Characters Fans Want To See In She-Hulk

If "She-Hulk" isn't your most anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe project of 2022 — well, perhaps it should be. The many adventures of Jennifer Walters, which began all the way back in 1979's "Savage She-Hulk" Vol. 1 #1, have provided some of the best stories in Marvel Comics in the decades since, filled with classic Hulk action, hysterical gags, and a total disregard for the fourth wall.

Of course, everyone knows that MCU shows and movies are fertile ground for cameos and surprise appearances, and "She-Hulk" seems particularly ripe for bringing in some familiar faces. For one, the comic book version of the character is famous for acting as counsel to the heroes of the Marvel Universe, and Kevin Feige told the Disney Investor Day 2020 (via ComicBook.com) that, "Since Jennifer Walters is a lawyer who specializes specifically in superhero-oriented legal cases, you never know what Marvel characters are gonna pop up from episode to episode."

Not only that, but Walters' close relationship with her cousin, Bruce Banner, should provide plenty of opportunities to feature some of the MCU's Hulk-adjacent friends and foes (Tim Roth's Abomination, for example, was confirmed by Deadline in 2020 to be in the series). Then there's the show's New York backdrop, which, by this point in the MCU's timeline, is rife with conflict between superheroes and supervillains. All in all, it stands to reason that "She-Hulk" will be filled to the brim with potential returning characters and cameos. Here are the characters fans most want to see in the series.

Matt Murdock's long-awaited MCU debut was arguably one of the most exciting moments in "Spider-Man: No Way Home," and smart money says Marvel aren't planning on that cameo being a one-and-done affair. The upcoming "Echo" series, which was announced in early 2021, seems like an obvious place for Daredevil to show up, considering Maya Lopez's long, troubled past with the character. But it seems just as likely that he'll appear in "She-Hulk," too.

The most significant connection between Jennifer Walters and Matt Murdock is the fact that they're both lawyers. In the comics, both Walters and Murdock have represented superheroes in court, and the latter's role as Peter Parker's attorney in "No Way Home" could suggest that his career in law is thriving in the MCU. Surely, then, it's a no-brainer to involve Murdock in Marvel's first and only legal comedy series. There's even precedent for this in the comics: in "She-Hulk" Vol. 3 #4, Walters goes to Murdock for a little career advice and a heart-to-heart on top of the Golden Gate Bridge. Then, in "She Hulk" Vol. 3 #9, they face off against each other in court in a legal battle over Steve Rogers' legacy.

Honestly, if there's one Marvel character seemingly certain to appear in "She-Hulk," it's Matt Murdock. The real question, though, is this: will Murdock be confined to the courtroom during the series, or will we finally get to see the Man Without Fear suit up in the MCU?

"Spider-Man: No Way Home" may have rounded off the MCU's Spider-Man trilogy, but it also felt like a whole new beginning for Peter Parker. Divorced from the Avengers, forgotten by his friends, and broke to boot, the post-"No Way Home" Spider-Man finally feels like the character he's supposed to be. Luckily, we'll probably be seeing a lot more of Spidey in the years to come — and "She-Hulk" could provide ample opportunity to showcase this new-and-not-so-improved version of the character.

The comic book version of Jennifer Walters has represented Spider-Man in court before. In "She-Hulk" Vol. 1 #4, she and her colleague, Augustus Pugliese, act as legal counsel to the wall-crawler when he sues J. Jonah Jameson and the Daily Bugle, leading to one particularly iconic moment in which Spider-Man jokingly suggests that Jameson hates him because he's Black. In that same issue, Walter and Spider-Man also team up for a showdown with the Scorpion, because, well, why not?

Of course, thanks to Doctor Strange's memory spell at the end of "Spider-Man: No Way Home," it doesn't seem likely that Peter Parker will have much need for legal help anytime soon, but who's to say that Spider-Man won't get into trouble? And beyond the courtroom, She-Hulk's crime-fighting career is sure to attract some outside attention — perhaps a Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man might swing in to save the day?

To date, two characters from the Netflix Marvel series have been introduced in the MCU: Daredevil, in "Spider-Man: No Way Home," and Kingpin, in "Hawkeye." Marvel Studios now own the rights to every character who appeared in the Netflix shows, however, and you can bet your bottom dollar that they've discussed bringing back the other members of the Defenders.

