8 Marvel Mini Series Ideas

Marvel's latest project, Agent Carter, came to a close this week following an emotional finale. While the finale was enjoyable and wrapped up the missions that Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) and the rest of the SSR ventured on in the first season, the show likely did not meet expectations that Marvel had.

The season finale dropped to a season low 1.4 rating and only managed 4 million viewers. Not the kind of results that Marvel expected.

Agent Carter was a good way to fill the winter break of Agents of SHIELD. The latter has had a remarkable turn around following the tie in to Captain America: The Winter Soldier and has continued that momentum with a very good second season.

Agents of SHIELD has a lot of problems the team needs to solve and is heading down an inhuman path that should provide stories for many more seasons. Agents of SHIELD has the ratings, viewers, and story telling to deserve a third season and it should only be a matter of time before Marvel officially renews it.

However, Agent Carter does not have the same numbers to make a second season an absolute must for Marvel and the MCU. There are lots of different stories that deserve to be told and an eight episode arc similar to Agent Carter's could be a great way to tell those stories.

Below are 8 Potential Marvel Mini Series.

Hawkeye
Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) has been an underutilized character in the MCU to this point in time. After being Loki's zombie in The Avengers, he is set to have a bigger impact in the summer blockbuster Avengers: Age of Ultron. Just how big his role will be remains to be seen but the fact of the matter is that there is no Hawkeye movie on the horizon and even with a possible, yet unconfirmed, role in Captain America: Civil War, he is a character that deserves a larger role.

Making a TV show based around Hawkeye and a small group of former SHIELD specialists protecting the world is best for all parties involved. Getting Jeremy Renner to sign on for an eight episode mini series might be tough with his busy movie schedule but it is not impossible. This would also help build a larger team around Coulson and would allow for small crossover potential, but a larger global scale to stop all of the threats that HYDRA and SHIELD's other enemies pose.

Black Widow
Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) has been a fan favorite since her debut in Iron Man 2. She is a beautiful, witty, and butt-kicking woman in the Marvel universe and, just like Hawkeye, she has a larger story to tell.

Ideally, an origin story would be best for Black Widow and Marvel has already laid the foundation for such a story. A sub plot of Agent Carter was introducing the Black Widow Program and showing Dottie (Bridget Regan) become the first "Black Widow." This series could follow that story and show Natasha Romanoff before she joined SHIELD. This would provide more back story on a prominent Avenger and could show her wrestle with her morals. It could also provide a season finale featuring Hawkeye's mission to take her out, changing his mine, and her decision to join SHIELD.

Budapest
This series is a combination of the previous two but follows a completely different story. Whatever happened at Budapest clearly had some major ramifications for Black Widow and Hawkeye, as it has been mentioned a few times in the MCU.

Being able to see the journey Hawkeye, Black Widow, and other SHIELD agents take to get to Budapest and what happened there would be a truly worthwhile experience and journey. It was also provide back story for two Avengers and their relationship.

Agent 13
Captain America: The Winter Soldier introduced the world to Peggy Carter's niece Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp). Sharon, formerly Agent 13 of SHIELD, joined the CIA following the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Sharon is a very interesting character and getting an actress like Emily VanCamp was not for a small appearance. It would also give Marvel a chance to continue with a female lead series.

VanCamp currently stars in her own show Revenge which is also on ABC, so she has the ability to lead her own show in the Marvel universe. The plot of the show would be interesting and could follow her life post Captain America: The Winter Soldier and her job as a member of the CIA. There is future crossover potential then with Agents of SHIELD which would likely appeal to audiences.

Agent Carter: Winter Soldier
This show would only happen if Marvel and ABC decided to re-up Agent Carter and follows a story that was referenced in the season finale. In the final scene of the season, it is revealed that Dr. Ivchenko (Ralph Brown) will share a jail cell with veteran HYDRA member Arnim Zola (Toby Jones). One of Agent Carter's show-runners, Michele Fazekas, took to Twitter to confirm that Zola wanted Ivchenko to help with the Winter Soldier Program.

This would be a logical step for the series, should it continue, and would give it a real purpose in the MCU. Sebastian Stan, who plays the Winter Soldier, originally signed on for a nine picture deal with Marvel. It is possible that Marvel and Sebastian could renegotiate his contract to remove a movie in place of starring in a TV series.

This season would focus on the beginning of the Winter Soldier Program and get to see Steve Roger's former love interest, Peggy Carter, and his best friend, Bucky Barnes, go head to head. The show could also deal with the eventual role Barnes plays in the death of Howard Stark.

