We review all the movies that are not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the Golden Age of comics.
As we well know, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (UCM) currently has unprecedented weight and success. The titles of each phase are awaited with great expectation and reap millionaire profits at the box office. Of course, with the coronavirus pandemic, cinema, in general, has been suffering one more crisis. However, the UCM is still under construction. At the moment the film that kicks off Phase 4 is the highly anticipated Black Widow, which has been delayed several times and is scheduled to premiere on May 7, 2021.
But before all this huge material from Marvel superheroes, the House of Ideas did not always go through success. Like any long-standing project, it has had its moments. Let's remember the ages of the comics, as well as the different stages within Marvel. On the other hand, there is the impact of the purchase of Marvel Studios by Disney.
Either way, here we will see the Marvel sagas and movies that are not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Either because they were made before it was made or because they were trapped in a kind of limbo in the transition to being part of Disney.
Marvel Cinema in the Golden Age
Recall that the Golden Age of comics is considered from 1938 to 1956. This stage is also recognized by the birth of the best-known superheroes, as well as an incipient public of comics. It is here where we find a peculiar title: Captain America from 1944, delivered in serialized format for the cinema. We say peculiar because the character featured in this Republic Pictures production was very different from the one created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.
Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe
During more complicated times for comics, such as the Bronze Age, where comic houses experienced their worst crises, decisions had to be made that would have a direct impact on the current film universe. Like the sale of rights that Marvel made in the early 1990s, both to Universal Pictures, Sony, and 20th Century Fox. This is why characters like Spider-Man, X-Men, and Fantastic 4 have films outside the MCU, and some of them only recently "returned" home and will be part of the aforementioned universe.
Howard the Duck
Of course, before the construction of the MCU, there were other movies based on comic book characters. Just like Howard the Duck from 1986 and directed by Willard Huyck. This film about the character created by Steve Gerber is one of those that over time has become a cult film. This despite its resounding failure at the box office, the reception of the public at the time of its premiere, and the critics.
The punisher
One character that has undoubtedly caught the attention of the cinema is The Punisher, created by writer Gerry Conway and artists Jon Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. He first appeared in the comics in 1974, in The Amazing Spider-Man # 129. This antihero has had different adaptations: 1989's The Punisher, directed by Mark Goldblatt and starring Dolph Lundgren. In 2004 another film of this character was released, directed by Jonathan Hensleighse, starring Thomas Jane and John Travolta.
Now, in 2008 Punisher: War Zone was released, directed by Lexi Alexander and Ray Stevenson. With an even darker tone, even for this character, as Marvel had created the Marvel Knights label with the intention of making "superhero movies for adults."
Already in the Netflix era, this antihero returned with one of his most successful adaptations of the character, played by Jon Bernthal. The case of the Marvel-Netflix series is peculiar because in general they had adaptations with great acceptance among the public and critics and underwent the transition from the label to Disney. So much of the public wants to see the protagonists of those adaptations as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We talk about Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and, yes, The Punisher.
X Men
Undoubtedly one of the sagas that Marvel fans have enjoyed and missed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the X-Men. It was in the year 2000 that 20th Century Fox would start the X-Men film saga. A saga that would undoubtedly change the course of superhero movies. Well, he returned the eyes of the public, but also of the studios to achieve great success, both in public and at the box office.
The films that belong to this saga are:
- X-Men , 2000, directed by Bryan Singer
- X-Men 2 , 2003, directed by Bryan Singer
- X-Men: The Final Battle , directed by Brett Ratner
- X-Men Origins Wolverine , year 2006, directed by Brett Ratner
- X-Men: First Class , 2011, directed by Matthew Vaughn
- Wolverine: Immortal , year 2013, directed by James Mangold
- X-Men: Days of Future Past , 2014, directed by Bryan Singer
- Deadpool , 2016, directed by Tim Miller
- X-Men: Apocalypse , 2016, directed by Bryan Singer
- Logan , year 2017, directed by Jamse Manglod
- Deadpool 2 , year 2018, directed by David Leitch
- Dark Phoenix , year 2019, directed by Simon Kinberg
- The New Mutants , Year 2020, Directed by Josh Boone
The last two tapes on the above list have already been released under the banner of Walt Disney Studios. Even its premiere was delayed several times for these reasons, remaining for some time in limbo and without a release date.
Ghost Rider
Another character that has had several adaptations is Ghost Rider, a character created by Roy Thomas, Gary Friedrich, and Mike Ploog. It appeared for the first time in 1972. In 2007 its first film was released, directed by Mark Steven Johnson, starring Nicolas Cage. In 2011 Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance was released, directed by Brian Taylor and Mark Neveldine. Both films received a very bad reception from the critics and the public. This character, however, would return in Agents of SHIELD, a series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In it, Gabriel Luna plays Robbie Reyes, the fifth Ghost Rider.
Spiderman
This is undoubtedly one of Marvel's most beloved characters. By the 2000s there was a long time with a Spider-Man film in development, not without major legal and creative problems. It was until 2002 that Sam Raimi directed the film adaptation of Spidey. One that would mark the character in the cinema from now on. He was played by Tobey Maguire and would make two more films, Spider-Man 2 in 2004 and SpÃder-Man 3 in 2007. This trilogy was a huge hit with both the public and the box office.
By 2010 Marvel canceled the fourth installment of the trilogy starring Maguire and for 2012 announced the restart with a new cast and director. The casts were Marc Webb and Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker / Spider-Man. In 2014 The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro was released, with the same names in the main positions.
In the era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios reached an agreement for the rights of Spider-Man, with the intention that he would venture into said Universe, first in Captain America: Civil War and then alone. This would lead to another main actor being chosen and since then it is that Tom Holland has played Spidey.
The films and appearances of Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are:
- Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
The Fantastic Four
These important characters created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961, by the way, with the Marvel Method, would become a cornerstone for the comics of said publishing house. The Fantastic Four had great success since its launch and several adaptations were made on television. As well as a series of films that are not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe:
- Fantastic Four (2005), directed by Tim Story
- Fantastic Four and the Silver Surfer (2006), directed by Tim Story
- Fantastic Four (2015), directed by Josh Trank
In November 2015 Fox officially removed the sequel from its 2017 release date. With Disney's purchase of 21th Century Fox, the characters returned to Marvel Studios. Later, Marvel Studios and Disney announced that a Fantastic Four film was in production and will be set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Jon Watts directing.
Other films that do not belong to the Marvel Cinematic Universe
We have mentioned the most prominent Marvel films that do not belong to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, they are not the only ones, there are also other films such as:
- Daredevil (2003), directed by Mark Steven Johnson.
- Elektra (2005), directed by Rob Bowman
- Hulk (2003), directed by Ang Lee
As well as the Badel saga, starring Wesley Snipes, which had
- Blade (1998), directed by Stephen Norrington
- Blade II (2002), directed by Guillermo del Toro
- Blade: Trinity (2004) directed by David S. Goyer.
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