Entertainment
Loki Creator Is Giving Marvel’s Most Obscure Hero His Own Movie
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
For better or for worse, the DCU has been taking the time to give secondary characters their own projects. That’s how Supergirl and Clayface got their own films, and James Gunn recently greenlit a TV show featuring Jimmy Olsen and Gorilla Grodd. That’s a very different approach from the MCU, whose success has historically been built on primary characters like Iron Man and Captain America. However, to combat superhero fatigue, Marvel has been trying new things lately, including giving a movie to The Thunderbolts, a kind of in-universe B-team. Now, it seems, they are going a step further and giving a very obscure character his own feature film.
That character is Nova; he’s part of the Nova Corps, which first appeared onscreen in Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014. Many Marvel fans thought we’d get a solo Nova movie soon afterward, but over a decade later, there has been no film. That’s all about to change, however: Deadline reports that Marvel Studios is working on a solo Nova movie. Even more exciting, the film will be written and possibly directed by Michael Waldrop, who is arguably best known for creating the fan-favorite Loki series.
A Secret Comic Icon
This news comes to us courtesy of Deadline, whose insiders claim that Michael Waldron is currently working on a Nova feature film for Marvel Studios. The insiders claim that this project is in its very earliest stages and has not yet gotten an official green light from the studio. However, should the project get the go-ahead, Waldron will write the script and preferably direct the film. Interestingly, this is a shift in direction for Marvel, which had originally intended to turn Nova into a television show on Disney+.
Originally, Marvel wanted to have Sabir Pirzada write a Nova TV series, but they quietly canceled those plans back in 2025. It’s possible that they canceled this project to avoid any comparisons to the upcoming DCU show Lanterns. The Nova Corps are basically Marvel’s version of the Green Lanterns; thanks to powers from the Nova Force, these space cops can fly, absorb energy, and move fast, and they are more durable than most. The Nova movie will presumably focus on Richard Rider, the warrior who, in the comics, has had many solo adventures and team-ups with the Guardians of the Galaxy.
No Evil Shall Escape His Sight
Michael Waldron is a great choice to write and direct the Nova movie. He has major Marvel experience, including writing Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness and serving as showrunner for Loki. Outside the world of tights-and-flights, he is best known as the creator of Chad Powers, a popular Hulu TV show featuring Glen Powell. Done well, Nova could be the next Guardians of the Galaxy: a movie that embraces the cosmic weirdness of this cinematic universe with both humor and style. Speaking of Gunn’s beloved movie, there’s a significant chance that the Nova character will play a major part in future GOTG films.
While all of this is exciting, it’s worth stressing once again that Nova hasn’t had an official greenlight, much less a release date. Should this movie get the go-ahead from Kevin Feige, it will likely be after Avengers: Secret Wars reboots the MCU at the end of 2027. That reboot is meant to give new life to Marvel, making way for new characters and new adventures. Considering what a major role the Nova Corps played in Guardians of the Galaxy and how important these characters have been in the comics for over half a century, here’s hoping we get to see a big-screen outing that does this underappreciated character justice!