Marvel And DC Villains Who Will (Probably) Never Appear In Live-Action
The Marvel and DC Universes are filled with memorable villains that have stood the test of time, and whom will be remembered as some of the best pop culture creations of all time. In the 80+ years since the Golden Age of comics, numerous characters have captured readers' attention. Even when we look beyond household names such as the Joker, the Penguin, Thanos, Darkseid, the Green Goblin, Doctor Doom, and Kang the Conqueror, there are tons of iconic bad guys that have appeared in live-action films and TV shows.
However, some comic book villains will probably never make the jump to the small or big screen — and for a good reason.
It's important to add the following disclaimer: No villain actually appears to be off-limits for the MCU or DCU. For example, in James Gunn's "Suicide Squad," deep-cut characters like Polka-Dot Man and a version of Ratcatcher starred in the film. Meanwhile, Marvel's "She-Hulk" featured many unusual characters, including Leap-Frog, Mr. Immortal, and Porcupine. So, anything is possible! And while some of the best Marvel and DC villains on-screen have begun life as lesser versions of their on-screen adaptations, there are other characters — here's looking at you, Snowflame — who are so bizarre, strangely designed, or just downright offensive, they likely won't be getting adapted in either of these expansive live-action universes any time soon.
Gamecock stuck around longer than expected
Captain America has a pretty impressive lineup of villains among Marvel heroes: Baron Zemo, Red Skull, and Crossbones, to name a few. However, one villain who will never make a list of Cap's best rogues is Gamecock. At a time when Steve Rogers ditched his shield and patriotic costume and opted for a new look and moniker as Nomad, one of his most ridiculous foes was introduced — one who made the former Captain America's ugly new costume look incredible in comparison.
Gamecock, whose real name is Carlos Cabrera, was a powerless street-level villain who dressed like a rooster and led a group of similarly dressed henchmen. The storylines involving Gamecock, like him capturing the Falcon, didn't make him a particularly memorable villain, but he makes this list due to his absurd costume. He hilariously wears a rooster mask, claws, feathered boots, and even a tail. In no way is Gamecock intimidating, to say the least, much less presenting as someone who could ever challenge Captain America.
The character ultimately made several appearances in the comics, but he hasn't jumped from joke villain to major threat. Gamecock would need a serious redesign to be in the MCU ... or to be totally presented as a joke in a second season of "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law."
Snowflame is DC's worst idea ever
Frankly, it's shocking Snowflame exists at all. In "New Guardians" #2, the titular super-team went to Colombia to battle a villain who gained metahuman powers through snorting cocaine. No, that isn't a typo: Snowflame is a Colombian supervillain who gets stronger with the more cocaine he ingests. In the comic, which somehow wasn't an anti-drug PSA, the villain calls cocaine his god and declares he is a "human instrumental of its will." Cocaine fuels Snowflame's superhuman powers so much he can get heroes high on cocaine simply by touching them.
For over 30 years, Snowflame never returned after his first appearance. Probably due to just how ridiculous a character he is, though, he was eventually redesigned and returned for appearances in "Catwoman" and "Batman Incorporated." Most likely, the bizarreness of the character should rule him out for a live-action adaptation ... but on the other hand, the idea of a weird, cocaine-powered villain appearing in "Peacemaker" seems like something that would be very up James Gunn's alley, if he found a way to rework the character's offensive elements, so we can't rule him out altogether.
Mighty Endowed's powers are too risqué for the DCU
The Mighty Endowed, who appeared in "Young Justice" #1, actually has some notoriety, as she was the first villain the young team of heroes faced in the comics. But, solely based on her powers–having the ability to hypnotize people with her giant bust, which is covered up to readers by cloud-like smoke–she is unlikely to appear in the DCU in the near or distant future.
Originally intended to be named Sex Kitten to match her cat-like costume, this character was given a name change before debuting in the pages of DC Comics. In-universe, Nina Dowd gains her powers after discovering a vehicle from the New Gods, after which she ... well, as said before, her powers aren't super-strength, super-speed, or the usual things. To say the least, the character is extremely dated and plays into sexist tropes: hypnosis from the chest feels like a power that should have been left on the cutting-room floor.
No surprisingly, the Mighty Endowed didn't appear in comics for over two decades after her debut. Still, in the relatively recent "Dark Crisis: Young Justice" miniseries, she made a surprise comeback as the heroes battled her under bizarre circumstances. The Mighty Endowed was a groan-worthy character that highlights how weird comics can be, but don't expect to see her get the live-action treatment anytime soon.
Big Wheel never rolls up into a ranking of Spider-Man's greatest villains
Big Wheel, whose real name is Jackson Wheele (because comics are comics) is exactly what he sounds like: a man driving a gigantic wheel.
The character, who (alongside fellow foolish villain The Wall) has become somewhat of a meme for comics and non-comic book readers alike, is tied to a more notorious Spider-Man villain named The Tinkerer (who made his live-action debut as one of Vulture's goons in "Spider-Man: Homecoming," played by Michael Chernus). In the comics, Wheele and the Tinkerer team up to take down Spider-Man. The resulting plan? Jackson will roll over him in a huge wheel.
In the years since, Big Wheel has used his Ferris wheel-like frame to mess with several Marvel heroes, including Ghost Rider and Deadpool. Oddly, that almost didn't happen, because his original appearance in "The Amazing Spider-Man" #183 ends with him losing control of his weapon, rolling into the river, and dying. Still, during the 20 years between Big Wheel's seeming death and his resurrection, he did make a surprise appearance in the classic 1990s cartoon "Spider-Man: Animated Series," where he was voiced by "MacGyver" actor Michael Des Barres.
Frankly, out of any villains in this list, Big Wheel probably has the greatest chance of appearing in a future MCU film or TV series (as a joke, obviously, but still). Still, it remains to be seen just how a man with a giant wheel for a weapon gets adapted in live-action, as he's simply too strange to fit in a movie or show seamlessly. Still, we're hopeful Big Wheel comes to the MCU, as his unlikely arrival is so ridiculous it just needs to happen.
Marcus Immortus should never be adapted -- for good reason
Trigger warning: the following section deals with sexual assault.
Marcus Immortus is a descendant of a Kang the Conqueror variant, but don't expect him to appear in the MCU. And he shouldn't, because the only storyline he was involved with is wildly problematic.
Born in Limbo, Marcus is the son of Kang variant Immortus. After watching his father die, he discovers a path to leave his dimension by impregnating Carol Danvers (at the time, Ms. Marvel) with himself — allowing him to escape as a baby before quickly growing into his full adult self. To do this, he takes Carol captive, brainwashes her with mind control, has Shakespeare write her a sonnet and Beethoven perform for her, and forces her to fall in "love" with him. Following this and the birth of the child, the "Avengers" creative team decided that Carol would embrace being with Marcus after being forced to give birth to him. She even returned to Limbo with him in a horrifying story that tried to play things off like it was all a "happily-ever-after" for both characters.
Carol would eventually return, but the fact she went through the ordeal with Marcus and decided to join him in Limbo is one of the worst storylines in Marvel Comics history. With that in mind, Marcus Immortus' infamous appearance in "Avengers" 200 was, frankly, disgusting, and the MCU should stay away from this character with a 100-foot pole.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).