Why AVENGERS: WEST COAST Should Happen

I know. Believe me, I know how nerdy it is to write these fan dreams at megacorporations and hope that somehow it manifests into some form of reality. I don’t expect y’all to forward this to Kevin Feige and he suddenly goes “EUREKA!” and greenlights this project. But this isn’t just some nerdlinger’s pitch for an AVENGERS: WEST COAST movie. Yes, the film would appease various fanbases and please certain sects of dorks (while probably pissing off all the racist misogynist manbabies). But it would also serve multiple other purposes including keeping artists happy, advancing greater diversity in projects, and exploring more aspects of the Marvel Cinematic Universe through their most important lens—characters.

For those not hip to it, The West Coast Avengers is a comic book that started as a mini-series in 1984 (written by Roger Stern and drawn by Bob Hall and Brett Breeding). Following the success of the limited series, it had a very long run (102 issues!)—though renamed to Avengers West Coast in 1989—spawned multiple spin-offs (solo series, mini-series, Force Works, and others) and has been restarted a couple of times since. To be clear – it was always in the shadow of The Avengers and definitely seen as a lesser iteration of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, no matter the roster. It’s also weird to think that The Avengers can take on the biggest obstacles facing the planet, but only if it’s east of the Mississippi River. But I digress.

All of this is to say that there’s precedence for this team in the comics (so you can get bonafides out of the way for nerd clout should anyone object). It’s also worth pointing out that a bunch of MCU’s heroes are actually already located in California (Iron Man was in Malibu! I know he’s dead, but my point stands). Therefore, the geographic division is also previously established within the cinematic universe as well. But it can’t just be an expansion of IP for the sake of cashing in, requiring more than just “because we can” rationale when slapping the “Avengers” name on something. There have to be narrative reasons for an AVENGERS: WEST COAST movie—both in terms of in-universe story and in terms of serving real world needs.

But to provide those reasons, I need to do a bit of fancasting. Glayven and I’m sorry. Obviously, I’m not privy to the plans of Disney/Marvel for the MCU (beyond the bad casting of Doctor Doom and that the X-Men are coming down the pike). So maybe there are already plans for some of these characters or payoffs already planned in Disney+ shows or whatever. Plus I don’t know what contracts exist with what actors for how many projects and all that. Not to mention that D23 is happening shortly and maybe all of this will become immediately irrelevant! That’s life in the nerd lane, baby! But based purely on what is the current status of projects, along with what’s been hinted or happened in recent days (with cancellations and announcements), this is my idea for the core of the team that would satisfy multiple reasons for an AVENGERS: WEST COAST movie to exist.

In my mind, AVENGERS: WEST COAST could comprise of multiple characters but the core of the team would be Wonder Man (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany), and Shang-Chi (Simu Liu). In our world, each of these characters were in wildly popular projects (even getting award nominations in some cases) but are essentially in limbo. Yes Shang-Chi is showing up in AVENGERS:DOOMSDAY, but I’m gonna guess he will not get as much screentime as he’s owed after carrying his own movie. These are wildly talented actors who are all fairly critical darlings and whose MCU works received massive critical praise. AND they were all popular, no matter what various trolls and racists and misogynists and other putrid scum try to suggest. So it behooves MCU to reward popular and critically beloved works to show they pay attention to those sectors, and not just the loudest, stupidest YouTubers who still use terms like “SJW.”

Also, while it’s a culmination event that pays off those audiences, but it’s smaller scale movie while still having the AVENGERS branding. So instead of shelling out the GDP of a small nation to make AVENGERS: ENDGAME, AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY, AVENGERS: SECRET WARS, and so on, AVENGERS: WEST COAST would be more aligned with, say, the budget of THUNDERBOLTS* - and similarly without diluting the AVENGERS franchise. It doesn’t have to be the biggest crossover event ever; it’s a solid adventure with modestly-priced actors.

