Now that Disney has officially purchased Fox it opens up the opportunity for hundreds of characters to be in the MCU. Here’s a rundown of characters that should be fast-tracked into the MCU.
1. Mr. Fantastic
While the Fantastic Four has been around for decades the team hasn’t always been made up of the core team of Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic, Susan Storm aka Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm aka Human Torch and Ben Grimm aka Thing. But the one man that should tie the whole thing together, no matter who’s in the group, is Reed Richards.
He’s one of the smartest men in the world and would be a great team-up with the “Science Bros” Bruce Banner and Tony Stark. Plus his stretching powers would look incredible with the right SFX.
2. Invisible Woman
Sue Storm is another O.G. FF team member that needs to be in the MCU. Previous actresses have tried to get her right but no one has captured her drive and dedication to the family. The Marvel movies have been slowly filling up with strong, powerful women and she’d fit in perfectly.
3. Human Torch
Chris Evans will probably be leaving the MCU after Avengers: Endgame, but it would be hilarious to see him next to the new actor playing Johnny Storm. Johnny started out as a hotshot playboy but has shown some real pathos in recent years.
The character’s trademark wit would be hilarious with Tony Stark.
4. The Thing
Here’s another character that Fox was very close to getting right but missed the ball. My favorite moment in Fantastic Four is when he tries to see his fiancee and realizes she’s left him because of his rocky appearance. That’s the kind of thing the MCU could explore. Most of the superheroes can blend in with a crowd, but Ben Grimm can’t.
Plus, we need someone with his strength level to battle the truly terrifying villains in the next phase of the MCU.
5. Doctor Doom
Villains have gotten a bad rap in the MCU. Until Erik Killmonger showed up we’ve had a number of OK villains but it’s arguable that a truly great villain has eluded the Marvel movies until Thanos. Enter Victor Von Doom aka Doctor Doom. The ruler of the fictional European country of Latveria would be the perfect villain.
He’s got the scientific genius to rival Reed Richards and a suit of armor to rival Iron Man. Plus, he’s a king like Black Panther. This guy could rival Thanos as the “Big Bad” of the MCU.
6. Silver Surfer
The MCU is just beginning to explore the cosmos and a hero like Siver Surfer could be the key to unlocking the universe. Norrin Radd got an underwhelming appearance in the second Fantastic Four movie and never really lived up to his potential.
Not only would he look incredible but his appearance could bring in one of the greatest threats the Marvel Universe has ever known.
7. Galactus
Speaking of “Big Bads” there’s no one bigger or badder than Galactus. Again, he showed up in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer but without his trademark purple armor and helmet. Imagine this massive guy showing up to snack on the planet.
It would take the full force of the MCU to defeat him. The Celestials have already been introduced into the movies with Ego the Living Planet. Now we just need the Purple Planet-Eater.
8. Annihilus
This guy is less well-known but is a masterful villain. He’s originally a Fantastic Four villain by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Annihilus is a member of the alien race known as Arthosians which look like a giant bug. He’s an immortal superpowered creature with an insectoid exoskeleton. He can live in space and can fly super-fast with his wings. He has something called the “Cosmic Control Rod”, which can manipulate matter and energy. He can also control cosmic energy with it.
Introducing Annihilus would also allow the MCU to bring the alternate anti-matter dimension known as the “Negative Zone” into the movies. Plus, he has his army of Negative Zone villains known as “The Annihilation Wave” which killed a million worlds in one day and kicked the massive 2006 “Annihilation” storyline.
9. Nova
The cosmic guardian Nova almost showed up in Guardians of the Galaxy but James Gunn decided not to use him. Nova Corp has already been a key part of the movies. So it wouldn’t take much to bring him in.
There have been a few heroes with the name Nova but Richard Rider is the one that has the most potential. Unfortunately, his origin is based on the alien Rhomann Dey being the last surviving Centurion of the Nova Corps. But if they don’t have plans for the Nova Corp it could work out.
10. Kang the Conqueror
Time travel doesn’t exist in the MCU but Avengers: Endgame may change all that. If that’s the case then Kang would be a brilliant villain for exploiting that mind-altering change.
