Let's Talk About The Defenders... NO... THE REAL DEFENDERS!

[KRYPTON INC.]

This team:

Marvel tried launching a team with that name via Netflix but fate came in and more or less made that a one-off. Now perhaps it will be close to two years before Marvel Studios can even touch some of the Netflix shows' characters or concepts, like use of the name The Defenders.

Still... I can't help but feel there is great untapped potential with this group. Especially with the Fox characters being brought back into the fold and continued talk of some kind of dissolution of the issues around Namor's film rights/distribution. Even halfway following the traditional comics the Defenders on the big screen would bring a lot of the same pleasures of an Avengers film only... different. A, no pun, stranger group than Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the character dynamics are usually of a differing nature while the characters are themselves no slouches in terms of personalities or powers.

Yes, at the end of the day this might well be a pipe dream. But that's not stopped anyone from creating a thread here on the Hype before so, why start being rational now?

So... Thoughts on the Defenders, what are the odds of them doing a Defenders film and even if they aren't... Who would you cast for the characters outside of Dr. Strange, Hulk and Valkyrie, who are already ensconced within the MCU? What would be your line up? What kind of take for this oddball super hero team? What villains would you have them face? Any arc from the comic you would like see adapted? What original concept do you think would work with this team?

Go hog wild Hypesters.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

A big reason to even consider this team is that it provides another franchise to utilise the Hulk in while side stepping the distribution rights issue with Universal. Hulk can still play a part in the MCU and on top of that he can get to really shine as a central character. Essentially in my take, Dr. Strange, Hulk and Namor are the Iron Man, Capt. America and Thor for the Defenders. There is still more story to tell for Hulk and this is something that A LOT of Hulk fans overreacting to his handling in AEG would welcome. Understand... Where we leave off Hulk in Endgame is hardly the last word on the character, anymore than when the character was in a similar set up in the comics. Frankly the idea that it's all hunky dory for Bruce now that his mind is in charge of the Hulk body is short sighted. There's still lots of drama to squeeze out of Bruce Banner/The Hulk's situation. Right off the top of my head is that he could easily be written as to being afraid of losing the control he has. I mean... We've seen Banner get angry and Hulk out. Now... He's Hulked out all the time. What happens when the Hulk has a Hulk out?

Dr. Strange has some issues as well. For myself I have to say... His appearances in the two Avengers films he took part in were far more interesting and compelling than his own film. Cumberbatch worked very well playing off his fellow MCU heroes. Keep that going, only in the Defenders, Strange gets a place of primacy. Even the Master Of The Mystic Arts needs help sometimes, as the story of IW/AEG proves. So Strange is now more open to calling on other characters for help... So long as he calls the shots. I think it would be interesting to see the dynamic between Strange and Banner as well. Both had relationships with Tony Stark that showed complexity and thus I think something could be done with the two of them in the same room. Strange butted heads with Stark because they were so similar. Banner on the other hand got along well with Stark because they were so different, and because Banner does his best to keep his temper at all times. Granted... That was before Banner was in control of the Hulk's powers to such a high degree. In any case that already has some potential to see how that interaction plays out.

Namor in this situation would be pretty much the inverse of Thor on the Avengers. Similar to Thor he's the nobility from a fantasy kingdom, physically powerful, who can also call upon elemental forces (in his case, the power of the ocean) in a fashion as well as being the political head of a nation that can if he chooses, call on that nation's military at a moment's notice. Different from Thor though... Namor is an ******* all in a class by himself. This is not the generally congenial meathead Thor has become in the MCU. This would be more like if Thor had met the rest of the Avengers before his humbling by Odin. Actually, probably worse. In fact, this would be almost of mix of Thor and Loki. A man with noble intentions with a thin skin, taken to nursing sleights, and thus mercurial at times. An X factor that is never quite predictable. And while I'm not 100% clear on the way the rights issue is right now, I won't be surprised to learn it's not to dissimilar to the situation with the Hulk, in which case, once more this allows us to get the character onscreen and be used without Marvel having to fork any cash over since this is a team film and not a solo.

