Graphic novels and comic books have been popular sources for television and film adaptations for so long. Books act as a true gold mine of exciting plots and unique ideas waiting to be uncovered in an industry saturated with popular remakes and cliches. Anyone in doubt of the power of a good book to screen adaptation only needs to watch popular and hit TV series such as the Game of Thrones or Queen’s Gambit. These two are a testament to how far screen adaptations can go.
Well, there are many other excellent adaptations to look forward to this year and beyond. Thanks to streaming services and cable channels, the world of comic book television never really stops. Here’s a list of 16 new projects tantalizing to consider and definitely a list to look forward to.
1.WandaVision
Wandavision will easily be the most surreal project to come out of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), yet with Wanda and vision trapped in a reality that is constantly imitating classic sitcoms such as Full house and Bewitched. 2021 kicked off with MCU releasing WandaVision, a sequel of Avengers: Endgame. It finds Paul Bettany (Vision) and Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff) living in the suburbs of the idyllic town of Westview as a married couple. Thanos, of course, killed Vision in Avengers: infinity war. So things are not as they seem!
2. Loki
Loki series, which also happens to be another out of Marvel’s, follows the events of Endgame. This saw Tom Hiddleston (Loki) escape after stealing Tesseract. He encounters Owen Wilson (Mobius M Mobius) and other members of Time Variance Authority. He then uses the Tesseract to meddle with human history and to travel through time. The trailer suggests D.B Cooper; a real-life criminal mastermind was Loki. Further, the promo indicates the series will borrow elements from Vote Loki, a 2016 comic book series in which Loki campaigned to become the president of the United States.
3.The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
This miniseries was slated to be the first MCU series to debut on Disney + platform initially in 2020. The show, fortunately, resumed shooting six months later and production was wrapped up shortly after. Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie reprise their roles as Bucky Barnes (winter soldier) and Sam Wilson (Falcon) respectively for the miniseries. It picks up after Sam is given Captain America shield by Steve Rogers in Endgame as the titular pair battle both new and old enemies. Also, Daniel Bruhl is returning as Baron Helmut on the show.
4. Y: The Last Man
Brian K Vaughan and Pia Guerra’s post-apocalyptic comic book series published from 2002-2008 was set to be adapted into a movie for years. However, the project never got off the ground. It takes place in a future world where every mammal with a Y chromosome dies. Y: The last man is slated to premiere on FX on Hulu in 2021, although it doesn’t have an official release date yet. Just like the greatest bingo TV shows, switch it up, buckle up and get ready for this wholesome show.
5. Hawkeye
This show follows the events of Endgame. It features Lucky the Pizza Dog, which happens to be Kate’s beloved pup, alongside the Marvel Comic book villains, Tracksuit Mafia. Hawkeye will feature direct connections to the characters and events from the MCU’S phase 4 films, just like the other MCU shows on Disney. Florence Pugh (Yelena), sister figure to the late Natasha Romanoff, are among those confirmed. Hawkeye is scheduled to premiere late in 2021 on Disney+.
6. Super Girl Season 6
Sadly, Superman will be coming to an end following its sixth season. Superman may be more popular, but Supergirl is the most famous on television. All thanks to Melissa Benoit for the perfect portrayal of the character. Kara, superman’s cousin, finds that her once younger cousin is now the Arrowverse man of steel after arriving on earth a tad later than expected.
7. Ms. Marvel
With Iman Vellani playing the superhero, the Kamala Khan iteration of Ms. Marvel finally comes to the screen. Kamala, the character, was debuted in a 2015 comic series by the writer (G. Willow Wilson) and the artist (Adrian Alphona). Iman Vellani a Muslim Pakistani- American teenager who stars as Kamala, a superhero fan who Gins shapeshifting abilities and creates a superhero moniker for herself. She is an avid gamer and a great student who specializes in superheroes, especially Captain Marvel. She was the first Muslim Marvel superhero to have her comic series.
8. Superman & Lois
Fans are treated to an almost family drama about Superman and his wife, Lois. The show follows Elizabeth Tulloch (Lois) and Tyler Hoechlin (Superman) as they deal with the stress of raising a family as working parents and keeping the world safe. Besides that, Clark and Louis have to concern themselves with whether their sons Jordan and Jonathan could inherit their father’s superpowers as they grow older.
9. Doom Patrol
Doom Patrol is a band of super-powered freaks who fight for a world that wants nothing to do with them. They are Part superhero team and part support group.
10. Titans Season 3
In this particular season, Savannah Welch (Barbra Gordon) is confined to her wheelchair after being shot and paralyzed by the Joker during her time as batwoman. She finds her life becoming complicated with the return of Dick Grayson as she starts a new crime-fighting partnership. She also goes ahead to rekindle her old romance with the former Robin.
11. What if…?
This is another of Marvel’s travel animated series of the same name. They tell about events that happened in the universe and, most often, funny versions. For instance, what if Captain America had been Peggy Carter. Even more interesting, what would happen if Hammer went o Loki instead of Thor?
12. Star Girl
The life of Courtney Whitmore (Brec Bassinger), who is a kind, athletic and intelligent girl hits a major speedbump when her mother gets married. Her new family moves from Los Angeles to Blue Valley. She struggles to make new friends, adapt to a new school, and deal with a new stepfamily. Along the way, Courtney discovers her stepfather has a secret. He used to be a sidekick to a superhero. For an entirely new generation, Courtney becomes the unlikely inspiration.
13. The Equalizer
The new Equalizer series is a gender-swapped retelling that revolves around Robyn McCall, who happens to be Queen Latifah. Queen Latifah is portrayed as a woman with a mysterious past using her skills to equalize the scales of justice for those who cannot defend themselves. Richard Lindheim, who co-created the 80s Equalizer series, co-created this one!
14. Invincible
Invincible follows the teenage superhero in training Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), based on the comic book characters created by Robert Kirkman. It’s a bit of an intimidating career to pursue though he possesses’ super abilities to fly and fight crime. His father, Nolan (J.K Simmons), is one of the most powerful superheroes.
15. 
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
2021 will see the release of Star Wars: The Bad Batch, which is an animated sequel series to Star Wars. The show will follow the genetically modified members of Clone force as they navigate life in a far galaxy.
16. Justice League
Previously, the film was thoroughly overhauled leaving many dissatisfied. The new Justice League will consist of four one-hour episodes. It was directed by Zack Snyder, who later remounted the theatrical version.
Wrap Up
Television faced some pretty significant hurdles in 2020, resulting in untimely series cancellations, delayed finales, truncated seasons, delays of movie production, and release dates. This year will hopefully see some comebacks with some comic book adaptations also spicing up our screens!
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