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5 Marvel Pairings That Haven’t Happened Yet But Absolutely Should (Photo Credit – Instagram/Hotstar)

Since 2008, the MCU’s been full of wild and unforgettable team-ups—Thor and Rocket, Strange and Spidey, Wong and Madisynn, and now, even Deadpool and Wolverine. But as wild as those matchups have been, there are still tons of fan-favorite duos who’ve never shared the screen.

Now that the Multiverse Saga’s winding down and Secret Wars is just around the corner, Marvel’s got the perfect chance to shake things up. Some of these duos have teamed up in the comics. Others have barely existed in the same reality. Either way, these matchups are way past due. These are five MCU duos fans have been waiting forever to see, and that fully deserve to be brought to the screen.

5. Wolverine and Captain America (Sam Wilson) (Photo Credit – Instagram/Hotstar)

With Hugh Jackman officially back...

Captain America is one of the pillars of Marvel Comics. Retroactively, he's one of the first superheroes of the Marvel Comics shared universe, and since the 2010s, he's been elevated into a full-blown pop cultural icon thanks to Chris Evans' portrayal in the "Captain America" movies.

But Evans was not the first silver screen Captain America. There was a 1944 "Captain America" film serial starring Dick Purcell, two 1979 "Captain America" TV films starring Reb Brown, and a pretty disastrous 1990 "Captain America" film. If that one had been a hit, maybe Cap wouldn't have been one of the few main Marvel heroes not to get a cartoon series in the 1990s.

As it stands, Captain America has never had a solo cartoon series. Yup, you read that right. Oh sure, Cap has appeared in many cartoons. He was one of the rotating stars of the 1966 cartoon "The Marvel Superheroes," which added rough...

Angel Studios’ The King of Kings offers a new animated portrayal of Jesus’ life, framed through the storytelling of Charles Dickens to his son. This approach, combined with a notable voice cast, presents a version of the story that resonates with both children and adults. This article delves into the film’s narrative, its connection to Dickens’ work, the ensemble cast, and its broader impact.

What Is the Movie About?

The King of Kings is an animated film that tells the story of Jesus Christ through the perspective of Charles Dickens narrating to his son, Walter. As the tale unfolds, Walter imagines himself witnessing the events of Jesus’ life, from his birth to resurrection. This framing device offers a unique lens through which audiences can engage with the biblical narrative.

Who Stars in the Movie?

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Angel Studios has...

If you asked me what the finest adaptation of the Marvel Universe is, the 2010 cartoon "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes" would have to be up there.

It was the second attempt at an Avengers cartoon, after the best forgotten "Avengers: United They Stand." "Earth's Mightiest Heroes," from the moment it premiered on Disney Xd, was much better. Developed by Marvel animation veterans Christopher Yost and Joshua Fine with director Ciro Nieli, "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" did what the (sadly short-lived) "Spectacular Spider-Man" did. It took the whole of "Avengers" comics, picked out the most famous stories and what worked, and streamlined a messy publication history into an epic saga.

Yost and Fine, as adult fans of Marvel Comics, were clearly writing with people like themselves in mind. But that wasn't to the detriment of young viewers! What kids got in "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" was a show that respected their intelligence and attention.

Stars: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Giancarlo Esposito, Tim Blake Nelson | Written by Rob Edwards, Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson, Julius Onah, Peter Glanz | Directed by Julius Onah

Anthony Mackie steps into the title role for the fourth movie in the MCU’s Captain America series, following the events of TV’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. However, somewhat unexpectedly, the film also turns out to be a direct sequel to The Incredible Hulk, albeit one without Bruce Banner in it. The result, unfortunately, is something of a mixed bag.

Captain America: Brave New World opens with Sam Wilson (Mackie), the new Captain America, on a mission for the US government, led by newly elected President (and former Hulk hunter) Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford). When he finds himself slap bang in the middle of an international incident in which his friend Isiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) was apparently brainwashed,...

Is "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." canon to the Marvel Cinematic Universe? It was sold as such. It starred a revived Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), who had been an unexpected breakout character from "Iron Man" up through "The Avengers."

The first season was the most authentically connected. The series' "Marvel X-Files" approach got shattered by "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," which saw S.H.I.E.L.D. infiltrated and destroyed by Hydra. So, the show pivoted to its heroes going underground. The first season even managed to get Samuel L. Jackson to cameo as Nick Fury twice. But as "Agents of S.H.I.E.Ld." went on for ultimately seven seasons, the crossovers which Marvel fans had expected never came.

Coulson never reunited with the Avengers onscreen. "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." was never a priority for Marvel Studios because the show wasn't even produced by it. Rather, the series was backed by ABC Studios,...