Kang is a master of time travel and creates the “Council of Kang” which is hundreds of versions of himself from different timelines. This guy would be insane and amazing.
11. She-Hulk
She-Hulk is one of those characters that may not be owned by Disney. The distribution rights for the Hulk are still owned by Universal Pictures. Considering Jennifer Walters’ origin is based on a blood transfusion from her cousin Bruce it could be tricky. But if they could use her they totally should.
Ever since her John Byrne days, she’s become a marvelous character and would fit in perfectly with the MCU. Plus, Kevin Feige has implied that Bruce Banner’s story may be coming to an end. She-Hulk would be a great jumping off point for a new storyline.
12. Mystique
The incredibly complicated history of Raven Darkhölme has never been fully explored in the Fox movies. Her shape-shifting ability has limitless potential and her complicated story would feed into the MCU perfectly.
Mystique’s biggest connection to the other characters is that she’s the mother of the mutant X-Man Nightcrawler and the adoptive mother of Rogue. That alone could through the MCU into a loop.
13. Storm
There’s been a lot of talk about Storm since Black Panther was introduced into the MCU. In the comics, T’Challa and Ororo Monroe get married. That marriage didn’t work out but they’re relationship still resonates in the comic books.
Even if she doesn’t marry Black Panther she’s an incredible character in her own right and her African heritage would be a wonderful compliment.
14. Moon Knight
Moon Knight started out as a Batman clone but quickly morphed into an incredibly complex character in his own right. Marc Spector is a former mercenary brought back from the dead by the ancient Egyptian moon god known as Khonshu. He becomes an Avatar and a vessel for Khonshu. Besides an arsenal of moon-themed gadgets and vehicles, he’s also insane.
Spector eventually develops dissociative identity disorder (split personality) like the millionaire entrepreneur Steven Grant and cab driver Jake Lockley. Eventually, the disorder drives him insane and unstable.
Besides being fascinating it’s a chance for the MCU to explore mental health.
15. Ms. Marvel
The teenage shapeshifter Kamala Khan, known as Ms. Marvel, is already a ground-breaking character in Marvel comics. Kamala is the first teenage Pakistani American to headline a comic book. She’d be even more ground-breaking in the movies.
Marvel needs to introduce the character and then spin her off into her own movie. It would be a series of “firsts” for the studio.
16. Rogue
Anna Paquin did an amazing job as Rogue, but the character could really shine in the MCU. Paquin never did capture Rogue’s sassy southern style. Plus, the movies never touched on the side-effect of Anna Marie’s power-swapping ability which leaves her with some of the memories of the person.
It’s caused her some real heart-ache over the years. That alone who make Rogue a fascinating addition to the MCU.
17. Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler’s already been played by two actors in the Fox movies but he’s never been quite right. I already talked a bit about Kurt Wagner’s mother so that would be the biggest change to the movies. But there’s a lot of other things missing from the character. In the comics, Nightcrawler is a charismatic swashbuckling superhero.
His style and humor have never translated to the movies. Now he can live again.
18. Man-Thing
Man-Thing isn’t much of a character by himself itself but it’s what Marvel can do with him that makes him perfect. After a lab accident scientist Ted Sallis is turned into a mindless plant creature. He’s driven to attack people who feel strong emotions like fear. Man-Thing’s not much of a hero but was used to tell anthology stories back in the 70s.
There’s a precedent in the movies since there’s a character in Iron Man 3 that shares the name of Sallis’ wife, Ellen Brandt. Then on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., someone references a “Man-Thing”. There’s a disastrous made-for-TV movie based on the character and that’s where Marvel should go.
The idea behind the movie was to turn Man-Thing into a horror movie. He’d be the perfect vehicle for Marvel to tell horror stories based in the MCU.
19. Luke Cage
Luke Cage is the only superhero cool enough to say “Sweet Christmas”. The superhero-for-hire had a long history but it’s the Netflix series that brought him out of 70s obscurity. Mike Colter did an incredible job and it would be great if he’d come back for the role.
