Marvel Studios has been hinting at a series or film based on their cosmic sci-fi hero Nova since 2017. Earlier this year, Kevin Feige revealed that Nova would indeed be coming to live-action as a Disney+ series. He said it was still “three to four years away,” but that doesn’t mean they don’t have an idea what this new show will be based on. Talking to the Phase Zero podcast, Marvel’s Brad Winderbaum revealed that Nova will draw inspiration from two specific spacefaring franchises. And for once, none are Star Wars. Here’s what he had to say:
The Nova that’s being developed right now, it’s an amazing ensemble piece. I shouldn’t say too much, but it’s like a great case of characters that’s got shades of [Star]Trek , shades of Battlestar Galactica
In the comics, Nova first appeared in The Man Called Nova #1 in 1976, as New York teenager Richard Rider. He is bequeathed the cosmic power of a Nova Centurion from the last member of the Nova StarCorps from the planet Xandar. With this power, he could tap into the Nova Force, and could fly, release energy blasts, and has super strength. (If this sounds like a cross between Spider-Man and DC’s Green Lantern, it kind of is.) Richard Rider has been a recurring player in Marvel Comics ever since. In more recent years, he became a mentor to a new Nova from Earth, teenager Sam Alexander.
We’ve actually met the Nova Corps already in the MCU, as they appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy on the planet Xandar. In Avengers: Infinity War, we later learned that Thanos later destroyed Xandar. We assume that the Nova Corps died along with it. This makes for the perfect setup for a Nova Corps survivor to make it to Earth. Once on Earth, they could hand Richard Rider the powers of Nova. Or maybe some of the Nova Corps survived the destruction of Xandar? That lines up with the Star Trek/ensemble comments from Winderbaum.
The Nova Corps in the MCU might be akin to Star Trek‘s Starfleet, with many Nova Centurions serving on board a starship. And if there are just a handful left, that would explain the Battlestar Galactica comparisons. We’re just excited to finally see Nova arrive in the MCU after all this time.