Marvel Movie Differences: Then and Now

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at how film adaptations of Marvel Comics characters have changed over time. Let us know which versions of these characters were your favorites in the comments below.

Marvel may have been the undisputed king of the box office in the 2010s, but that wasn’t always the case. The road the studio took to dominance and cultural ubiquity in the 21st century included numerous incarnations of its iconic comic book characters. In particular, the financial troubles Marvel Entertainment Group faced in the nineties led to it licensing the film rights to many of its most popular characters. This would result in an abundance of films featuring Marvel characters that varied wildly in popularity and quality.

The first time many people saw a live action Marvel character was in the 1977 TV film “The Incredible Hulk,” which also acted as a pilot for a series of the same name. The show featured Bill Bixby as David Bruce Banner and Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk. The popular pairing returned for three further TV movies after the show’s conclusion. The big green guy finally got a chance at a theatrical adaptation in 2003 with the release of Ang Lee’s “Hulk.” Starring Eric Bana, the auteur director’s take on the character divided critics. After plans for a sequel were scrapped, a new film with Edward Norton was released with Ferrigno returning to voice the Hulk.

“The Incredible Hulk” included a post-credits scene featuring Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, helping to usher in the burgeoning Marvel Cinematic Universe. While Hulk didn’t receive another solo film outing during the 2010s due to complications with rights at Universal, the character played by Mark Ruffalo, would become a key figure in the “Avengers” saga.

Just as the Bruce Bixby Hulk films were airing on NBC, another Marvel character was given his first chance to shine on screen. A low budget film based on the Punisher comics and starring Dolph Lundgren was intended to be released in cinemas in 1989. However, in the US the film was pushed to a straight to VHS and Laserdisc release.

The character wouldn’t appear again on-screen until 2004. This iteration gave Frank Castle back his trademark skull shirt, but disappointed at the box office. Even then, Marvel had designs on crossing over its film characters just as was common in the comics. There were reportedly plans for Thomas Jane, who played the Punisher, to play a part in “Spider-Man 2.” A tangled web of film rights prevented Jane from appearing - however Jane’s stunt double has a sneaky cameo in the film. A sequel was in the works, but never came together. Instead, Marvel rebooted the property, this time with actor Ray Stevenson in the title role.

“Punisher: War Zone” was the last big screen appearance of the Punisher before he found new life on Netflix. The character got his own spinoff after appearing on the streamer’s hit show “Daredevil” — another Marvel character with repeat appearances.

That devil of Hell’s Kitchen first appeared in live action on television in “The Trial of the Incredible Hulk,” which was intended to serve as a backdoor pilot for a Daredevil show. This wouldn’t come together. In 2003, he’d get his own film starring Ben Affleck as the man without fear, but neither audiences nor critics were impressed. Various attempts to reboot the franchise fell apart until the Netflix show premiered in 2015. Following the show’s cancellation, many fans feared Charlie Cox would be recast, but his appearance in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” seemed to confirm he’d continue to wear the cowl in the MCU.

To really get the full breadth of Marvel cinematic adaptations, we have to go all the way back to 1944. The first ever film to star a Marvel Comics character was released as a 15-part serial starring Captain America, back when Marvel was still known as Timely Comics.

Fast forwarding past the black-and-white era, Cap’s next appearance was in 1979 in a pair of made-for-TV films. The second boasted Christopher Lee in a villainous role. That was followed by an unrelated adaptation in 1990, which received a limited UK theatrical release. Notably, the film starred Matt Salinger, the son of American novelist J.D. Salinger.

Plans for another Captain America film circulated for decades. When Marvel began to produce its own films, he was near the top of the list. This came to fruition in 2011 with “Captain America: The First Avenger.” Chris Evans became the flagbearer for the character, appearing in eleven movies. The mantle was then passed to Anthonie Mackie, slated to appear as the new Captain America in “Brave New World.”

