Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have seen a surplus of content recently, both in terms of movies and new TV series that have been released. With recent premieres of shows like Moon Knight and upcoming projects like Ms. Marvel, we’ve been introduced to superheroes out of the mainstream knowledge of movie-goers. Fans of the comics are thrilled to see these lesser-known characters come to life on screen, and film-lovers are enjoying the broadened range of characters they get to see.
As more projects continue to move forward, it makes us wonder what other heroes who haven’t been seen on screen might finally get their chance in the spotlight. Whether it’s a new blockbuster movie or a Disney+ original, there are plenty of interesting characters from the comics that would make for good cinema. Here are some of the lesser-known characters that deserve their chance in the MCU just as much as any avenger.
Sentry
Sentry is an incredibly powerful character, almost outrageously so. The origin of his abilities tends to vary slightly throughout his story, but he exhibits incredible strength, telepathy, superhuman senses, and resistance to other characters' powers. Though he has these incredible abilities and more, Sentry’s natural persona – Robert Reynolds – is much more of an everyman. He is depicted in the comics as an overweight middle-aged man or a drug addict. He is constantly struggling with very human issues, which makes his story so interesting. Robert becomes someone able to face and conquer any threat or problem when he is Sentry. His abilities allow him to be virtually unstoppable. Since he is depicted as an everyman type, this theme of being able to overcome obstacles becomes much more powerful to audience members. Even though Sentry is an “alter ego,” he is still always Sentry, and no matter how small a person might feel, there is the ability to be heroic in all of us.
Man-Thing
This character would give Marvel the opportunity to explore a more twisted type of story in a similar vibe to what they did with WandaVision. The story of Dr. Ted Sallis is an unsettling one, with everything from a plan to recreate a better super-soldier serum to a bitter wife that ultimately brings about his downfall. When his wife tries to turn him and his research in to a sinister organization, Ted injects himself with the last sample of his serum and gets lost in a swamp that possesses magical qualities. The combination results in him becoming Man-Thing.
The fact that the origins of this character incorporates both science and the otherworldly is what would make this so interesting to viewers. Having a blend of fact and fiction always makes for exciting storytelling, and the monstrous design of Man-Thing would be incredible and haunting to see come to life on screen.
Clea
Clea is a sorceress from the world of Doctor Strange, though she is his more sinister counterpart. She is a powerful disciple of Dormammu who ultimately ends up switching sides after Strange defeats her mentor and frees her. Over the course of her story, she falls in love with Doctor Strange and studies the mystic arts under him. Having this connection to a character that’s already appeared in several movies gives her a foot in the door for getting an introduction into the MCU, especially when the Strange movies have such breathtaking cinematography.
Doctor Strange 2 is predicted to be more of a horror movie, creating a world that Clea would fit perfectly into. A lot of her story takes place in the dark dimension or alongside villainous characters, and she goes through several transformations and arcs that would be haunting but captivating for viewers to watch.
The Thunderbolts
Continuing on the theme of morally muddled characters is the Thunderbolts, a team of reformed anti-heroes and villains created by Baron Zemo, who we recently saw in the series Falcon and the Winter Soldier. This team provides a story of redemption and reformation, giving each of these rebuked villains a new sense of purpose and fighting spirit. The Thunderbolts are a team connected to some of the characters from the MCU we already know and love – Hawkeye, Yelena (as Black Widow), Venom, and more – but also provides an opportunity for some of the newer members to get a chance in the spotlight.
There has been some news teased that Marvel has a project lined up for this team, but very little has actually been confirmed so far. There’s a wide array of interesting characters, such as Figment, who can create incredibly vivid illusions, Mann-Bull with his superhuman strength and fearsome appearance, and Agony, the symbiote spawned from Venom. With so many possibilities for characters on a ragtag team on the road to redemption, it seems impossible for it not to be entertaining.
These are just a handful of possibilities for lesser-known characters that could come to the MCU. All of them have their own unique stories and connections to the characters we’ve already seen on screen, but there are still plenty of others who deserve a chance in the spotlight. As Marvel makes more productions, we’ll just have to wait and see what other characters they reveal.