Marvel Studios reportedly developing ‘Nova’ project
Another superhero is reportedly joining Marvel Studios’ ever expanding cinematic universe.
According to Deadline, Marvel is currently developing a film featuring Nova with Moon Knight writer Sabir Pirzada attached to pen the script. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige is also involved as a producer of the superhero film.
It is still unclear, however, if the upcoming project will be a feature film or a limited series for Disney Plus. There is also no word yet on the film's release window as well as the actor who will be suiting up to play the lead role.
Rumors about a Nova feature film started in 2018, after Feige shared to ComicBook.com the possibility of the superhero's debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
"Nova is… if we have a big board with a bunch of characters that have more immediate potential, Nova is on that board," Feige said in an exclusive interview. "Because of the connection to the Guardians universe, because there are more than one examples to pull from in the comics that are interesting. And you're absolutely right, he was in the earliest drafts of the [Guardians of the Galaxy]."
First appeared in The Man Called Nova #1 in 1976, Richard Rider is a New York high school student who’s chosen by a dying Rhomann Dey to replace him as a member of planet Xandar’s elite Nova Corps.
After receiving the uniform and powers of a Nova Centurion, Rider becomes a superhero and a member of the peacekeeping force, fighting alongside some of Marvel’s popular characters including Spider-Man and Thor.
With powers coming from an energy source called the Nova Force, Rider gains several abilities including flight, super strength, speed, durability, and the ability to absorb energy that he can release as gravimetric pulses and beams.
As a superhero, he faced several enemies such as Zorr, Condor, Powerhouse, Diamondhead, Corruptor, and the Sphinx.
Nova’s other comic book appearances include the Secret Avengers in 2010, joining a group of black ops superheroes which includes Captain Steve Rogers, Beast, War Machine, Valkyrie, Moon Knight, Black Widow, Sharon Carter, and Ant-Man.
Additionally, Nova also appeared in the Guardians of the Galaxy storyline and an Original Sin tie-in, which featured a flashback to events following The Thanos Imperative.