Marvel Heroes We're Still Waiting To See On Screen

Avengers: Endgame is creeping closer and closer, and fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe know that this means big changes are coming to the movies. Battles will be fought! Hero and villain alike will fall! Contracts will be renegotiated! With some of the first wave of Avengers possibly taking their final bow, there will be plenty of room for more Marvel characters that fans have been clamoring for, and some that moviegoers have yet to be acquainted with. There are corners of the Marvel universe that have yet to be mined for the films, full of new and interesting characters that could take the MCU in all sorts of unique directions.

Thanks to the last few years of the MCU getting a little more experimental in tone with movies like Thor: Ragnarok and Ant-Man and the Wasp while adding depth and variety to the world with Black Panther and Spider-Man: Homecoming, audiences are ready to accept all sorts of additions to the mythology. We've had ageless space gods, mad Titans, a plucky kid from Queens, an African king, and a powerhouse pilot from the stars all in the last few years. Each new addition has opened the doors for wilder and stranger characters to take over the franchise going forward. Even with all of the colorful super-powered characters gracing the silver screen, the full potential of the Marvel Comics characters has barely been tapped, and the post-Endgame world of the MCU is going to need some fresh faces to keep things going.

With a swath of the original Avengers potentially making their exit from the series after Endgame, it makes perfect logical sense to fill in a few of the gaps with direct legacy characters. Luckily, it just so happens that there's a gang of brightly-costumed teens willing to fill their boots. The Young Avengers originally appeared in Marvel Comics as a group of Avengers fans who each modeled their identity after a founding Avenger. Since their debut, the team has blossomed as a concept and become so much more than just "The Avengers, But Younger This Time." 

Each member blends bits of Marvel mythos to build something new. For example, Hulkling is half-Skrull and half-Kree, while Wiccan melds a bit of Thor and Doctor Strange into his gimmick while also sort of being the Scarlet Witch's son (it's complicated). One of the Young Avengers has even already made an appearance in the MCU — Scott Lang's daughter Cassie inherits her father's propensity for size-changing in the comics, and takes the identity of Stature while palling around with the Young Avengers.

Although the group was originally introduced by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung in 2005, it was the 2013 relaunch helmed by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie that turned the Young Avengers into a full-on phenomenon, making them feel quintessentially Teen by injecting world-shattering soap-operatic drama and pathos to all the dimension-hopping and world-saving superheroes are always getting up to. The book also made fan favorites out of its bold and diverse cast, particularly characters like America Chavez and Kate Bishop. Wiccan and Hulkling were already one of Marvel's most significant cannon queer couples, but the 2013 run brought questions of sexuality to the forefront — something the MCU could absolutely benefit from.

Good ol' Dennis Dunphy is not your run-of-the-mill superhero. Even by Marvel Comics' "normal guy with problems" formula, he's a pretty normal guy with a lot of problems. He's also a pretty big fan of a lot of the Marvel superheroes — so much so that he went out of his way to get super strength from the Power Broker, a sort of drug dealer figure who can dole out superpowers for a price. Every hero needs a costume, so Dennis got one based on the original Daredevil look with a mask that's just a Wolverine knockoff. He's got very particular tastes. He chooses the name Demolition Man, but thanks to a Sylvester Stallone and Sandra Bullock movie, his moniker was shortened simply to D-Man.

D-Man originally functioned as a sort of sidekick for Captain America (of whom he's a massive fan), helping Cap and the Falcon mix it up with the Serpent Society. He's lived a heck of a life since then, becoming a wrestler in the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation, where he competed with other superpowered combatants including the Thing. Dennis has had his ups and downs, spending time living on the streets (while becoming a hero to the homeless) and struggling with mental health issues, but he's come back into a supporting role recently as a pilot and technician for Captain America. While D-Man probably couldn't support his own feature film, he'd make an excellent addition to the supporting cast of another hero's story. Who could say no to a big, well-meaning super hero pro wrestler?

With the film rights to the X-Men coming under the control of Disney, it probably won't be long before we see some mutants start popping up in the MCU. We're almost certain to see new versions of big X-characters like Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler and Rogue. Here's hoping that the creative minds behind the franchise see this as an opportunity to introduce some fresh, unique faces to the world of mutant-kind. Over the last 15-20 years, dozens (if not hundreds) of young mutants have been introduced in the pages of the X-Men comics, oftentimes as students at Xavier's School for Gifted Children.

Having the first new X-Men movie focus on the lives of the students, their relationship to Xavier's dream, and what it means to them could make for some compelling character and storytelling moments. One of those students could be Quentin Quire, a young mutant who takes it upon himself to rebel against Xavier's message of assimilation and equality by sporting homemade "Magneto Was Right" shirts. Having Quire as a central figure of the new young group of mutants would set up a relevant and sympathetic antagonist, but would also open up all sorts of avenues to tell stories about young mutants finding their way in a world that hates and fears them.