Ever since Secret Invasion first dropped, the show has made a lot of controversial choices. All in all, what was left when the show was wrapped up was a steaming hotchpotch of plot threads that could have easily been a Saga of its own in the MCU. Why Secret Invasion would be a show and not something like The Infinity Saga is beyond understanding, but the show itself also left much to be desired.

Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill in Secret Invasion || Credit: Marvel Studios

While there was a section of the fandom that wished that the show was written out of canon or ignored like the wider MCU does to The Inhumans and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Daredevil: Born Again brings some sad news. Not only is Secret Invasion not something that is going to be swept under the rug, but all the events that occurred in it were canon.

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2008-2012 was a great yet frustrating era to be a fan of Marvel cartoons. That brief period of time saw the premiere of some of the very best television that's ever adapted Marvel Comics: "The Spectacular Spider-Man," "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes," and "Wolverine and the X-Men." I both blame and cherish these shows for making me a true Marvel Comics fan.

Yet, all these truly marvelous shows concluded prematurely for infuriating bureaucratic reasons. "Spectacular Spider-Man" ended when Sony ceded some Spider-Man television rights back to Marvel. Meanwhile, "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" was canned to make way for the far inferior (and Marvel Cinematic Universe-synergistic) "Avengers Assemble." Lastly, "Wolverine and the X-Men" never made it to season 2 because the show's financing fell apart.

Series writer-producer Joshua Fine confirmed as much in a 2011 interview. Even worse, season 2 was already in production; it had a season outline,...

Justice League Unlimited was a show that introduced whole generations of viewers to some iconic versions of characters like Batman, Superman, and of course, Green Lantern. The latter of the three was allegedly added to the group instead of Hal Jordan to add some diversity to it. John Stewart remains one of most quintessential members of the Justice League, almost making it into the Dceu as well

John Stewart/ Green Lantern was voiced by Phil Lamarr in Justice League || Credit: WB

However, as is the case with a lot of things in the Dcau, a slew of things made it into the comics, especially when it comes to the history of the character. The animated series was where John Stewart actually got his background as a marine, which became one of the most significant aspects of the character, even in the comics.

John Stewart was originally made to be a...

Moana 2 is one of the few Disney sequels that not only surpassed what came before but completely changed the status quo of its character. Since its release in theaters, fans have been clamoring to find out when the movie will be streaming, and now the film is available on Disney+.

In celebration of its streaming release, Cbr got to sit down with Moana 2 directors Jason Hand and David Derrick Jr. about what it was like to become directors of the film. They also talk about their time working on many other Disney films and the idea that Moana has become more than just a Disney Princess.

Cbr:You all have come from backgrounds in storyboard art and know the difficulties that can come with that job alone. That said, what was the transition into the directors' chairs like for each of you?

Jason Hand: The storyboarding aspect is such...

A slew of animated superhero shows in the 90s came to define how the characters were remembered by an entire generation. Be it, Superman: The Animated Series, Spider-Man: The Animated Series, or X-Men: The Animated Series, these versions of the characters greatly influenced later iterations of them, something that fans have enjoyed a lot through the years.

Bruce Wayne as Batman | Credit: WB

However, Paul Dini, writer and producer over at WB who had a hand in making Batman: The Animated Series, believed that his show was superior to the other animated superhero offerings of the day, simply because it was one of the most well made and dramatic of its cohorts.

According to Paul Dini, Batman had a bit of an edge over the other animated series Batman: The Animated Series || Credit: WB

Paul Dini talked about how he believed that Batman: The Animated Series had a serious edge...

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Marvel Studios was the reigning king of Hollywood cinema during the 2010s, led primarily by Robert Downey Jr.'s career-reviving turn as Tony Stark/Iron Man. In the new decade, though, the series has floundered a bit after "Avengers: Endgame."

So, in a Hail Mary move, Marvel has brought back Downey — not as Iron Man, but as Doctor Doom. Yes, Downey is trading one man in an iron mask role for another, and he will be the main villain of upcoming "Avengers: Doomsday" and "Avengers: Secret Wars." How exactly is this going to play out? Will Downey simply keep Doom's mask on the entire time, with only the audience knowing what he looks like underneath? Will he be from a universe that's different than the so-called "Sacred Timeline"?

In any case, I think it's regrettable that this is how many will meet Doctor Doom,...

Stars: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Giancarlo Esposito, Tim Blake Nelson | Written by Rob Edwards, Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson, Julius Onah, Peter Glanz | Directed by Julius Onah

Anthony Mackie steps into the title role for the fourth movie in the MCU’s Captain America series, following the events of TV’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. However, somewhat unexpectedly, the film also turns out to be a direct sequel to The Incredible Hulk, albeit one without Bruce Banner in it. The result, unfortunately, is something of a mixed bag.

