In movies, we are provided with the glorious triumph of male heroes and leads time and time again but there are those decreasingly rare occurrences when a film highlights a woman who the movie’s entire focus is set on. Two years ago we got to witness the first female-led superhero film in Wonder Woman and it would turn out to be the third highest grossing film of 2017 with roughly $822 million dollars, proving that women could headline a movie and people would go see it contrary to Hollywood’s belief. In fact, in 2017 the top three highest grossing films were all led by women (Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Beauty and the Beast, and Wonder Woman) stating the clear fact that movies with women at the helm were greatly enjoyed.

Now Marvel is finally getting their first female-led superhero movie of their own with Captain Marvel and I. Am. Excited! After Captain Marvel, however, that shouldn’t be the end of the female-led superhero films. We know that beloved Avenger, Black Widow, is getting her own standalone movie in either 2020 or 2021, which is very exciting but what other female heroes could get a fantastic film of their own? Here are five fabulous candidates for their own standalone film.

1. Ms Marvel

Ms Marvel (Kamala Khan) isn’t one of Marvel’s oldest superheroes (she made her debut in 2013) but she has quickly become a fan favorite with her lovably witty personality and her unique enlargening abilities. And at a time when diversity has become such a focus for Marvel what wouldn’t be more awesome than to see a powerful, independent, Muslim heroine get her own movie? She definitely has the charisma to have one.

It’s also perfect because she’s supposed to be inspired by the heroism of Carol Danvers’ Captain Marvel–hence her name Ms Marvel–and with Captain Marvel flying into theaters this March it shouldn’t be long before we see Ms Marvel make her Marvel Cinematic debut as well.

2. She-Hulk

Jennifer Walters, Bruce Banner’s cousin, is a heralded New York City lawyer whose main goal is to fight for justice. When she and her father, who’s a sheriff in Los Angeles, meddle a little too deep into the criminal underworld a crime boss named Nicholas Trask decides to inflict some payback. He grievously shoots Jennifer, leaving her on the verge of death. The only thing that can save her is a blood transfusion from, well, her troubled cousin, Bruce Banner.

She agrees to have the blood transfusion but, of course, there is a side effect and she becomes She-Hulk. She-Hulk is different than Bruce Banner’s Hulk because when Jennifer transforms she still retains her personality and ability to talk normally. The only thing that changes is her appearance which includes her size, her green skin color, and of course her new abilities of incredible strength.

There have been rumors that She-Hulk may make an appearance in the MCU sooner rather than later and the prospect of a character as unique and incredible as her getting her own film is definitely worth getting a bit excited about.

3. Storm

After Disney merged with Fox last year it seems pretty imminent that we’ll see the X-Men introduced into the MCU over the next few years. Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, who are both primarily X-Men characters, were given ways to be a part of the MCU without it feeling like they were X-Men.

So, on that note, Ororo Munroe/Storm should make her presence known in the MCU as well and it could be easily achieved. There’s one side of her story where she is a member of the X-Men and then there’s another version where she’s an ally of Black Panther. Of course, in the comics, Ororo and King T’Challa’s relationship becomes much more than a friendly occurrence and they become romantically involved but I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t happen…right? *cocked eyebrow*

To seamlessly fit her into the MCU’s storyline I would love to see her make her debut in Black Panther 2 and then eventually get a movie of her own in the same way that Black Panther made his Marvel Cinematic debut in Captain America: Civil War before getting his own standalone film early last year.

If Storm (who happens to be one of my favorite female superheroes) gets her own movie I am going to be one of the happiest people on Earth.

4. Valkyrie

You know those characters that appear in a film and manage to steal the show? That’s Valkyrie. She made her debut in Thor: Ragnarok and I have been a fan of her character ever since. Tessa Thompson played the role of Valkyrie so perfectly that she clearly stands out among many of the heroines we see in film today and her skill set as an Asgardian warrior is phenomenal. I was hoping to see her in Avengers: Infinity War but, much to my dismay, she never made an appearance or was even so much as mentioned in the film. Thankfully, she did survive and she will play a role in Avengers: Endgame, however large that may be.

Granted she manages to survive the events of Endgame I definitely think she’s a perfect candidate for a standalone film.

5. Miss America (America Chavez)

With diversity on the rise in Hollywood, the superhero landscape is slowly but surely changing and characters like America Chavez–a Latin American lesbian superhero–deserve their chance to shine. Not only does she represent diversity in such an awesome way but she also is pretty cool as well. Like Superman, she was born on another planet that she was forced to flee as a child and ended up finding her way on Earth. Her abilities allow her to fly, possess superhuman strength, and she can punch star-shaped portals into existence which can lead her to other dimensions. Um…wow!

And her archnemesis is Doctor Doom. How awesome is that? She’s already made a brief debut in the Disney XD animated film, Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors, so why not bring her to the MCU? And, if the Young Avengers do end up becoming a thing that’ll be the perfect way to incorporate her into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

All in all, the Marvel comics are filled with so many fantastic female heroines that it’s hard to keep up but I am very excited women’s role in the future of the MCU. It’s going to be, in a word, awesome. 🙂

The Future of the Force. The future of pop culture writing.