Problem – Marvel wants to turn its comic book characters into money-spinning mega-blockbusters, but the lesser the audience recognition factor, the lesser the chances of success. Solution – make a series of short films in order to introduce these more obscure characters to audiences. Which, as rumour would have it, is precisely what Marvel has done.

It was in April of last year that talk circulated of Marvel Studios forgoing the big budget route which had served the likes of Iron Man so well, in favour of crafting some more modestly resourced films starring their lesser-known properties (Dr. Strange, Ka-Zar, Luke Cage and Power Pack were amongst the characters mentioned back then).

Well, that blueprint could well have mutated into delivery of a series of short films instead, with a report circulating suggesting that two such mini-Marvels have already been shot. Apparently featuring Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, the two shorts will be put out with Captain America and Thor when those two features are released on DVD and Blu-ray.

Nonsense? Balderdash? An inverted pyramid of piffle? Quite possibly (The Avengers teaser that was tipped to run with Thor during its theatrical outing never surfaced). But whatever the veracity, it will doubtless trigger speculation as to which superheroes might be the stars of those shorts. Squirrel-Girl, are you finally ready for your close-up?

Source: Film School Rejects