Original Avengers
This could be a continuation of Agent Carter with Peggy Carter serving as a Nick Fury type role. She would assemble a group of crime fighters that included a young Nick Fury, Hank Pym, Janet Van Dyne, as well as a few "new" heroes. This would give the audience a chance to see some of the original superheros who have ties to current characters in the MCU.

We know that Ant-Man will feature a flashback sequence or two that features Peggy Carter, an older Howard Stark, a young Hank Pym, and possibly the original Wasp, Janet Van Dyne. This series could pick up after those events and give us a proper introduction to Nick Fury and how he came to the position he is in now.

Howling Commandos
One of the best parts of Agent Carter was the appearance of Dum Dum Dugan and the rest of the Howling Commandos. The Howling Commandos deserve more screen time than they have gotten to this point in the MCU. This series could spin off of Agent Carter but still leave the door open to appearances by Peggy Carter, Jarvis (James D'Arcy), and possibly even Dottie (Bridget Regan).

Lady Sif and the Warriors Three
During Thor, we were all introduced to Thor's close friends and allies Lady Sif (Jaimie Alexander), Volstagg (Ray Stevenson), Hogun (Tadanobu Asano), and Fandral (Zachary Levi). They once again all appeared in Thor: The Dark World and then Marvel recruited Lady Sif to TV with an appearance in season 1 of Agents of SHIELD. The appearance was a big hit among fans, with Marvel deciding to bring Lady Sif back in season 2.

We likely won't see any of these characters till Thor: Ragnarok in 2017 so giving them a six to eight episode mini series this winter would be an easy way for more space adventures. The problem with this series would be having good enough special effects to make the adventures and planets these four warriors go on believable.

Bonus- Nova Corps
This is just a bonus because I think there is a small chance this would even be considered for a TV mini series. Just like a Lady Sif and the Warriors Three series, special effects could be a problem for a show that would be based entirely in space. Marvel would also have to have a lengthy talk with the mastermind of the cosmic universe and director of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise in James Gunn.

This series could give more opportunities for Nova Prime and the rest of the Nova Corps to shine and take care of business on smaller space problems. It could also be used to help set up Richard Rider aka Nova, especially since Gunn has not been very open to the idea of including that fan favorite character in his films.

Share your thoughts on these mini series and share your own ideas in the comments below!

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Looking Back at Civil War Hints

When reports surfaced earlier this month from Variety and Latino-Review that Robert Downey Jr will join Captain America: Civil War many were shocked by the news. It was even more surprising for people that Marvel would use this movie to kick off their version of the Civil War storyline. Then this week at a special Marvel Event, Marvel confirmed that Stark and Rodgers will go head-to-head, along with lots of other news. That begs the question, should we really be that surprised?

Ever since Avengers Tony Stark has been moving farther and farther away from wanting to be a superhero, but would suit up when necessary. Steve Rodgers on the other hand is in it now more than ever, even with the fall of SHIELD.

Marvel's two biggest characters and stars, Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man and Chris Evans as Captain America, will be going head to head throughout Captain America: Civil War. They have certainly clashed in the past before ultimately setting their differences aside for the greater good of the team and the world. It seems that after Avengers: Age of Ultron, their differences could be too much to overcome.

The differences in their beliefs were apparent throughout Avengers and their individual actions since. Let's start with what we learned about each of them in Avengers. One of the most memorable scenes in that movie is the confrontation scene between the entire group, but the focus was on Captain America vs Iron Man. Lines from Cap like "Big man in a suit of armor, take that off and what are you?" and "You better stop pretending to be a hero." started to show the rift that would eventually develop between the two. Even though they put their differences aside to stop Loki, their differences remain.

Then came Iron Man 3. Stark has started to gain the mindset that him being in the suit and being a superhero is not something he necessarily wants. He developed suits he could control by a headset. He then blew up his suits to please Pepper and really started the new approach he has taken.

Captain America saw action later on in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. As we all know, SHIELD fell in that movie. SHIELD developed a new kind of helicarrier that could take down potential threats instantly. Stark had a hand in helping design the helicarriers but Rodgers was instantly against the idea. This movie really showed just how dedicated he was in maintaining the freedom of America. He said, "This isn't freedom, this is fear." and "The price of freedom is high, and it's a price I'm willing to pay." That view point will certainly continue for Cap. One of the closing scenes in that movie was Black Widow talking to government officials. At the end of that conversation she basically tells them that they wouldn't dare touch the Avengers or try to control them because they need them. 