With the resounding success of Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers has gained a lot of fans. One of her most die-hard fans is a young Pakistani-American girl named Kamala Kahn. Kamala debuted in the comics in 2013, and quickly became a mainstay of the Marvel Universe after discovering that she had shapeshifting powers originating from a freak accident involving Terrigen Mists, unlocking her Inhuman potential. Kamala quickly adopted the then-vacant identity of Ms. Marvel and set out to discover the source of her newfound powers, determined to find her place in the superpowered world of the Marvel Universe.

Kamala would not only bring a fresh perspective to the MCU as a young Muslim girl living in Jersey City, she would be one of the first legacy heroes to make it to the movies. With Kamala, filmmakers could tell stories about the meaning of these heroes in new ways and show how they've influenced the world beyond the massive battles the Avengers have fought to keep the world safe. Kamala would be a breath of fresh air — she's bubbly but stubborn, and has a loving family that would make for an excellent supporting cast in a Ms. Marvel movie. Ms. Marvel has quickly become a major fixture in the comics and deserves to have the same spotlight on the big screen.

The original concept for the Thunderbolts probably wouldn't work in the MCU as it stands. The first group was actually an undercover operation by the Masters of Evil, presenting themselves as a superhero team to earn the trust of the public before making an epic heel turn and taking over the world under the leadership of Baron Zemo. Luckily, enough of the original group had a change of heart and came to actually enjoy being heroes, which led to them becoming a team of vigilantes under the tutelage and watch of Hawkeye. Since the Masters of Evil don't exist in the MCU just yet (and since a worrying number of villains don't make it to the end credits of the movie they appear in), the concept will take some tweaking.

More recently, the Thunderbolts have been a little more explicit about being a bunch of bad guys. Usually, it's a team of villains wrangled up by S.H.I.E.L.D. for black-ops missions that the likes of Captain America and Thor just aren't quite suited for. That makes for a perfect, tense action movie centered around the question of which of the baddies can even trust each other and which ones are going to throw the whole mission just to make a run for it. S.H.I.E.L.D. (or any other government organization) utilizing a strikeforce of villains to do their dirty work would continue the themes of the Avengers being at odds with the system that they often find themselves forced to work with. It would also give the brains behind the MCU a chance to stretch their muscles a bit and do a Suicide Squad-type flick within their own universe.

Underwater royalty seems to be back in style with the success of Aquaman, and luckily, Marvel has their very own sub-aquatic prince to tell fantastical tales about. Namor, also known as the Sub-Mariner, is the prince of Atlantis, fiercely protective of his people and of all life hidden beneath the depths. The sullen sovereign ruler of the seven seas spends most of his time walking the line between hero and villain, making him a perfect wildcard when dealing with the Avengers and the governments of the air-breathing world.

Most modern Namor stories draw from his pre-existing relationships with some of the more powerful players in the Marvel Universe, so some delicate retconning or revelations may be needed to have him on the playing field as his most effective self. Namor was part of the Invaders, a WWII team on which he served with Cap and Bucky fighting Nazis. In the comics, Namor is currently locked in a blood feud with another powerful ruler, Black Panther. The two have traded barbs and international incidents over the last few years, creating one of the most vicious rivalries in the Marvel Universe — something that would make for an interesting addition to the MCU. He also has an intense history with the Fantastic Four, especially Sue Richards, that could be played with once the First Family makes their way to the MCU. Namor could make for a dark, sexy, and dangerous addition to the post-Endgame MCU.

Although a lot of the recent MCU has been preoccupied with massive struggles between alien civilizations wielding universe-altering magic objects, a large part of the Marvel Comics universe is more concerned with the street-level happenings on the streets of New York, where everyday people are accosted by crime and danger at every possible opportunity. While the Marvel Netflix shows were a bit of a mixed bag, their cancellations open up an opportunity for the MCU to take a crack at similar ideas on the big screen in a new way. Moon Knight would make for an excellent addition to the MCU, bringing two-fisted justice to the streets while having just enough of that Marvel Universe weirdness to keep audiences tuned in, and to help him carve out his own corner of the franchise.

It's easy to write off Moon Knight as Marvel's Batman, but when done well, he transcends the comparisons and becomes something wholly unique. He's a street vigilante clad in all white, with deep ties to Egyptian mythology that often seep into his otherwise mundane crime-fighting adventures. Recent Moon Knight comics have put a lot of emphasis on the bleed between the spooky, mystical world of the moon god Khonshu and the dark streets of New York City's underbelly, making for an interesting world to play in for a more gritty, hard-hitting character than the MCU is used to. 