Valkyrie was introduced in THOR RAGNAROK and we got a taste more of her in AEG. The character has seemed to go over well with the audience and now that she's even gotten her winged horse back she is even more versatile. Val being involved brings with it Asgard and it's powers and magics. Who knows what the MCU's future portends for Thor but with Val you would be able to continue some threads left hanging from the Thor films as well as see more of her in her role as the new ruler of Asgard. The character already has a friendly relationship with Hulk and that could easily yield some good stuff both humorous and dramatic. And since gods only know when we might see the Enchantress on the big screen in a Thor film, Val could help to serve as a way to get that character into the MCU as well given the comic book history between the two that could be drawn upon. Win-win, I say.

Silver Surfer could be included perhaps right off the bat in some fashion or after a future Fantastic Four film. No matter how he gets brought into the sandbox I say he should end up on this team in some fashion. Surfer in his full glory would help the team to up the stakes in terms of the antagonists they clash with. And given the history of the character I think the highly flawed natures of the other team members works very well to educate Surfer as to the nature of humanity, warts and all.

Moondragon could also be brought in and would be great as a person that I think would be a great foil for Strange or Namor, as she's no slouch in the arrogance and self assured dept. She, like Surfer and Strange, brings another cosmic perspective. And if I'm honest, she adds extra diversity being both another female but also a member of the LGBTQ community. People keep talking up Val and Capt. Marvel... I think the couple should be Val and Moondragon, but that's me.

Finally I would bring in NightHawk, but in a swerve from tradition within the 616 rendition of the Defenders I would go with a version taking it's inspiration from the Supreme Power miniseries and go with the African-American Nighthawk who is a ruthless vigilante. The team needs a human perspective and one that's so ready to kill if need be, even enthusiastically so, adds some spice and tension.

So... There's my line up, probably spread out over at least two movies:

Dr. Strange

Hulk

Namor

Valkyrie

Silver Surfer

Moondragon

NightHawk

 

[Vaibow]

Will be a while before any team up movies happen, however, when the time comes for a team up, i can't see them using the avengers name, it actually makes sense now, all being said and done, to defend earth and the term 'the denfenders' makes more sense and still similar enough.

Hulk needs to be utilized moving forward, Namor could be introduced to give us marvels underwater world, suprised it hasn't been done sooner but obvious comparisons to AM.

Honestly, i think they will focus on solo's and the (hopefully new) X-men will meet the team up criteria for now.

I can see them retooling Dr Strange though to fill RDJ's void.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

What if the Defenders were like a subplot in an Avengers film? A team going about its own way of fighting for Earth that clashes with the big boys on the block?

Or would that be too similar to CW?

 

[Vaibow]

I'm tired of heroes against each other, CW handled it better than BvS for me personally - however, with the amount of extra heroes about to be unleashed on the marvel universe, it will probably end up like a NYC side walk with super hero pan handlers brawling over tourists.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Heroes battling others even if only for a hot second is a staple of this material across mediums. It's gonna happen again and again on some level. Looking ESPECIALLY at the Avengers in particular they have a very long history of taking into their ranks members who initially started out as adversaries of one stripe or another, many of which went on to become stalwart parts of the group.


In any case I think if Defenders were on the table that is one possible way to bring them into the MCU. Back door pilot them in an Avengers film, perhaps setting them up as pseudo-antagonists at first. Again... Just as a possibility.

 

[Yowza]

If Marvel's going to adapt this concept into film, I think it's pretty much now or never. I think a collective audience yawn could ensue simply introducing them as being the other team on the block.

One way to do it I think is the purpose of the team could function similar to the Infinity Watch in the comics minus Adam Warlock just a wider purpose of defending the earth on multiple fronts as 1 way to bind a group of disparate characters together. Besides the core 4 (Hulk, Strange, Surfer, Namor, Valkyrie), I'm not sure who else at the moment but think Clea would be a good addition.

