Short of making their first live-action debut in the MCU, these ten Marvel heroes appeared in person much sooner than you think.
Summary
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Marvel characters were depicted in live-action media long before the MCU, contributing to the genre’s beginnings and laying the groundwork for today’s superhero films.
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Some of the early live-action debuts may not live up to the MCU’s standards, but they played a major role in turning Marvel’s iconic comic book heroes into household names.
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Some of these early live-action debuts may be outdated by today’s standards, but they still deserve recognition for their pioneering efforts.
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You are watching: 10 Marvel Characters That Debuted In Live-Action Way Earlier Than You Think
The MCU may have revolutionized the superhero genre on television and film, but many Marvel characters were depicted in live-action media much earlier than you think. In fact, some of Earth’s mightiest heroes were present on screen even around the same time as the first comics. It may have taken 80 years to perfect the formula, but superhero movies and television shows were a big part of mid-20th century entertainment, albeit noticeably less prolific.
These debuts of live-action Marvel characters long before the MCU timeline began were breaking new ground in the early days of the genre. While they may not measure up to the Goliath that is the current MCU, they deserve recognition for their role in turning Marvel’s most iconic comic book heroes into flesh and blood. However, that’s not to say that some of these live debuts haven’t stood the test of time.
10 Thor debuted in The Incredible Hulk Returns (1988)
One of the most famous live-action superhero franchises before the MCU is The incredible Hulk, which featured Lou Ferrigno as the titular tortured hero. This interpretation of The Incredible Hulk was made up of television episodes and films, with The Incredible Hulk Returns fall into the latter category. Having now achieved cult classic status, Ferrigno’s Incredible Hulk is one of the most famous examples of early live-action superheroes. Less famous, however, is Eric Allan Kramer’s portrayal of Thor.
The film marked the first time another Marvel character appeared in the long-running series. It was also the first time the rivalry between Thor and Hulk was depicted which would not be seen again until the MCU leaned into it in Thor: Ragnarök. Interestingly, this rivalry has gotten slightly meta as Ferrigno once claimed to have the fittest superhero body of all time, seemingly without regard to Chris Hemsworth’s own physique.
9 Spider-Man first appeared in Spidey Super Stories (1974)
Spider-Man is among Marvel’s most prolific heroes, appearing in animated form on television from 1967 to the present, and was the subject of so many spin-offs that he has become the focus of its most recent animated feature film. However, his first live-action appearance saw him join the children’s television series. The electric company as part of a regular play called Super Spidey stories. Spider-Man has always been a source of humor in the Marvel franchise, and his appearance in this 1974 series is no different, as he offers a dated but hilarious take on the beloved web-slinger in a morph suit.
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8 Wilson Fisk and Daredevil first fought in Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989)
The Hulk once again played host to other live-action Marvel heroes with the TV movie. Trial of the Incredible Hulk. As expected, this outing featured Marvel’s most famous lawyer, Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil, as he was assigned to defend David Banner in court following more Hulk shenanigans. The unlikely alliance pits the two characters against Daredevil’s old rival, Wilson Fisk, played in this case by Lord of the Rings Actor John Rhys-Davis.
7 Before Samuel L. Jackson, David Hasselhoff was Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD (1998)
The television movie Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD It was one of the first attempts to turn a Hasselhoff-directed Fury film into a franchise. The film focused on Nick Fury’s battle against HYDRA, complete with a helicopter and his iconic eye patch, something this version of Fury uses as a container for a mini explosive. The film also featured a host of other Marvel characters, including Arnim Zola and Alexander Pierce, to name just a couple.
Unfortunately, however, Hasselhoff’s name alone was not enough to take this film to the franchise future it intended. This is probably for the best, since it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Samuel L. Jackson in the lead role. That Hasselhoff is one of the most prolific characters in the MCU does not have the same appeal.
6 Dolph Lundgren from Rocky IV was the first live-action Punisher (1989)
Before Jon Bernthal proved himself to be the best actor to play the role of antihero Frank Castle, some failed attempts to bring a live-action Punisher to the big screen began with Dolph Lundgren’s rocky iv fame. In the film, Frank Castle takes on the Yakuza in an interpretation of the character that deviates too much from the source material, including the omission of his iconic t-shirt with a skull logo. However, he helped establish Castle as a conduit through which to portray the grittier side of superhero movies.
5 The Fantastic Four first failed in 1994
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The Fantastic Four are no strangers to failed live-action outings, something the MCU Fantastic four I hope I can rectify it. However, at least all three post-millennium films made it to full release, which is more than can be said for Marvel’s first attempt to bring iconic Marvel heroes to the big screen. The strangest part is that the film, which can now be viewed in its entirety via YouTube, has become something of a cult classic, not least because of its stunning costumes created by one of the best Ben Grimm to ever appear in. the live action screen, despite being the earliest.
4 Steven Strange and Wong’s on-screen friendship began in Dr. Strange (1978)
Doctor Strange, despite now being among the most visually entertaining Marvel film franchises, wasn’t as engaging in its live-action debut, failing to make it past a single film installment. Although Wong is now among the MCU’s most beloved characters, neither he nor Strange were able to catapult Doctor Strange into a successful live-action franchise before the MCU’s attempt in 2016. The 1978 TV movie also features Morgan Le Fey as the main villain, who is currently rumored to be coming to the MCU via Aubrey Plaza. Agatha: Darkhold Diaries character.
3 Banshee and Emma Frost are directors of Generation X (1996)
Before X Men First generationtwo Marvel characters in that film made their first live-action debut as part of a pilot film turned television. Generation. So early X Men The tribute focused on a contingent of darker characters including Jubilee, Penance and Skin. However, in the absence of supporting characters in this live-action outing, Emma Frost and Sean Cassidy this time take the reins of the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, acting as directors of the school founded to house and train young mutants.
2 Man-Thing (2005)
Man-Thing is a lesser-known Marvel character who recently made a show-stealing appearance in Werewolf at night on Disney Plus. The 2005 film aimed to ride the wave of success of previous live-action superhero films, which included Spider-Man and the X-Men. However, it fell short, being criticized for wasting a good concept, although it at least won praise for its low-budget special effects depicting an admittedly terrifying Man-Thing. It also deserves praise, as does the second live-action Man-Thing installment, for exploring the horror side of the superhero genre.
1 Captain America starred in a 1944 series
Today, World War II plays a pivotal role in the story of Captain America and his efforts to help defeat the Nazis and HYDRA in the 1940s. However, in the 1940s, Captain America was the first Marvel hero to appear on the big screen, ahead of the MCU, and would remain the last for several decades. This historic outing comprised a 15-part serial film, which saw Captain America wielding a gun instead of a shield and the real name Grant Gardner instead of Steve Rogers.
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