The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has grown to extraordinary lengths since it was introduced in 2008, but there is a growing list of characters who have disappeared into the void. When the MCU set out to create a large, interconnected world of stories that would rival the comics, it was an ambitious, and seemingly impossible, task. However, across nearly 40 movies, and hundreds of hours of TV shows, the MCU has accomplished the impossible.
And with that vast library of content, there are dozens of heroes and villains who have been able to appear front and center in the MCU. However, there are also numerous characters that were introduced, with clear intentions to expand their stories down the road, only to have them disappear for years at a time. But as the Multiverse Saga is about to come to an end, the MCU needs to bring these characters back before it"s too late.
9 Skaar The Gamma Son Waiting in the Wings Close We know that Hulk had free rein on the planet Sakaar until Thor arrived and helped his old friend Bruce Banner resurface. However, with Smart Hulk serving as a combined version of Hulk and Banner, it"s led to some complications in their newly shared life. Such as the fact that Hulk apparently fathered a child on Sakaar named Skaar.
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Posts 3 Skaar was first seen at the end of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. However, since that series wrapped up, there has been no mention of casting for this CGI character, nor has there been any hint that the character will return in the near future. Despite this, the next appearance of either Hulk or She-Hulk will need to address Skaar. This could come in Avengers: Doomsday, but whatever the case, there are some big questions about this character.
8 Hercules The Olympian God of Strength's Untapped Potential Close Thor: Love & Thunder did not get nearly as warm a reception as Ragnarok, but that doesn"t mean the entire story can be wiped from our collective memories. And in all honesty, with the post-credits scene introducing Brett Goldstein as Hercules, we don"t want to. But since this rival god was introduced in 2022, they have entirely disappeared.
Marvel Studios did introduce the prospect of Adam Warlock all the way back in 2017 at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and didn"t appear until 2023.
Presumably, they are hunting down Thor, and since he has also been absent since 2022, it makes sense that neither character has been mentioned. However, Marvel Studios did introduce the prospect of Adam Warlock all the way back in 2017 at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and didn"t appear until 2023. Preferably, if Marvel could avoid the six-year wait, that would be great, but I"d settle for less than five if he shows up in Avengers: Doomsday alongside Chris Hemsworth"s return.
7 Arishem The Celestial Judge's Looming Presence Close Another film with a lukewarm response, Eternals failed to garner the excitement of Marvel fans that the studio expected. And yet, it introduced some of the most interesting characters in the recent history of the MCU. For instance, the Celestials, who appear to play a significant part in creating life throughout the universe. And standing above the other Celestials is Arishem the Judge.
Related If you had to pick two MCU actors and swap their roles, who are you picking? It"s a fun MCU thought experiment to pick two actors and have them swap roles. For example, one MCU role swap I think would be really cool would be if Benedict Cumberbatch played Iron Man while Robert Downey Jr. played Doctor Strange. Another good one might be be Scarlett Johannseen as the Scarlet Witch and Elizabeth Olsen as Black Widow.
Posts Arishem visits Earth at the end of the film in order to retrieve some of the rogue Eternals, and tells them that he will look at their case and pass a judgment. This is far too big a character and concept to simply disappear into the depths of space in the MCU. However, with no plans for an Eternals 2 in sight, it seems like Marvel may be doing just that, unless they find a way to bring the characters back in Doomsday or Secret Wars.
6 Harley Keener The Young Protégé Left on the Sidelines In Iron Man 3, Tony Stark was at his most vulnerable, experiencing a crisis over the safety of his loved ones, and struggling to cope with the reality of alien threats that could destroy the world as he knew it. However, he did make a connection with a young boy named Harley who helped him to get out of a tight spot. Harley appeared to be a character who could return later in the MCU for a greater purpose, and in Avengers: Endgame, he kind of did.
However, since that time, the character has been completely missing once again.
An older Harley is seen attending the funeral of Tony Stark. However, since that time, the character has been completely missing once again. Of course, there are other characters who are more obvious replacements for Tony Stark"s Iron Man, such as Ironheart and even Morgan Stark, but Harley seemed like someone who could go on to pick up the mantle at some point in the MCU.