I suppose Dr. Strange can take or leave out different characters from the roster based on perceived threat would be 1 way to do this:
*Dragon of the Moon (supposedly influences Thanos in the comics) as seen at the end of V1 of Defenders would be a good villain. If this is the villain, Moondragon and Cloud make sense.

*Maybe some Lovecraftian horror like the comic the team debuted in.

*Some sort of multidimensional threat like Set or the serpent people from prehistoric times. The Serpent Crown could be introduced.

*Agents of Fortune. The 6 Fingered Hand. Balthazar. Devil Slayer and/or Gargoyle would be good additions (perhaps even initial villain) to team in this case.

*Some sort of Atlantean threat. Might as well utilize Namor and perhaps Andromeda.

*Grom (later a member of the Defenders) is an interesting kind of celestial menace and sort of villain one would expect in a Silver Age FF comic. Many decades after Grom's debut, this character was retconned into being tenuously linked to Kirby's Eternals just from another world instead of earth taking the concept of Uni-Mind to whole other level.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

How about returning to the dark dimension and using Umar and Dormammu as co-villains? Strange only really inconvenienced the dread one in his last film. Now... He doesn't have an Infinity Stone to help him out of a tough jam. Would be a way to justify him bringing in other heroes.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Yes please, give us more of the Revengers.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

My castings for Namor, Silver Surfer and Moondragon and Nighthawk...


Sam Witwer for Namor.

Witwer still looks good at 41 and he is an INSANELY underrated talent that post his big break on the SyFy version of BEING HUMAN, has done a lot of voice over work for Lucasfilm (Not a bad job if you can get it, I suppose) but anyone that saw him portray Aiden the vampire knows that he's the total package for genre work. He can go from charming to menacing in a microsecond. Namor needs that. On the Defenders Namor plays like Thor before Odin banished him from Asgard. Namor has never been taught that lesson in humility. Nor should he. That streak of arrogance is what makes the character. That teetering on the edge of grandiose villainy is something that makes the Prince of Atlantis a wild card in any situation, which again, if you saw Witwer on Being Human, you realize is right up his alley.

Keanu Reeves for Silver Surfer.

Obviously this is going to be a mo-cap deal, and as such that opens up the casting choices quite a bit. I think it's fair to say that at this point lots want Reeves to play in another CBM, and unlike CONSTANTINE, one that's comic accurate. Reeves, despite the blood soaked John Wick series being his calling card these days, on the talk show circuit and in public appearances has cultivated a certain zen like calm demeanor with just a hint of hard won wisdom all filtered through the cadences of sun burned beach bum... That sounds perfect for the Silver Surfer to me. Surfer shouldn't be emotionless but neither should he sound like the average, uh... dude. He should sound like someone that contemplates the deeper mysteries of existence, which, as luck would have it, Keanu has done before when he actually played the Buddha. No, really... Look it up. Keanu is older than he looks but that's the beauty of this casting for something that would be totally mo-cap. This could start filming seven years from now and Keanu could still play the part. My only wish would be that he be told to NOT do anything like his DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL character or Neo. If anything I want the Keanu of his talk show appearances over any kind of attempt at a purely stoic, antiseptic, "alien". Surfer should be ever questing and curious but never detached. He was such when he served Galactus but after, he should be looser and freer to express his emotions. And I think Mr. Reeves could do so with charm that would transcend the CGI.

For Moondragon... I couldn't pick an absolute favorite but whittled it down to three.

Dichen Lachman

Natalie Dormer

Cara Gee

I think for Moondragon in the MCU, she needs to command presence, be quite a bit haughty in dealing with others as well as having a certain mysteriousness about her. Moondragon is no slouch in terms of confidence. She'd be the one to tell Strange or Namor to their face that she thinks they are acting foolish. This is a razor's edge deal for the actress in the part. She has to embody that aspect of the character but not do it in a way that's too off putting either. And you have to BELIEVE this woman could go toe to toe with the likes of Cumberbatch's Strange. Moondragon's powers come from discipline of the mind. So the woman playing her needs to make the audience buy that she has intellect and a sharp mind. The three actresses listed have all played strong, intelligent, even devious characters with success. And cunning and devious are also things I would use to describe Moondragon. She can also be blunt, and too the point. She's not polite or into niceties. Again... A bit of a minefield for a female performer but in the right hands she could be a real treat to watch.