You can never have too many black superheroes and he’s one of the best.
20. Daredevil
Daredevil was always a second rate superhero. After Ben Affleck’s movie Daredevil bombed he became even more reviled. Then the tv series appeared on Netflix and the character was redeemed. The show borrowed heavily from the tone of the Frank Miller run on Daredevil.
Done the right way he’s a character that could change the feel of the MCU.
21. Psylocke
Psylocke has an appearance in X-Men: Apocalypse but it was almost a cameo. Olivia Munn plays the mutant with a psychic sword but had very few lines and even less characterization.
The comic book character is fascinating. The mutant mind reader Elizabeth “Betsy” Braddock is the sister of Captain Britain (more on him later) but eventually has her mind placed into a Japanese ninja. This gave her martial arts skills and the ability to make a “psychic” samurai blade.
She’s a fascinating character but Marvel would take heat if she’s not handled in the right way. Is she Japanese? Is she white? Tough questions but perfect for the MCU.
22. Wolverine
Yes, Hugh Jackman did an incredible job as Wolverine. But he’s already retired from the role and Marvel needs to recast him. As great as Jackman is though there are some big differences from the comics. For one thing, Wolverine is supposed to be short and Jackman is a tall dude. The movies tried to deal with his complicated history and backstory as “Weapon X” but arguably never quite got it right. Marvel has the chance to bring him to screen in all his hairy, short glory. Maybe even the yellow suit.
23. Jean Grey
Jean Grey has an incredible history in the comics. The Fox movies have repeatedly tried to cover her backstory and it’s a matter of debate how well they’ve done. Some would say terrible while others would say bad. There’s even a new movie coming out that’s planning to reboot and retool her origin.
But Marvel doesn’t have the limitations of the Fox timeline to deal with. They can start fresh and really capture her journey from the beginning. It’s worth the trip.
24. Professor X
It’s hard to imagine anyone better than Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier, but James McAvoy did a good job too. Now Marvel can take him even further. The powerful master of mental might needs to return to lead his young students into the future of the MCU.
25. Captain Britain
Brian Braddock aka Captain Britain is a British superhero tasked with defending Britain. He has a lot of the same powers of Captain America but can fly, create force shields and shoot energy blasts. This character is actually one that Marvel has been talking about internally. “We have discussed it,” head of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige told the Hey U Guys podcast. “There are a lot of actors that come in and ask about that part, so we’ll have to see.” Right now 90% of the MCU tales place in the U.S. Captain Britan could give the MCU more of an international feel.
26. Beast
Beast is another founding member of the X-Men, so Hank McCoy needs to be there when they drop in the MCU. But he’s also pretty incredible. First, he’s super strong and a genius. That’s before he mutates and grows fangs and blue fur. And that’s before he mutates again into a cat-like creature. Beast has been in the Fox movies played by Nicholas Hoult and Kelsey Grammer. They did well but in the Marvel movies, Beast could show his full range of potential.
27. Jessica Jones
Jessica Jones has had an incredible run on Netflix. It’s hard to imagine the MCU improving on her. But that’s not necessary. All they have to do is carry the same character and plant her in the MCU. Similar tragic backstory and history.
28. Power Pack
Most of the characters in the MCU are adults with a teenager thrown in. Power Pack could appeal to the younger audience. Not that Disney needs to market superheroes to young kids but it couldn’t hurt. Alex, Julie, Jack and Katie Power are siblings with superpowers. There aren’t many superheroes in the MCU with families and power Pack could fill that gap. Showing a loving and nurturing family in the world of superheroes.
What really set Power Pack apart is they dealt with some very mature themes like drug abuse, kidnapping, gun violence, bullying, orphanhood, and homelessness. All of these could really elevate the ethical issues Marvel is known for tackling. What would make it tricky is that Reed and Sue’s son Franklin Richards is a core member of the team and also sports some incredible powers and a complicated back story including time travel. Might be a bit much.
