Comic book movies Often make some pretty dramatic changes to the characters they portray, and while these alterations can often negatively impact the story they’re trying to tell, in many cases, the character in question is improved by a movie change. The best comic book movies walk the fine line between respecting their source material and making meaningful changes suitable for the translation to the silver screen. sometimes, Superhero films can go in dramatically different directions with their characters Which actually turn out much better than if they had just stuck to a basic adaptation.
The films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe tend to be particularly good at making prescient changes to their characters, in many cases influencing the comics after a film’s release to better align with the new interpretation. DC is not to be left out, however, making some fascinating changes of their own that still represent a completely different take on a classic hero or villain. From personality changes to completely revised backstoriesBoth passages took some alarming liberties with well-known characters to the sound of high critical praise.
10
The penguin
The Batman
Previously, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy was the most grounded, realistic take on the cinematic Batman mythos. However, in recent years, this title has been taken by Matt Reeves’ the batman, what Arguably Brings the character closer to reality than ever before.
In doing so, heavy changes had to be made to every member of Batman’s rouge’s gallery that appeared in the film, with Collin Ferrell’s Penguin seen as the most overt of them. Not named Oswald Cobblepott, Matt Reeves’ Oz Cobb seemingly has similar origins as the last member of a disgraced wealthy family trying to recover the former glory of his name through criminal means.
It’s no wonder The Penguin has its own spin-off show.
The implementation of a club foot compared to the sometimes grotesque physical mutations the penguin undergoes in the hands of comic artists works wonders in making him an instantly recognizable figure. Oz’s New Jersey Italian immigrant mannerisms and bombastic personality also work much better than the Penguin’s traditional antiquated supervillain persona. It’s no wonder The Penguin has its own spin-off show.
9
Namur
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Namor the Submariner has always walked a fine line between hero and villain in the comics, however Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Expands on his backstory in an intriguing way. actually, Namor began his comic career as Altantean KingSimilarly to the more famous nautical DC hero, Aquaman.
Often coming into conflict with the surface world, Namor simultaneously battled and teamed up with everyone from the Human Torch (the original android, not Johnny Storm) to the X-Men and the Avengers. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Made Namor more unique as a savior figure who helped found the Empire of Atlantis, a secret superpower just like Wakanda.
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In the movie, Atlantis and Namor are expanded to be an offshoot of the Maya, giving them both a brilliant visual redesign to reflect this. Although Namor plays an antagonistic role, his motivations are very sympatheticEspecially to Shuri, which makes his character all the stronger. Even Namor’s name is cooler in the MCU, explained as a shortened version of “El Niño sin Amor”, meaning “the child without love” in Spanish.
8
The Vulture
Spider-Man: Homecoming
As far as cinematic Spider-Man villains go, the Vulture’s appearance in Spider-Man: Homecoming is quite high-ranking. In the comics, the villain known as the Vulture, aka Adrian Toomes, is a businessman and genius inventor who designs an advanced flight harness that gives him the ability to soar through the air, as well as a degree of super-strength and durability. . .
When he is betrayed by his business partner, Toomes takes up a life of professional crime, officially becoming the Vulture by using his invention for evil. in Spider-Man: Homecoming, The origins of the Vulture have been re-arranged In a way that not only better ties into the MCU’s overarching story, but feels more thematically appropriate.
Here, Adrian Toomes takes the name quite literally, making a living scavenging for alien tech that fuels his deadly arsenal, including an intimidating personal flight suit. From his intimidating costume update to his more fleshed-out backstory and Micheal Keaton’s underrated performance, The movie version of The Vulture is better in almost every aspect.
7
Iron Man
Iron Man
Even the flagship character of the Marvel Cinematic Universe did not survive the translation to the screen without some drastic changes. Originally, Iron Man was created as a challenge by Stan Lee to get audiences to love a hero with a very unhappy personality. In the comics, Tony Stark is actually much easier to hateMade some alarmingly questionable moral decisions, especially in the original Civil war storyline.
Iron Man’s heel turn in the movies was so successful that even today, his personality is written in the comics to be much closer to Robert Downey Jr. s excellent performance as his dark first persona.
When it was time for the character to play in the flagship film of the MCU, the moral bankruptcy was reduced, which makes Tony Stark’s personality eccentric and erratic, but not outwardly malicious. It also helps that his armor has been given an iconic redesign, looking much more like a mechanized flying suit than the original skin-tight comic look. Iron Man’s heel turn in the movies was so successful That Even today, his personality is written in the comics to be much closer to Robert Downey Jr. s excellent performance as his dark first persona.
6
The Winter Soldier
Captain America: The First Avenger
Indeed, Captain America: The Winter Soldier was the most important film for the MCU’s Bucky Barnes, bringing him back as a remorseless killing machine just like it was done in the comics. However, Bucky’s first appearance in Captain America: The First Avenger Made the most urgent and effective changes to his character arc, something that would later be reflected in his time as the Winter Soldier.