Next summer we will see the Avengers tested like never before in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Tony Stark will continue his quest to get out of the suit by creating an A.I. like nothing the world has ever seen. Unfortunately for the Avengers and the world, that A.I. will not work the way Stark hoped and turn into Ultron. A new clip from Avengers: Age of Ultron that was shown at the Marvel Event this week leaked that showed the growing feud between Stark and Rodgers. Check out the clip below. As you can see, how they see threats and their roles in stopping potential threats are evident.

Avengers: Age of Ultron will lead basically right into Captain America: Civil War, with only Ant-Man standing between the two movies. How Avengers: Age of Ultron ends will certainly play into what causes the Civil War storyline to kick off. My guess is after the team stops Ultron and sees what new super-powered people like Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and maybe even Captain Marvel, Stark will realize that without SHIELD, they have nothing to control them. Agents of SHIELD could certainly tie into this and have Coulson and the new SHIELD try and control all the super powered beings on earth. Stark will likely help push the notion that the government needs to oversee what the Avengers and other super-powered people. As you can see looking through what Captain America stands for, even though he likes structure and being a soldier, he also wants people to have freedom. How our new Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman, Winter Soldier, Falcon, Black Widow, and maybe even Hawkeye factor in to the story should also be fascinating to see.

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Captain America: Civil War in the comments below!

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Marvel Sets Phase 3 Lineup

After HYDRA leaked the Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer, Marvel officially released the trailer for the world to see. They also announced a special event that was open to media and fans. The "Marvel Event" turned into what I called Marvel-Con by the amount of news and excitement Marvel generated through the event.

When Marvel first made the announcement of the event many started trying to figure out what kind of big news Marvel could announce. I was in a small corner that did not expect anything major to be revealed. Then reports surfaced that Benedict Cumberbatch is close to signing on for the role of Doctor Strange. After that happened, my thought process started to change but did not expect what Marvel had up their sleeves.

This afternoon Marvel announced their entire Phase 3 movie lineup! That's right, after announcing dates earlier in the year, Marvel officially put titles on those dates. Among the movies announced was Captain America: Civil War, Thor: Ragnarok, Inhumans, Captain Marvel, Black Panther, and Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and 2. It's time to breakdown each title announced as well as speculate on what each movie could hold.

Captain America: Civil War

The first movie Marvel announced at their event was Captain America: Serpent Society! Wait what? That's what Marvel initially said but it was all just a hoax. They announced what had been reported a few weeks ago. Tony Stark and Steve Rodgers will go head to head and bring a new friend along for the ride. Black Panther will make his big screen debut as he will be asked to choose a side in this world changing debate. Captain America: Civil War will feature the previously mentioned characters as well as Falcon and the Winter Soldier. How both of these characters factor into the story will surely be interesting to watch unfold. Captain America: Civil War will release in theaters on May 6th, 2016.

Doctor Strange

Marvel also put an official date and title on Doctor Strange. Director Scott Derrickson has been attached to the movie since June and will bring his horror background to Marvel. While there is no current lead officially on the project, this week reports surfaced of Benedict Cumberbatch closing in on the lead role. Doctor Strange will release in theaters on November 4th, 2016.

Guardians of the Galaxy 2

Marvel announced Guardians of the Galaxy 2 at Comic-Con this year before Guardians of the Galaxy even released in theaters. So why is it on this list? Well Marvel bumped its release date up 2 months! Instead of releasing on July 28, 2017, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 will release in theaters on May 5th, 2017. James Gunn is scheduled to return to direct the sequel as well as returning the core members of the team. This movie will see the team continue to patrol the galaxy and probably have a run in with Thanos, which brings them on a path to earth.

Thor: Ragnarok

The day after comments from Chris Hemsworth surfaced where he hinted at a 2017 release date for Thor 3, Marvel gave us an official title and release date. That's right, Thor 3 will officially be called Thor: Ragnarok! It will feature the return of Tom Hiddleston as Loki. Thor will also likely travel to Ragnarok and have to deal with the fallout to what is happening or will happen to his father Odin. I expect this to be the final movie for Loki and Odin. Thor will take the throne of Asgard and be out of the way to protect earth from imminent threats. Thor: Ragnarok will release in theaters on July 28th, 2017.