Captain America: Brave New World opens with Sam Wilson (Mackie), the new Captain America, on a mission for the US government, lead by newly elected President (and former Hulk hunter) Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford). When he finds himself slap bang in the middle of an international incident in which his friend Isiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) was apparently brainwashed,...

Last week, we learned that production has wrapped on a psychological thriller called Sleepwalker, starring Hayden Panettiere of Scream VI. Now, Deadline has revealed that the cast of the film also includes Justin Chatwin (Shameless), Beverly D’Angelo (Violent Night), Mischa Barton (The Oc), Lori Tan Chinn (Orange Is the New Black), Kea Ho (Sin City: A Dame to Kill For), Eric Lutes (Caroline in the City), Tom DeNucci (Junction), Rob Goon (The Roaring Game), and newcomers Laird Lacoste and Corinne Sweeney.

Written and directed by Brandon Auman, Sleepwalker follows a grieving mother who is haunted by the tragic loss of her daughter in a car accident that left her abusive husband in a coma. As she battles a surreal descent into darkness, her sleepwalking episodes intensify. Plagued by haunting visions of her husband inside their home, she grapples with the blurred lines between reality and nightmare. This is Auman’s feature directorial debut.

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Halfway through season 1 and "Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" has been gladly drafting its supporting characters and villains from all corners of Marvel Comics. Peter Parker's (Hudson Thames) best friend Nico Minoru (Grace Song) is from "The Runaways," and his schoolboy crush isn't Mary Jane Watson or Liz Allan -- it's Pearl Pangan (Cathy Ang). In the comics, Pearl is a recently-introduced water-themed superhero named Wave. Time will tell if her animated self takes on that identity, or if Nico will become a sorcerer.

The people who do have super-abilities are the series villains, the latest one being Unicorn/Mila Masaryk. True to her name, she can blast an energy beam from a helmet she wears. In this version, the weapon is supplied by Doctor Otto Octavius (Hugh Dancy). Complementing the Unicorn imagery, Mila wears her hair in a mane-like mohawk.

One of the best iterations of the Marvel Universe has to be the short-lived animated series Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Perhaps one of the only times when audiences saw The Fantastic Four, Avengers, and the X-Men share a space other than comics in the same universe, the show truly gave its viewers a living, breathing Marvel Universe, where characters would have a lot of history together.

Reed Richards || Credit: Marvel Comics

It is often the case that Reed Richards has been depicted as an aloof and distant partner to Sue Storm, which often causes a lot of issues in their relationship.

However, it is not remiss to other characters in the Marvel Universe that Susan Storm is an attractive woman, and with Reed away, there are a lot of people who make passes at her, sometimes even indirectly to Reed. However, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes gives us a Reed Richards...

Goodbye Thanos, hello Doctor Doom. Ever since Disney acquired 20th Century Fox and brought every piece of Marvel under its umbrella, nerds everywhere have been clamoring for Doctor Doom to trade punches with Iron Man. Little did they suspect the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Doom, set to be the main villain of 2026's "Avengers: Secret Wars," would be played by the same guy as Iron Man.

The MCU is all about escalation, so does that mean Doom is an even greater threat than Thanos? If the Tin Tyrant dueled the Mad Titan, who would win?

I'm calling on my man Stan: "The person who'd win in a fight is the person the script writer wants to win! These are fictitious characters! The writer can do whatever he wants with them, so stop asking those bonehead questions!"

For example, let's look at "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes" season 2, "The Private War of Doctor...

With the conclusion of What If...?, Marvel Animation released the teaser trailer for their upcoming animated series, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Originally announced as Spider-Man: Freshman Year, the series seemingly would be a new take on Peter Parker's origin story of becoming Spider-Man in the MCU, as when audiences met him in Captain America: Civil War, he had already been operating for a few years. Yet since the series' announcement, it has pivoted away from the main MCU canon, as signified not only by the new title but also by the presence of characters not in the MCU, like Norman Osborn.

If anyone had any doubts that Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man was not MCU canon, then Marvel Studios' head of streaming, television, and animation, Brad Winderbaum, is setting the record straight. Speaking with Phase Hero's Brandon Davis (see video below), Winderbaum revealed that while the animated Spider-Man series was...

Captain America is undoubtedly strong, but The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes actually proved that the Marvel hero could defeat the Avengers in the right circumstances. The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes was an animated series that ran from 2010 to 2012. It featured the original Avengers roster of Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Ant-Man, and the Wasp, who were later joined by more characters. One of the heroes that joins a few episodes into Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is Captain America, which isn’t a surprise considering his importance to the team in both the comics and the movies.

