The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s multiverse gets the same treatment as the MCU’s space-faring adventures in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” as “Guardians of the Galaxy” gets for its space-based adventures: Although the idea had been mulled about before, “Guardians of the Galaxy” is the film that finally makes it possible for other Marvel Cinematic Universe projects to be realized. The second installment of “Doctor Strange” performs a remarkable job of introducing spectators to various significant Marvel characters, the Illuminati being the most prominent of these characters.
On the other hand, you might not have realized that the film also drops hints about a Marvel hero who is less well known but has the potential to play a very crucial role in the future. In point of fact, you don’t even need to see the movie in order to consider the prospect of the advent of this particular hero, as the trailer for the movie (which can be viewed on YouTube) already reveals what might be in store for the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the years to come. Although the scene in which Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) descend through multiple other dimensions is the one that grabs the most attention visually, the one that immediately precedes it isn’t too far behind. In this specific universe, everything is a dense, verdant jungle, and there is something that looks very much like a dinosaur stomping around in the background.
Given that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is fond of hiding easter eggs, there is a good likelihood that this is the Savage Land, a timeless setting conceived of and designed by Jack Kirby. The Savage Land is a prehistoric and monster-infested location that is located in Antarctica in the comics, and the possibility of it existing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe suggests that Ka-Zar, the protector of the Savage Land, is also present somewhere in the multiverse. It would be cool and possibly an extremely essential move for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to introduce this hero, who is relatively unknown. Let’s have a look at the reason for that.
Ka-Zar is Marvel’s own lord of the jungle
Lord Kevin Plunder, also known as Ka-Zar, is a British nobleman who, while his family searches for a specific element in the Savage Land, ends up making friends with a massive sabretooth tiger and becoming the Savage Land’s Tarzan-like protector. Lord Kevin Plunder’s family is searching for a particular element. In the comics, he is not a superhuman, but he is a highly adept survivor and exerts a sufficient amount of control over his territory to be able to effectively defend it against pretty much any intruder, including the X-Men. It just so happens that he is also closely associated with Wakanda, so if the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn’t want to sit on the Savage Land tease for too long, there is a good opportunity to premiere the big-screen version of Ka-Zar in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
The introduction of Ka-Zar and his kingdom of prehistoric monsters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe would have a number of advantages, not the least of which is that it would pave the way for future MCU films centered on dinosaurs and jungle adventures. In addition to this, the character of Ka-Zar is enigmatic and adaptable enough to be transformed into anything the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) envisions, much like the Guardians of the Galaxy were able to do in the past. His supporting cast and rogues gallery, which includes his brother, the Plunderer, who wears a mask, and a human-pteranodon hybrid by the name of Sauron, are all intriguing enough to provide plenty of fun for the big screen.
Savage Land is an opportunity to tell all sorts of stories
Aside from Ka-own Zar’s potential, arguably the most significant advantage of bringing him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe would be the character’s association with several notable Marvel superheroes, both those who are already a part of the MCU and those who have not yet made their debut in the franchise. In addition to Wakanda and the X-Men, Ka-Zar has ties to the Avengers, and more specifically to Spider-Man, who, as far as anyone knows, would have a great time swinging around the jungles of Savage Land. In the Marvel comics, Ka-Zar is also a participant in the event known as Marvel’s Secret Invasion. The Marvel Cinematic Universe adaptation of this story will premiere on Disney+ at some point in the future, hopefully not too far away.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it is not uncommon for significant comic book places that are linked to a number of different heroes and villains to be reimagined, the most recent example being Wundagore in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.” The sheer number of heroes who have been there at one time or another makes Ka-Savage Zar’s Land a natural candidate for inclusion in the game, given its reputation.
Ka-Zar needs to avoid falling into a casting trap
There is, without a doubt, a single aspect of Ka-Zar that stands out from the crowd and has the potential to ruffle some feathers. The “white defender of the jungle” cliche is a rather awful one in this day and age, as The Guardian points out, so the blond-maned and unmistakably Caucasian comic book form of the character probably would not be all that well-received by readers.
Even if the character of Ka-Zar in the comics is an English lord named Kevin Plunder, Marvel Studios and Disney should already be painfully aware of the fact that keeping things comic book authentic is not necessarily enough to prevent fan outrage from occurring. As a matter of fact, “Iron Fist” courted controversy by casting Finn Jones as Danny Rand. This was due to the fact that, despite the fact that the casting was in line with Danny’s comic book incarnation, many fans found it unappealing that a white guy dominates a narrative that centers on Asian themes and mythology.
To our great relief, Ka-Zar is one of the intellectual property (IP) candidates that has the least competition. It is possible to recreate the character in a variety of ways, and as a result, there is no reason to suspect that the Marvel Cinematic Universe won’t be able to produce an effective live-action adaptation when the time comes to do so.
