As the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues its never-ending expansion, there is a constant supply of new and fascinating characters to adapt to the big screen. One character, dating back to 1969, seems primed to make his grand debut in the franchise, possibly filling the role of the antagonist in the upcoming Thunderbolts film.
Of all of Marvel's upcoming projects, Thunderbolts might be the most mysterious. The plan seems to be to bring a group of secondary and tertiary characters from other films, often former villains, to battle a new threat. Speculation among fans has begun to point to Hyperion as a new contender for that threat.
Since the earliest days of the medium, there has been one character that stood above all other superheroes. The Platonic ideal of a superhero, the one that most of humanity pictures when they hear the word, and the single fictional icon that defines the biggest genre in entertainment right now. Superman wasn't the first superhero, but he is the one that gave the concept its shape and form, even to this day. Marvel Comics was founded the year after Superman first appeared on the comic book page, though the company wouldn't start using the name until 30 years later. That same year, 1969, writer Roy Thomas and artist Sal Buscema created their own blatant pastiche of the Man of Steel. Hyperion is Marvel's take on Superman, and in the 53 years since his debut, he's changed a lot.
Hyperion was created alongside Doctor Spectrum, Nighthawk, and the Whizzer, as the Squadron Sinister. They were a team of villains, organized by the Grandmaster to challenge the Avengers. They were also a playful poke at DC Comics, as each member of the team was an alternate universe take on a Justice League fixture. Spectrum was Green Lantern, Nighthawk was Batman, Whizzer was The Flash, and Hyperion was Superman. This version of the character, known as Zhib-Ran, is a fairly stereotypical Evil Superman trope, which has since become incredibly passé. He and his allies are easily defeated by the Avengers, then roundly bested again by the Defenders. Hyperion is resurrected multiple times to fight various Marvel mainstays, only to lose and die in basically every contest. The final battle of Zhib-Ran pits him against the aforementioned Thunderbolts. The comic book Thunderbolts sported a different lineup with more superpowers, and, unsurprisingly, Zhib-Ran was defeated once again.
Years later, the better-known iteration of Hyperion hit the page. Known as Marcus Milton, Hyperion the 2nd follows the traditional Superman model much more closely. He's the last of his people, he was sent to Earth as an infant, he was raised by a human father who taught him right and wrong, and he used his superpowers to save the world as an adult. While the first iteration was something of an attack on Superman in the "my superhero could beat up your superhero" model, the second was a straight pastiche that aired closer to copyright infringement. Milton formed the Squadron Supreme, which consisted of the same members as the Squadron Sinister, but fought for good rather than evil. Marc Milton is actually from an alternate universe called Earth-13034, but he was dragged to the central 616 continuity for a few brief events over the years.
Rumor has it that Hyperion will be joining the MCU sooner or later. Fans have spoken of casting calls and shouted out their favorite picks for the role. If Hyperion is to join the franchise, the villain position for the upcoming Thunderbolts film would be an excellent debut. Some fans have suggested that, in a battle, the MCU Thunderbolts couldn't even pose a threat to Hyperion. Comparisons to the 2016 film Suicide Squad, in which a handful of criminals with very few superpowers between them took on a nearly omnipotent sorcerer, were made. However, the Thunderbolts have taken on Hyperion and won in the past. On a thematic level, an evil Superman is wildly overdone, but, would be an interesting enemy for a team of redeemed villains. If he's the antagonist of Thunderbolts, there's a very clear way to make him a perfect pick for the role and the power discrepancy doesn't need to be a big issue.
Hyperion is a simple pastiche of a beloved character who has gone on to take a life of his own. The character could be a very interesting villain in a project like Thunderbolts, but he could also be a new addition to the heroes. Hyperion has been a villain and an Avenger at different times, so anything is possible for this character. In the movies, Hyperion could even be a pastiche of the DCEU's film take on the character. Hyperion has a long history behind him and a lot of interesting concepts in front of him. Fans will have to wait and see which version of the character hits the screen and how he looks when he gets there.