Throughout the animated Avengers show, the team takes on a plethora of villains. As a series primarily directed towards a younger demographic, there was often a pretty clear line between good and bad forces in the majority of storylines. However, the Avengers fighting against one another is a topic many adaptations decide to take on...

Disney+ has been a fortunate occurrence for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as it has allowed the franchise to expand to television and debut movies that not only integrate with its films but also expand on side characters fans loved to see on the big screen. Since WandaVision debuted as its first series, the streaming service has set the stage for characters like Sam Wilson and Clint Barton to get the much-deserved spotlight. It has also opened the door for new heroes like Ms. Marvel and Moon Knight to make a lasting impression on the fanbase. Now, Marvel Television has become an official subsidiary of the MCU, and it's been full speed ahead on ambitious new stories.

2024 featured some fun content on the Marvel front, with Agatha All Along being a standout series for the service. However, 2025 looks to be the year to watch out for with the MCU, as...

Of late, there have been a lot of iterations of Thor that have fans wondering why the MCU cannot echo these depictions in the film. There seems to be a popular interpretation of the Norse deity as a genocidal maniac, as seen in the likes of God of War: Ragnarok and Twilight of the Gods.

Thor in God of War: Ragnarok || Credit: Santa Monica Studios

The Thor of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has taken a different route, focusing more on his journey as a superhero than anything else, which might not have sat well with some fans, given that it came to fruition in Thor: Love and Thunder. There is a section of the fandom that wishes that creatives in the MCU took inspiration from Twilight of the Gods and God of War: Ragnarok, but that might not really be necessary for the character after all.

Thor does not have...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has remained one of the best examples of a shared universe in media and has even managed to cross into television and animation. However, while the idea of a shared universe is one that few properties have succeeded in, it can't be understated that Marvel has done this more than once, with one of the most promising coming in animated form. While X-Men '97 revived the idea of a shared world among beloved cartoons, it was Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes that teased its potential in ways no other animated series had at the time.

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes existed in style reminiscent of the Stan Lee and Jack Kirby era of the book and offered a modern retelling of classic stories from the birth of Ultron to the coming of Kang. But what it did better than any other animated series at that time was showcase...

Taika Waitit’s Thor: Ragnarok was one of the better-received films in the MCU, revitalizing Thor as an IP after the abysmal reception that Thor: The Dark World received. However, there was something off about the film, given the haunting nightmare that was teased in Avengers: Age of Ultron that was waiting for Thor back on Asgard.

Heimdall as he appears in Avengers: Age of Ultron || Credit: Marvel Studios

This has come to the notice of fans, who believe that Thor deserved much better than Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder, which a lot fans believe was not the right tone for the character. While Ragnarok did wonders for Thor’s character, Love and Thunder milked the formula a little too much, which caused a slew of fans to not want to return to the IP if Waititi was still at the helm.

Fans believed Thor deserved a darker...

Tony Stark has a slew of armors in Marvel comics that have been translated in various capacities to several adaptations of the character. Be it Iron Man: Armoured Adventures, Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, or Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there has always been a part of Tony’s armory that has failed to jump from one medium to another. However, with Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom, Marvel Studios has a unique opportunity to adapt the rest of Tony’s armory, but as Doom’s collection of suits.

Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four || Marvel Comics

Doctor Doom is considered as one of the most terrifying scientists in the MCU, along with a character who has more than a fair share of magical knowledge. An unholy union of the most nefarious ideas that science and magic have to offer, Doctor Doom will afford the MCU an opportunity to...

Thor (2020) is one of the best Thor stories to come out in recent times, bringing in all the characters that want to see play out in a Thor story. A time in Thor’s history when anyone could pick up Mjolnir, this recent run of Thor delivered some moments that deserve to be in the MCU one way or the other.

Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder || Credit: Marvel Studios

While there have been a lot of moments in Thor’s comics that have not made it to the MCU, one, in particular, would have been a great addition to the film had Mjolnir still existed in the MCU. There are a few things from the comics that are impossible to translate to the big screen, and this particular shot seemed tailor-made for the character, even with the differences in the MCU character and his comics counterpart.

Thor reminded...

J.K. Simmons remains the definitive J. Jonah Jameson, but even he was surprised by how Marvel reintroduced his character to the Spider-Man franchise.