"Jessica Jones" was one of the most popular Marvel series on Netflix, with an absolutely superb first season that Variety called "not just a contender for the title Best Marvel-related TV Property, [but] one of the year's most distinctive new dramas." Fans will no doubt be clamoring to see Krysten Ritter's badass private eye make her MCU debut, then. Sadly, She-Hulk doesn't have much of a history with Jones in the comics (aside from the occasional brief meeting and Walters begrudgingly interviewing to be Jones' child's nanny in "New Avengers" Vol. 2 #7), but the "She-Hulk" series could still make a nice home for her.

Jones makes a living as a private investigator, which frequently brings her into close contact with the law. In "Jessica Jones," of course, this mostly means working with the lawyer Jeri Hogarth (Carrie-Anne Moss on the Netflix show), who frequently uses Jones to dig up dirt related to her legal cases. There's no reason why Walters couldn't encounter Jones in a similar capacity, though. Because who needs scruples when you've got the best P.I. in town?

Luke Cage is yet another Marvel Netflix character whose introduction to the MCU feels inevitable. While many fans would undoubtedly prefer to see Power Man get his own solo series (again) — or even team up with Iron Fist for a "Heroes for Hire" show — there's an argument to be made for featuring him in "She-Hulk," too.

Jennifer Walters' history with Cage begins with their mutual membership in the Heroes for Hire during 1997's "Heroes for Hire" Vol. 1. Though the team's roster during this era is constantly in flux, She-Hulk joins for several issues, beginning in "Heroes for Hire" Vol. 1 #8. She and Cage's relationship is taken beyond the realm of superheroics during "Heroes for Hire" Vol. 1 #17, however, in which Cage wins a bet and takes Walters out to dinner; they even keep dating for a little while after this. Later, in "Mighty Avengers" Vol. 2 #5.INH, Cage invites Walters onto his new team of Mighty Avengers, primarily as a legal advisor. Basically: these guys have a history.

Mike Colter's portrayal of Luke Cage in "Luke Cage," "Jessica Jones," and "The Defenders" was nothing less than fantastic, and the actor told Collider in July 2021 that he feels like he never received any closure over the character. With any luck, Colter will get the chance to step back into the role sometime soon — and "She-Hulk" could be just the place to test the waters for the character's full return.

In 1964's "Tales to Astonish" Vol. 1 #62-3, the Incredible Hulk first encounters his archnemesis: Samuel Sterns, aka The Leader. Once an average joe who worked at a chemical research plant, a terrible accident involving gamma radiation transformed Sterns into a highly-intelligent monster with an enlarged head and a penchant for criminal behavior. The Leader would subsequently return many, many times over the years to cause trouble for both Bruce Banner and the Hulk.

Sterns made his MCU debut in "The Incredible Hulk" (played by Tim Blake Nelson), in which the young biologist attempts to find a cure for Bruce Banner's condition. Later in the movie, Sterns is forced to transform Emil Blosnky into the Abomination and, during the latter's rampage, he is accidentally infected with Banner's blood, causing his head to rapidly expand. The tie-in comic "Fury's Big Week" reveals that Sterns was arrested soon after and taken to be studied by S.H.I.E.L.D., but that was the last time he was seen in the MCU.

Bruce Banner's involvement in "She-Hulk" likely means a few characters from his past are due to appear in the series, and it seems like a solid guess it won't end with Abomination. More than anything, "She-Hulk" is a golden opportunity to introduce one of the Hulk's most dangerous foes — and wrap up a lingering question mark in the MCU at the same time.

Thaddeus Ross will be a familiar face to fans of the MCU. Portrayed by William Hurt, this classic Hulk foe has appeared in "The Incredible Hulk," "Captain America: Civil War," "Avengers: Infinity War," "Avengers: Endgame," and most recently "Black Widow." Ross last appeared chronologically at Tony Stark's funeral in "Endgame," but, considering the character's long-standing enmity with Bruce Banner, it's probably safe to say that won't be the last audiences see of him.

In the comics, Ross is arguably most famous for transforming into the Red Hulk, who first appears in "Hulk" Vol. 2 #1, although his true identity isn't revealed until #23 of that run. Red Hulk stirs up a whole heap of trouble in subsequent stories, including causing an earthquake in San Francisco, destroying a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier, murdering a considerable number of superheroes, and, perhaps most significantly, leading an incarnation of the Thunderbolts.

Of course, Thaddeus Ross' transformation into the Red Hulk would be quite a leap for his character in the MCU, who is still, at this point, essentially a politician. Moreover, we know that Titania, played by Jameela Jamil, is likely to be the primary antagonist in "She-Hulk." But that doesn't mean Ross won't show up at all, as he's likely still hassling the Hulk. And who knows? Now that more Hulks are beginning to appear, perhaps the series will lay the foundation for his future transformation.

