WARNING: THIS IS A LONG POST
Marvel Movie Idea. New York City is being attacked, eaten away from the inside by a Vampire hive. The Kingpin, recognizing the threat posed by the vampires, attempts to higher street level Marvel heroes to combat the threat to his operation.
Characters to use:
Blade-
More or less required. Does Kingpin hire him? Maybe, maybe not.
Daredevil-
Necessary. Obviously Kingpin tries to hire Daredevil, who will obviously refuse, but will work toward the same goal, to avoid mutual destruction.
Punisher-
Would not work for Kingpin. Chance encounter is best way to introduce, encounters either Daredevil or Daredevil and Blade, decides to help. Alternate idea described below.
Ghost Rider-
I feel GR is a lot harder to work in. At this point, all three other characters would likely not work for Kingpin (Blade might.) Adding another character that is more or less outside the Kingpin plot screws with it, but it could be done. Also, I think GR’s powers would distract from the Vampire fight too much, throws off the hand-to-hand combat of the other characters.
Moon Knight-
I don’t know as much about Moon Knight, so it’s not really something I considered overmuch. I really only know him from Ultimate Spider-Man, where he appeared infrequently.
Bullseye-
Obvious Daredevil/Kingpin connection. Kingpin would definitely look to Bullseye for special assignment. Runs the risk of making Daredevil the central character overmuch, when I’m thinking of an ensemble movie.
Morbius-
I think the Blade/Morbius conflict would be interesting, but as with Ghost Rider, I think Morbius would be too distracting from the theme. Possible though.
Crossbones-
Mercenary, that’s about what he has going for him. Runs the risk of confusion with the Punisher.
Taskmaster-
An interesting if unconventional alternative. I think Taskmaster would work well, maybe with a change in costume (skull mask.)
Deadpool-
Not really, but felt like mentioning why. Throws the tone off way too much, plus legal fight makes it impossible. Deadpool would be too much of a distraction from the plot, plus Punisher would try to kill him the whole…okay maybe that would work.
Plot:
Kingpin’s empire is being eaten away from the inside by a Vampire hive that has taken root in Hell’s Kitchen, reaching so far that a personal attack on Fisk in his penthouse takes place in the opening shots of the movie. Kingpin sets out to remove the threat by hiring costumed heroes and criminals to fight the war for him. He reaches out to Daredevil, who in the second shot of the movie encounters his first vampire, and shortly thereafter is confronted by on of Fisk’s men, offering the invitation. Daredevil attends the meeting, but refuses Kingpin’s money, though he agrees to work with Fisk’s mercenaries in order to remove the threat from the city (Fisk has hired generic mercenaries as well as costumed ones.) The first incursion into vampire territory goes terribly, leaving only Daredevil and the other costumed mercenary(s) fighting a horde, only to be saved by Blade.
Introducing Punisher:
Punisher can be introduced in one of two ways, the first mentioned above, and the second as below. Castle is hunting one of Fisk’s mercenaries (Bullseye, Taskmaster, etc.) when he is attacked by a vampire (looking down a scope, targeting the mask, when he is grabbed from behind.) From here, I think the best way to do it would be to have Daredevil, who is still considering Fisk’s offer. Warning him of the vampire threat, Daredevil gives Punisher a way to contact him, which Punisher will use later, having tracked down a major nest. Alternatively, Punisher is already working with Blade when Blade rescues Daredevil (though he wasn’t with him at the time, can’t introduce two characters at the same time.)
Also, when Punisher is introduced, has to start with him say War Journal, and narrating like it's an entry. Always wanted that in a movie.
Advancing the Plot:
Once we have the ensemble, which should be four costumed fighters, but could be five, advancing the plot becomes an issue. Tension in the group would be crazy, considering it’s a group of loners who often are at odds or trying to kill each other. Blade, as the most knowledgeable will already have a plan, but one he couldn’t conduct alone. Somehow or another, the team makes there way deep into Vampire territory, only to be betrayed by Fisk’s mercenaries, left to fight their way out of the vampire hive. Once the team escapes, they formulate a plan for the final assault on the vampire base. The hows and whys of the conflict are less essential to determining who the villain is.
The Villain:
Who is it? Obviously at some point the Fisk hire(s) will betray the group, presumably at the end, leaving Fisk in a strengthened position, but up until the very end, the movie needs a face to the vampire threat. Dracula? Maybe, over used. Could be just a made up name. Anyway, chief vampire. How do you make the head vampire a threat to a team of four costumed heroes? Especially ones that use lethal force? Difficult.
Important Thematic Notes:
Daredevil is the most complicated part of this idea. Daredevil must serve as the relatedable character for the audience, while also having an actual power set that separates him from the audience. Blade (talking the Wesley Snipes version, part vampire because those movies were good. Casting up in the air) is too inhuman to work as the relatable character, plus he is 100% resolved, unquestioning. Same with the Punisher, as a static character he makes relating difficult. This leaves Daredevil, who will spend much of the movie questioning the morality of slashing through the vampire hordes (which he will do of course, but reluctantly) I expect the conclusion to have Daredevil standing over a defeated head Vampire, wondering if he should kill him or not, only to have the decision taken from him by Punisher/Blade/Merc.
Avoiding Daredevil & Friends:
I think this movie runs the risk that really consumed the first X-men movie. Daredevil, from whom many of the movies potential characters stem, may be an overpowering influence. I like the idea of DD working with Fisk, and Bullseye is the logical merc to hire, but it would possibly overwhelm the other Knights, especially Punisher who wouldn’t have much opportunity to shine (unless he kills some of Fisk’s mercs and is the “heavy weapons” guy.) Balancing DD and the rest of the team will be essential. Casting will be important here.
Killing Blade/Avoind a Trinity remake:
Blade’s death may be an important component to the story, though I hope it’s not necessary (it’s been done before, even though I don’t like to mention Blade: Trinity.) In fact, killing Blade may make you think, how is this not Blade Trinity? That’s why I’m hesitant to kill him, though it would be the only emotional moment in the movie. So, avoiding a Blade 3 remake is important (though the plot seems similar, I think this idea is different in a number of key ways.) So, tentatively avoiding this.
Vampirism Cure: Does it make sense to have it as a plot point? Daredevil would certainly ask about it, but adding it in might make DD too hesitant to use lethal force on vamps (presumably DD will just have silver kamas instead of traditional billy clubs.) Adding a search for the cure is a way to introduce Morbius if you really want too, but ultimately the cure would need to not work.
Where thinks stand at the End:
With the threat of vampires greatly reduced in NYC, Fisk reasserts his control over Hell’s Kitchen, using his costumed mercs against the Marvel Knights, who manage to escape, a vow to work together to topple Fisk’s empire. So the lineup at the end of the movie would need to be four Knights. Who are they? Daredevil, Punisher, Blade, and ??? This is the underling question I need answered. Throughout the movie, the first three have worked with one of Fisk’s mercs, who betrays them at the end of the second act (this would most likely be Bullseye, but another merc would work as well.) The fourth Knight is what is really missing from this idea. To that end, suggestions, comments, anything you might like to say about this idea, feel free. Keep in mind that this was all typed at once and I haven’t reviewed it or checked it for inconsistencies.
TL;DR: Daredevil, Punisher, Blade and an undetermined fourth Knight fight a Vampire uprising in NYC alongside a Costumed merc hired by the Kingpin, becoming a Marvel Knights team.