Another character Marvel can make popular like Iron Man?

OK, so with the Daredevil series coming next year, Ant-Man on the horizon, Doctor Strange and Black Panther in the works... Is there any character, including the ones I just named, that Marvel can turn into a celebrity like Iron Man? If there's one thing I admire and hate, and I know I'm not alone on this, is that Iron Man has become the other side of the coin that Spider-Man's face held on his own for over 50 years. You'll see Iron Man on the cover of a Marvel video game, magazine... I admire it for the fact that one of my all time favorite heroes is finally having his moment in the sun, but hate it because it may become a dirty habit with Marvel. However, that being said, I am interested in seeing if Marvel can replicate Iron Man's movie success with someone else. Like I said, could it be Daredevil? Doctor Strange? What do you guys think?

There are a ton of characters that it could happen for, especially if you hit a casting home run like they did for Tony Stark. If the rumors prove to be true about Johnny Depp as Dr. Strange, I think that would be the most likely option.

Lets see how popular Iron Man is after RDJ stops playing him, because I'm hardly convinced he's on Spider-Man's level.

Spider-Man has his own diapers for crying out loud and has proven he is successful regardless of who plays him. Live action or animated for that matter.

Its not true. It was immediately debunked the day after the rumor came out.

Black. Panther.

I don't know if it's been confirmed, I just remember Feige namedropping him.

I'm not talking about the future, I'm talking about now. RDJ/Iron Man became popular (Spider-Man or not), right? That's what I'm talking about.

The Runaways...... Marvel is sitting on the next Hunger Games/ Harry Potter franchise, and I don't know if they realize it yet. If this isn't in Marvel's movie pipeline they must be huffing paint thinner........

Any.

It's all down to movie magic

@judasnixon: I'm not sure the Runaways are that big.

Luke Cage & Ironfist they be a good duo to make popular.

@judasnixon: The Runaways would be perfect for TV.

Yep, this.

There's a big different, in my opinion, between Iron Mans current popularity vs Spider-Man's overall popularity.

Deadpool, if they do it right.

Shang-Chi would be epic :)

Rocket Racoon will be the next big hit!

Runaways

Ms Marvel

Doctor Strange.

It will be one of those three, and I got ten bucks on it. Anyone?

@judasnixon said:

The Runaways...... Marvel is sitting on the next Hunger Games/ Harry Potter franchise, and I don't know if they realize it yet. If this isn't in Marvel's movie pipeline they must be huffing paint thinner........

Runaways have HUGE potential for being the next big hype, but not as feature film. They don't have the exposure they need for that.

What they need to do is run Runaways as a television series. Take their time with it, don't race to the Gibborim and the death of the Pride. Run it as a Smallville/Arrow-esque series filled with unknown actors and pull in the fanbase by relying on the solid dialogue, relatable issues, and angsty teen stuff and relationship drama.

When you consider the cast is more female than male, puts great emphasis on fashion in the art and relatable character personas, and the "powers" demonstrated in the first volume involve almost no special FX, it has all the makings of a potential hit. Even things like an overweight Gert Yorkes being able to be a positive role model of self-acceptance, it would work.

In film, the character development would have to be rushed in order to fit the 2 hour constraint, which hurts almost everything that is good about the series. Runaways needs a slow boil and it'll be the sleeper hit of the next generation.

Captain America is getting love and I think Rocket Raccoon is going to be a hit.

Deadpool stomps him.

Rocket Raccoon is becoming a big name, but I'm worried his character could be mishandled because of it (like what happened to Deadpool when Daniel Way was writing him).

Hulk has the potential.

I do think it depends on who they get to portray the character, i.e. I think Robert Downey Jr. was a big reason that Iron Man took off as much as he did, and similarly, Hiddleston has done a lot for Loki, compared to say Hemsworth/Thor and Evans/Cap. That said, I could imagine Chris Pratt doing a decent job of making Star-Lord somewhat popular, maybe not to Iron Man levels, but he seems like the kind of guy the public could really start to love, and would be willing to act as Peter Quill in different settings (if that makes sense) in a way that builds the character's visibility. I really don't see Doctor Strange becoming that big - he seems too smarmy(?) at times to gather a lot of love from the public, and I could imagine the Doctor Strange movie being somewhat smaller / fringe, more dark and mystic than big and exciting (though that's also projecting what I'd want the film to be like)... that said, I also wouldn't have predicted Iron Man to have become as big as he has, given that I find him pretty unlike-able in the comics (just my personal opinion), so what do I know.