Bruce Banner's role in "She-Hulk" doesn't just mean we might see some classic Hulk foes appear; there's one supporting friend in Banner's story who has also been missing from the MCU. Betty Ross debuted in the comic books in 1962's "Incredible Hulk" Vol. 1 #1 and has played a vital role in the Marvel Universe — first as a love interest for Banner, then as the villainous Harpy, and finally as the Red She-Hulk.

Ross was played by Liv Tyler in "The Incredible Hulk," which marked her sole on-screen MCU appearance — but it should also be noted, that film starred Edward Norton and was before Mark Ruffalo came to play the big green guy. "Incredible" ends with Ross and Banner parting ways; aside from being briefly mentioned by the Russo Brothers in a Huffington Post interview as a victim of Thanos' snap, nobody has any idea what has happened to her in the years since.

Obviously, "She-Hulk" is Jennifer Walters' series first and foremost, so the return of Bruce Banner's long-lost love is no sure thing — and even if it was, it feels unlikely that Tyler would play her again. Nevertheless, the fact that the comic book version of Ross eventually becomes the Red She-Hulk feels like providence, and the chance to mirror Walters' transformation so perfectly is an opportunity too good to pass up. If not now, then perhaps Season 2?

At first glance, J. Jonah Jameson might not seem like a natural choice to join the cast list of "She-Hulk." He does, however, have a connection to Jennifer Walters: his son, John Jameson. In the comics, the younger Jameson sparks up a relationship with Walters and subsequently marries her in "She-Hulk" Vol. 2 #9.

Naturally, J. Jonah Jameson isn't exactly thrilled to hear that his son has married a green-skinned superhero lawyer. Indeed, Jameson's profanity-laden reaction to this news is implied to be influenced by his previous meeting with Walters, in which she humiliated him in the courtroom during the Spider-Man lawsuit and forced him to dress up in a chicken suit to avoid a hefty payout. The two meet again in "She-Hulk" Vol. 2 #9, when John Jameson insists Walters meet his parents, and the dinner goes from bad to worse when an enraged J. Jonah tries to straight-up kill Walters using a robotic "She-Hulk Slayer."

Of course, J.K. Simmons' iconic portrayal of J. Jonah Jameson has now been brought into the MCU, to much rejoicing by fans, but it'd be a crying shame to wait until the next "Spider-Man" movie to see him again. Frankly, it doesn't matter whether he turns up in "She-Hulk" as a potential father-in-law, a legal loser in a chicken suit, or even just a talking head on TV — all that matters is that JJJ gets a lot more screen-time in the MCU.

Happy Hogan is one of the most endearing and enduring characters in the MCU. Having been introduced in "Iron Man," this aide and friend to Tony Stark has since returned for "Iron Man 2," "Iron Man 3," "Spider-Man: Homecoming," "Avengers: Endgame," "Spider-Man: Far From Home," and "Spider-Man: No Way Home." It's that last movie you'll want to pay attention to, however, if you've got "She-Hulk" on your mind.

During the events of "No Way Home," Matt Murdock informs Peter Parker that his legal problems are over, but, at the same time, he also reveals that Happy Hogan is about to come under investigation regarding some Stark technology that's gone AWOL. Murdock's advice to Hogan is simply to get "a really good lawyer."

Enter Jennifer Walters. Evidently, Murdock doesn't seem to want to get involved with Hogan's impending case himself, so somebody is going to need to step up and save the day. It's easy to imagine that Hogan could make a brief cameo in "She-Hulk" as Walters does just that, getting him out of hot water, rescuing Stark Industries, and maybe even learning a little more about that missing tech along the way.

If there's one Avenger who seems certain to need some assistance from a lawyer soon, it is Colonel James Rhodes. In 2020, Marvel Studios announced the upcoming Disney+ series "Armor Wars," an adaptation of the '80s comic book arc of the same name. According to Kevin Feige, the show will be about "what happens when [Tony Stark's] tech falls into the wrong hands." The original comic book follows Stark as he attempts to reacquire stolen Stark Industries technology from a number of superheroes and villains, and it's likely that Rhodes will be playing a similar role in the MCU series.

It's entirely possible that the scandal referenced in "No Way Home" will be explored further in "Armor Wars," and, if that's the case, it's also likely that Happy Hogan's legal woes will play some part in War Machine's crusade against the thieves who took that stolen tech. If the lawyer hired by Hogan does indeed turn out to be Jennifer Walters, then it could also be that Rhodes encounters her along the way, too — either as her ally in court or her opponent. Whether this means that Rhodes appears in "She-Hulk" or Walters appears in "Armor Wars" isn't certain, but one thing is for sure: more War Machine is never a bad thing.

