With the release of Marvel’s mega crossover The Avengers, many fans began to wonder which other movie heroes should team up across their various franchises. But with the advent of “Civil War,” a storyline that will pit Captain America against Iron Man in the upcoming Captain America 3, audiences may start imagining a very different scenario. Who cares about two movie heroes teaming up? Now, we want to see them fight.
This kind of crossover isn’t common in movies, but it’s happened before. The villains-turned-protagonists of the classic slasher franchises A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th turned on each other in the surprisingly awesome Freddy vs. Jason (2003). Across the Pacific, the iconic samurai hero Zatoichi came face-to-face with Toshiro Mifune’s beloved Yojimbo (in the fittingly titled Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo), and also faced off with Jimmy Wang-Yu’s One-Armed Swordsman (in the equally fittingly titled Zatoichi Meets the One-Armed Swordsman).
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But for the most part, these kinds of battles to the death between beloved movie heroes are relegated to schoolyard “who would win in a fight” arguments, or the infrequent comic book crossover. So here at CraveOnline we’ve decided to make this a little more official, and tell Hollywood which movie heroes we want to fight each other on the big screen, and offer helpful suggestions about how they should come to blows, and who – ultimately – deserves to win.
Which movie hero showdowns do you want to see? Let us know in the comments. If we see enough good ideas, we’ll come back with more in the future.
Slideshow: 14 Movie Heroes Who Should Fight Each Other
William Bibbiani is the editor of CraveOnline’s Film Channel and the host of The B-Movies Podcast and The Blue Movies Podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.
14 Movie Heroes Who Should Fight Each Other
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Dirty Harry vs. Paul Kersey
From: Dirty Harry (1971) and Death Wish (1974)
Two heroes, born out of frustration with Miranda Rights, forced to take the law into their own hands when the system lets violent criminals go free. "Dirty" Harry Callahan tries to work within the law, Paul Kersey operates entirely outside of it after the victimization of their family. A confrontation would be inevitable.
Who Should Win?
After a knockout game out cat and mouse, Harry would fatally shoot Paul Kersey, proving Kersey's point in the process.
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Indiana Jones vs. Sam Spade
From: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and The Maltese Falcon (1941)
In the prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones was an unethical archaeologist in search of fortune and glory in the world of black market antiquities. That's a world private detective Sam Spade knows well, after turning the tables on a whole slew of treasure hunting cads in his own classic movie.
Who Should Win?
Indiana Jones would knock Spade's teeth out in the inevitable fist fight, but Jones would ultimately lose the rare jewel/statue/scroll/etc. they were fighting over due to Spade's brilliant manipulations.
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James Bond vs. Jason Bourne
From: Casino Royale (2006) and The Bourne Identity (2002)
Brainwashed by the American government into becoming the perfect assassin, Jason Bourne would be the perfect antagonist for James Bond, a modern version of Grant from From Russia With Love. But Bond gradually realizes that Bourne is also a victim, and will ultimately be the hero of his own story.
Who Should Win?
Bourne assassinates Bond's quarry, leading to an incredible parkour chase, an explosive car chase, and finally a fist fight that ends with Bond narrowly escaping by the skin of his teeth. Bond eventually wins in the rematch after finding a way to deprogram Bourne, and they team up to take down the real villain pulling the strings.
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James T. Kirk vs. James T. Kirk
From: Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek: Generations (1994)
Two Enterprise captains face off after the original, William Shatner version emerges from the Nexus at an earlier point in the timeline - prior to the events of Star Trek: Generations - convinced that he's facing evil, younger versions of his crew in a nightmarish mirror universe in which Vulcan is destroyed and the Federation has been corrupted.
Who Should Win?
Kirk Prime wins the space battle with ease - his experience quickly trumping his younger version's pluckiness - but the younger version shoots him in the back in a surprise twist that reveals Kirk Prime was right, and the J.J. Abrams movies were set in the Mirror Universe all along. The film ends with the Federation declaring that goatees are now mandatory for all starship crews.
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Lassie vs. Benji
From: Lassie (1994) and Benji the Hunted (1987)
Cinema's two most beloved canine heroes become fast friends, but when Lassie contracts rabies it's up to the smaller, cuter Benji to defend both their families from Lassie's Cujo-esque rampage.
Who Should Win?
Benji brilliantly tricks Lassie into falling down into a well, but not before falling prey to Lassie's deadly bite. As Benji returns to his loved ones, they recoil in horror as the foam forms around his mouth and he begins to growl...
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Neo vs. John Murdoch
From: The Matrix (1999) and Dark City (1998)
The two chosen ones blessed with reality-altering powers after being imprisoned by all-powerful godlike begins in an artificial, film noir-inspired cityscape finally come face to face. As Neo and Murdoch realize that only one of their realities can be the "real" one, they face off in a half-mad battle to prove which of them really exists.
Who Should Win?
As all of "reality" crumbles around them, they suddenly come face-to-face with Cobb from Inception who reveals that both franchises were just crazy dreams in the first place.
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The Magnificent Seven vs. The Wild Bunch
From: The Magnificent Seven (1960) and The Wild Bunch (1969)
The benevolent Magnificent Seven is hired to protect a town that just found a rich vein of gold from The Wild Bunch, who just want the treasure for themselves. What should have been an easy job for either wild west team turns deadly when they realize they are evenly matched.
Who Should Win?
After suffering heavy losses on both sides in the firefight to end all movie firefights, surviving members of both The Magnificent Seven and The Wild Bunch team up against the town, which has been letting their newfound riches corrupt them throughout the film. The remaining team, "The Wild Seven," will return to wage war against - and eventually team up with - The Man With No Name in an inevitable sequel.
