9. Animal Man
Jeff Lemire's current revival of
Animal Man for DC's New 52 is bolstering recognition for Buddy Baker, while at the same time being ridiculously exciting to read. The time is right for Animal Man to make the leap to the big screen and there's plenty of great drama to be found in the character's forty-seven year history. Not only is he one of the few superheroes who manages a family life (and quite well considering his profession), but visionary writer Grant Morrison actually had Buddy become aware of his fictional status and break the fourth wall. If there was a filmmaker daring enough to take this concept on, I'd be there opening day. Delving into the nature of fiction and what the creator imparts to their creation is fertile ground for a plethora of ideas. Just imagine if someone was willing to make
Adaptation but with a superhero who can take on the traits of any creature in the animal kingdom! It'd be groundbreaking stuff for popcorn munching Americans. It would probably tank at the box office, but it would help the superhero movie grow towards more adult fare. And eventually, we're going to need more R-rated superhero movies. Not R-rated for violence or sexuality, but because they're made for adults with the capability of critical thinking. Animal Man would be the perfect conduit for that kind of challenging comic book movie.