12 Minor MCU Characters That Should Lead Their Own Disney+ Series
Since the release of "Iron Man" back in 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown into an unprecedented pop culture phenomenon. Spanning 30 films over the past 15 years, the MCU already covers quite a few stories and characters. Disney only relatively recently began introducing various MCU TV Series that expand upon the films' canon and introduce new characters into the mix.
With so much content and so many viewing hours, it's not surprising that viewers may have forgotten about some of the universe's minor characters throughout the years. While some characters, such as Iron Man and Thor, have starred in several solo films of their own in addition to playing important roles in team-up films, other characters might only appear in a single film. Others are barely even established and fill the background of some interesting scenes or make a brief cameo that may be memorable but lacks substance.
However, since the films in the MCU are based on Marvel Comics, there are decades worth of stories and characters in the source material that haven't been explored. That means characters that only have a brief scene or appear as a supporting character might have years' worth of character development in the comics. Inevitably, there will be die-hard fans looking to see those characters expanded upon in the MCU. Here are some of the MCU's minor or supporting characters that deserve to lead a show all on their own.
Morgan Stark
Unlike many characters on this list, Morgan Stark did not originate in Marvel Comics, and is an entirely original invention of the MCU. However, her name is taken from a different character who appears in Marvel Comics. In the comics, Morgan Stark is the cousin of Tony Stark who resents Tony's wealth and power and is depicted as a scheming villain. In the MCU, Morgan Stark is introduced in "Avengers: Endgame" as the daughter of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts.
While Tony's 4-year-old daughter might seem like an odd choice to be the protagonist of her own show, there are some unique aspects of the character that could provide Marvel with an opportunity to tell a very different kind of story. Morgan is one of the children to have been born in the time span between Thanos' snap and her father's snap that brought everyone back. That means that the world she experiences after "Avengers: Endgame" will likely feel alien to her, and perhaps a bit overwhelming.
In addition, in order for that world to be a reality, she had to lose her father. The resentment she might feel over this could make her a compelling protagonist. The show could feature cameos from some of Tony's old friends such as James "Rhodey" Rhodes and give audiences the chance to see Morgan's struggles before she becomes the well-adjusted young adult that audiences were, at one point, meant to see in a cut scene from "Avengers: Endgame."
X-Con Security Consultants
When it comes to scene-stealers in the MCU, many fans often immediately think of Scott Lang's friend and former cellmate Luis, played by the extremely charismatic Michael Peña. While Luis may be the standout in Scott's group of friends — especially during his iconic recap scenes — Ant-Man's entire friend group would make a fantastic crew to lead their own show. The show itself could revolve around the security agency that the three run together called X-Con Security Consultants, a reference to the fact that they are all former convicts.
Neither Luis, nor X-Con's other two members Kurt and Dave, originate in Marvel Comics. However, their memorable appearances in "Ant-Man" and "Ant-Man and the Wasp" have made them fan-favorites. Kurt is played by actor David Dastmalchian, who starred in "The Suicide Squad" as Polka-Dot Man and will be returning in "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," but not as Kurt. Dave is portrayed by actor Clifford "T.I." Harris. However, Harris' continued participation in the MCU is likely complicated by some very troubling allegations.
Regardless, a show centered around the three characters could be a very fun change of pace for Marvel's lineup of Disney+ shows. An X-Con Security Consultants show could focus on Luis trying to build the company through security-related scenarios that pull in other Marvel fixtures such as SHIELD or the Avengers. The show could definitely make for a fun romp, and Peña and Dastmalchian would make great leads.
Rintrah
Viewers could be forgiven if the name Rintrah doesn't sound familiar, but if they saw a picture of the green man-bull from "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," it might ring a few bells. While Rintrah was mostly a background character in "Multiverse of Madness," his memorable design likely sticks with some fans of the MCU, even if they aren't familiar with the character.
In Marvel Comics, Rintrah is actually a pretty storied character with an interesting background. Hailing from the extradimensional planet of R'Vaal, Rintrah is a being that resembles a minotaur from Greek mythology. Dr. Strange first meets Rintrah when he asks Rintrah's mentor, Enitharmon the Weaver, to repair his cloak. Rintrah not only assists in fixing the cloak but allows Strange to inhabit his body for a time and share a consciousness. Eventually, Rintrah follows Strange back to Earth-616 and becomes one of his greatest allies.
A Rintrah series could show how the character came to work with Wong and Doctor Strange at Kamar-Taj prior to the events of "Multiverse of Madness." It would be interesting to not only flesh out the magical world and multiverse through a Rintrah show, but also see more of Wong and his time as the Sorcerer Supreme.
