet Witch and Vision’s burgeoning romance, Cassie Lang making a brief appearance in Ant-Man, and the Skrulls and Kree both under Marvel’s purview.
Kate Bishop is one of the final pieces needed to make that team-up a reality. Some of Kate’s solo outings as Hawkeye have been centered around her as a private investigator in Los Angeles, something that the MCU hasn’t really explored, unless you count Jessica Jones.