12 Marvel Netflix Characters That We Want In The MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always changing — especially its ever-expanding roster of characters. Many MCU figures start out as off-handed references or cameos that snowball into bigger appearances and supporting roles. Others are introduced all at once, creating a major buzz. In the early days of the MCU, Marvel used its supporting characters to connect seemingly distant films. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) were the links in the chain of Phase One, for example, tying together the plotlines of "Thor," "Iron Man," and "Captain America: The First Avenger," and setting up "The Avengers." This approach was replicated on the Netflix Marvel shows, with side characters like Turk Barrett (Rob Morgan) and Jeri Hogarth (Carrie-Anne Moss) connecting that street-level universe.
With recent projects like "Loki" and "Spider-Man: No Way Home," the MCU is rooting itself ever more deeply in the multiverse. It's also become clear that older, seemingly unconnected properties are now storytelling resources the MCU plans to use. Now that Marvel has confirmed Charlie Cox's Daredevil and Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin, who made their debut in Netflix's "Daredevil," exist in the MCU, fans can't help but wonder what other characters from their plane of reality might hit the silver screen. These are the Marvel Netflix characters we think should make the leap into the MCU.
Claire Temple
Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) is an obvious choice for the MCU, and a prime candidate for cameo spots. Whenever a street-level crimefighter or a hero on the run needs medical attention with no questions asked, Claire, the best night nurse in New York City, is the professional they call. She's treated injuries sustained by a man with indestructible skin, handled a radar sense that interferes with concussions, and healed various stab and gunshot wounds that would cripple normal people. It's not a stretch to imagine that Claire could leverage that knowledge to treat a friendly neighborhood wall-crawler, or the future Master of Kung Fu.
Since Claire is a civilian who just so happens to cross paths with the various heroes of the Marvel universe, she doesn't face a massive barrier to entry into the MCU's movies or Disney+ shows. All that would be required of a Claire appearance is a day or two on set, an established location (perhaps an underground clinic funded by various millionaires of the Marvel universe), and a set of scrubs. Her appearances might end up being smaller cameo roles than some of the other Netflix characters', but they'd be no less vital to keeping the interconnected momentum of the MCU going.
Jessica Jones
Matt Murdock was the first hero of the Netflix Marvel universe, quickly followed by rough-around-the-edges private investigator Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter). With "Hawkeye" setting up organized and superhuman crime in the streets of New York City, it stands to reason that the people will need private eyes willing to stand up to the likes of Kingpin, the Tracksuits, and even nefarious high society types. Jessica is an obvious choice for this role, and could easily appear wherever Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) pops up next. Certain comics have seen Jessica mentor the archer, and Kate even ends up making her own way in the P.I. business. Plus, they'd surely have some great banter. Just imagine Jessica's cynical pronouncements butting up against Kate's dogged enthusiasm — it's comedy and character-building gold.
Kate Bishop isn't the only hero who could benefit from the Jessica Jones School of Hard Knocks, however. The post-"Spider-Man: No Way Home" MCU seems set to refocus on the core tenets of Peter Parker (Tom Holland) — that is to say, he's going to be struggling a whole lot more. As such, he could be a perfect intern or apprentice to Jessica. MCU Peter also hasn't shown his character's classic interest in photography yet, but doing the grunt work of surveillance could ignite that possible career path.
Luke Cage
The unbreakable Luke Cage (Mike Colter), who was last seen taking control of Harlem's criminal underworld, would make an excellent addition to the MCU. Luke could easily slot into street-level series like "Echo," "Moon Knight," and "Ironheart" as an ally, antagonist, or something else entirely. His operation could handle black market Stark tech that finds its way to brilliant Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), or he could offer a new job opportunity to the conflicted Echo (Alaqua Cox). He could even end up running into Jennifer Walters, aka She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany).
If Marvel wanted to bring in Luke Cage but focus on the more villainous implications of his series' ending, any further Spider-Man projects could be the perfect place for him. Spidey's story is rooted in New York, and primed to spend a lot more time on the streets going forward. Plus, the web-crawler has a lot of history with characters like Luke — Spidey villains Tombstone, Kingpin, and Mister Negative are all powerful men in control of a major faction of the criminal underworld. Luke's appearance could also make for an interesting possible redemption arc, like Doc Ock (Alfred Molina) enjoys in "Spider-Man: No Way Home."
