Marvel lines up Moon Knight scribe for a Nova project

By Blair Marnell Published March 24, 2022

Moon Knight will be the next live-action Marvel series on Disney+ when it premieres March 30. And apparently, Moon Knight screenwriter Sabir Pirzada really impressed his bosses, because Marvel has already lined him up for a new project. Via Deadline, Pirzada will bring Nova to live-action life. However, the report notes that it’s unclear if it will be a feature film or a Disney+ show.

Nova, aka Richard Rider, was created by Marvel legends Marv Wolfman and John Romita Sr. in 1976 as an everyman superhero in the mold of Spider-Man. Unlike Spidey, Richard was chosen by Rhomann Dey, a fatally wounded member of the Nova Corps, to carry on as the last Nova Centurion. It’s very similar to DC’s origin for Green Lantern/Hal Jordan, and Richard even went on to establish a new Nova Corps. Richard’s Nova powers include flight, speed, super strength, and the ability to survive in the vacuum of space.

Recommended Videos

In 2011, Jeph Loeb and artist Ed McGuinness introduced a new Nova, Sam Alexander. Unlike Richard, Sam’s father was in the Nova Corps before returning to Earth. Years after his father disappeared, Sam found his dad’s Nova helmet and became a teenage hero. Both Richard and Sam currently share the Nova code name and powers.

Nova illustration by Adi Granov. — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has already set the stage for Nova’s adventures. The first Guardians of the Galaxy film introduced the Nova Corps and their home world, Xandar. Glenn Close portrayed Nova Prime, while John C. Reilly portrayed Rhomann Dey, the Nova Centurian who gave Richard his powers in the comics.

However, the Nova Corps members in Guardians of the Galaxy didn’t have any powers or abilities. They were also slaughtered off-screen in Avengers: Infinity War when Thanos claimed his first Infinity Stone. That’s important, because the devastation of Xandar was the inciting incident that ultimately brought Rhomann Dey to Richard Rider. Essentially, Nova’s origin story has already begun in the MCU, and now we’ll finally be able to see it play out.

Topics

Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…

Entertainment

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 introduces Marvel’s best villain since Thanos

The High Evolutionary stands up in a red-walled room in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Nowadays, it’s not all that controversial to say that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been stuck in a bit of a rut for the past few years. In the wake of the climactic high that it hit with 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, Marvel has repeatedly struggled to consistently deliver films and TV shows that feel as cohesive as the titles that built up the studio’s reputation in the first place. That hasn’t been due to a lack of trying, either. In just the past four years, Marvel has released around 20 new feature films and Disney+ MCU shows.

While opinions may vary about the MCU’s latest offering, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the general consensus surrounding the James Gunn-directed film seems fairly positive right now. At the very least, many seem to agree that it’s the first MCU film in quite a while that feels like it was actually made with real, palpable amounts of love and passion. It also, notably, introduces the most memorable and compelling villain who has shown up in the MCU since Josh Brolin’s Thanos was dusted out of existence in Endgame.

Entertainment

James Gunn made 600 versions of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Pom Klementieff, Chris Pratt, and Karen Gillan as Mantis, Star-Lord, and Nebula in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3."

Do you love any film enough to watch it 600 times? Because according to The Hollywood Reporter, director James Gunn has created 600 unique versions of his final Marvel movie, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. However, there's no need to freak out and try to watch every single version. Gunn didn't change any scenes or plot points between them. Instead, this effort was meant to ensure that movie lovers will get to see the film in the best aspect ratio possible in any given theater.

If 600 versions sound like a lot, keep in mind that James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water reportedly had 1,065 versions in theaters all over the world. Gunn's Guardians variations are a record for a Marvel movie, and he apparently played with the way the aspect ratio will change during the movie itself. For example, the first 45 minutes of the movie was shot in a flat 1.85 aspect ratio, while the remaining parts of the film are in a 2.39 ratio. This means that Gunn specifically picked moments in the later part of the movie where the action on-screen will appear to get bigger.

Entertainment

The 7 best female characters in the MCU

Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3..

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to turn 15, and it's finally slowing down. However, before taking a much-needed hiatus, it will premiere James Gunn's highly-anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the final send-off for everyone's favorite cosmic a-holes. The Guardians movies are among the best MCU projects for many reasons, including their abundance of incredible female characters. From Gamora to Nebula and Mantis, Guardians has some of the most complex and well-defined female figures in the ever-expanding MCU.

It's not like other corners of the MCU don't have great female characters, but it's undeniable that the world's biggest franchise has a problem creating three-dimensional figures, not just female but overall. Luckily, not all is lost, for Marvel has introduced several memorable and layered females throughout its numerous movies and shows. From space warriors to scarlet witches, these characters have considerably elevated the MCU's profile, becoming fan favorites as well as critical darlings.
Peggy Carter