Dr. Strange & Ms. Marvel

Personally, I think it all depends on who's portraying who, like how Robert Downey Jr. portrayed Iron Man and made him popular again. The same could be said for Rocket Raccoon, Black Panther and Doctor Strange.

Deadpool. Ryan Reynolds should have been freakin deadpool in his own movie.

Since they've got the rights to them..I'd love to say The Punisher or Ghost Rider. All the characters that are usually popular in their films so far are the goody too shoe type characters..They need to have some popular dark and gritty ones for those who are more fond of the anti-heroes. If done right I could definitely see The Punisher being one since he's always had a cult-like following in the first place..he just needs good films. I mention GR because if they go through with Doctor Strange then I hope they bring in their other magical characters as well

captain America is getting his respect now, along with the other avengers. Can Disney make spider woman an avenger? that would be cool.

Hawkeye

Doctor StrangE.

I'd prefer the Sentry (as he's more of a direct analogue to Superman and would fit into the Marvel Cinematic Universe more easily), but would be willing to take a Marvelman/Miracleman movie as a second choice. If DC can't get Superman right on film (anymore; the first Chris Reeve movie is tied with the original Star Wars for greatest film of all time) then hopefully Marvel can.

This guy needs a movie.

Black Panther

Ant-Man - I think Marvel can rid the stench of 'Who/Why?' and make him somewhat cool to the general audience, but that's it.

Doctor Strange - The one character Marvel has been putting all their effort into making a reality. Strange could definitely be the next Iron Man. The concept is just different from all other current superheroes (on film).

Black Panther - I mean, the appeal is already there. Just a matter of doing him right.

Ms. Marvel - Same situation with BP except Wonder Woman is out before her. It's a good thing actually. The GA will be rooting for Marvel's take on a female (solo).

Black Panther, Ms. Marvel, Dr. strange.

I'm hoping Hawkeye will break out during Avengers 2. Most likely won't be the extent of Iron Man but I'm hoping it's at least gaining ground. That being said with Guardians of the Galaxy around the corner I can see that whole team being a hit they just mesh so well.

Not necessarily Marvel, but if Fox were to take a gamble on an 'R' rating:

@lateralus: Johnny Depp as Doctor Strange man I hope not.

Doctor Strange with the right casting could get a lot of fan-girls

I say the comic community has to justify the movie and character for them to explode. I think we are still used to determine whats good. People get their info personally here, on our forums and our enthusiasm at events. Tony is a such a great character he had our push long ago. Unless GotG is simply a great movie I don't the community adore them enough for stardom(although the cast are stars). If its just ok and it explodes I think our reign as the meter is over.

I think Sentry and a lot of individual X-Men could explode. Black Bolt, The Runaways and Namor(although the public might think their stealing Aquaman until we're asked and boom "first mutant shirts") could all blow up.

@tyger said:

Not necessarily Marvel, but if Fox were to take a gamble on an 'R' rating:

@tyger said:

Not necessarily Marvel, but if Fox were to take a gamble on an 'R' rating:

Yae deadpool has the potential but I think anyone will capitalize on it.

If Marvel can get good casting for any of their "lesser" (in general public terms) characters, then they could match Iron Man. RDJ just nailed Tony Stark.

I think Ms Marvel could be big, especially since no female hero has had a successful solo film.

Rocket Raccoon is going to take off after GOTG, I just hope they continue to handle his character properly in the comics.

With Mark Ruffalo as Banner, I think Hulk has the potential.

Captain America is going to reach there since RDJ is likely to not be Iron Man in any solo films anymore, and Chris Evans is a good Rogers.

Black Panther, because people will probably look at him like Marvel's Batman and people will enjoy the similarity.

In some ways I feel Iron Man's reception was a special case. He was one of those heroes that weren't "out there" at the time but should have been a long time ago.

@judasnixon: As long as they DON'T screw it up. I read like a few issues of that and it was good!

I really hope Johnny Depp doesn't play Doctor Strange. After how badly he butchered Barnabas Collins in Dark Shadows, he should stay far away from Doctor Strange. I know he wasn't solely responsible for how bad his performance was in that movie, but he did produce it, which meant he had a say in taking the character in a direction that ended up being complete opposite of the Jonathan Frid version.