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The Punisher will join a dark Avengers with Blade and Ghost Rider.
Rumors about the supernatural team the Midnight Sons erupted the past few months. However, I initially scooped it years ago.
In fact, in August 2020 I reported the group line-up included Blade, Ghost Rider, Jennifer Kale, Man-Thing, Glyph, and Werewolf by Night.
Midnight Sons were supposed to be part of Marvel TV head Jeph Loeb’s Endgame for Hulu. In other words, his cancelled Ghost Rider project was supposed to lead into it. Furthermore, the now-defunct Helstrom was an essential part of the plan.
When Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige grabbed control of their TV division, he took over the Midnight Sons’ development.
The Punisher will join the Midnight Sons.
Apparently, Marvel Studios wants to combine the streetwise and spooky with the Midnight Sons. Added members such as the Punisher and Moon Knight will give an air of believability.
Marvel really wants the Midnight Sons to have their time to shine.
We also did hear that they planned to make this into a movie instead from other sources. But now, insiders confirm that it’s going to be exclusive to Hulu unless Blade explodes theatrically.
The reason for choosing Hulu instead for Disney Plus is that they can maintain rated R violence needed for the show. Midnight Sons will deal with horror and mystical story elements. It is heavy into the occult in the comics.
If you think of the entire team that they have, the Punisher is really the only one without special attributes. Moreover, his no-fear attitude and unforgiving way of justice is perfect for the group since they will be dealing with unknown creatures and demons.
Midnight Sons plunges the MCU in horror.
Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness will be the first Marvel movie to introduce horror into the MCU. The Midnight Sons bathes in it.
Image: Marvel Comics Group
Origins
The Midnight Sons debuted in Ghost Rider No. 28, in 1992. But this was a multi-title crossover which included Ghost Rider, Morbius, Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins, and Nightstalkers.
The entire event was written by Howard Mackie, Len Kaminski, Christian Cooper, and Dan G. Chichester. The team was formed by Ghost Riders Danny Ketch and Johnny Blaze after receiving a vision that Lilith, Mother of All Demons, is planning to take over Earth.
The original team consisted of The Nightstalkers (Blade, Frank Drake, Hannibal King, Morbius), the Ghost Riders (Danny Ketch and Johnny Blaze), The Darkhold Redeemers (Sam Buchanan, Victoria Montesi, Louise Hastings, and later Modred the Mystic and Jinx).
Doctor Strange was mostly helping behind the scenes, but didn’t officially join until sometime later. This served as an introduction to the team and did have a nine-issue anthology series called Midnight Sons Unlimited running from 1993 to 1995.
The Cast?
As we mentioned before, Feige intends on bringing back Jon Bernthal as the Punisher.
Ghost Rider Roberto Reyes, played by Gabrial Luna, was supposed to be the one to start the Midnight Sons. Reyes was created by Felipe Smith and Tradd Moore in 2014. It was originally planned for a Hulu release. His character had a very successful start in ABC’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Reyes’ (and, consequently, Luna’s) status is unknown after Loeb’s departure. Sources are adamant that Feige wants to utilize the original Blaze, at least for now.
Tom Austen played the Son of Satan in Helstrom; insiders claim that he is unlikely to return. Moreover, Helstrom might not appear for a while.
Morbius, the Living Vampire, played by Jared Leto, is on Sony’s territory. So, we don’t know what the plan is with his character if he will be joining the Midnight Sons at any point or capacity. Writer Roy Thomas and artist Gil Kane co-created Morbius in 1971.
Mahershala Ali is already confirmed to become the new Blade, replacing Wesley Snipes’ iconic role. Writer Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan co-created Blade in 1973.
Production for Blade is scheduled to start in July 2022. There is no release date for the new movie. Our original report indicated that the Midnight Sons will be introduced in the Blade franchise.
Moon Knight is coming on Disney Plus’ streaming service starring Oscar Isaac. Moon Knight was co-created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin in 1975. Isaac already confirmed the casting himself. Filming of the series started in April 2021. The show will have six episodes and is planned to debut in 2022.
We’ve heard that Elsa Bloodstone will also be added to the group at some point. Elsa Bloodstone was created by writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning and artist Michael Lopez in 2001.
News about her has been very little and unconfirmed. Nevertheless, it might be a sign that Marvel wants some female representation in the Midnight Sons just like Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow in the Avengers.
Ghost Rider to Form Team With the Punisher and Blade in MCU
Image: Marvel Comics Group
At the moment, we know the team’s core is the Punisher, Blade, Ghost Rider, and Moon Knight. The Midnight Sons apparently will have a revolving membership outside of that four. After all, will these anti-heroes get along?
The Midnight Sons on Hulu are still in the planning stages, and Feige is being careful on how to get this done. It’s still going to take some time.
Remember that nothing is set in stone yet since it’s early in development. Remember that Captain Marvel was supposed to be introduced in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).
They even shot the scene but used a stand-in.
But that didn’t happen.
Captain Marvel finally debuted in Avengers: Infinity War (2018). So things can still change along the way.
Nevertheless, there is no denying that Kevin Feige has been putting up details here and there. He’s making a hard balancing act by putting the pieces in and not rushing things through.
It’s the same way he has been handling the Agents of Atlas characters. Feige is making sure that the audience is ready once all the chess pieces are placed.
Getting back the Punisher, Ghost Rider, and adding Moon Knight and Blade is already good signs that it is leading up to that.
Moreover, considering that the Midnight Sons will focus on horror instead of the usual adventure, fantasy, and sci-fi themes of the Marvel movies, it will really change things up for the MCU.
Midnight Sons is slowly becoming a reality, a scary one.
Related: Marvel Studios Blade Reboot Will Have A PG-13 Rating
