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Welcome to the main discussion thread for the Marvel Cinematic Universe! This pinned post is here to establish some basic guidelines. All of the Media Forum rules still apply.

  • This thread is for talking about the live-action films, TV shows, animated works, and related content that use the Marvel brand, currently owned by Disney.
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    Original post 
Since Thor and now Captain America came out this year, I wanted to get what Tropers thought of the concept and execution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general. Personally I love the idea and wonder why this idea hasn't been seriously tried before. It sorta seems to me like the DCAU in movie form (And well, ummm, with Marvel), and really 'gets' the comic book feel of a shared universe while not being completely alienating.

Edited by Mrph1 on Jul 29th 2024 at 3:09:00 PM

nervmeister Since: Oct, 2010
#65151: Nov 23rd 2016 at 3:46:05 PM

I was thinking that maybe Namor could be reimagined as a Many-Angled One that successfully infiltrated our universe (no thanks to the original Atlanteans meddling with arcane forces like the Darkhold, causing the disaster that got it sunk in the first place) but somehow went benign instead of explosively growing and infecting it like it's brethen usually do, and decided to settle here once and for all by mystically reincarnating itself as an entire race of fishmen with its remaining power and consciousness adopting the humanoid form of Namor and willingly wiping its memories of its former "life". However his memories as a Many-Angled One literally took on a life of its own and, resenting Namor while deep down desiring to "reunite" with him, shaped and manifested physically at the bottom of the ocean as an anthropomorphic scourge known as Attuma.

edited 23rd Nov '16 3:52:15 PM by nervmeister

comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#65152: Nov 23rd 2016 at 3:50:34 PM

I'd rather they just keep him Atlantean.

nervmeister Since: Oct, 2010
#65153: Nov 23rd 2016 at 3:53:00 PM

[up]It's to keep him from being a copy-and-paste of Aquaman by the time he enters the MCU.

comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#65154: Nov 23rd 2016 at 3:55:04 PM

Sure, but there's other ways you could differentiat them.

nervmeister Since: Oct, 2010
#65155: Nov 23rd 2016 at 3:56:46 PM

[up]But my idea is amazing (albeit somewhat psychotic). It's better than Stark-tron and Poorman Zemo anyways.

EDIT: Actually, Attuma can remain one of the original Atlanteans with the tweak to his story being that he was a member of the tribe (the Skarkans) which accidentally summoned the Many-Angled One in the first place. Feeling the need to atone for the misdeeds of his tribe, he intends to take back the ruin of Atlantis from these "aquatic abominations" who've made it their home, raise it back to the surface, and restore it to its former glory.

So to sum up, I'm reimagining the story of Namor as The Dunwich Horror from the perspective of "sexy merman Wilbur Whateley".

edited 23rd Nov '16 4:32:59 PM by nervmeister

comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#65156: Nov 23rd 2016 at 4:46:48 PM

I'll take the Atlantean origin, tbh.

nervmeister Since: Oct, 2010
#65157: Nov 23rd 2016 at 4:50:12 PM

[up]-grumble- I'll get a second opinion.

kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#65158: Nov 23rd 2016 at 4:52:44 PM

If you want to get technical, Aquaman was originally a copy&paste of Namor; the latter beat the former by a good two years. If anything, Aquaman's the ripoff. At the same time though, Aquaman's still far well known in the public eye, (though perhaps not for the best of reasons...) so I can get wanting to differentiate Namor a bit. But I wouldn't mind just keeping him the way he is.

edited 23rd Nov '16 4:53:05 PM by kkhohoho

nervmeister Since: Oct, 2010
#65159: Nov 23rd 2016 at 5:06:06 PM

[up]Oh, I forgot. Good point. But the DCCU's is going to be reach the "Mature Little Mermaid" finish line first. So Namor ought to differentiate itself by having more of a sci-fi angle rather than fantasy.

edited 23rd Nov '16 5:07:06 PM by nervmeister

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#65160: Nov 23rd 2016 at 5:29:35 PM

How to differentiate Namor depends a lot on what exactly DC does with Aquaman. I can think of severals ways that might make Namor be unique, but DC looks like it maybe sorta could go in that direction if they so choose, so I dunno.

