Marvel Studios Is Reportedly Starting Work on a NOVA Movie
Over the past several years there have been reports about Marvel Studios developing a Nova project. A couple of years ago it was reported that the studio started working on it with Moon Knight writer Sabir Pirzada working on a script. What we didn’t know at the time if the project was going to be a TV series or a film. Most rumors suggested it was a series for Disney+.
According to a new report from industry insider Daniel Richtman, the plan was originally to develop Nova as a series, but now Marvel is reworking it as a movie. There’s no word on if Pirzada is still involved with the project.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige previously talked about Nova potentially being introduced to the MCU, saying:
“Nova is… if we have a big board with a bunch of characters that have more immediate potential, Nova is on that board. Because of the connection to the Guardians universe, because there are more than one examples to pull from in the comics that are interesting. And you’re absolutely right, he was in the earliest drafts of the [Guardians of the Galaxy].”
Fans assumed at one point that Nova would appear in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but that didn’t happen. At this point with the way the MCU is, who knows when the character will be introduced? Maybe after Avengers: Secret Wars?
Nova was originally introduced in the 1966 issue of Super Adventures was a member of the intergalactic police force known as the Nova Corps. He has superhuman abilities including enhanced strength, flight and resistance to injury.
There are two versions of Nova in Marvel Comics: Richard Rider and Sam Alexander. When previously asked whether fans will see Richard Rider and/or Sam Alexander in a movie or any other upcoming MCU projects, Feige responded with "well, yes and yes" and added:
"Timing is relative, right? I think I'd been talking about Doctor Strange eight years before that movie came out. So, 'immediate potential' is relative. But clearly, we are not shying away from the cosmic end of storytelling right in the sweet spot of the Nova Corps and Nova himself."
Here are some details on the origins of each of these versions of the characters:
Richard Rider:
Richard Rider was just your average teenager. Not the class clown, neither the wallflower, nor the cool kid. He went to high-school, had girl troubles and tried to help out his parents and younger brother when he was at home. All seemed to go their normal way for the young Richard until he came into contact with the Nova Corps. The Nova Corps was a peace-keeping force that was based on the planet Xandar. The planet was destroyed by the space pirate known as Zorr. When Rhomann Dey, the Nova Prime, was dying he fled through the universe and went to Earth. There he chose Richard Rider to receive his powers and granted him the Nova Force. He was asked by Rhomann Dey to use his powers for the good of Earth and the universe and serve as its protector. This was a lot for the teen-aged Rider but he nonetheless started a superhero career with his newfound powers as Nova, the Human Rocket!
Sam Alexander:
Sam Alexander is a 15 year old from Carefree, Arizona who lives with his parents and younger sister. His father always told him stories of adventures in space and the Nova Corps, however Sam always believed him to be a drunk. One day when he comes home, Sam discovers his father missing and has an accident while looking for him. Waking up in hospital, he is greeted by Gamora and Rocket Raccoon, who inform Sam of his father's true legacy as a member of the Nova Corps, leaving Sam his helmet. After putting on the helmet, Sam discovers a recorded message from his father and begins to test out his new found abilities, and flies to the moon and finds the Watcher. After the Watcher tells Sam of a coming alien invasion Sam returns home and meets Gamora and Rocket Racoon who train him to use his abilities properly and then sends him into space to stop the approaching Chitauri armada.
What would you like to see from a Nova film from Marvel? What movie do you think he’ll be introduced in?