The MCU: the character they could have used was...

[DrNewGod]

The MCU has made some fun and successful films. All adaptations take liberties with the source, but the MCU seems especially prone to giving us in-name-only characters. Sometimes (Wong) that's for the better. Others, it's not, especially when Marvel has so deep a bench of characters that can serve the role Feige, et al. wanted for their scripts.

My case: Sam Rockwell gave us fantastic character in Iron Man 2, but it wasn't Justin Hammer. However, the film's character seems *very* well suited to the comics' Morgan Stark.

Others?

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Blizzard or Living Lazer for iron man 2. I disliked the actual plot of Iron Man 2. It felt like a mess and whiplash never made sense as an Iron Man villian. So I'd retool the plot, cut the Avengers build up and make a simpler film.

If you wanted to do a more Avengers heavy tie in, I'd use Spymaster. Hawkeye and Black Widow started out as Iron Man villians before becoming Avengers. So they would work for Spymaster before defecting to Shield.

There's also Iron Man versus Hulk which probably would've been better.

Ghost would've been ideal for Iron Man 3. I didn't care for the Mandarin and the Ten Rings tease in 1 and 2 was meh. Ghost would lean into Tony's PTSD issues post Avengers.

I would've preffered Hornet of the Slingers instead of Peter in Civil War. So you could put Eddie instead of Harley in Iron Man 3 to set it up.

The Slingers work as Peter Surrogates and it's easier to turn Eddie into Iron Lad than Peter.

If Antman and Wasp weren't tied up with Edgar Wright, I'd use them instead of Rhodey in Iron Man 2. Or just give them a film instead of Iron Man 2.

Instead of Scott as the lead I would've centered a film around Wasp. She has a superhero origin and was the first female Avenger. So redemption for Hank's slap would be to build her up as a solo lead before bringing in Hank.

Goliath and Yellowjacket work as surrogates.

[Jokerz79]

An MCU animated series with the Phase 1 thru 4 characters set during those phases with villains who never appeared on screen would be cool.

[phonogram12]

An MCU animated series with the Phase 1 thru 4 characters set during those phases with villains who never appeared on screen would be cool.

This would be way better than changing anything.

[krazijoe]

They should have created the Masters of Evil before getting the Thunderbolts. Make a good origin story on some Masters of Evil and then spin it into the movies.

[phonogram12]

I'd like to amend my previous statement. Instead of Iron Man and his legacy in the Spider-Man movies, they should have not used him or his legacy at all.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

For Avengers 2, I would've used the Inhumans, the Eternals and Deviants or the Masters of Evil instead of Ultron.

The Inhumans lend themselves to a self contained plot.

The Eternals and Deviants set up the Thanos plot.

The Masters of Evil is a flip on Phase 1's hook and ties phase 2 together better.

[Scott Taylor]

In the three Iron Man films, I'd have liked to have seen Jack of Hearts, Midas and Madame Masque. Modok, too, though I'm probably happier with the direction they ultimately seem to be going with him.

Ultron was good to have but the whole Ultron-Vision-Tony relationship seemed so rushed. I really think Ultron would have been a better villain for Phase IV after Thanos. Does it really matter who builds him? At this point, it could have been Bruce Banner.

Realizing this would have FUBARed everything with Vision that has been done, that would have to be dealt with differently. I could see it happening, though. As a way to bring in the Invaders. But then you have the whole NiAmor guy to deal with, too. Bah!

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Thor 1- I'd enchant Absorbing man and use him against Thor.

I'd use Mockingbird instead of Hawkeye. I liked the fact that she was a scientist before becoming an agent. You could drop in references to Ka-Zar and Man-Thing.

For Selvig and Darcy, I'd use Bill and Tom Foster instead. Bill is a retired superhero who SHIELD brought on to study the Hammer. It's not his field but he's their top guy since Stark died and Hank Pym stopped returning their calls. Tom is his nephew he's trying to mentor and Jane is his daughter he's trying to reconnect with. He also ends up being a mentor figure for Thor as he used to be more like him when he was younger.

Hank and Janet also work as a substitute for Jane, Selig, Darcy and Hawkeye. They end up investigating the Hammer and stopping Thor when he tries to retrieve it. Jan's crush on Thor makes Hank jealous but Thor learns to respect Hank and tries to help him get with Janet.

Thor 2- I'd use Mister Hyde instead of Malekith.

Mister Hyde feels like a better fit for Eccleston than Malekith. Plus I think a human villian is fitting for Thor at this stage.

Thor 3- Gulvig from Everything Burns instead of Hela.

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Gullveig_(Earth-616)

She has a clearer tie to Thor and allows Renee Russo more material to play with.

Vanaheim is a more Thor centric setting and allows you to deal with Asgard's dark history in a more upfront way.

Jeff Goldblum could be playing Freyr instead of the Grandmaster or another of the Vanir God's like Njord.



I love Infinity War but I like this addition to thor's subplot.

[godisawesome]

I think they missed a perfect, easy adaptation of the Power Broker by just making it the US official who took the shield from Sam at the start of TFATWS, and having them be an othersiwse non-descript, unperturbed, casually nationalistic bureaucrat who supplied the Flag Smashers with their stuff at first as a false flag operation to speed up “neccessary” relocation efforts.

No one cares about Sharon Carter being written into a card carrying villain and just hoping that Van Camp’s skill with smirks will carry that.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I agree with this guys take on Defenders. I would've used the Wrecking Crew instead of the Hand.

For Black Widow, I would've just cut out her father and let Dreykov's daughter run Red Room 2.0.

She's our take on Madame Masque. Having her rebuild the Red Room in order to honor and avenge her father is a more interesting villian for Natasha to face.

Taskmaster is an enemy of Natasha who Antonia hires to be a bodyguard and trainer of her agents.

[DrNewGod]

For Avengers 2, I would've used the Inhumans, the Eternals and Deviants or the Masters of Evil instead of Ultron.

The Inhumans lend themselves to a self contained plot.

The Eternals and Deviants set up the Thanos plot.

The Masters of Evil is a flip on Phase 1's hook and ties phase 2 together better.

Thing is AoU isn't a case where the character used doesn't fit the characterization portrayed.

[DrNewGod]

In the three Iron Man films, I'd have liked to have seen Jack of Hearts, Midas and Madame Masque. Modok, too, though I'm probably happier with the direction they ultimately seem to be going with him.

Ultron was good to have but the whole Ultron-Vision-Tony relationship seemed so rushed. I really think Ultron would have been a better villain for Phase IV after Thanos. Does it really matter who builds him? At this point, it could have been Bruce Banner.

Realizing this would have FUBARed everything with Vision that has been done, that would have to be dealt with differently. I could see it happening, though. As a way to bring in the Invaders. But then you have the whole NiAmor guy to deal with, too. Bah!

What about these alternatives fits the character presented better than Ultron?

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Thing is AoU isn't a case where the character used doesn't fit the characterization portrayed.

I just didn't care for Ultron being used so I rather have done something different. I rather diversify the focus than keep it Iron Man focused.

My choices move the series arc (the eternals) or just is an escalation than before (inhumans or masters of evil).

Ultron would've been better for Iron Man 3.

[Guy_McNichts]

Not so much a replacement, but I would insert Screaming Mimi into various movies/shows to set up her becoming Songbird.

Like, in Spider-Man: Homecoming, she could be one of the bank robbers Peter catches. She could then be one of the henchmen Batroc hires in Falcon & the Winter Soldier. Then have her pop up on trial in She-Hulk.

Small cameos and minor appearances establishing her as a low-level villain, like in the comics, before she becomes Songbird and begins her arc as a hero.