It is time to admit Guardians of the Galaxy and Marvel Studios made an error when they reinvented Howard the Duck for his cameo in 2014. Had the film correctly linked the 1986 movie produced by George Lucas, Howard’s presence would have had far more weight, meaning, and nostalgic power. While the decision to ignore the cult classic produced by Lucas may have been tied to rights issues, the end result was a far less impactful moment than it could have been. It’s the kind of decision someone like Seth MacFarlane or Jon Favreau would have fought to see done right, but alas, we are left with a weird creative mistake by the director and studio. Fortunately, there are rumors of a new pitch going around from one of the original film’s stars, and fans are excited to learn more about what may be in store for one of the most simultaneously stupid and awesome members of the Marvel family.

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Often considered the worst big studio 1980s film of all time, a label that has now become an unquestionable badge of honor in the modern era, Howard the Duck is an undeniable classic. The quirky film epitomizes the 1980s in countless ways when major studios would get behind utterly absurd cinematic experiments. Other classic gonzo cinema that would likely never get the green light today include Earth Girls are Easy, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, and Heartbeeps, just to name three.

It was a special time for thinking outside the box. While these movies are far from what some would deem high cinematic art, they represent a form of creative liberty that may or may not be returning to Hollywood, depending on your perspective. For all these reasons and more, Howard the Duck should return in proper form, and a comeback would likely be embraced far more than any studio may be willing to admit, and a lot of that is due to the internet.

Howard the Duck is Fun

     Universal Pictures

Depending on your state of mind, it’s a pretty easy movie to love. Yes, it has very dumb moments. The writing isn’t exactly fantastic, and there will always be that questionable sexual innuendo moment that caused controversy back in the day (watching it now, it’s pretty innocuous). Still, none of this compares to the wild genre-blending takeaway of the film. At its core, the movie is about the dangers of idealistic and unscrupulous cosmic exploration.

When talking about Howard the Duck, it’s rare to hear anyone bring up its Lovecraftian inspirations, but they are very much a part of the formula. At the end of the day, because of this, it’s hard for any genre fan not to love this movie, even if they’re afraid to admit it. On top of this, it features A-list actors like Tim Robbins, Lea Thompson, and Jeffrey Jones, who elevate the movie every step of the way. While it may help to slightly adjust your perception with your favorite mind-altering substance, the combination of so many flavors in that film is unlike anything you’re likely to find today.

Lea Thompson’s Recent Howard Pitch

     Universal Studios

While very little is known about what the actor/director has in mind, it was reported that Lea Thompson has pitched a new Howard the Duck concept to Marvel. This is promising news for Howard fans. While some have criticized Picard’s writing, Lea’s directorial work on the show was fantastic, proving the artist has a lot more to bring to the art of filmmaking than her performance abilities. Having been such an integral part of the original 1986 film, she is an ideal candidate to bring a new iteration of Howard the Duck to fruition.

While Lea also brought up the issue of Howard’s cinematic technology, fans have expressed a desire not to mess with Howard’s original animatronic approach too much. There’s a charm about the practical approach to his look in the original movie that could easily be ruined by CGI. Similar to the Sonic the Hedgehog debate, which has now been immortalized in Chip ’n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers, filmmakers would be wise to take a cue from this and not distort a beloved character’s look that comes with nearly forty years of nostalgia.

The ’80s iteration of Howard brings memories of ShowBiz Pizza, MTV, and roller skating rinks in shopping malls. It’s easy to lose sight of this warm nostalgic glow when production gets underway. While modern technologies can make the process easier and should be employed in many cases, it’s important to reference successful shows like The Mandalorian, Stranger Things, and Cobra Kai that have truly become the benchmarks for celebrating 1980s nostalgia. Should a new Howard The Duck project move forward, the 1986 movie should be respected for the ludicrous masterpiece that it is.