The Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly expanding into new territory and looking for the next big thing. And recently, fans have seen more and more exploration of different filmmaking styles; between the various sitcom formats utilized in WandaVision, the exploration of horror elements in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, and the use of a much grittier tone through the reintroduction of Marvel’s Netflix shows and the upcoming Moon Knight, it’s clear that Marvel is interested in tackling new genres and styles as the MCU continues to grow. Fortunately, one character the MCU has yet to introduce comes with a built-in explanation for more experimentation; and he just so happens to be one of the weirdest characters.
In May 2001, fans of Marvel Comics were introduced to a new X-Men offshoot called X-Statix, a ragtag team of survivors and superheroes. And among them was Doop, a green bean of a character with no interest in human speech but a wide array of absurd powers. To this day, not much is known about Doop’s past; though there have been some explanations put forward, none of them work well enough to be treated as fact. But that hasn't stopped people from latching onto the character. Since his debut, he’s become something of a fan-favorite, even earning his own five-issue miniseries. And it turns out that he may be exactly what the MCU is looking for.
It’s no secret Marvel is eagerly preparing for the introduction of the X-Men, and mutant-kind as a whole, into its cinematic universe. In fact, Professor X is set to appear in Multiverse of Madness later this year. With the arrival of the X-Men just on the horizon, other mutant teams are sure to follow closely behind. Naturally, it seems Marvel will want to take things slowly at first, but it likely won't be long before it begins to bring in other mutant characters. In fact, Deadpool 3 is already in the works, with Marvel having just brought on Shawn Levy to direct the film. And the Deadpool franchise has already introduced its version of the X-Force, making an easy entrance for Doop himself.
But why Doop? There are plenty of things that make the weird green blob stand out among his peers, like his absurd powers or mysterious past. But the thing that makes him so useful to the MCU is, weirdly enough, his job: in the comics, Doop is a videographer. And as such, he winds up spending much of his time on various teams recording their adventures. Suddenly, because of that one random character trait, any filmmaker working in the MCU now has a canonical explanation for experimenting with new styles. Any time a Marvel director decides to use hand-held footage, have their characters talk to the camera or even utilize the recording of their show/movie as a plot device, they can just use Doop to explain it all away.
But beyond the filmmaking aspect of the character, there's another component of Doop's character that Marvel needs to consider: his absurdity. Doop is a weird character in so many ways, from his completely unique alien language to his mind-bending powers to the fact that he may or may not have had something to do with the fall of the Soviet Union. (No, seriously.) He's also capable of fighting Thor to a standstill, has served as a teacher at the Jean Grey Institute for Higher Learning and may have even been created with the intent of destroying the entire world. This absurdism fits perfectly with the direction Marvel is currently going; Doop would be right at home with all of the more far-out and abstract concepts Marvel has been toying with lately, which is exactly why it makes sense to introduce him at some point in the near future.
Now, is Marvel likely to bring Doop into the MCU? Probably not. But as it continues to explore more outlandish concepts and characters, it gets closer to reaching a point where Doop would be a perfect fit for key projects. And as Marvel continues to hire more directors with clear filmmaking voices, giving them opportunities and excuses to mess around with different styles and genres seems to be the ideal direction to go. Doop is certainly a gamble for Marvel, but as the comics have shown, it's a gamble that's likely to pay off.
Source: Trendz OH
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