Furthermore, two of those projects (SHANG-CHI and Wonder Man) were led by Destin Daniel Cretton. You know...the guy that just delivered a billion-dollar movie to Marvel with SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY. While he may not direct AVENGERS: WEST COAST, he could still be involved in it. It’s a sign of appreciation that and rewarding a team player that has brought so much to the table with these various projects.

Also, MCU/Disney has not been looking that great when it comes to non-white projects. Canceling Wonder Man (after renewing it), practically burying Ironheart and Eyes Of Wakanda, the BLADE fiasco, Armor Wars...remember that?!? Promoting a project where the leads are two non-white people and a woman is a good way to rebuke those claims of shitty racism and sexism. Does it solve the systemic problems of bigotry in the corporate culture and specifically in blockbuster entertainment? Nope! But it is progress.

It makes sense in terms of business and doing the right thing in multiple approaches. But what about creatively? What story is there to be told that AVENGERS: WEST COAST could tackle that can’t be done with another AVENGERS project? I would propose a combination of tried & true and something new.

The previously established formula of unlikely losers banding together worked in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and THUNDERBOLTS* and while this trio aren’t “losers” they are less than the flagship of the Avengers proper. Not only that, but all three have tried to avoid being superheroes—Wonder Man just wants to act, She-Hulk would rather be a lawyer, and Shang-Chi hid from his destiny for decades than confront his potential. And so these overshadowed reluctant heroes are called to glorious purpose, answering the call to adventure (eventually) and working together. They also all have had to deal with fame in different ways (hell, even Shang-Chi went viral as “Bus Boy”), and so that would be rolled into it as well.

As for something new that really would necessitate these particular heroes (and maybe others) banding together to face off some California crisis? I suggest that it’s not just a question of responsibility with great power/fame, but also the literal role of the superhero in society. A (very fair) criticism of superheroes is that they maintain the status quo. They don’t actually change fundamental issues that plague people in bigger ways. These costumed crimefighters can’t karate kick poverty or shoot repulsor rays at inequality, they can only fight off some bigger threat and then the system continues being broken and hurting people. So in order to explore doing something more—using that fame and power to address bigger problems—please permit me to do some more fancasting and suggest that the antagonists of AVENGERS: WEST COAST should be The Masters Of Evil.

In this iteration, Masters Of Evil are a group of superpowered individuals (maybe led by Zemo?) who literally are targeting and attacking societal ills. Corporations, politicians, out of control military/Damage Control, and other targets. They call themselves that ironically since they know they’ll be labeled as villains, while they record and broadcast their crimes, becoming influencers and (in)famous in their own right. Maybe Wonder Man is recruited by them due to a misunderstanding, or She-Hulk is representing one of them, or Shang-Chi’s sister is involved with them...whatever.

The point is that this group of supposed villains are trying to better the world while our protagonists are putting band-aids on gushers of blood. But—in echoes of Killmonger from BLACK PANTHER—The Masters Of Evil’s tactics are still questionable, their collateral damage is still too high, and their reasons for doing it are muddied by personal interests and such. Not only do our heroes work together to overcome their inadequacies and become heroes, but they end up. going a step further and actually do more to improve the status quo going forward through other endeavors.

But it’s not all just thematic doom and gloom, of course. AVENGERS: WEST COAST could have a great supporting cast with Katy (Awkwafina), Trevor Slattery (Sir Ben Kingsley), and maybe even X-Con Security Consultants (Michael Peña, David Dastmalchian, and T.I.) show up to provide assistance. Who would round out the team? Maybe White Vision (Paul Bettany) depending on how VisionQuest shakes out, or Ironheart, or introduce Living Lightning or Tigra. There’s lots of possibilities for nerdy expansion in the world while actually telling a compelling story about making a difference with the power we have.

AVENGERS: WEST COAST would be an incredibly rewarding project on multiple levels while also furthering narratives not often seen in blockbusters. Not just based on the make-up of the heroes on the team, but the themes they could tackle given those perspectives. These are characters that deserve better than being written off or left behind, and it would be nice to see MCU actually do right by creatives in a way that was also interesting.