Predicting Marvel Studios' Dark Avengers Team Lineup
As DC Comics' The Suicide Squad prepares to release in theaters and HBO Max, Marvel Studios may be laying the groundwork for an odd group of morally grey "villains" of their own. With a new team of super-beings, comes a daring recruitment effort throughout the expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Mysterious emissary Valentina Allegra De Fontaine (played by Emmy Award-winning Julia Louis-Dreyfuss) is assembling an equally cryptic team of morally complex MCU characters.
Marvel Comics has seen several teams of villains coming together to aspire for something greater, from the Baron Zemo-led Thunderbolts initiative to the more recent Dark Avengers spearhead by former Spider-Man nemesis Norman Osborn. While the concept of The Thunderbolts may better fit tonally within the MCU, comic book writer Brian Michael Bendis' Dark Avengers seems like an instant shoo-in for brand purposes.
6. Crimson Dynamo
Perhaps Iron Man's greatest armored rival, The Crimson Dynamo serves as the Soviet Union's answer to Stark Industries CEO Tony Stark's armored counterpart. The closest Crimson Dynamo had in receiving a cinematic offering was 2010's Iron Man 2, which briefly featured Dynamo's original comics counterpart, Russian Stark Industries rival Anton Vanko (Yevgeni Lazarev).
However, the villain has undergone many incarnations throughout the character's comic history. More recently, Crimson Dynamo received a blatant namedrop during a memorable scene in Black Widow, hinting at the character's presence within Russia. A television series for 1987-88 Iron Man comic crossover Armor Wars which featured Crimson Dynamo as a central foe among other Iron Man villains, was announced for Disney + in late 2020.
5. Trickshot
Every Avengers team needs a skilled who may not have superpowers but is just as skilled and without them. A circus alumnus, Barney Barton a.k.a. Trickshot is the older brother of The Avengers resident archer Clint Barton / Hawkeye. Like his brother, Trickshot is an extremely skilled archer and acrobat capable of astonishing feats.
While officially unconfirmed for the upcoming Disney + series, Hawkeye is inspired by writer Matt Fraction and artist David Aja's award-winning 2012-2015 comic run, in which Barney played a role. With villains The Tracksuit Mafia and Swordsman already making their live-action debut in the series, it would be ideal for Hawkeye's relative to make his MCU introduction as well.
4. Namor The Submariner
If Valentina is in need of a reserve member for Thor, the viable candidate may not be in the cosmos but under the sea. Conceived nearly two years before DC Comics' own undersea hero Aquaman, Namor Mckenzie is the arrogant ruler of the undersea continent Atlantis while acting as an occasional threat to the surface world and their vast array of superheroes.
The half-human/half Atlantean Namor has long been a character that has been in heavy discussion to join a live-action Marvel since the late 1990s. Though Marvel's original antihero may be unable to receive his own solo film, Namor is heavily rumored to be receiving his big-screen spotlight in 2022's Black Panther Wakanda Forever, played by Narcos Mexico's Tenoch Huerta. As Thor leaves Earth to start anew with the Guardians of the Galaxy, it's time for another superhuman royal to make his presence known.
3. The Abomination
British royal marine Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) received a heavy dose of gamma radiation, following his humiliation and defeat at the hands of Dr. Bruce Banner a.k.a. The Incredible Hulk. Mutating into a monstrous creature of enormous strength and brawn, Blonsky a.k.a. Abomination became the greatest physical match that the Hulk had ever seen.
However, Abomination himself has not been seen in the MCU since his fight with Banner's alter ego through New York City's Harlem district over a decade ago in 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Luckily, The Abomination seems to be making a rather imminent comeback in the MCU's next phase of films/shows.
As Banner's own successor She-Hulk would likely distance herself from the likes of less savory characters, it's unknown where The Abomination's loyalties now lie or whether he is chomping at the bit to associate with a villainous group.
2. Black Widow / Yelena Belova
The undisputed scene-stealer of Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff's adoptive sister Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh)'s tenure in the MCU is just beginning. Another unwilling participant of Russia's underground Red Room program, Yelena was trained and engineered to be the epitome of espionage and assassination, even more than her deceased older sister.
Currently holding the title of the MCU's primary Black Widow, Belova is one of the few surviving Widows from The Red Room. As showcased with the film's ending post-credits scene, Yelena proves to be the latest addition to Valentina's mysterious cadre of MCU antiheroes.
Confirmed for a role in the stacked cast of Marvel's Hawkeye, Black Widow seems to be on the hunt for Natasha's former partner and "presumed" killer... Clint Barton.
1. U.S. Agent / John Walker
Following Sam Wilson's initial reluctance to take up the coveted mantle of Captain America, honored army soldier John F. Walker (Wyatt Russell) is chosen by the United States government for the role. As Walker finds himself deterred by his lack of heightened physical abilities, John's mental instability takes a turn for the worse.
In order to prove a match to a world of rising threats, John turns to an experimental form of super-soldier serum, but at the cost of losing both his sanity and public reputation. A disgraced John finds a lifeline in De Fontaine, who gifts the war hero with a new outfit and mission before rebranding the man as U.S. Agent. What Valentina's mission for the U.S. Agent is left to be revealed...
Following Avengers Endgame, the world remains in quite an unknown place with several established and forthcoming heroes left to fill in the power vacuum created in the wake of the war with cosmic despot Thanos.
Marvel Studios' fourth phase of films and television programming will be all about "new beginnings" and becoming familiar with new characters and teams. As a new generation of mounting threats looms over the horizon, Valentina's team and its members will soon begin to come into focus.
