Now that Marvel has successfully set up the Avengers franchise, what characters should they focus on next for their films?

Doctor Strange: Arrogant alcoholic surgeon crippled in a car crash and seeks out Eastern mysticism to cure himself, becoming Sorcerer Supreme in the process. In some ways this could be Iron Man meets Thor for the Marvel movies.

Ant-Man - Not the most compelling back story, but Edgar Wright could make this a fun Nick and Nora type of adventure comedy.

Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD - Sam Jackson as a badass secret agent could be pretty awesome. Put him up against Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker or Zodiac and go nuts.

Heroes for Hire - Maybe even do separate Iron Fist and Luke Cage films first, then have the two team up for this one.

Ms. Marvel - Contact as a superhero film? That's the best I've got.

I say none of those, for the following (shortened) reasons:

Doctor Strange -- they won't buy it. He does sorcery. Not enough different from Harry Potter. It will seem boring. Not a hit.

Ant-Man -- not a hit. People will be expecting a comedy.

Nick Fury -- too pedestrian by today's standards.

Another observation -- Green Lantern has ruined cosmic for a while. So Captain Marvel, Silver Surfer, etc. -- they are out. Better stay away from ambitious cosmic for a while.

Side note: I think they should have done Morbeus, the Living Vampire (and that should be the title). But that's not my final answer.

Deathlok the Demolisher would be good -- a real reason to do a Robocop type story again.

Sub-Mariner could work. Maybe the public is ready for it to be a period piece, since Captain America worked so well.

The reason Namor could carry a movie is that he's an SOB. They do the whole "human arrogance destroyed my people" hook (which resonates with audiences), and he does some havok, but then some larger threat like a big Cthulhu monster from the sea emerges and he has to "save these humans I have grown to love."

Can Marvel do a Pietro and Wanda movie? Or are they contracted along with the other Mutants to Fox?

I think maybe they could start up a franchise with the Inhumans. It's a good name, and it would allow a fun X-Men vibe where there are characters running around all over the place.

But not the current, cosmic version of the Inhumans. The ones that are hiding out on earth or something. Under a blue dome.

By the way -- something where you could work in the Celestials, with the Deviants and all that would be a cool movie. People would go to that.

I've thought of a way to get around the Ant-Man problem -- go with Yellowjacket. He's my favorite Pym iteration anyway. It sounds cool. Give him the shrinking power. Give him Jane as the Wasp. Forget making the "power to command ants" a central part of it. (Maybe he can use that sometime, but but that on the back burner).

Yes. Yellowjacket is a nice concept for a movie.

Golden Age Human Torch would be cool (android is new).

Or the Vision could be in an Avengers movie and then solo.

Cast the Rock as Namor, King of Atlantis. He's tricked by Attuma into attacking the surface world, which he has reason to believe has attacked his kingdom. During the attack he's injured and loses his memory. He's taken care of by that nurse that Namor dates (blanking on the name). They fall in love, Namor's memory returns and he learns the truth just in time to fight off Attuma's forces that are launching a second attack.

Summer blockbuster.

A great Pym movie would start with the Ant Man character, have him and Wasp take on the bad guys with some success, and then (when all seems lost towards the end) he appears as Giant Man and kicks ass.

And he gets shaved by Johnny Storm! Chris Evans cameo!

(oops. Fox has those rights).

Yeah, that's awesome. That would totally work.

And not just 12 feet tall either. Eventually, he's like Doctor Manhattan in Watchmen.

And then move them into Avengers ll: The Wrath of Kang.

Agents of Atlas!

I think Shang Chi would work really well.

Dr Strange would be cool - maybe have it end with a post credits sequence where he starts recruiting the Defenders (leading up to a Defenders movie - focusing on supernatural characters). His first recruit could be Blade (Marvel has regained the rights to Blade and the Punisher)...that would elicit a cool response from a movie audience IMO.

So you're thinking porn as the next step for Marvel?

Sounds like a winner!

Agents of Atlas would rock.

I like this idea.

I still say DD#7: Namor vs DD