As Marvel Studios paved the way for weird and niche characters, it's time audiences got another shot at a live-action Howard the Duck. The original 1980s film bombed completely, and since, the character has floated around the MCU in just a cameo capacity. But now that the MCU is exploring the deepest corners of the galaxy and even the multiverse, a Howard the Duck movie can fit right in.
The 1986 Howard the Duck adaptation was Marvel’s first attempt at a theatrical film since the 1944 Captain America serials. The film was critically panned and a box office bomb, sending the duck back into obscurity for decades. A cult following grew as fans cherished the Howard the Duck soundtrack and the film’s bizarre humor, but it wasn’t enough to give the character another movie. Twenty-eight years later, Howard returned to the big screen via a cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy. Despite a redesign and a new voice from Seth Green, Howard the Duck has been relegated to a blink-or-you'll-miss-it moment in the MCU.
A Hulu show for the character, unrelated to the MCU, was in the works but then canned once Marvel Studios went into production with its Disney+ shows. But now, with a clean slate after Avengers: Endgame, a Howard the Duck movie can meet modern movie standards and be part of the MCU. Originally, George Lucas planned the film to be animated by The Graphics Group, which later became Pixar, but the plan changed as the filmmaker needed to make a live-action for Universal. The technology just wasn’t ready to bring this character to life at the time, considering one of the biggest criticisms surrounding Howard the Duck was the animatronics' emotionless face. But as seen in Guardians of the Galaxy and the success in creating Rocket and Groot, it’s completely plausible to bring Howard the Duck to life. The MCU itself achieved the creation of CGI characters, making them completely expressive and realistic with their surroundings. Howard the Duck can follow that route as a completely CG character and still lead his own movie, especially as Marvel Studios opens up the multiverse.
Even before Doctor Strange teased it, Howard’s cameos hinted at the MCU’s multiverse. That said, a talking duck from an alternate Earth called Duckworld where everyone is a duck may not be as far-fetched as it sounds. MCU audiences accepted a tree that only repeats the words, “I am Groot,” and they’re likely ready for the weirder corners of these universes as the brand keeps itself fresh. Moviegoers have seen dozens of heroes, but a talking duck traveling the galaxy would be new territory for the franchise, especially as Marvel moves into genre fare like Guardians of the Galaxy being a space opera. The MCU gives a Howard the Duck movie a lot to explore, thanks to years of mythology.
Unlike his 80s counterpart, this Howard the Duck has a whole universe to play in. Howard has already made an impression in the MCU by becoming an Avenger during Endgame’s final battle and being part of the Collector’s collection. Howard meeting any of the MCU heroes would be natural as his involvement has been well established. Even giving Howard that launchpad for his own movie with all the people he may know across the universe. As Marvel Studios enters new avenues, a sci-fi mystery wouldn’t be out of place for Howard, considering his comic history as a private eye. It would also lower the stakes and offer a breath of fresh air from the end of the world events in the MCU. There are a lot of reasons the 1986 version of Howard the Duck didn’t work. But in today’s filmmaking, a Howard the Duck movie makes more sense now than it did almost 30 years ago. With the technology caught up to bring the character to life and a whole cinematic universe behind it, audiences are ready for a talking duck.