5 Leonard Samson The Psychiatrist with Superhuman Ties Close Captain America: Brave New World finally brought back important characters who first appeared in 2008s The Incredible Hulk, only to disappear for well over a decade. However, while Betty Ross and The Leader made a comeback, one character who appeared to have a future in the MCU has been completely missing: Dr. Leonard Samson. Ty Burrell, who plays Phil in Modern Family, played the part in 2008, but the character has a much bigger storyline in the comics.
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Posts 2 Despite Hulk only having one solo film in the MCU, a lot of other moving parts were set up. Leonard was engaged to Betty Ross, and his relationship with General Ross led to him getting exposed to gamma radiation that caused him to transform. But as time goes by, it seems less likely than ever that this story will be adapted.
4 Aaron Davis The Prowler's Uncertain Future Close In 2017, Spider-Man: Homecoming also established the world of Spider-Man inside the MCU thanks to a complex but workable deal between Sony and Marvel Studios. And with their foot in the door, Marvel Studios made a big effort to set up the story and possible additional arcs for the future. One such arc comes in the form of Donald Glover, who plays a character named Aaron, with a nephew named Miles.
This is a clear reference to Aaron Davis and his nephew Miles Morales. As such, Donald Glover needs to come back to tackle the role of Prowler, the villain who unknowingly goes head-to-head with his nephew who becomes another Spider-Man. And since Tom Holland"s Spider-Man is growing up, it could be time to introduce the next generation of Spider-heroes in the MCU.
3 Mac Gargan The Scorpion's Lingering Threat Close In the same movie, during the post-credits scene, another rival to Spider-Man is set up after they briefly run into Michael Keaton"s Vulture in prison. Michael Mando was cast at this early stage to play Mac Gargan, aka Scorpion. Scorpion is one of the most exciting villains from the Spider-Man stories who has yet to be adapted into a live-action film, and Michael Mando fits the part perfectly.
Related After Thunderbolts*, I’m Convinced Avengers: Doomsday Will Be A Mix Of The MCU's Two Best Phase 3 Movies Two of the highest-ranked MCU movies in history could be combined for Avengers: Doomsday, if the story teased by Thunderbolts* is anything to go by.
Posts However, nearly a decade after being introduced, the character appears to be nowhere in sight. The confusing link with Michael Keaton"s Vulture disappearing into the Sony Spider-Man universe may have something to do with it, but with all of that so messy, and the SSU over and sone with, it feels like Mando will never get to don the suit in live-action. But I desperately hope I"m wrong about that.
2 Moon Knight The Enigmatic Hero Begging for More Screen Time Close Moon Knight appeared fairly recently in the MCU with his debut series coming out in 2022. Played by the incredible Oscar Isaac, this character and their multiple personalities got to shine in a show that combined supernatural, fantasy, and mythology in an incredibly satisfying way. Moon Knight is one of the most interesting additions to the MCU in the Multiverse Saga, and it"s a real shame to have had the character go AWOL after that initial appearance.
Isaac did return to voice the part for Marvel"s What If...?, where Moon Knight is a part of Sam Wilson"s Avengers team, and this could have foreshadowed the character being a part of Sam"s new Avengers in live-action. However, as it stands, there is no confirmation of plans for Moon Knight in the MCU.
1 Starfox The Charming Titan with a Complicated Past Close Finally, when Harry Styles popped up in the post-credits of Eternals as Starfox, it was potentially one of the most exciting things about the movie, considering it was largely a flop. But Styles is a global pop star, and cast as the cheeky and lovable Eternal who is actually a brother to Thanos in the comics, it felt like there would be some big plans for his story going forward.
Now, years after his debut, the character is nowhere to be seen, and his attachment to other Eternals hinders his chances at returning. But, hopefully, Marvel can find a way to bring the characters back around and include them in a future project. Otherwise, he just becomes another unrealized part of the MCU that had great potential, only to disappear forever.
Upcoming MCU Movies Thunderbolts*
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