Sitting down with GQ, Simmons looked back on some of his most beloved performances in film and television, including the bombastic Spider-Man-hating Daily Bugle owner across both the Sam Raimi and Marvel Cinematic Universe timelines. In the case of his second Jameson -- who made a surprise cameo at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home -- he revealed that "the movie was in the can. I don't even know whose idea it was. It was Amy [Pascal] or it was Jon [Watts], or if it was someone else. 'Hey, we could squeeze in a little J. Jonah Jameson here. I mean, why not get J.K. and see if he'll do it.'" The actor was, however, surprised by early decisions to alter Jameson's trademark appearance, with...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has managed to feature numerous characters from the Marvel comics existing in the same universe. While there were several Marvel superhero movies before the MCU, fans responded positively to the McU's commitment to embrace the comics, from suit designs to the adaptations of certain storylines. While the MCU tends to focus on larger-than-life story arcs, there are several smaller, street-level heroes in the Marvel universe.

While many street-level heroes appear in Marvel properties, such as the series from Netflix and ABC, the MCU mainline films have been rather low on street-level superheroes. With the multiverse saga, the MCU has begun to incorporate aspects of these other films/series into the mainline series, such as with the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again. Fans would love to see more street-level heroes brought into the MCU proper.

Luke Cage Is a Street-Level Icon

Character

Luke Cage/Power Man

First Appearance

Luke Cage,...

Well-done animated shows have some great recall value for those who had the privilege of viewing them as children. Be it the Saturday morning action cartoons of old, or newer, more child-friendly shows like Kid vs. Kat, Kick Buttowiski, or The Amazing Spies, what is often remembered of these shows are the banger opening sequences that came with them.

Gravity Falls || Disney

While in this era of streaming, it is common to skip the intro of shows to continue the binging experience, there are certain shows that have very addictive intros that fans just cannot get enough of. This is also true for animated shows, and in the Hall of Fame sit four shows with the best intros audiences have seen on TV: Gravity Falls, Adventure Time, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and, Phineas and Ferb.

Gravity Falls, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Adventure Time, and Phineas and Ferb just did something...

The medium of animation has been getting quite the boost in recent years, with more and more high-budget offerings making their way to streaming services and theatres. There has been a slew of great shows in recent years that leveraged the medium of animation to tell unique stories, such as Blue Eye Samurai, Arcane, and even X-Men ’97.

Coyote vs. Acme || WB

However, there are also some great shows of the past and even some that were released much more recently, that their respective studios saw fit to cut short, given that they were not able to meet the goals that were set for them, whether it be viewership or merchandise sale.

Be it on streaming services like Netflix, or on television channels like Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon, fans have been flooding the internet with the shows they wish to see return, given that a renewed campaign has been taking...

Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther remains one of the best-realised versions of the character in recent history. Black Panther is a popular character who has made multiple appearances in some of Marvel’s greatest projects, be it Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Iron Man: Armoured Adventures, or even the upcoming video game Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra.

Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther in Black Panther

The Black Panther which was introduced in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War remains one of the best versions of the character in modern media, one that was expended on with Ryan Coogler’s 2018 MCU entry, Black Panther. One scene in particular demonstrates how accomplished and well-rounded the character is, which is a sequence from Civil War, where Bucky is taking on the unarmed Avengers, specifically, Tony Stark, Sam Wilson, Steve, Natasha, and of course, T’Challa.

T’Challa was able to hold his own against the Winter...

X-Men '97 writer Beau DeMayo proposes the idea that the show exists in a different Marvel multiverse than the McU's live-action universes. Having two separate multiverses, one for animated and one for live-action, would give Marvel more creative freedom over both of them and would prevent future confusions. Other animated Marvel shows and movies like The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and Big Hero 6 could coexist in Marvel's animated multiverse alongside X-Men '97.

X-Men '97 creator Beau DeMayo's parallel multiverse idea could help Marvel's animated and live-action releases to coexist. As X-Men '97 heads to its season finale, the show's universe continues to expand. Mutants' conflict with humans has reached worldwide proportions, and several other Marvel icons have taken notice. However, Earth isn't the limit for X-Men '97. Not even the Shi'ar Empire marks the limit for Marvel's animated shows. In fact, X-Men '97 could signal the rise of an entire Marvel animated multiverse.

Doctor Doom has been touted to be one of the main antagonists of the MCU as the studio’s plans with Kang the Conqueror seemed to have taken a back burner due to Jonathan Majors’ firing. The character has been one of the most beloved villains in the Marvel universe and fans have been waiting for his arrival into the franchise.

Ahead of his rumored appearance in Avengers: Secret Wars, Doctor Doom made a cameo in the Disney Plus series X-Men ‘97. The latest episode of the series sees him aligned with the Zero Tolerance group, which is headed by Bastion and also has Zemo. However, Doom’s involvement with the group has irked fans as the character is not as villainous as the others.

Doctor Doom And More Make Cameos In X-Men ‘97 A still from X-Men ’97

The Beau DeMayo-created revival of X-Men: The Animated Series, X-Men ‘97...

