Everyone's still crazy for superhero movies. It's not all that surprising really; they're all about fun plots featuring easy to understand characters and are usually resolved neatly by the time the credits roll. The entertainment value would wear thin if it was just The Avengers having drinks, chatting and eating Shawarma for two hours; there has to be problems for these super beings to overcome. Enter the villains. For us to root for our favourite heroes, it's essential that they prove their worth against adversaries that test their abilities to the limit. Its all well and good having Tony Stark fight The Hulk, but you know that Bruce Banner doesn't have any malicious intent and will feel awful once he returns to normal. And wheres the fun in that? Audiences want grand schemes that threaten life as they know it, the huge stakes that define these characters we've all been following for years. And this brings us to a key benefit of modern superhero franchises - the heroes motivations have long since been established. Were not interested in their back-story any more; instead, fans want to learn about the demon who wants to destroy the Viking gods, why some mutants decide to fight against their own kind and, of course, why anyone would bother fighting Superman. These questions all have more compelling answers than, Because Justice! and they make the barrage of Marvel and DC films that now fill our entire lives worth a watch.
12. Baron Mordo - Doctor Strange (2016)
Marvels most popular heroic wizard Doctor Strange will be getting his chance to shine in 2016, where he will be played by the universally beloved (unless you count the recent 2oolander controversy) Benedict Cumberbatch. Formerly an obnoxious, arrogant surgeon, Stephen Strange redeems himself from being an insufferable ass by saving his soon-to-be mentor, The Ancient One, from a shifty disciple called Baron Mordo. This clearly creates bad blood between the two of them, both similarly matched in ability, but with Mordo more willing to delve into black magic and the conjuration of demons to aid him in a fight. With this in mind, theres a lot of potential for some ingenious action sequences in the movie - this isn't just big green monsters and indestructible shields any more; its straight up magical warfare. The calibre of talent in Doctor Strange is enough to get anyone interested - the Batch, Rachel McAdams and Mads Mikkelson are all currently confirmed - but its the casting choice for Mordo himself which is the most intriguing. Critically acclaimed, Oscar nominated, CBE-having thespian Chiwetel Ejiofor should bring some much needed gravitas to the proceedings, with a track record that suggests he should easily be able to match Cumberbatchs on-screen presence. Lets hope they recreate their battle at Stonehenge, accomplishing the most British superhero moment Marvel could possibly achieve... until they finally come to their senses and make a Union Jack movie, that is.
A pop culture mad writer from the North East who loves films, television and debating them with whoever will listen.
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