While many adaptations of Marvel properties saw some level of success during the 20th century, everything changed with the release of “X-Men” in 2000. The film’s comparatively large $75 million budget paid dividends, as it raked in over $296 million worldwide. It pleased critics and fans alike, though the movie differs quite a bit from the style and standards of later X-Men films.

After two direct sequels with the same cast, the franchise began a new prequel series with “X-Men: First Class.” While some characters would come and go, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine was a constant. He starred in several spinoff films, including the acclaimed “Logan.” Patrick Stewart would also return as an alternate version of Professor X in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.” Other “X-Men” franchise characters have gotten the film treatment, including Deadpool portrayed by Ryan Reynolds.

A Marvel team that has had a rockier road to success is the Fantastic Four. Marvel’s first family was meant to headline its first film in 1992, a low budget adaptation executive produced by Roger Corman and Bernd Eichinger. However, the film was never actually released, and rumors swirled that it was only made to keep Eichinger from losing the rights.

Marvel eventually struck a deal with 20th Century Fox to create a proper big budget Fantastic Four film. The movie received a tepid critical response, but did enough business at the box office to merit a sequel, “Rise of the Silver Surfer.” The mixed reviews weren’t enough to keep the franchise going, and the characters stayed off the big screen until a reboot in 2015. Unfortunately, that adaptation was hailed by some as one of the worst films ever made.

When Disney purchased Fox in 2019, the rights to both Fantastic Four and the X-Men returned to Marvel. Shortly after, the studio began planning to incorporate the Fantastic Four into the MCU.

All of these characters have had multiple incarnations and are important in the development of the superhero film genre. However, one stands above the others — or rather he web-slings above them. Spider-Man first showed up in 1977 in a made-for-TV film that served as a pilot for a CBS series. A few sequels linked to the series and a version spun off from the Japanese television adaptation were released shortly after, then all went quiet for decades.

A theatrical film became trapped in a development maze. A number of failed ideas — including a James Cameron version with Arnold Schwarzenegger as Doc Ock — never moved forward. Then finally, Sam Raimi, known for his campy horror flicks, directed a version starring Tobey Maguire. The 2002 film was a sensation. It was followed by an even more successful sequel that in many ways established the tone and style of the yet-to-be-conceived MCU. A third film was more divisive, but that didn’t slow down plans for the fourth installment, which went into pre-production. Rumors about casting included John Malkovich and Anne Hathaway.

Sony wanted a quick turn around for Spidey 4. After giving into studio demands on the third film, Raimi wasn’t willing to rush to meet the 2011 release date. He and Maguire quit and the film was scrapped. Eager to keep the rights, Sony rebooted the franchise with Andrew Garfield in the webbed suit. However, its dreams of launching a cinematic universe to rival the MCU were short-lived.

After two films, a leaked info and email scandal, and the cancellation of a planned third film and Sinister Six spinoff, a historic deal was struck between Sony and Disney. The agreement allowed the studios to work together and bring a new version of the character into the MCU. First appearing in “Captain America: Civil War,” Tom Holland’s Peter Parker became an Avenger and starred in a massively successful trilogy. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” even brought Holland, Garfield, and Maguire all together in a spectacle that had audiences literally cheering. And at the same time, Sony has made animated “Spider-Verse” films featuring Miles Morales, which have become a cultural phenomenon.

There is so much more to the story of Marvel than just the characters we’ve mentioned so far. The first ever Marvel character to get his own live-action feature film was actually Howard the Duck in the ill-fated 1986 film produced by Geroge Lucas. Don’t feel too bad for Howard, though — he would later cameo in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films. The “Blade” trilogy starring Wesley Snipes also had a hand in proving that comic book films could be financially successful and popular with audiences. And while current versions of characters may seem like the definitive rendition —for example Nick Fury, as played by Samuel L. Jackson — past films are littered with alternate portrayals, like David Hasselhoff’s take on the S.H.I.E.L.D. leader.

Over the years, countless actors have played Marvel heroes, and going forward many more will surely play them again. We’ve already seen the return of a number of legacy versions of these characters, and with Disney’s universe-collapsing ambition, we’ll likely witness more.