Who would have guessed the author of A Song of Ice and Fire novels George R.R. Martin, to be a Marvel fan? Usually, writers of his stature often claim to be neck deep into von-Goethe, Hemingway, and the obvious Shakespearean dramas. But Martin broke stereotypes after claiming to be an avid comic book fan, particularly inclined towards Marvel, more than DC.

George R.R. Martin (image: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons)

During an interview with The Independent, George R.R. Martin spoke highly of Marvel Comics and its impact on his writing. While explaining why his preference particularly shifted towards Marvel over DC, Martin praised Stan Lee’s Spider-Man to be more refreshing than DC’s Superman.

George R.R. Martin Strictly Prefers Marvel Over DC

While narrating his fantastical tale of growing up in New Jersey and spending time reading Shakespeare, Tolkien, and Marvel comic books, George R.R. Martin...

The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is unarguably considered one of the most successful shows ever created by Marvel Animation. With a perfectly star-studded cast and a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the series showed the earth’s mightiest superheroes from the comics teaming up to form the Avengers and defeat evil.

The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

But what fans do not know is that this very series would have almost revived one major fan-favorite character from the dead: Peter Parker from The Spectacular Spider-Man series. However, Drake Bell getting cast to voice the friendly neighborhood superhero in Ultimate Spider-Man eventually ended up ruining the plans, leaving fans robbed.

The Epic Spectacular Spider-Man x Earth’s Mightiest Heroes Crossover That Never Came to be

The Spectacular Spider-Man animated series was indeed one of the most interesting and true-to-the-source-material shows on the web-slinger before its unexpected cancellation after season 2. But even when he was put to rest,...

Disney's acquisition of Marvel led to the cancellation of Spectacular Spider-Man after only two seasons, disappointing fans. Spectacular Spider-Man almost shared a universe with Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, promising exciting crossover potential. Despite demand from viewers, there are currently no plans to revive Spectacular Spider-Man for another season.

The Spectacular Spider-Man is considered by many to be one of the best Spider-Man animated TV shows, but the series was, unfortunately, canceled after only two seasons. More frustratingly, Spectacular Spider-Man was nearly revived in the best possible way only three years later, only for these plans to fall through, avoiding a return that would have connected it to two other animated Marvel shows that are similarly beloved by viewers and critics.

Greg Weisman and Victor Cook’s Spectacular Spider-Man debuted in 2008. Starring Josh Keaton as Peter Parker, the series took inspiration from the Stan Lee and Gerry Conway runs of The Amazing Spider-Man comics,...

Spider-Man is one of Marvel’s premiere properties, one that was out of Marvel’s Studios’ hands until 2016. Still having the split the difference with Sony Pictures, Marvel Studios has had the opportunity to capitalize on the IP by incorporating the character into their shared universe. However, this has caused the MCU depiction to be just one iteration of the multiple versions of the character across all media.

Tom Holland as Spider-Man

Tom Holland already has to compete with the Spider-Verse animated films being helmed by Sony, which feature another version of Peter Parker and has a host of Spider-People at its disposal to throw at the audience. It now seems that Holland might have more competition with being Spider-Man, after the head writer for Spider-Man: The Animated Series has revealed how ready he is to jump back into action.

A Spider-Man: The Animated Series continuation might never happen...

X-Men: The Animated Series is officially returning, much to the delight of fans. While DC animation had dominated the previous few decades with hits like Justice League Unlimited, Batman Beyond, Batman: The Animated Series, and Superman: The Animated Series, Marvel had its fair share of cultural and sleeper hits, like Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Spider-Man: The Animated Series, along with the aforementioned X-Men series which has been rebranded as X-Men ’97.

A scene from X-Men ’97

At the heels of the X-Men animated series returning, fans have been talking about all the shows that Marvel should revive for Disney+. Among these is Spider-Man: The Animated Series, the head writer for which has revealed that all Marvel needs to do is call him.

Suggested“Miles Morales is not an original black character”: DC Fans Demand James Gunn Work on John Stewart, Mister Terrific to Fight Sony’s $375M Spider...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is as huge as it can get with countless superheroes and superhero teams and the many iterations of them in the comics as well as on the big screen. Yet the Avengers have remained the top-tier team in both formats, closely followed by the band of space misfits, the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the Avengers

Both teams have often found themselves pitted against each other in one or the other fan discussions. Although there have been a few instances where both teams went head to head, there hasn’t been a clear winner. Yet James Gunn, writer-director of the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, reckons that the Guardians would be a clear winner in such a fight.

Reason Why James Gunn Thinks Guardians Would Defeat The Avengers James Gunn (Image credit: DC Studios)

Both the Guardians of the Galaxy and...