In his debut comic appearance, Bucky is like a Robin to Captain America’s BatmanA teenage sidekick with much less experience. In the MCU, it is explained that Bucky is actually Steve Rogers’ childhood friend who managed to join the military, unlike the weak-bodied Steve.
In a sense, Bucky is actually more experienced as a soldier than Captain America, having entered military service much earlier and acted as the Winter Soldier during Steve’s time in the Ice. The changes work well In service to Bucky and Steve’s friendshipMaking their camaraderie more believable than if Bucky was simply a random kid that Captain America took under his wing.
5
star-lord
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Guardians of the Galaxy were quite an obscure superhero team at the time of their induction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With so few fans having hard set expectations on the characters, director James Gunn was able to make some urgent alterations To the various members behind.
While Drax may be the most different from his comic counterpart, it’s hard to say that Star-Lord’s changes aren’t strictly for the better. In the comics, Peter Quill is also a half-alien who leaves Earth to become a spacefaring adventurer. But rather than the living planet Ego, Star-Lord’s father is a generic human-looking alien called J’son.
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Star-Lord also leaves Earth of his own volition in the comics as an adult after becoming an astronaut, rather than being abducted as a child. From his 70s music taste to his sharp character arc in the movies, Every change the MCU made to Star-Lord only improved the character, Leaving the comics to follow suit.
4
The Mandarin
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Few Marvel characters have a history like the Mandarin. Originally, the Mandarin was the Marvel Comics version of the well-known character Fu Manchu, a racist Chinese caricature who tended to demonize Eastern cultures in pulp stories. His rings of power were worn on his fingers, with each giving a different specific superpower, and he was primarily an Iron Man villain.
After the carpet-pulling that was the mandarin’s fake identity in iron man 3, The MCU introduced the Mandarin in earnest as Xu Wenwu. This version of ​​the warlord and supervillain has a rich backstory with tragic loss and a desperate hunger for power, which makes for a much more three-dimensional character than the weak old original. The rings of power being updated into a distinct energy chain weapon that can also be worn on the forearms is a nice touch as well.
3
From Baku
Black Panther
Similar to the Mandarin, M’Baku’s comic book history would have presented a problematic image to present to modern audiences With in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the comics, M’Baku is better known as Man-Ape, a more straightforward Black Panther villain who covets the Wakandan throne.
Similar to the Black Panther’s consumption of the heart-shaped herb, Man-Ape enjoys a similar powerset thanks to his consumption of a special white-haired gorilla native to Wakanda. The strange mystique and questionable implications of Man-Ape, the MCU elected to introduce M’Baku as the leader of an isolationist, but ultimately loyal fringe tribe in Wakanda.
Although he initially challenges T’Challa for the throne, M’Baku abides by Wakanda’s traditions and ultimately becomes a strong ally of Black Panther. It is obvious Winston Duke’s amazing performance Introduction to the character took Man-Ape from a basic villain to a memorable supporting hero.
2
Lucius Fox
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight is often praised for his interpretations of famous villains like the Joker and Two-Face, but Christopher Nolan’s crowning achievement also deserves some credit for how it changed an undersung side-character. In the comics, Lucius Fox is Bruce Wayne’s business partnerWhich essentially runs Wayne Enterprises while Bruce is busy waging his war on crime as Batman.
It is never directly stated that he knows Bruce Wayne’s secret, but it is heavily implied that Fox is aware that Bruce is indeed the Caped Crusader. In Christopher Nolan the dark knight, It is revealed that Lucius Fox takes a much more active role in aiding Batman’s mission.
In the Nolanverse, Lucius is a brilliant inventor responsible for manufacturing Batman’s Dark Knight Trilogy Gadgets, essentially acting as the Q to Batman’s James Bond. This setup is much more believable, as it’s hard to imagine Batman could have the time to engineer and maintain his own gear. Morgan Freeman’s performance as Lucius Fox also gives the character some welcome warmth and sarcasm.
1
Steppenwolf
Zack Snyder’s Justice League
Steppenwolf may have been an odd choice for the Justice League’s first cinematic villain, considering his relative obscurity as a comic character. however, Zack Snyder repeated him in Zack Snyder’s Justice League Earn more credit As a charming alien antagonist. In the comics, Steppenwolf is a generic human-looking warrior in Darkseid’s employ, serving as a minor player in the supervillain’s schemes who provides little more than a roadbump for the Justice League.
Snyder’s version of Steppenwolf deserves more credit as a great update of a comic book movie villain.
Not only does Zack Snyder’s Justice League Re-imagine Steppenwolf to be an intimidating reptilian alien who looks more at home in Darkseid’s army, but it also gives him a much more interesting motivation. Steppenwolf is revealed to have failed Darkseid in the pastleading to his exile. The tyrant hopes to atone for his past by presenting his master the earth and the motherboxes, giving him a very personal stake in the fight. Snyder’s version of Steppenwolf deserves more credit as a major update of a Comic book movie Villain.