The MCU is about to head into the Mutant Saga, and fans are left with nagging questions about continuity. That’s justified, considering the myriad storylines adapted over the past 18 years. Many have been fleshed out, many were left unresolved, and many more remain unexplored. The latter applies to the darker storylines of the MCU, first hinted at in the first Doctor Strange movie. The MCU has since dabbled further in the supernatural, bringing in characters such as Moon Knight, Mephisto, Agatha Harkness, and Phase 4 Scarlet Witch.
A creature feature with a retro aesthetic, Werewolf by Night also offered a glimpse into the MCU’s darkest corners. The TV special was full-on horror, unlike previous MCU releases, introducing the titular character, Elsa Bloodstone, and Man-Thing. That’s interesting because they were all, at one point, members of the team known as Midnight Sons in the comics. This sparked rumors that the MCU would finally adapt the IP, with Moon Knight already introduced, Doctor Strange established, and Blade waiting in the wings.
That’s exactly what Laura Donnelly wanted, and hopefully manifested. MovieWeb asked the Sugar actor, who played Elsa Bloodstone in Werewolf by Night, if she still wants to reprise the character. “Oh, for sure. I mean, I love that, the opening up of that aspect of the MCU, that kind of monster horror universe that really appeals to me,” she said, echoing the battle cry of a contingent of MCU fans waiting for a Ghost Rider movie.
“I would love to see Elsa and Jack [Russell a.k.a. Werewolf by Night, played by Gael GarcÃa Bernal] kind of get drawn into that bigger world as a whole, because there are so many other characters to explore there, and I’d love to see them all come together, you know,” she explained. “Bring on Midnight Sons, I say!”
The MCU has enough Midnight Sons members for a standalone movie. There’s Steven Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Wong (Benedict Wong), Elsa Bloodstone, Werewolf by Night, Iron Fist (Finn Jones), Moon Knight (Oscar Isaac), Man-Thing (Carey Jones), Doctor Voodoo (technically his brother, Daniel Drumm, played by Mark Anthony Brighton), and Blade. There’s room in the MCU for another band of misfits — Guardians of the Galaxy and Thunderbolts have already proven this.
The bigger question is why the MCU is taking so long to bring in Ghost Rider, maybe even with Nicolas Cage reprising the role. Now at 62, he’s at least thirty years older than the character, but his unhinged portrayal worked in the 2007 film and its 2011 sequel, Spirit of Vengeance. In 2023, he even confirmed in an Uproxx interview that he would jump at the opportunity to play Ghost Rider again.
Last April, Oscar Isaac renewed hopes of a Midnight Sons movie, confirming “there was an interesting talk” about it, without elaborating on the details. What Marvel really needs to do now is sort out the Blade reboot — and here’s a wild take — bring Jared Leto’s Morbius into the MCU.
- Release Date
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September 25, 2022
- Runtime
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55 Minutes
- Writers
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Peter Cameron, Heather Quinn, Jean Thomas, Mike Ploog, Gerry Conway, Roy Thomas
- Prequel(s)
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The Incredible Hulk, Thor, The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World, Iron Man 3, Captain America: The First Avenger, Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain America: Civil War, Thor: Ragnarok, Thor: Love and Thunder
- Franchise(s)
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Marvel Cinematic Universe
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Laura Donnelly
Elsa Bloodstone
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Harriet Sansom Harris
Verussa Bloodstone
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