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" ended with a new team of Guardians led by Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper). One of their number was Phyla (Kai Zen), a young white-haired girl and freed test subject of evil geneticist the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji).

If you're a comics fan, then yes, you likely realized that this was indeed the Marvel Cinematic Universe incarnation of the hero Phyla-Vell. If you only watch the movies, you're still thinking (to quote Korath the Pursuer), "Who?!" Well, let me explain.

In the comics, Phyla is the daughter of Captain Marvel — the alien warrior Mar-Vell, not Carol Danvers. Annette Benning played a female version of Mar-Vell in 2019's "Captain Marvel," but the character is traditionally male. Mar-Vell and his progeny are Kree, the imperious race to which "Guardians of the Galaxy" villain Ronan The Accuser (Lee Pace) belonged. The Kree have both blue and pink-shaded skin...

The superhero genre has firmly established itself as a lasting presence in the entertainment industry with its many series reflecting its enduring popularity and relevance. Television series in particular allow superheroes to interact and develop in unique ways due to their longevity. However, most series were not privileged with as many episodes as others.

Among the vast number of series from Marvel, DC and other publishers, only a handful were able to avoid cancelation and reach over a hundred episodes. A variety of factors such as date of release, serial vs. episodic structure and the characters chosen determined which superhero stories ultimately became the longest-running series for their respective genre.

Related: Every Tmnt Show, Ranked By Comic Book Accuracy

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) 124 Episodes

One of many long-lasting shows from the same franchise, the 2012 version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was a Nickelodeon property that was introduced to the channel's already colossal audience.

"Bones" enjoyed an enviable 12 season run, but not all of the main cast was there to enjoy that success in its totality. One face who left after just a single season was the actor Jonathan Adams.

The title of "Bones" is a double entendre, referring both to physical human bones and the show's lead, Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan (Emily Deschanel). Bones is a forensic anthropologist at the "Jeffersonian" (read: Smithsonian) Institute in Washington DC. She uses her skills to study human remains and help the FBI — especially Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) — solve murder cases old and new. As a police procedural with a forensic edge, "Bones" walks in the footsteps of "CSI." Only on this show, it's not the scenes of crimes that are investigated, but the leftovers.

During the show's first season, Adams played Dr. Goodman, the Jeffersonian's administrator and Bones' boss. At the end of season 1, he...

With Season 2 of Invincible announced for November 2023, fans have been diving back into the comics and first season. Prime Video hit it out the park as it adapted Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley's superhero story about young Mark Grayson. While the series felt a tad rushed, it was tastefully done, ending with Mark's evil father, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons) leaving Earth.

Thankfully, the streaming service has provided a bonus episode to whet the appetites: the Invincible: Atom Eve special. This standalone episode details Eve's origin, and for fans of the late Lance Reddick, he actually has a key role in the story. With that in mind, here's a look at the character Reddick voiced, the impact to come, and what else is on the actor's docket.

Related: Invincible Creator Hypes Shapesmith's Role in Season 2

Lance Reddick Voices Invincible's Steven Erickson

After a two-year hiatus, this Invincibe...

During the entire six-week run of Secret Invasion on Disney+, dedicated watchers of the Marvel Cinematic Universe who watched this show and patiently waited for an epic moment from this Skrull-based story arc were ultimately let down. Whether it's from an overall decline in fan enthusiasm due to many of the recent releases coming out of the MCU being mediocre at best or from the fact that the numerous reveals in the Nick Fury-centered series weren't mind-blowing, the last episode of Secret Invasion has become the worst rated MCU entry on Rotten Tomatoes.

It seems like the poorly done special effects used during the final fight and the whimper of an ending outweighed not only the heavy-handed references to other Marvel titles (albeit usually pleasing) but also watered down the sudden revelation that a reoccurring supporting character was actually an undercover Skrull agent for the longest time.

Luckily, there...

The Avengers have been a home for some of the most influential heroes in comics, and together, they've faced countless powerful enemies like Kang the Conqueror and Ultron. But with so many heroes and villains that have interacted with the team, there's been many that have endured personal troubles, from Tony Stark's bought with alcoholism to Bruce Banner's struggles with a dissociative identity disorder. Yet, even with so many unique characters on the team, none have endured more than one of their founding members, Hank Pym.

Hank Pym, aka Ant-Man, was a hero that never wanted to be in the business for a long time. Instead, he preferred being a scientist and, in the Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes cartoon, believed that rehabilitation was a better solution than simply beating up the bad guys. Earth's Mightiest Heroes also never shied away from Hank's personal and relatable struggles with inadequacy,...

