The Marvel Cinematic Universe is expanding by the second. We’ve got awesome new heroes like Misty Knight, Colleen Wing and Carol Danvers on the way to both the big and small screens. But there’s still so many cool characters who haven’t made the transition yet! Let’s take a look at some of them. The Marvel Universe is a vast place, so I couldn't possibly list every cool character. if you have any of your own suggestions, be sure to say so in the comments!
Namor the Sub-Mariner
Namor is one of the first super-powered Marvel characters ever, so it’s a real shame he hasn’t gotten his own movie yet. This ruler of Atlantis is terrifyingly powerful and often morally ambiguous. He makes both a good antagonist and a great anti-hero. He fights for justice, but he has a short temper when it comes to surface dwellers. Apparently there might be some rights issues with the character, but if those ever get sorted out, he’d make a good addition. On the other hand, considering the upcoming Justice League movies darker take on Aquaman, Marvel might balk at Namor being too similar. Which is a shame, since Namor was technically created before the DC character.
Squirrel Girl (Doreen Green)
This is one that’s already been talked about a lot among the higher-ups already. Anna Kendrick has made it clear she’s up for the gig and the Russo Brothers have come out and said they would be up for seeing her in the role. There’s even been talk that Marvel’s looking to make a TV show with Squirrel Girl in the lead.
Squirrel Girl is a silly character and she’s captured the hearts of a lot of fans precisely because of her silliness. She’s a nice contrast to the grimmer Marvel heroes. The popularity of Deadpool shows that audiences are ready for stories that poke a little fun at the superhero concept and that’s an area where Squirrel Girl shines. She’s someone with squirrel-based powers who can take down the most powerful, god-like bad guys in the Marvel world.
That kind of ridiculousness is just endearing and reminds us that we don’t have to take everything so deadly seriously. It’s no wonder people are eager to see her on the screen.
She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters)
She-Hulk is another character that offers a nice contrast. While Bruce Banner is tortured by his transformation into the Hulk, Jen likes it and finds it liberating. The dichotomy there is interesting. The Hulk’s solo movies haven’t done so well, but She-Hulk being added into the mix might take his character in a cool new direction while introducing a cool new hero.
She-Hulk’s got a lot to offer in her own right as well- she did Deadpool’s shtick before Deadpool was even a thing. John Byrne’s She-Hulk title had her breaking the fourth wall left and right, poking fun at just about everything. The idea of a big green lady casually going about her business as lawyer is also just a lot of fun and would be a good addition to the MCU
Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan)
It seems like Carol Danvers will be introduced as Captain Marvel, meaning the role as Ms. Marvel is wide open. Kamala Khan’s title has been extremely popular, so many fans are eager to see her introduced into the MCU. Kamala is an endearing, relatable character. She’s a nerd to writes fanfiction and fangirls over superheroes. We spent some time exploring how superheroes impact people negatively in Civil War and Kamala would actually be a good example of the positive impact superheroes can have on people- she loved heroes long before she became one and she became inspired by them.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn’t have any other teen superheroes besides Spider-Man right now and Kamala would be the perfect first addition. Her shapeshifting powers make for great visuals and storytelling. Kamala has the ability to become someone else, which is something a lot of teenagers try to do when they aren’t comfortable with themselves. Her powers are a perfect visual metaphor for the teenage struggle of self-acceptance.
A movie featuring Kamala would also stick out from other movies which because of her religious and cultural background, which is one that’s not often examined by Hollywood. The Ms. Marvel title has done a great job showing how Kamala’s heritage and the issues she faces because of it can intersect with and impact her superheroing and that’s a while new avenue for Marvel movies to explore.
Spider-Man (Miles Morales)
When it was first announced that the new Spider-Man movie would be yet another reboot movie starring Peter Parker, there were a quite a few who were just tired of it all and would rather have seen his successor, Miles Morales, take up the mantle. Now, Spider-Man: Homecoming looks pretty good so far and the guy was super endearing in Civil War, so I'm down for more Peter, but I still think Miles should be incorporated into the Spider-Man story.
Heroic legacies haven’t really been featured in the Marvel Universe so far, and having Miles take over the Spider-Man mantle, even just temporarily while Peter is iincapicitated (or has quit, as is his wont), would be an interesting first for the MCU. Miles as a character has really caught on with a lot of people and he’d be the perfect fresh blood to inject into the Spider-verse.
All of the Young Avengers
We recently heard about the possibility of a Runaways show and the Young Avengers are another great teenage superteam that could use an introduction. The team leader Patriot has a background that adds an interesting layer to the Captain America mythos, dealing with what the super-serum meant for black soldiers. Kate Bishop is a fan favorite and a lot of people have been vying for a show that brings the fun, complicated dynamic she has with Clint Barton to the forefront.
Billy and Teddy give us the interesting partnership between a shape-shifting part-alien and all-powerful magician and also give us queer heroes, something the MCU is sorely lacking in right now.
Since Marvel is unable to use Quicksilver, Speed might fill that void. Then there’s Miss America, who is just badassery incarnate and can punch holes in dimensions. It would be very hard to make a Young Avengers movie or show that wasn’t awesome, basically.
The Incredible Hercules
I’m honestly surprised Hercules is rarely bought up when people talk about characters they’d like to see in the MCU. He allows a lot of cool elements of Greek mythology to be incorporated into the MCU and he’s an over-the-top character who can often be side-splittingly funny. There’s a lot that could be done with him.
Amadeus Cho
Amadeus Cho is a plucky supergenius with connections to both Hercules and the Hulk. He catches the attention of evil after winning a contest and after his house is blown up, he ends up on the run with a scooter and pet coyote pup. How’s that for a good story-starter? Amadeus has taken on a lot of roles in the Marvel Universe, from the Prince of Power to the new Hulk. He’s certainly a versatile character and would be a great addition. He'd also help with the complaints about Asian representation in the MCU.
Silk (Cindy Moon)
Cindy Moon is another character that would help with that. She’s rumored to be possibly appearing in Spider-Man: Homecoming and that would be pretty neat. Her powers and their origin are similar to Peter’s, but the fact she was locked in a bunker for years and lost a lot in the process puts a new spin on things. Also, her costume is really cool.
White Tiger (Hector Ayala, Angela del Toro, Ava Ayala)
The White Tiger is a hero with a long history in the Marvel Universe- five different people have used the name. I’d personally go with using Ava Ayala or Angela del Toro, since they’re the ones who appeared in more modern comics. White Tiger is interesting because she’s a street level hero who is connected to Daredevil and the like, but she also has supernatural connections to a “Jade Tiger deity”. That blending of genres could make for interesting storytelling.
Monica Rambeau
Monica was actually the first woman to take up the “Captain Marvel” title. She’s played a lot of roles throughout the years, but throughout all her transformations, fans have loved her for her trademark sarcasm and stolid attitude. She was especially popular as the beleaguered team leader in the snappy, sardonic Nextwave series. It’d be cool to see her take up a similar role in the MCU.
Elsa Bloodstone
Speaking of Nextwave, Elsa Bloodstone would also be a great MCU addition. Elsa is an ace monster hunter, able to take on vampires and werewolves and all kinds of creepy creatures. We haven’t gotten into the monstrous side of the Marvel Universe much in the movies, and Elsa would be a great gateway into that.
Nova (Richard Rider, Sam Alexander)
Nova is a popular character who hasn’t really made it into Marvel movies so far, even we saw the Nova Corps, the intergalactic police force he’s attached to, in Guardians of the Galaxy. With his connection the the Corps and power of the Nova Force, Nova could give us some further insight into the cosmic elements of the MCU.