This is a list of unproduced films based on comics published by Marvel at some point under one of their imprints. Several of these titles are creator owned and have since been published by other companies. Some of these productions were, or still are, in development hell. Films that have not provided significant production announcements within at least a year would be considered in development limbo until further announcements are released.
CrossGen
Ruse In January 2009, Siavash Farahani announced he had written a Ruse film script for Disney with Sam Raimi directing the project.
Way of the Rat In May 2011, Disney and CrossGen were developing a Way of the Rat film based on the comic book series of the same name.
Epic Comics
Alien Legion In November 2009, Carl Potts' Alien Legion screenplay was optioned by producer Jerry Bruckheimer and The Walt Disney Company. In 2010, Bruckheimer exercised the option, buying the screenplay and assigning Game of Thrones show runner David Benioff to do a rewrite. In 2023, the rights were picked up by Warner Bros., with Tim Miller slated to direct.
Crash Ryan In March 2015, a film adaptation of Crash Ryan was announced to be in development, with Ryan Heppe producing.
Elfquest In July 2008, Warner Bros. announced its intention to bring the Elfquest saga to the big screen, with Rawson Marshall Thurber serving as writer and director. The format (live action, CGI, or traditional animation) is yet unknown. However, it was confirmed on Elfquest's official Facebook page that Warner Bros. ultimately canceled the project; the ostensible reason is that Warner Bros. didn't want the film competing with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. In 2013, there were rumours of recapping the project on behalf of the producers of a fan-made trailer which appeared.
Animated Elfquest video series In the early 1990s, an ad for a multi-volume animated adaptation of Elfquest appeared in the comic. A few issues later, the Pinis told readers they'd withdrawn from the deal, and that readers should ask for refunds. Those who didn't eventually received a 50-minute VHS tape from Abby Lou Entertainment, copyright 1992. Covering the first volume of the book, it consists of color still images taken straight from the comic, some minor animation, and spoken dialogue.
Icon Comics
Empress A film adaptation of Empress was announced to be in development for Netflix in July 2018, as part of the first slate of films adapted from comics under Mark Millar's imprint Millarworld, with Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum producing, and Lindsey Beer writing the script.
Incognito In May 2010, Incognito was optioned for a film by 20th Century Fox, with Robert Schenkkan penciled in as the screenwriter. The film was picked up by Columbia Pictures, with 10 Cloverfield Lane screenwriter Daniel Casey writing the script and Fede Álvarez directing.
Kick-Ass 3
In April 2012, while Kick-Ass 2 was still in pre-production Mark Millar stated that a third film was also planned, but in June 2013, he revealed that it was not confirmed and would be dependent on how successful the second film was. Later the same month he further elaborated that if it went ahead, the third film would be the final installment: "Kick-Ass 3 is going to be the last one... I told Universal this, and they asked me, 'What does that mean?' I said, 'It means that this is where it all ends'. They said, 'Do they all die at the end?' I said, 'Maybe' – because this is a realistic superhero story... if someone doesn't have a bulletproof vest like Superman, and doesn't have Batman's millions, then eventually he is going to turn around the wrong corner and get his head kicked in or get shot in the face. So Kick-Ass needs to reflect that. There has to be something dramatic at the end; he cannot do this for the rest of his life". Moretz has shown interest in returning for a third installment and would also be interested in exploring Hit-Girl's dark side: "I want to see something we haven't seen yet. Now we've seen who Mindy is, now we've seen who Hit-Girl is, I think we need to meld the characters together and have Mindy become Hit-Girl and Hit-Girl become Mindy. Maybe her natural hair has a streak of purple in it, maybe she really does go kind of crazy and go a bit darker since she lost her father. I would only do the third one if it were logical. It needs to be a good script and a director, probably Matthew (Vaughn). The third film needs to fully wrap up the series and has to be a good note to end on". After the release of Kick-Ass 2, Millar stated that the third film is "in the pipeline". While at a press junket for Godzilla in May 2014, Taylor-Johnson stated that he was still up for a third film but he was not contracted for it. In the same month, Christopher Mintz-Plasse revealed he had not heard anything but expressed doubt that a third film would happen due to the second installment's disappointing box office performance. In June, Chloë Grace Moretz echoed her co-stars' sentiments when asked about Kick-Ass 3, expressing the hope for the film. She also cited the second film's lower box office gross as the key obstacle to the third chapter being produced and suggested file sharing was a factor: "The hard thing is if fans want a third movie, they've got to go buy the ticket to go see the movie. It was like the second most pirated movie of the year, so if you want a movie to be made into a second, a third, a fourth, and a fifth, go buy a ticket. Don't pirate it". In June 2018, Matthew Vaughn announced his intention to set up Marv Studios, under which banner he will produce a reboot of the Kick-Ass series.
Hit-Girl prequel In August 2014, Chloë Grace Moretz reiterated her previous statements and said "sadly, I think I'm done with Hit-Girl". In January 2015, Millar revealed to IGN that there was a planned Hit-Girl film with Gareth Evans directing but was cancelled. In February, Matthew Vaughn, who directed the first film, spoke optimistically about a "Hit-Girl" prequel: "If that happens, I'm pretty sure I can persuade Aaron and Chloe to come back and finish the story of Kick-Ass". Vaughn reiterated this in June about working on a prequel on how Hit-Girl and Big Daddy became superheroes and plans to make Kick-Ass 3 after.
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