Warning: This article contains Spoilers for Secret Invasion episode 3

Marvel’s first Secret Invasion adaptation in The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes delivered the comic-accurate take on the story that the MCU’s Secret Invasion show still hasn’t. After the Skrulls joined the MCU, it was easy to predict that Marvel would eventually adapt Secret Invasion to live-action. However, instead of an Avengers-level crossover event involving multiple Marvel heroes and villains, the MCU’s Secret Invasion has so far been a small-scale, spy thriller show focused on Nick Fury and his relationship with the Skrulls. Even though Marvel never promised a direct adaptation of the 2008 comic book, the lack of Avengers and Fantastic Four characters in Secret Invasion has been met with criticism.

Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes was an animated show that ran from 2011 to 2012 on Disney Xd. While Earth’s Mightiest Heroes came to be because of the...

One of the deleted scenes from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s digital and home video releases will show how Adam Warlock became the newest member of the team.

In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, after the original team completed their last mission together, Chris Pratt's Star-Lord/ Peter Quill leaves the team in the hands of Rocket, who becomes the new Guardians' captain. The mid-credits scene confirmed that Rocket's new team of Guardians includes Kraglin, Groot, Cosmo, Adam Warlock, and Phyla. Through the deleted scene, Marvel Studios confirmed that it was actually Kraglin who invited Adam Warlock into the new phase of the team. In addition, the scene also revealed the fate of Chukwudi Iwuji's High Evolutionary.

Related: Gotg 3's Adam Warlock Design Fuses Classic Comics With the McU's Sovereign

The description of the deleted scene was released as part of the announcement for Vol. 3's digital and Blu-ray release date.

Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Emilia Clarke, Don Cheadle, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Martin Freeman, Cobie Smulders, Dermot Mulroney | Creator/Showrunner: Kyle Bradstreet

Marvel’s Secret Invasion, streaming in weekly instalments on Disney Plus, is the ninth television series set in the MCU. Consisting of six episodes and created by showrunner Kyle Bradstreet, it is loosely based on a 2008 Marvel Comics event of the same name. However, whereas the comics event involved multiple superheroes, the TV series has been essentially reconfigured as a headlining show for Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury.

The show picks up thirty years after the events of Captain Marvel (2019), which introduced the Skrulls, a race of shape-shifting aliens, lead by Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), who became a close ally of Fury. However, as the show begins, a group of renegade Skrulls have grown tired of waiting three decades for Fury to deliver on his promise of finding them a new planet,...

Josh Keaton, who voiced Spider-Man Peter Parker in The Spectacular Spider-Man, shared his experience with the animated series' cancelation, and how Disney recasting him with Drake Bell was a complete surprise.

Following the theatrical release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Keaton did a livestream on TikTok (via Twitter) and discussed the fan-favorite Spider-Man cartoon. Premiering in 2008, The Spectacular Spider-Man aired two seasons featuring 13 episodes each, but was canceled with the second in 2009. This resulted from Disney's acquisition of Marvel, causing Sony to lose the rights to produce an animated Spider-Man series. During his livestream, Keaton explained how he knew the show would be canceled, and how being recast for The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and Ultimate Spider-Man caught him off guard.

Related: Spectacular Spider-Man Made Gwen Stacy a Star - By Reinventing Her Completely

Josh keaton on his spectacular spider-man being cancelled for Drake bells ultimate spider-man pic.twitter.

The leading actor of The Spectacular Spider-Man opens up about Disney recasting him with Drake Bell without properly informing him. While Spider-Man has been depicted in animation for decades, one of the shows that have continued to have a cult following is The Spectacular Spider-Man, starring Josh Keaton as the web-slinger. Despite being short-lived, Keaton recently got to revisit the role through Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in a prominent cameo.

However, Keaton is opening up more about the end of his Spider-Man experience back in 2009 when The Spectacular Spider-Man was canceled. During a recent live stream (via @SpiderMan3News), the popular voice actor revealed that he was initially supposed to get to wrap up his run as the Marvel icon through Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, which got canceled in favor of Avengers Assemble. While he had recorded dialogue for his big episode, Keaton revealed that he had to find...

The cast of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 features a talented cast of actors, both voice and live-action, with many of them very familiar thanks to roles in other movies and TV shows. The film, directed by Jeff Fowler, received positive reviews and performed well at the box office after grossing over $405 million worldwide. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 followed immediately from the end of the first film, with Sonic trying his hand at vigilante hero work as the self-titled "Blue Justice." However, soon he's embroiled in a globe-trotting adventure with the return of Dr. Robotnik and the emergence of both new allies and enemies.

Two characters from the games - Knuckles the Echidna and Miles "Tails" Prower - are in Sonic 2, both CGI creations with voice-acting performances, similar to Sonic himself. The success of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is helped in no small part by the seamless blend of the...