Black Panther

After the fallouts from Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther will embark on his first solo movie in 2017! Who will be playing T'Challa? Chadwick Boseman! The fan favorite has officially joined the Marvel universe! Concept art for the suit was also revealed and it looks fantastic. Black Panther will release in theaters on November 3, 2017.

Avengers: Infinity War Part 1

Avengers 3 will be split into two parts now after Marvel had denied such a possibility. With the fallouts of Avengers: Age of Ultron unclear, how part one plays out could be very interesting. By this point Thanos will likely have the gauntlet in his possession and a few of the infinity gems. He will likely take to earth to destroy the Avengers but have a tough time taking them all down. Part 1 will most likely end with Thanos seemingly defeating the Avengers before the Guardians and the other cosmic allies come to the rescue. Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 will release in theaters on May 4th, 2018!

Captain Marvel

Marvel is finally doing a movie with a female lead! Carol Danvers will be the lead of Captain Marvel. Captain Marvel will have earthbound adventures but her powers are based on the cosmic side of Marvel's universe. Captain Marvel will release in theaters on July 6th, 2018!

Inhumans

Marvel announced that for their 20th movie they release another team based franchise, this time it will be the Inhumans. The Inhumans are a group of people who have been given powers from the alien race of the Kree. One actor who has commonly been linked to an Inhumans movie is Vin Diesel starring as the leader of the team Black Bolt. Marvel and Diesel have been negotiating a role that would be bigger and combine different properties. There has been much speculation that Skye from Agents of SHIELD could have Kree or Inhuman ties, which would provide a big payoff and connection from the show to the big screen. Inhumans will release in theaters November 2nd, 2018.

Avengers: Infinity War Part 2

Marvel's Phase 3 will conclude with Avengers: Infinity War Part 2. This movie should be the conclusion of the current Thanos story arc, with him having the real possibility to have a part in many of these Phase 3 movies. This will likely be Marvel's first big mega crossover event. Not only do I expect the Avengers, Guardians, and Inhumans to team together to stop Thanos but also the smaller characters. I expect Marvel's Netflix characters to appear as well as some of the other characters they develop through Agents of SHIELD. Thanos will ultimately survive the onslaught of attacks and probably be back in a few years to try again. Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 will release in theaters on May 3rd, 2019.

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Robert Downey Jr Joins Captain America 3

Marvel is about to break apart their cinematic universe in 2016. Variety is reporting an exclusive story that Tony Stark will join the untitled Captain America 3 and go head to head against Steve Rodgers.

The movie will reportedly have the subtitle of either Civil War or Fallon Son. Regardless of the subtitle, the plot will remain the same. Due to the fallouts of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Stark will look to get the Superhero Registration Act moving and get anyone with super powers to register with him.

For those of you are not familiar with the Civil War comic storyline, which Marvel is remaking in 2015, Stark believes superheroes should register but Rodgers does not agree. This causes an all-out war between the two former friends and a costly end to Captain America.

One of the big parts of the storyline happens to be Spider-Man. Now there have been rumors that he could come back to Marvel sooner rather than later, but this seems to soon. He is uneasy on which side to choose and is recruited by both to join their side. They could easily change who this person is or write it out entirely.

Anthony and Joe Russo have their hands full again but reportedly want much more. Variety is also reporting that Marvel is eyeing the Russo brothers to direct not only Avengers 3 but also Avengers 4, due to Joss Whedon's contract running out.

We know that Captain America, Falcon, Iron Man, and likely Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, and Crossbones. Crossbones and Bucky are very interesting pieces to the puzzle. In the original comic story, Crossbones snipes Captain America after being arrested by Stark and SHIELD. Bucky on the other hand blames Stark for the death of his friend and decides he needs to kill him.

This storyline will truly test the loyalties of all of Marvel's characters. With Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Vision, War Machine, Black Widow, and Hawkeye all rumored to appear in the movie, and possibly on Captain America's side, who helps Stark should be fascinating.

Now this is just my own speculation but what if Crossbones and Bucky decide it's best to register after seeing all the death and destruction they helped cause over the years. Having Bucky be against him again would certainly tear Rodgers apart inside and make him want to defeat Stark even more.

Stark will undoubtedly survive this and his reported $40+ million payday for appearing in the movie. This could open the possibility of Stark to jump from film to film and continue to be the face of Marvel for many more years. Could Stark eventually join the Guardians or perhaps cameo on Agents of SHIELD as he has stated he would enjoy? Only time will tell, but for now, enjoy this exciting news!

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