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The phenomenon of recurring characters can either make or break a movie. In the superhero genre, DC is popular for its villains making a comeback, particularly Joker and The Riddler. With Jim Carrey reprising his role as Robotnik yet again in the upcomingSonicmovie, fans have been pointing towards Marvel.
In the recent years, the onslaught of superhero movies has led to fans feeling a sense of fatigue. Using the Sonic franchise as an inspiration, fans online have hoped that Marvel will bring back some iconic villains. The MCU has various menacing villains like Ultron, Scorpio, Vulture, Thanos, etc., and a revival seems vital to keep the fanbase engaged.
Recurring villains: The key to revitalizing superhero movies
The first look ofJim Carrey’s Robotnik inSonic the Hedgehog 3,led to a rather peculiar debate online. Fans noticed that the actor was brought back as a villain, after two consecutive movies and no one minded. A heated debate ensued amongst fans of the superhero genre- was the comeback of antagonists the solution for superhero fatigue?
Notice how so many people are excited to see a villain who was in the first two movies return for yet another movie. I think it would be pretty cool if more movies did this coughs very loudly and stares at Marvel and DChttps://t.co/b4Ih9kFIZY
I know they’ve tried but I feel like it shouldn’t be that hard too do ya know? It worked pretty damn well with Loki.pic.twitter.com/9rFmAqNB1N
Marveland DC fans alike argued that recurring villains could be the key to the revival of the franchise. Many pointed out the concept of archnemesis which had successfully generated huge fanbases in the comics. The duo ofBatmanand Joker,Spider-Manand Dr Octopus, and Hulk andAbomination, had massive fan following.
“Sonic 3 Literally has her body on the ground”: Paramount Goes All in to Show the Tragic Backstory of Keanu Reeves’ Shadow That Will Make Grown Men Cry
Unfortunately, the MCU movies follow a formula of one-time use of their villains. Most antagonists often succumb to their deaths at the hands of the hero by the end of Marvel movies, much to the chagrin of the fans. One recurring character that worked well wasTom Hiddleston‘sLoki, who was introduced as the bad guy but ultimately got his redemption arc.
Marvel’s missed opportunity: One-and-done villains won’t cut it
It’s not as if Marvel has never reused a villain;Thanoswas a recurring part of the Infinity Saga, who met his end inAvengers: Endgame. LaterSpider-Man: Homecomingintroduced Vulture and in a post-credit scene his comeback was teased along with theIron Fist’s archnemesis, Scorpion. Though no news followed up for the character.
My point is—it’s okay to bring back villains. I, for one, love to watch them develop and change (for better or for worse) alongside their respective heroes. I think we’re starting to see it with characters like Fisk, Penguin, Ultron (?), Lex Luthor (?), etc.
Give Marvel this, Kingpin is coming back again, and I couldn’t be more stoked (probably more to your point actually)
Loki, Zemo, and Ultron (animation) returned, but I understand that most of the time they end up eliminating iconic villains. Hopefully they will change this practice.
Problem is that most of the avengers kill. Including their villains. you may’t kill all the henchmen but spare the bad guy in the end.Sonic doesn’t kill
Absolutely. They just use them once and get rid(except Thanos). Why didn’t we have Ultron again? Or Zemo? Whys Venom not a baddieAs for DC. We saw a glimpse of big baddie Darkseid, but WB said ‘nah, here’s 9 fun movies in a row instead’, & wonder why they can’t compete with mcu
According tothe Hollywood Reporter,James Spaderis all set to return to the MCU, reprising his role as Ultron. The antagonist will be a part of an upcoming untitledVisionseries, which is said to be a follow-up to Disney’sWandaVisionshow.
“This feels like the same for Spider-Man No Way Home”: Paramount is Hiding a Big Secret From Sonic 3 Trailer With Not So Neat Editing, Fans Suspect Rouge’s Debut
TheSonicfranchise’s unofficial rule of reusing its popular characters has given hope to Marvel fans, who wish to see iconic villains on screen again. Bringing back villains with an additional depth to their storyline can maybe revive people’s interest in the upcoming movies.
“There’s method to the madness”: Jim Carrey Almost Retiring from Hollywood But Coming Back for Sonic 3 Alongside Keanu Reeves is a Case Study for Star Wars in Making Franchises That Don’t Disappoint
Sonic the Hedgehog 3will be available in theatres on 12 June 2025.
Shruti Pathak
Articles Published :286
An entertainment writer with a passion for storytelling that transcends genres, Shruti Pathak is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in English. She is also a devoted poetry enthusiast, exploring the beauty of language and emotion through verse. Obsessed with the show Friends, a self-proclaimed swiftie, and inspired by classical literature these are just some characteristics that describe the novice writer. Newly joining FandomWire as an intern writer, she hopes to share her thoughts while sharpening her writing skills on various entertainment topics.