Samuel Sterns
Samuel Sterns is a character that debuted in the MCU all the way back in what's technically the second MCU movie, "The Incredible Hulk," played by Tim Blake Nelson. Sterns is a biologist working as a professor at Grayburn College. In "The Incredible Hulk," he is working with Banner to help develop a cure for Banner's gamma mutation and effectively put a stop to the Hulk. However, he is later captured by Emil Blonsky and forced to use his research to empower Blonsky to become Abomination. The last time viewers see him, Sterns becomes affected by Blonsky's blood and begins to mutate.
While Sterns has yet to reappear in the MCU, readers of Marvel Comics will know that Samuel Sterns goes on to become the Leader, an archenemy of the Hulk. The radiation mutated his brain, giving him a super-genius level intellect. The Leader is a perfect villain for the Hulk as his intellect, in theory, allows him to outsmart the famously strong antihero.
Luckily for Leader fans, Kevin Feige announced during the 2022 D23 Expo that Tim Blake Nelson is returning to the role in "Captain America: New World Order." However, a lot of time has passed between 2008's "The Incredible Hulk" and "New World Order," which is set for 2024. A Leader show could help fill in the gaps between the two appearances.
Aaron Davis
When Marvel cast prolific actor and musician Donald Glover to portray Aaron Davis in "Spider-Man: Homecoming," naturally some of us speculated that his inclusion could amount to more than just a one-scene cameo. When "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" was released a year later in 2018, some fans were introduced to Aaron Davis' other persona — the Prowler — for the first time. As the uncle of Miles Morales, Aaron is a likeable and relatable villain, and has since grown considerably in popularity — so much so that he's been added in "Fortnite" as a playable character. Unfortunately, he has yet to reappear in the MCU to this date.
With the combination of the character's growing popularity and Donald Glover — who's not as busy as he used to be as of the end of "Atlanta" — Aaron Davis might be the perfect choice to head up his own show and introduce Prowler into the MCU. In the comics, several characters have taken up the mantle of Prowler over the years. Hobart "Hobie" Brown is the first character to use the alias in Marvel Comics, but Aaron Davis has obviously had much more exposure on the big screen and a connection to a hugely popular hero in the form of Miles Morales.
In "Spider-Man: Homecoming," Aaron tells Peter Parker that he has a young nephew, an obvious reference to Miles. A Prowler show starring Donald Glover could not only show the character's struggles that lead him to becoming the Prowler, but could also introduce a young version of Miles Morales that could eventually take up the mantle of Spider-Man. (We realize the implied existence of Miles Morales in the MCU means Peter Parker is potentially going to die at some point, but let's not think about that.)
Lady Sif
Lady Sif might be one of the more prominent characters to appear on this list, but considering how important she is in the comics, Sif still feels woefully underutilized in the live-action films. The MCU version of Lady Sif is first introduced in 2011's "Thor," played by Jaimie Alexander. Alexander reprised the role in "Thor: The Dark World" and "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." but was unable to return in "Thor: Ragnarok." While the character was eventually brought back in cameo roles for "Loki" and "Thor: Love and Thunder," Sif hasn't been given the opportunity to really shine.
In Marvel Comics, Sif is the sister of Heimdall and one of Thor's greatest allies. She's worked closely with him and the Warriors Three, and even serves for a time on the War Avengers — a spin-off Avengers squad founded by Captain Marvel. Sif and Thor have also had an on-and-off romantic relationship, which is often complicated by Thor's feelings for Jane Foster and other factors. In the films, her importance is built up quite a bit in the first two "Thor" films but has never really been followed up on.
There are multiple directions that a Lady Sif show could take. It would be interesting to see a prequel type show, featuring Sif and the Warriors Three. It would also be interesting to see what Sif has been up to since her injuries in "Love and Thunder." Seeing her regain her strength as a warrior and take on extraterrestrial threats could make for a fascinating Disney+ show.
Darcy Lewis and Erik Selvig
The "Thor" films have been a great source of exciting and interesting side characters. When Thor is banished to Earth in the first "Thor" film, he meets up with Jane Foster and her research group, which includes Erik Selvig and Darcy Lewis, played by Stellan Skarsgård and Kat Dennings. The two make an odd and charismatic pair and provide their share of laughs for the audience to break up the action and tension of the first two "Thor" films.
Both characters returned in supporting roles in the second film but are absent in "Thor: Ragnarok." With Thor himself becoming a more comedic character in the third film, along with the introduction of Taika Waititi's Korg, perhaps the two are no longer needed as comic reliefs. However, both characters deserve some love, and a show featuring the two investigating scientific anomalies in the Marvel Universe might be amusing.
Luckily, Darcy returns in both "WandaVision" and "Thor: Love and Thunder" and Selvig shows up in the latter, but a show starring the two could really give them the spotlight they deserve. In addition to the many adventures the two could get up to, the show could deal with their mutual grief over the loss of Jane Foster.
Stakar Ogord
Stakar Ogord, played by Sylvester Stallone, first appears in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," Ogord is a Ravager captain with a long history with Yondu Udonta. While the two seem to be at odds throughout the film due to Yondu breaking Ravager code, Ogord and his crew attend Yondu's funeral at the end, showing respect to their fallen ally.
