Several missing Marvel heroes have the potential to become MCU icons. The MCU has expanded so dramatically over the past fifteen years that it has adapted dozens of characters who were once considered too obscure for mainstream audiences. The Guardians of the Galaxy, Shang-Chi, and Moon Knight have all gone from niche comic book figures to household names thanks to Marvel Studios.
Despite the franchise’s massive scope, there are still countless Marvel heroes whose live-action debut remains long overdue. Many of these characters have starred in famous comic book storylines and influenced Marvel’s greatest teams. With the Multiverse Saga approaching its conclusion in Avengers: Secret Wars, Marvel has the opportunity to turn these missing characters into the next wave of fan favorites in Phase 7 and beyond.
10 Hulkling
Dorrek VIII A.K.A. Theodore Altman
Hulkling is a cornerstone of the Young Avengers. The son of a Kree warrior and a Skrull princess, Hulkling is a symbol of unity between two of Marvel’s greatest alien empires. His shapeshifting powers, super-strength, and durability make him a powerhouse. However, it’s Hulkling’s romance with Wiccan and his eventual rise as King of the Kree/Skrull Alliance that truly define his character.
Hulkling is conspicuously absent in the MCU, especially considering Secret Invasion and The Marvels ignored him completely. At this point, Teddy Altman is the only major Young Avenger to remain absent from the MCU. On the bright side, Agatha All Along has firmly established Wiccan, which suggests Hulkling is likely to debut soon.
9 Rick Jones
Hulk’s Best Friend
While mostly known for causing the Hulk to be created, Rick Jones has become one of Marvel’s most fascinating everyman heroes. Rick has been Hulk and Captain America’s partner, the trigger for the Avengers’ creation, the Gamma mutate A-Bomb, and a wielder of the Nega-Bands. Most recently, Rick Jones took on the role of a symbiote anti-hero as both Sleeper Agent and Toxin.
The MCU has overlooked Rick Jones’ potential as a connective-tissue character. He’d fit perfectly into the Hulk’s storyline as Bruce Banner’s guilt-ridden companion, but could also interact with Captain Marvel thanks to his history with Mar-Vell. As the Sleeper Agent or Toxin, Rick could introduce new symbiote lore into the Venom/Spider-Man corner of the MCU.
8 Blue Marvel
Adam Brashear
Blue Marvel is a Superman-level powerhouse whose career was cut short in the 1960s due to prejudice. His antimatter-based powers put him on par with Thor, while his intellect ranks with Reed Richards and T’Challa. Storylines like Ultimates have showcased him as a key cosmic strategist, guiding teams to confront universe-shaping threats like Galactus and the Beyonders.
Due to his comic book backstory, it makes sense for Blue Marvel to remain an unknown figure in the MCU. Still, it’s going to be almost two full decades of MCU worldbuilding without a hint at Adam Brashear. After Sentry’s debut in Thunderbolts*, it’s easier to establish Blue Marvel’s immense power level. And after Avengers: Secret Wars, there may be enough room to explore his forgotten story.
7 Captain Britain
Brian Braddock
Introduced in 1976’s Captain Britain Weekly, Brian Braddock draws his power from the mystical Amulet of Right. Braddock is a member of the Captain Britain Corps, an interdimensional army of variants that protect Marvel’s infinite timelines. With ties to Excalibur and Merlin, Captain Britain has long been Marvel’s bridge between magic and the multiverse.
Captain Britain’s absence in the MCU is surprising given how perfectly he’d fit in the Multiverse Saga. Marvel may not want to focus too heavily on the Captain Britain Corps’ complicated lore in an already complex stage of the franchise. But once Avengers: Secret Wars concludes, Brian Braddock and the Corps could be the ones to take care of multiversal matters.
6 Brother Voodoo
Jericho Drumm
Jericho Drumm takes up the mantle of Brother Voodoo after training in the magical arts to avenge his brother. Jericho has wielded powers like spirit possession, pyrokinesis, and necromancy, often aided by the ghost of his deceased sibling. At one point, Brother Voodoo even replaced Stephen Strange as Sorcerer Supreme, wielding the Eye of Agamotto and proving himself as a protector of Earth.
