In recent times, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a roaring success, encompassing not just movies but also TV shows as well as a host of spin-offs. However, it should be noted that its success was never guaranteed, as shown by the numerous not so successful movies based on Marvel Comics properties that proceeded it.
Here are some of the pre-Iron Man movies based on Marvel Comics properties that no one cares to remember:
Captain America
In 1990, there was a Captain America movie that failed to secure a distribution deal in the United States but instead had to be released straight to video. Plot-wise, it moved through the moments that one would expect from such a movie but it handled them in a less than impressive manner. To be fair, this particular version of Captain America was hindered by a small budget of $6 million and a not so well-known lead, but even then, the film-makers failed to make good use of what resources were available to them.
Daredevil
Ben Affleck might be most recognized as Batman to modern movie-goers, but said role is not the first time that he has played a superhero. After all, he played the titular superhero in 2003’s Daredevil, which received a less than stellar reception because of both its inconsistent tone and its uninspired interpretation. On top of this, Daredevil led to a spin-off movie called Elektra in 2005, which met with an even worse response from unimpressed movie-goers.
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four are some of Marvel Comics’s most famous characters, but there has never been a Fantastic Four movie worth watching. For example, 2005’s Fantastic Four had the budget but not the scripting needed to turn it into something besides clueless, while its 2007 follow-up disappointed Marvel Comics fans by mangling one of its most iconic antagonists. However, the most spectacular example of how bad Fantastic Four movies can be might have been the 1994 version made on a $1,000,000 dollar budget, though to be fair, said movie was made so that Constantin Film could hold onto the rights with no intention of it ever being released for the movie screen.
Ghost Rider
As it turned out, the concept of a superhero on a motorcycle with a flaming skull for a head was not enough to save Ghost Rider, which ranged from bad to bland. Unsurprisingly, it had suffered from serious script issues that resulted in significant schedule setbacks, which showed in what managed to make it to the movie screens.
The Punisher
Marvel Comics fans might be interested to learn that there is a Punisher TV show that is expected to see release sometime in the not so distant future. However, it has had a number of predecessors on the movie screen, seeing as how there had been two Punisher movies in the 2000s and a third Punisher movie in 1989. While the titular character was played by a solid choice in Dolph Lundgren, the result was nothing but a generic action movie that failed to make much use of the source material, which seems like a rather strange choice for something based on comic books.
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