Opinions and Perspectives
The dynamic between all these damaged characters could be really powerful if done right.
It's smart of Marvel to build this team gradually through different projects.
This team could give us a completely different perspective on the MCU's world.
I'm really hoping they lean into the moral ambiguity of these characters.
The success of this will really depend on how well they balance the darker elements with Marvel's usual tone.
Looking at this lineup, the interpersonal conflicts could be more interesting than the actual villains they face.
This could be exactly what the MCU needs to keep things fresh and interesting.
I'm most excited about seeing how these characters evolve once they're forced to work together.
The contrast between Valentina and Nick Fury's recruitment methods should be fascinating.
It would be interesting to see how the remaining original Avengers react to this team.
Just please don't make it too similar to Suicide Squad. Marvel needs its own take on this concept.
If they nail the character dynamics, this could be even better than the original Avengers.
Anyone else curious about how they'll handle the power scaling between these characters?
Each of these characters has such a compelling backstory. They just need to tie them together well.
The political implications of this team could be really interesting to explore.
Pretty sure this team will end up fighting each other as much as their actual enemies.
I bet they'll throw in some surprise additions we haven't even considered yet.
This could be Marvel's chance to do something really different with their team dynamic.
My main concern is balancing all these strong personalities without making it feel forced.
Watching Yelena and U.S. Agent interact would be worth the price of admission alone.
The success of Loki shows that audiences are ready for more morally ambiguous characters.
I'm already looking forward to the inevitable clash between this team and whatever new Avengers lineup forms.
This team could actually be more interesting than the original Avengers because of their complicated backgrounds.
The real question is whether they'll be true antiheroes or just misunderstood heroes.
Wonder if they'll give us some flashbacks to Valentina's recruitment process for each member.
Actually, I think Trickshot's inclusion could add some interesting family drama to the mix.
Not convinced about Trickshot. Seems like they're trying too hard to parallel the original Avengers.
The power dynamics between Namor and U.S. Agent would be fascinating to watch.
These characters all have such strong motivations. The writers have their work cut out for them.
I'm curious about how they'll handle the public relations aspect. Will they be government-sanctioned like the Thunderbolts?
The contrast between this team and the original Avengers could make for some interesting commentary.
What if they surprise us and make Yelena the actual team leader instead of U.S. Agent?
The success of this team will really depend on how well they write Valentina's character as their handler.
I just hope they don't rush the team formation. Let us get to know these characters individually first.
Imagine the public reaction in the MCU to these antiheroes replacing the original Avengers.
The way Marvel is setting this up through different shows and movies is pretty clever marketing.
I'm particularly interested in how they'll handle Trickshot's relationship with Hawkeye. Family drama always adds good tension.
Anyone think they might introduce more obscure characters we haven't considered yet?
We shouldn't underestimate Valentina. She clearly has a long-term plan we're not seeing yet.
The moral complexity of these characters could make for some really compelling storytelling.
I love that they're bringing back characters from earlier MCU films like Abomination. It makes the universe feel more connected.
You raise a good point about team dynamics. These aren't exactly the most cooperative personalities we're talking about.
Looking at this roster, I think the real challenge will be making them work together without killing each other first.
This lineup could give us some really interesting perspectives on what happened after the blip.
Valentina is definitely giving me more Amanda Waller vibes than Nick Fury. She seems to have her own agenda.
I just want to see Abomination and U.S. Agent trying to work together. Talk about a powder keg waiting to explode!
Remember how everyone doubted the Guardians of the Galaxy? I trust Marvel to make even the weirdest team combinations work.
The timing of Armor Wars and the Crimson Dynamo connection can't be coincidental. Marvel is definitely planning something big.
Not sure about Namor as a team player. In the comics, he barely works with anyone he considers beneath him.
The inclusion of Crimson Dynamo would be a great way to fill the Iron Man shaped hole in the MCU.
I'm just excited to see more morally grey characters in the MCU. We need fewer pure heroes and villains.
Does anyone else think they might be setting up multiple teams? The Thunderbolts could still happen alongside the Dark Avengers.
The potential dynamic between U.S. Agent and Yelena would be fascinating to watch. Both characters have such strong personalities.
I wonder if they'll explore Barney Barton's backstory in the Hawkeye series before adding him to the Dark Avengers.
My only concern is they might make this team too similar to the Suicide Squad. Marvel needs to give it their own unique spin.
The Abomination returning is huge news! Tim Roth was criminally underused in The Incredible Hulk.
That's an interesting perspective, but I actually think Yelena's moral ambiguity makes her perfect for the Dark Avengers. Remember how complex her motivations were in Black Widow?
Honestly, I'm not convinced about Yelena being part of this team. After seeing her character development in Black Widow, it feels like a step backward.
The Crimson Dynamo mention in Black Widow was such a subtle tease. I love how Marvel plants these little seeds years in advance.
I'm really hoping they include Namor in this lineup. The tension between Wakanda and Atlantis would add such an interesting political element to the story.
Anyone else think it's brilliant how they're using Julia Louis-Dreyfus to assemble this team? Her Valentina character gives me such Nick Fury vibes but with a twisted edge.
Actually, I think Walker's instability makes him perfect for this role. His complexity adds an interesting dynamic that we haven't seen in the MCU before.
While I appreciate what they're doing with John Walker's character, I'm not sure he has the charisma to lead a team like the Dark Avengers.
I'm really excited about the potential Dark Avengers lineup! The way they're setting up U.S. Agent and Yelena Belova makes perfect sense for this team.