29. Juggernaut
Juggernaut is a literally unstoppable force. He doesn’t breathe. He doesn’t eat and he’s indestructible. But Cain Marko isn’t a mutant like he appears in the movies. In fact, his backstory is more interesting than that. He’s the half-brother of Professor Xavier. Jealous of his brothers’ success he finds the “Jewel of Cyttorak” and it gives him his armor and powers.
At first, his obsessive hatred of Xavier drives him to fight the X-Men but eventually, he becomes a powerful villain in his own right. He’s shown up twice in the Fox movies and it’s up for debate if either version was successful (“I’m the Juggernaut b***h!”). But with his incredible power and fascinating backstory, he could easily be a major player in the MCU.
30. Gambit
Remy LeBeau is a man with incredible luck and the ability to charge up items with energy. He’s an underrated character. He’s been in one of the Wolverine movies and did Ok but never really shined. Then there’s the Channing Tatum movie that sat in “Development Hell” for years.
Thankfully that’s not happening anymore but Gambit would be a great addition to the MCU. Plus he and Rogue were an item for a long time and it would be great to see onscreen.
31. Iceman
Iceman is one of the founding members of the X-Men and a powerhouse. Robert Louis “Bobby” Drake has already been in the Fox movies and showed off some impressive skills. But with the X-Men coming back he’s going to have a chance to really show what he’s made of.
Plus they could show Bobby’s sense of humor which was always lacking in the dour X-Men movies from before. Ice toboggan anyone?
32. Cyclops
A guy that can shoot force blasts from his eyes is awesome enough, but if they’re going to bring the X-Men into the MCU he’s gotta be there. Scott Summers has been played by a few actors over the years but, no disrespect to James Marsden hasn’t quite lived up to the potential.
From the original “boy scout” goody-two-shoes portrayal in the original series to the scared little teenager in the flashbacks he’s nothing like the strong leader of the team that he’s always been. Plus they can finally fix the misunderstanding of Scott’s powers. His eye blasts are no laser heat vision. They’re blasts of force. Force! No fire or burning! That’s his brother, Havoc! Is anyone listening?!!
33. Angel
The winged superhero Angel has gotten a couple of tries in the Fox movies as well. It’s debatable how well they did.
The pathos of his first appearance in The Last Stand is undercut by the short screen time. His second appearance is more interesting but never quite takes it to the level in the comics. He’s one of the more interesting members of the X-Men. Not because of his early appearances but because of his becoming the Apocalypse villain Archangel.
After meeting Apocalypse and becoming one of his heralds he gets blue skin, facial tattoos and wicked metal wings that he can shoot. He could be the bad boy of the X-Men and a real story of redemption.
34. Apocalypse
The villain Apocalypse got a very bad role in the Fox movie of the same name. They didn’t really explain what drove En Sabah Nur. In the comics, his quest to test and examine the Earth led to one of the greatest storylines in comic book history. An epic battle against his heralds – Death, Pestilence, Famine, and War – that transformed the Marvel universe.
This isn’t a guy you use as a one-shot. You use Apocalypse to tell an epic story of saving the world. He needs another chance to tell it.
35. Monica Rambeau
Captain Marvel is a hit but Marvel needs to bring in the first female Captain Marvel: Monica Rambeau. Before Carol Danvers, the first black woman to lead the Avengers showed up with the name. They’ve already set it up by introducing young Monica in Captain Marvel so it’s a great time to introduce her as the superhero.
She’s bold, strong, sassy and fearless. She’d fit perfectly with the other fierce women in the MCU. Monica’s been Photon, Pulsar, and Spectrum. No matter what name she has or what powers Marvel gives her Monica needs to have her chance in the light.
36. Misty Knight
Mercedes “Misty” Knight is a former NYPD police officer who gets a bionic arm thanks to Tony Stark. But even without the arm, she’s amazing. She starts a private investigations firm with her friend Colleen Wing. The two later formed the crime-fighting duo Daughters of the Dragon.
Netflix introduced her in Luke Cage and she even fought with the Defenders but now’s the time to make her a hero in her own right. There aren’t enough women of color in the MCU and her bold style and attitude make her a must-have for the Marvel movies.
Who do you want Marvel to add to the MCU? Let us know in the comments below!
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