There are a few reasons why Wong, the incumbent Sorcerer Supreme in the MCU, might land a cameo in "She-Hulk." Firstly, this guy is everywhere right now: obviously, he is due to feature in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," but he also plays a small role in both "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." Basically, Wong cameos are in vogue right now — so why not throw him into "She-Hulk," too?

It's also important to remember that, during "Shang-Chi," Wong fights Abomination in a cage match at the Gold Daggers Club in Macau. It quickly becomes clear that the fight has been staged, however, and Wong, clearly on good terms with Blonsky, departs with him to an unknown location. There's obviously something going on between these two characters, and Abomination's upcoming appearance in "She-Hulk" is likely to shed some light on this. It makes sense, then, that Wong himself might come along for the ride.

Finally, consider the fact that Wong is a superpowered resident of New York (unless something goes horribly wrong during "Multiverse of Madness," that is) with a Sanctum Santorum to worry about and a whole army of sorcerers working for him. This is a situation that practically invites legal trouble. Who better to turn to for help than New York's feistiest superhero lawyer?

Scott Lang is no stranger to the law. His very first appearance, in "Ant-Man," finds him leaving prison after a lengthy stint for a litany of crimes, and he's soon arrested and jailed once more for attempting to burgle Hank Pym's house. During "Captain America: Civil War," Lang is arrested yet again for choosing the wrong side in the fight between Captain America and Iron Man, imprisoned on the Raft, and finally given a house arrest sentence ... from which he promptly escapes.

The last time we see him, Lang is a full-fledged Avenger who has reunited with his family after helping save pretty much the entire universe, so it doesn't really seem likely that he'll be brought back under his house arrest. Still, Lang isn't out of the MCU game just yet, and the very nature of Ant-Man's antics mean that, between now and "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," he might yet wind up in hot water.

Ant-Man has yet to make any cameos on the Disney+ side of the MCU, although "Hawkeye" director Rhys Thomas told Metro in December 2021 that he had hoped to include him in that particular series. Since that never came to pass, we can only hope that Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios have found another series in which Scott Lang can strut his stuff. Let's face it — if they have, it's not going to be "Moon Knight."

In the wake of "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," the world has found a new Captain America: Sam Wilson. When that series ended, Wilson had stepped up to the role he inherited at the end of "Avengers: Endgame," equipped with a fancy new outfit and a sudden taste for delivering inspiring speeches about trying to do better.

In August 2021, Anthony Mackie closed a deal to star in "Captain America 4," so it's obvious that audiences are going to get a lot more of this new Cap. However, there's no reason why he couldn't turn up elsewhere before that solo movie kicks off. While it's more likely that an imminent cameo from Wilson would occur in, say, "Secret Invasion" or "Armor Wars," it's not totally out of the realm of possibility that he could play a part in "She-Hulk."

Think about it. Wilson may have become Captain America in the eyes of many, but he himself admits in "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" that "millions of people out there" are going to hate him for picking up that iconic shield. It's reasonable to assume that some of those people will be powerful and influential, and that they may just use the courts to try to bring down this new Captain America. If that's the case, he's going to need a lawyer and, well, it won't be Jacoby & Meyers.

How about this for a wild card? The cosmic superhero and brother of Thanos known as Starfox was introduced to the MCU in the mid-credits scene of "Eternals," in which he was played by pop star/actor Harry Styles. Aside from a brief introduction courtesy of Pip the Troll, Starfox doesn't do all that much in his first — and thus far only — scene, but you don't cast a star like Styles if you're not planning on doing a lot more with the character.

Now, it might seem a little odd to bring an ultra-powerful alien into a half-hour legal sitcom, but there is reason to believe that he might be involved in some capacity: namely, his long and complicated history with She-Hulk in the comics. Jennifer Walters first hits it off with Starfox during "Avengers" Vol. 1 #234, in which the two Avengers engage in a one-night stand. Their relationship sours, however, when, in "She-Hulk" Vol. 2 #6-7, Walters defends Starfox after he is accused of using his powers of euphoria to seduce a woman. During the trial, Walters begins to suspect that Starfox had used the same power to seduce her at the Avengers Mansion, and she soon ends up prosecuting her old flame at another trial before the Living Tribunal.

Obviously, this is a pretty weird storyline — and likely one that Kevin Feige would not be clamoring to adapt into the MCU anytime soon. That said, She-Hulk and Starfox's difficult relationship, if handled more deftly, could inject some thrilling drama into an otherwise light-hearted Marvel series.