John David Washington for Nighthawk.

Washington proved his chops in Spike Lee's Black Klansman and I think he'd be a blast as the ruthless Supreme Power version of Nighthawk adapted for the MCU. This is a swerve from the comics but... I think the classic version is to often a dull gloss on Batman at best. This is a character that an actor could sink his teeth into, and would add tension to any group dynamics. Closer in spirit to the Punisher than Batman, this version would have lots of sparks flying even just talking to the likes of Strange or Banner. Washington can do compelling character work and he's a natural lead type. He would more than hold his own against Cumberbatch and Ruffalo.

 

[Roose Bolton]

That’s one damn fine looking cast.

You cast Natalie Dormer, you have my attention and willing compliance.

 

[Roose Bolton]

How about returning to the dark dimension and using Umar and Dormammu as co-villains? Strange only really inconvenienced the dread one in his last film. Now... He doesn't have an Infinity Stone to help him out of a tough jam. Would be a way to justify him bringing in other heroes.

Plus, there’s that whole thing Joe Casey and later Greg Pak set up with Umar and Hulk having a corruptive relationship that could feed into the whole thing.

 

[ludovica]

So... There's my line up, probably spread out over at least two movies:

Dr. Strange

Hulk

Namor

Valkyrie

Silver Surfer

Moondragon

NightHawk

I really like all your ideas up there and love that we are at a point where a Defenders movie is not a pipe dream but a realistic possibility and economically more than viable.

By the way, your line up could stealthily give us a great and strange JLA movie...

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

That’s one damn fine looking cast.

You cast Natalie Dormer, you have my attention and willing compliance.

She's a cutie... And I think underrated and underappreciated as a performer as well.

And thanks for the compliment on the casting. I was looking for names not usually thrown around the CBM conversation... Well except for Keanu as Surfer but... It's just too ****ing perfect at this point for me to buck the trend. Although I also think that John Lee Miller would do a fantastic job as well. Then the MCU would have locked up all the Sherlocks.

Plus, there’s that whole thing Joe Casey and later Greg Pak set up with Umar and Hulk having a corruptive relationship that could feed into the whole thing.

I have to admit I didn't read that stuff, but it sounds like they turned the joke one night stand in the Giffen, De Matis mini into something substantial.

 

[Roose Bolton]

Yeah and there was this whole element of the Dark Dimension, the Mindless Ones....Zom. Really there’s a lot that Pak did that could be harvested for a good, weird Defenders series of films.

Basically, they need to get funky with the concept. The psychedelic elements of the Strange film x 100. Throw in John Wick himself dishing out some potent philosophy and I think it’s got the makings of a unique experience.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I really like all your ideas up there and love that we are at a point where a Defenders movie is not a pipe dream but a realistic possibility and economically more than viable.

By the way, your line up could stealthily give us a great and strange JLA movie...

Ever see the tribute to the Defenders they did on JL/JLU?

JL episodes TERROR BEYOND and JLU episode WAKE THE DEAD.

Dr. Fate/Dr. Strange

Aquaman/Namor

Hawkgirl/Valkyrie

Amazo/Silver Surfer

 

[ludovica]

Ever see the tribute to the Defenders they did on JL/JLU?

JL episodes TERROR BEYOND and JLU episode WAKE THE DEAD.

Dr. Fate/Dr. Strange

Aquaman/Namor

Hawkgirl/Valkyrie

Amazo/Silver Surfer

Never seen it so thank you for the tip!

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Yeah and there was this whole element of the Dark Dimension, the Mindless Ones....Zom. Really there’s a lot that Pak did that could be harvested for a good, weird Defenders series of films.

Basically, they need to get funky with the concept. The psychedelic elements of the Strange film x 100. Throw in John Wick himself dishing out some potent philosophy and I think it’s got the makings of a unique experience.

