As Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is ready to wrap things up at ABC, the word is out that the network is looking for another Marvel series to take its place. Not just any series, however. ABC is reportedly looking to tap into Marvel's roster of female heroes for a series that will be new in more ways than one. So, who will be the star of this new series?
That we don't know, but with a big roster of heroes that haven't gotten their own series, there are plenty of options. Below is a list of some of the best candidates who Marvel may, and probably should give a series to on ABC sooner than later.
Storm
As one of the strongest mutants in Marvel Comics, Storm really didn't get the love or focus in the X-Men films that she deserved. She was portrayed as a supporting character, when in actuality her lore and connection to the rest of the MCU is just as large if not a little bit larger than Wolverine. It's time this Omega-level mutant got the spotlight for a change.
Which could certainly happen via a standalone ABC series, although the odds of Storm getting a series there depend largely on timing. If this series is coming any time before Phase 5 in the MCU, then her odds of being the hero of this ABC adventure are low. With that said, Marvel is always surprising fans left and right, so perhaps Storm could be the new Wolverine to this MCU run of the X-Men. Why not with an ABC series to start?
Echo
Maya Lopez or Echo is one of the few Native American Marvel heroes, as well as one of the only superheroes that is deaf. Her home is the Daredevil universe, in which she was raised by Wilson Fisk after he took notice of her ability to perfectly mimic the abilities of others (much like Taskmaster). Fisk killed her father (who worked for him), but later told Maya the death was caused by Daredevil. Using footage from fights between Bullseye and Daredevil, Echo trained to defeat the Marvel hero, but eventually became a hero.
And that, Marvel fans, is how the groundwork is laid for a spiritual successor to the cancelled Daredevil series. It all just fits in with Season 3 all too well, but let's be realistic. There's no way ABC would let series even close to Daredevil in tone on its primetime lineup. With that said an Echo series could introduce a more subdued tone, and perhaps a version of Charlie Cox's Daredevil that would actually fit within the MCU. We can dream right?
Laura Kinney (X-23)
Marvel fans instantly fell in love with Dafne Keen's X-23 in Logan, but with the latest news that Disney isn't in a rush to bring the X-Men to the MCU and isn't too impressed with what remains from Fox era, chances are we'll never see her iteration of the character again. That's disappointing, but the silver lining is that Marvel could certainly bring us an older Laura Kinney and give us an action-packed series centered on an adult X-23.
Let's face it: rebooting Wolverine will be one of the toughest challenges Marvel has faced to date, so why not just develop a different Wolverine? It's kind of the route DC has taken with its constant stream of "not Batman" action shows, and an effective method. Plus, Kinney is a great character who could give us an original tale that could live with or without the X-Men in the picture.
She-Hulk
One of Marvel's most popular female heroes, Jennifer Walters or She-Hulk still has yet to get an introduction in the MCU. One has to think she's one of the best candidates for her own television series. Imagine ABC running a legal procedural with her character that breaks up courtroom monotony with the occasional fight against crime. That would be pretty fantastic.
Unfortunately, it would take Marvel working out quite a deal as Universal retains the rights to the character. Considering the two have had trouble coming to terms on just about anything that isn't letting the Hulk play a supporting character in films these days, it seems like a long shot the two would collaborate on some series. Then again, Sony and Marvel made it work with Spider-Man, so perhaps there's some hope yet we could get a She-Hulk series.
Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan)
While there have been teases that Ms. Marvel will work her way into the MCU, does she necessarily have to premiere on the silver screen? She'd probably have to be introduced there considering she's tied to Captain Marvel, but characters from the films have appeared in television before, and more often than not it has happened on ABC. Could Kamala Khan's Ms. Marvel be the star of her own show?
It wouldn't be surprising if that's the plan, as the creation of Marvel's character was met with widespread acclaim. There are few shows on television with Muslim leads, and even fewer with leads that are young Muslim women. Kamala Khan is the perfect character to break that cycle, and perhaps generate some real buzz in the mainstream about one of the brand's more obscure heroes. Plus, who wouldn't want a series with a hero that can also appear in the major movies?
Maria Hill
Cobie Smulders' Maria Hill has long been a part of the MCU, and has even appeared in Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Audiences thought they were going to see the character again in Spider-Man: Far From Home, but alas, something else happened and Hill was nowhere to be found. Hill was last seen at Tony Stark's funeral in Avengers: Endgame. Where is she now?
We have no idea, but it sounds like the kind of question that a series could easily answer. ABC could be priming for a Cobie Smulders-led Maria Hill series, on the off-chance Smulders' current upcoming series Stumptown doesn't pan out. It seems like a very pricey back-up plan, but hey, there was never any timetable behind when this new series would even arrive!
Scarlett Johansson Says 'The Future' Of Marvel 'Is Female'
Got an idea on which Marvel heroine should lead her own ABC series? Drop all suggestions in the comments below and continue to stick with CinemaBlend for all the latest news happening in the world of television and movies.