With Doctor Strange, Clea, and Scarlet Witch already established in the MCU, Brother Voodoo could emerge as either an ally or a rival. Jericho Drumm’s ties to Haitian culture and his darker edge would add a fresh twist to the MCU’s mystical side. Brother Voodoo could easily debut in Doctor Strange 3 or a Strange Academy show.
5 Squirrel Girl
Doreen Green
Squirrel Girl has gone from comic relief to a cult-favorite powerhouse. Surprisingly, Squirrel Girl has canonically defeated villains as big as Doctor Doom, Thanos, and Galactus with the help of her army of squirrels. Doreen Green’s acclaimed solo run, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, showcases her optimism and lighthearted humor.
An MCU adaptation of Squirrel Girl has the potential to star in a Disney+ comedy like She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, but with a more chaotic twist that reinterprets famous MCU events from her point of view. Squirrel Girl came very close to making her live-action debut, played by Milana Vayntrub in a canceled New Warriors show. Marvel Studios could give Vayntrub another chance in the MCU.
4 Nova
Richard Rider
Richard Rider is one of Marvel’s most famous space warriors, key to massive events like Annihilation and War of Kings, where he stood toe-to-toe with cosmic heavyweights like Annihilus and Thanos. Nova embodies Marvel’s classic “reluctant hero” trope with his burden of intergalactic responsibility. Nova is also a member of the Annihilators and the Guardians.
Richard Rider’s absence has been increasingly noticeable in the MCU, especially after Thanos destroyed Xandar off-screen in Avengers: Infinity War. Xandar’s destruction could easily serve as Nova’s origin story, leaving him with the duty of avenging the Corps. While a Nova project is in the works, it may only arrive until Phase 7, after which Richard Rider could join the new Guardians of the Galaxy.
3 Spider-Woman
Jessica Drew
While her name links her to Spider-Man, Spider-Woman’s origins are completely unique. Jessica Drew was experimented on by Hydra, developed bio-electric “venom blasts,” and spent years caught between espionage and superheroics. Over time, Jessica Drew has been a private investigator, a SHIELD agent, and a longtime Avenger.
Spider-Woman feels like a no-brainer addition in the MCU due to her links to Spider-Man, the Avengers, and SHIELD. Yet, Jessica Drew hasn’t made her live-action debut, or even been referenced once. Now that Sony appears to be moving away from building a separate Spider-Man movie franchise, an MCU collaboration could help Spider-Woman appear as an Avengers hero or a Spider-Man ally.
2 Beta Ray Bill
Champion Of Korbin
Beta Ray Bill is the first non-Asgardian to prove himself worthy of Odin’s blessing and lift Mjolnir. Beyond wielding his own weapon, Stormbreaker, Bill has been a loyal ally to Thor and the Avengers, defending the galaxy and leading his people, the Korbinites, against extinction-level threats. Bill’s mixture of alien design and self-made godhood have made him a fan favorite for decades.
Beta Ray Bill’s absence in the MCU feels more glaring with each Thor installment, especially since Thor: Ragnarok confirmed his existence through a blink-and-you-miss-it easter egg on the Grandmaster’s tower. While Bill may have been a Champion, he may not have died before Hulk arrived. Thor 5 could introduce the Korbinites and set up Beta Ray Bill as Thor’s closest ally or eventual successor as Chris Hemsworth’s Thor nears the end of his arc.
1 Miles Morales
Spider-Man
Miles Morales became the Spider-Man of the Ultimate Universe after Peter Parker’s death and quickly grew into a legacy hero who stood on his own. With powers like bio-electric venom blasts and camouflage in addition to standard spider abilities, Miles brings a fresh twist to the Spider-Man mantle. Despite his relatively recent debut, Miles Morales has become just as beloved as Peter Parker himself.
Miles Morales’ live-action introduction feels long overdue. Spider-Man: Homecoming teased Miles through Donald Glover’s Aaron Davis, who may eventually become the Prowler. However, nearly a decade has passed without a follow-up. With Sony’s animated Spider-Verse films cementing Miles as a global icon, it’s just a matter of time until the MCU welcomes a live-action Miles and releases a Peter and Miles team-up movie. Miles is likely to inherit the mantle of the MCU’s Spider-Man, eventually.