This is the thing... That's exactly what the Defenders should be. They give the audience a similar experience to the Avengers films only funked up to the max.

You could easily back door pilot this in the Strange sequel just by getting started by adding Hulk, Val and Namor.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Never seen it so thank you for the tip!

Here's some clips.

 

[psylockolussus]

Natalie Dormer already appeared in First Avenger. They're not hiring her for a different mcu role.

And the Netflix show already used the Defenders as a title and Marvel Studios probably won't make a Defenders movie.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Natalie Dormer already appeared in First Avenger. They're not hiring her for a different mcu role.

And the Netflix show already used the Defenders as a title and Marvel Studios probably won't make a Defenders movie.

They can't use the name for, now, less than two years. After, much like when Hulk had just recently had a film and they went ahead with the Norton film they may want to try again. If one was paying attention the reasons to do so were listed on the previous page. If one was also paying attention you'd notice I specifically used the term "pipe dream". This is for fun. Which, of course is close to the term "funny" so... Of course I don't expect you to understand.

And that no name role means nothing. The vast majority of the audience doubtless doesn't even remember that was Dormer, as well as noting that being employed by Marvel in another capacity didn't stop Alfre Woodard.

And... Didn't you want Gemma Chan in another role in the MCU even though she was already in Capt. Marvel?

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

That’s one damn fine looking cast.

You cast Natalie Dormer, you have my attention and willing compliance.

I'd be interested in hearing who you'd cast Roose and which characters you'd use on the team.

 

[Roose Bolton]

Well as you said, Keanu’s perfect for Surfer and I think to start off it’d probably have to be the classics, Surfer, Strange, Hulk, Namor, Valkyrie. Start small to give each character breathing room and then build the cast as they go along.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been on a Vikings kick lately, if I had to choose an actor to play Namor I’d go Jonathan Rhys-Myers. The guy has that pompous, arrogant, slightly crazed rage to him, whilst also having a bit of charm that I think could translate to Namor.

And you know... I wouldn’t mind if they worked in the U-Foes as opponents, at least as servants of the principle baddies that can make for some fun fight scenes.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Well as you said, Keanu’s perfect for Surfer and I think to start off it’d probably have to be the classics, Surfer, Strange, Hulk, Namor, Valkyrie. Start small to give each character breathing room and then build the cast as they go along.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been on a Vikings kick lately, if I had to choose an actor to play Namor I’d go Jonathan Rhys-Myers. The guy has that pompous, arrogant, slightly crazed rage to him, whilst also having a bit of charm that I think could translate to Namor.

And you know... I wouldn’t mind if they worked in the U-Foes as opponents, at least as servants of the principle baddies that can make for some fun fight scenes.

This man is talking my language.

For those that don't know them:

U-Foes - Wikipedia

I like to think of them as "What If... The Fantastic Four were ****-heels?" And that funky 70's designs they have would fit in great with what the Defenders have usually been about in the comics.

 

[Zarex]

They can't use the name for, now, less than two years. After, much like when Hulk had just recently had a film and they went ahead with the Norton film they may want to try again. If one was paying attention the reasons to do so were listed on the previous page. If one was also paying attention you'd notice I specifically used the term "pipe dream". This is for fun. Which, of course is close to the term "funny" so... Of course I don't expect you to understand.

And that no name role means nothing. The vast majority of the audience doubtless doesn't even remember that was Dormer, as well as noting that being employed by Marvel in another capacity didn't stop Alfre Woodard.

And... Didn't you want Gemma Chan in another role in the MCU even though she was already in Capt. Marvel?

Kenneth Choi has also played two roles in the MCU.

My original thinking was that the Strange series would go darker and maybe even full horror with Midnight Sons as a follow up. But the Original Defenders had a odd supernatural vibe that may fit better in the MCU. Bring on the Headmen!

In addition to the wonderful Defenders tribute, JL & JLU also put Galactus in the Source Wall, set Supes on fire as an Original Human Torch homage and had Commander Steel tossing a shield.