From its chaotic origins in a 1986 film starring an anthropomorphic duck to its surprising return in the MCU, explore the wild history of Howard the Duck and how it reflects the evolution of Marvel movies.
While the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) has undoubtedly become the biggest cinematic franchise of all time, its debut movie from 39 years ago stands as a stark reminder of how far the franchise has come. It's not that the MCU shies away from the bizarre. It embraces the fantastical, adapting wild concepts from Marvel Comics, from Asgardian aliens to the Quantum Realm.
This unique blend of the sublime and the ridiculous is part of the MCU's magic, delivering both touching and grounded stories while remaining true to its comic book roots. Of course, even the MCU has its missteps, but even its lowest-rated films are rarely met with the same level of disdain as some of the earliest superhero movies. During a time when DC's Batman reigned supreme in theaters, Marvel characters were gracing the screen in direct-to-video movies that received scathing criticism, such as the 1990 Captain America. While the 1990 Captain America, with its terrifying portrayal of Red Skull, might seem wild by today's standards, it pales in comparison to Marvel's first foray into live-action films, a movie starring a character far less known than Captain America.Enter Howard the Duck. Released in 1986 as Marvel's first feature film, Howard the Duck, the titular character, is one of Marvel Comics' most peculiar creations. Originally conceived as a satirical commentator on real-world events, this anthropomorphic duck navigating the human world was a hit among comic book fans in the late 1970s for its more adult-oriented humor. However, by the time the movie rolled around, Howard's popularity had significantly waned. The film, while having a higher Rotten Tomatoes score than Madame Web (13% compared to 11%), deviated considerably from its source material. Instead of the generally grumpy antihero portrayed in the comics, the movie presents a more amiable Howard. Moreover, the filmmakers, led by Star Wars' George Lucas as producer, leaned into the comedic and absurd aspects of a duck adapting to Earth rather than utilizing the satirical edge of the character. The result was a critical and commercial failure, earning four Razzie Awards and nominations for seven more. 39 years later, the existence of this movie remains bewildering. The success of the MCU makes Marvel's first foray into live-action cinema look even more bizarre in retrospect. While the MCU continues to push boundaries with its concepts, incorporating elements like the multiverse to explore strange and wonderful territory in projects like Werewolf by Night and Marvel Zombies, it can confidently do so thanks to the solid foundation laid by its earlier films. To think that Marvel Studios' record-breaking franchise began with a movie as unconventional and unsuccessful as Howard the Duck is truly astonishing.Thankfully, Howard the Duck has made a comeback in the MCU, albeit in a more comic-accurate fashion, voiced by Seth Green. This iteration of the character more closely resembles his comic book counterpart, although the multiverse hasn't yet delivered the original live-action version as a variant. Despite assisting in the Battle of Earth in Avengers: Endgame and starring in one of the most bizarre episodes of What If...? ever created, it's unlikely that Howard the Duck will play a more significant role in the MCU. Past experiences suggest that this might be for the best
MARVEL MCU HOWARD THE DUCK SUPERHERO MOVIES COMIC BOOK ADAPTATIONS MOVIE HISTORY
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