The most unique one I could think of was to, while not having them actually be Cosmic Horror, introduce the Atlanteans in much the same way: have them be an ancient unknowable society from beyond the deep, suddenly invading (in a figurative sense) surface society causing widespread fear and panic as people don't know how to respond. Have Namor thus be their aloof and even aggressive King, but emphasize his Blue-and-Orange Morality. It would almost be like having aliens on Earth.

The downside is this doesn't introduce him in a way that works with him as a protagonist.

comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#65161: Nov 23rd 2016 at 5:47:25 PM

That's assuming Namor would be given his own movie to begin with. They might just Hulk him.

There's really no need to reinvent the wheel with the character. Just watch what they do with Aquaman and then try not to completely copy that.

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#65162: Nov 23rd 2016 at 5:56:13 PM

I think Namor is already sufficiently different to Aquaman, solely by virtue of his drastically different personality. Besides, Atlantis is a common public domain fictional location, making the king of it a major character shouldn't be something a franchise can monopolize.

Unsung it's a living from a tenement of clay Since: Jun, 2016
it's a living
#65163: Nov 23rd 2016 at 5:59:22 PM

This isn't about DC owning Atlantis so much as them getting there first— you have to take the audience's reaction into account. Especially if this version of Aquaman is popular, you don't want to run the risk of looking like you're bandwagon-jumping, even if you're genuinely not.

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#65164: Nov 23rd 2016 at 6:08:41 PM

If anything, having Namor around to cash in on the disappointment and dashed hopes when Aquaman inevitably sucks will be good for Marvel.

HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#65165: Nov 23rd 2016 at 6:11:22 PM

[up]

Silence!

Or I will mock Yamcha so hard........

One Strip! One Strip!
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#65166: Nov 23rd 2016 at 7:46:12 PM

They might introduce Namor as a Well-Intentioned Extremist Big Bad who then undergoes a Edit:[down]Heel–Face Turn to become an ally in later films, while not heading any of his own. I can't think if anything like that's happened in the MCU yet. Closest we got is the Winter Soldier but he was a previously established heroic figure who got brainwashed, and also he wasn't the leader of the bad guys, Pierce was.

edited 23rd Nov '16 9:46:15 PM by AlleyOop

Ssj3Gojira Arashi Shigehito from The Event Horizon Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Arashi Shigehito
#65167: Nov 23rd 2016 at 8:35:29 PM

You mean a Heel–Face Turn?

Let's see if you can get past my Beelzemon. Mephiles, WARP SHINKA!
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#65168: Nov 23rd 2016 at 8:39:52 PM

Has Marvel gotten the Namor rights back yet?

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#65169: Nov 24th 2016 at 12:26:17 AM

[up] It's not quite clear...some say that they reverted back, other claim that Namor is still tied up in legal issues which need to get cleared up first. But I trust the Disney lawyers will take care of this. I also have the feeling that Marvel is now waiting to see what Warner will do with Aquaman. No need to create a second Quicksilver situation after all, they can lean back and see how Warner deals with a character who belongs under water, learn what works and what doesn't, and then do their own take.

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#65170: Nov 24th 2016 at 1:29:00 AM

I don't think Aquaman's destined to suck because Aquaman sucks, I love Aquaman! I think Aquaman's destined to suck because everything the DCCU does sucks. It's why, despite looking amazing, I have absolutely zero faith that Wonder Woman will be good. 3/3 terrible movies is a very reliable track record of garbage.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#65171: Nov 24th 2016 at 2:04:51 AM

[up] Wrong threat.

I really would love them to introduce Namor as an antagonist at one point. And since they can't explain his powers with Mutant powers, perhaps he will be an Inhuman or some sort of Alien race this time around?

AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#65172: Nov 24th 2016 at 2:08:15 AM

In fairness 2/3 movies are from the same person who has a track record for turning out not so great work.

comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#65173: Nov 24th 2016 at 4:50:40 AM

If you cannot use Namor as a protagonist (possibly due to legal reasons) he'd fit fine as a villain in a future Avengers or Black Panther sequel.

Especially if they ever get to use Doom (an FF reboot is a lost cause at this point) and can adapt the three way war between Wakanda, Atlantis and Latveria.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#65174: Nov 24th 2016 at 5:00:20 AM

If they ever do a FF reboot, I would like them to tell the story from Doom's perspective.

comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#65175: Nov 24th 2016 at 5:02:39 AM

I don't think there's gonna be a reboot. If and when they do get the characters back at this point I'd rather they just use the villains somewhere.


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