While the MCU currently sports at least two Captains in its roster of heroes, they both lack a distinct sort of British-ness about them. Captain Britain could fill a new role in the MCU, especially with his ties to Arthurian legend and other British mythologies, as well as the grander Marvel Multiverse. He's kind of got a lot going on. 

Brian Braddock, a young physics student, is offered a choice by Merlyn and a multiversal entity known as Roma. The choice is between the Sword of Might and the Amulet of Right. Brain doesn't exactly see himself as the fighting type, so he forgoes the blade to take the Amulet. Merlyn then grants Brian with the powers of Captain Britain — all of the go-to superpowers like strength, durability and flight, but with connections to the magic of the British Isles and the multiverse that set him apart from other costumed do-gooders.

Not long after donning the Captain Britain costume, Brian is made aware of the fact that every multiversal Earth has a different Captain Britain, tasked with defending their version of Britain. They make up the Captain Britain Corps and function as a multiversal defense force when needed. Brian also has deep ties to the X-Men — his twin sister is Psylocke. Captain Britain's involvement with the potential MCU version of the Merry Mutants could help set them apart from Fox's version and give them a slightly more global flair. He's also gone on adventures in Otherworld (basically a Dungeons and Dragons campaign come to life), which could give him a reason to run into Doctor Strange.

Amadeus Cho is a lot of things to a lot of people. He's a young Korean-American super genius who quickly nestled his way into almost every facet of modern Marvel mythology after being introduced in the pages of Amazing Fantasy. Depending on who you ask, Amadeus Cho is either the 7th or 8th smartest person in the world. He got his start in the superhero world by trying to help out the Hulk after feeling great sympathy for the jade giant. After being put at odds with S.H.I.E.L.D. because of his sympathetic relationship to the Hulk, he goes on the run with the Greek god Hercules and eventually becomes the Prince of Power himself. He's also been a part of the New Warriors, the Avengers, the Champions, and is currently the Totally Awesome Hulk.

Similar to Kamala Kahn and the Young Avengers, Cho is a fresh face that follows in the footsteps of the heroes before him. Amadeus Cho (sometimes with coyote pup in tow) could operate in the MCU as a sort of renegade or counter-agent to the more militaristic side of the Avengers, traveling the world and keeping super powered people safe from the dangers of the establishment. His skepticism of power structures and the traditional methods of superheroes immediately sets him apart from a vast majority of the characters in the MCU. 

There's a chance the seeds for Amadeus' appearance have already been sown. A scientist named Helen Cho (Amadeus' mother's name in the comics) appears in Age of Ultron. There's probably still time before the Hulk's exit from the franchise to give him a sympathetic whiz kid as a sidekick who is ready to to step up into his own spotlight after Bruce Banner takes his last bow.

Puck has had a wild life, even by the standards set by the rest of the Marvel Universe. Originally, Eugene Judd was a professional adventurer who traveled the world getting into adventures in the early decades of the 20th century like some sort of surly, Canadian Indiana Jones. He even made friends with Ernest Hemingway and became an accomplished bullfighter. Due to a mishap with a magic item, Puck's height was reduced to 3'6" and he essentially became immortal. The Canadian government eventually drafted the brawler into the supergroup Alpha Flight, and things have only gotten stranger for Puck since then. He's functioned as everything from a costumed adventurer to a pilot for Captain Marvel and Black Panther's Ultimates team. He even became the king of Hell for a brief period of time after helping Wolverine escape eternal damnation. All in a day's work.

Puck's no-nonsense approach to heroics and life would be a fun alternative to an MCU that's filled with wry sarcasm and witty one-liners. His stature also opens up an opportunity for a little person to make their mark on the MCU in an interesting, action heavy role. Puck is flexible enough to slot into all sorts of places in the MCU, but no matter where he lands, he'll bring something new and fresh to the world of the Avengers post-Endgame.

Jennifer Walters is a high-powered lawyer. She's tall, built like a truck, and incredibly green. She also happens to have a famous relative, who was there for her when she needed a blood transfusion after an accident.

Unlike her cousin Bruce Banner, She-Hulk almost completely retains her personality while gaining the strength and resiliency of her emerald family member. She uses her smarts and legal acumen to serve as a defense attorney, oftentimes for the superpowered citizens of the Marvel Universe. It's kind of like Daredevil's whole deal, but usually a little more lighthearted.

Over the years, She-Hulk has run the gamut from serious superhero, serving on The Avengers and The Fantastic Four, to more ridiculous adventures involving legal mishaps with the multiverse and confrontations with the nefarious Doctor Bong. Her ability to walk the line between the down-to-earth and more fantastical elements of the Marvel Universe could make She-Hulk a unique asset to the MCU going forward, especially once Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner takes his final walk into the sunset. Jennifer Walters can bring some of the same energy that Bruce Banner brought to the franchise while offering a unique take on the metaphors inherent in unleashing a monster from within.