In Marvel Comics, Stakar Ogord is the name of the antihero Starhawk. In this version, Stakar Ogord merges with his adopted sister, Aleta Ogord; the two are given powers by the Hawk God and become the collective entity, Starhawk. Starhawk goes on to eventually join the first iteration of the Guardians of the Galaxy, which also includes Yondu. While the MCU version of the character is only shown to be a fierce Ravager captain, Stallone's casting could indicate that Marvel is looking to further develop the character.
A Starhawk show could introduce Ogord's story of having to merge with Aleta and introduce his Starhawk powers. Building the character out in a science fiction show set in outer space would not only be a great opportunity to put Stallone's talents to good use, but it could also further flesh out the cosmic side of the MCU.
Howard the Duck
Howard the Duck, to put it simply, is a talking duck. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Howard the Duck has been relegated to a few short appearances for comedic purposes, often in post-credits scenes. However, the character has a storied legacy with Marvel, and was the star of Marvel's first feature-length film, 1986's "Howard the Duck," in which the character was voiced by Broadway legend, Chip Zien.
In Marvel Comics, Howard is an anthropomorphic duck who comes to Earth from another universe. Many of the comics that star Howard are meant to be satires and utilize a lot of meta-humor. With the rise in popularity of shows that rely on meta-humor, it seems to be the perfect time to introduce a Disney+ show with Howard as the lead. While it would be fun to see Howard's adventures in live action, a Howard show would also work well as an animated series, similar to "What If...?" As the old saying goes, "If at first you don't succeed, try again on a different streaming platform."
With Seth Green, a veteran of voice acting in animated shows, as the current voice of Howard the Duck, a tie-in show expanding upon his adventures and the odd situations he finds himself in could be popular.
Sharon Carter
Poor Sharon Carter. She proved herself to be a valuable ally and selfless hero during the events of both "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and "Captain America: Civil War," but neglect from her allies seems to have pushed her down a dark path. In "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," it is revealed that she has secretly been working behind the scenes as the shady Power Broker.
However, fans of the comics know Sharon Carter, also known as Agent 13, as a dedicated SHIELD agent and relentless ally of Steve Rogers. In fact, she is portrayed as Rogers' love interest more often than Peggy Carter, who is seen as Captain America's main love interest in the films. While Sharon ends up killing Steve Rogers following the "Civil War" storyline (a death that doesn't stick), it is only because she was brainwashed to do so.
For fans of Agent 13 in the comics, a redemptive story for the MCU version of the character is a must. While she is likely to return in future films, a Disney+ show dedicated to the character could not only set her on a redemptive path, but also fill in important gaps during the five-year span after the Blip that pushes her to become the Power Broker.
Mac Gargan
Devoted fans of Spider-Man and his rogues' gallery of supervillains were likely overjoyed when "Better Call Saul" actor Michael Mando made an appearance as Mac Gargan in "Spider-Man: Homecoming." While casual viewers may have just assumed he's another henchman, fans of the comics know that Gargan goes on to become the supervillain, Scorpion. A fierce foe of Spider-Man and frequent member of the Sinister Six, Scorpion hasn't been explored much in the live-action films. Sadly, Mando has yet to return, despite appearing in the "Homecoming" post-credits scene.
In Marvel Comics, Mac Gargan is originally a private investigator J. Jonah Jameson recruits to learn Spider-Man's secrets. After an experimental procedure, he becomes mutated and stuck in a scorpion suit. The MCU changes up Gargan's story, setting him up as a weapons dealer who attempts to buy up alien technology from Vulture's crew. Gargan's future persona is hinted at by the scorpion tattoo on his neck, although his suit does not make an appearance.
Seeing Mac Gargan become the Scorpion in the MCU would be amazing for fans of Spider-Man. Michael Mando has already proven himself as a compelling and charismatic actor, and a show on Disney+ could help further develop the introduction of the Sinister Six — even if that would basically be doing Sony's job for them.
Jimmy Woo
There is arguably no supporting character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe more deserving of their own show than FBI agent Jimmy Woo. Thanks to a charismatic performance by actor Randall Park, Jimmy Woo steals just about every scene he's in, whether that's in "WandaVision" or "Ant-Man and the Wasp." As an ex-agent of SHIELD, Woo is well-versed in dealing with supernatural threats, which could make for some great on-offs in a Disney+ series.
In Marvel Comics, Jimmy Woo is an FBI agent and often works closely with the Avengers. This perfectly sets up the MCU's version of Jimmy Woo to become the next Phil Coulson, working with the new line-up of Avengers in the films. However, outside the films, Woo would be the perfect protagonist for a Marvel series that deals with isolated paranormal events, almost like "The X-Files" in the MCU. Teaming Park up with a revolving door of other MCU supporting characters, such as Darcy Lewis and Erik Selvig, could make each adventure exciting and unique.