Foggy Nelson
Matt Murdock's partner in crime, Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), appears all over the Netflix Marvel universe. This stalwart lawyer serves as reliable legal counsel for those in need — both the little people on the street and the rich and powerful. Superheroes tend to break the law, which means lawyers with experience representing vigilantes are a hot commodity. Foggy Nelson fills that niche perfectly. The most likely project for Foggy to appear in would be the upcoming "She-Hulk" series: Jennifer, the titular superhero, is a lawyer herself, and has a long history of headlining light-hearted, street-level adventures that bring in characters from across Marvel's NYC. Who better to serve as a surprise legal consultant from Nelson, Murdock, and Page than Foggy?
That's not the only option, however. The end of Netflix's "Daredevil" series sees the original trio of Matt, Foggy, and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) form a new firm. They're poised to start working with a list of new clients — why not include two NYC crime-fighters who operate in the alleyways among that group? Foggy would be the perfect lawyer to handle a case involving Peter Parker or Marc Spector, aka Moon Knight (Oscar Isaac), while Matt is off fighting crime. Both heroes are also aligned with stripped-down and somewhat grittier takes on superheroics. Nelson would make a perfect comedic foil in such a project, while also servicing any potential legal troubles.
Misty Knight
The MCU lacks law enforcement officers who don't double as international spies or agents. "Hawkeye" attempts to correct this with its LARP-obsessed first responders, but they're relegated to a fairly small role (if a very fun one). One easy way to correct this oversight would be to bring Misty Knight (Simone Missick) into the MCU, bionic arm and all. The detective was last seen working with Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick) — hinting at their classic Daughters of the Dragon team-up — and struggling with whether or not she would keep her role as captain. An entrance into the MCU could allow Misty to take up that position and become an excellent source of tension for various NYC crimefighters.
Even if Misty's storyline leads to her leaving the force, she could still make an excellent MCU entrance as another private investigator. Misty could even fill in as a Hero for Hire, now that Luke Cage has become immersed in the underworld. Just picture it: Misty on the case, perhaps working on retainer for Jennifer Walters' law firm, or hot on Echo's trail, post-"Hawkeye."
Colleen Wing
Colleen Wing deserves a chance to explore the role of Iron Fist in the MCU. Season 2 of Netflix's "Iron Fist" sees her take over the powers of Shou-Lao and the mantle of New York's mystical protector. With "Shang-Chi 2" in the works and a Disney+ series from "Shang-Chi" director Destin Daniel Cretton greenlit (via Deadline), Colleen Wing has never had more chances to make a splash as an excellent supporting character.
Were Colleen to appear in the second "Shang-Chi" movie, she could expand the lore introduced in the first film, and help to flesh out the mystical side of the MCU in a broader way. Colleen could also be perfect on the Disney+ "She-Hulk" series. In the comics (and as is hinted at in Season 2 of "Iron Fist"), Colleen generally works with Misty Knight as the Daughters of the Dragon, a duo that functions much like Luke Cage and Danny Rand's Heroes for Hire. Netflix's Colleen could be the perfect other half of whatever operation Misty Knight might have in the works, even while working for Jennifer Walters.
Frank Castle
It's become MCU lore that the truck that crashes into the Hydra operatives trying to capture Nick Fury in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" belongs to Frank Castle, aka the Punisher (Jon Bernthal). Anthony and Joe Russo themselves gave this theory the juice it needed, though it's never been officially confirmed. Still, this means Frank has technically already made his MCU debut. This makes future appearances all the more likely, and introduces an opportunity to bring the character full circle from his truck-driving days.
The Punisher would be especially well-suited to any future Spider-Man projects: Frank Castle's original comic appearance is in 1973's "Amazing Spider-Man" #129. This issue initially presents Frank as a villain with a tragic backstory, then slides him into the anti-hero category. If the MCU were to include Frank in a "Spider-Man" film, a similar introduction could be an effective way to bind him and Peter together. It could also further the lesson Peter learns in "Spider-Man: No Way Home": That he must be mindful of his responsibilities and help everyone he can, even his villains.
Will Simpson
"The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" introduces a dark legacy of super-soldier serum experiments to the MCU. From the injustices Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) suffered to the terrible effects the serum has on John Walker (Wyatt Russell), we now have multiple examples of serums being misused or going wrong. But in fact, this plot thread began at an even earlier point. The secondary antagonist of "Jessica Jones" Season 1 is Will Simpson (Wil Traval), a former soldier and cop given a series of pills that put him on an equal level with superpowered individuals like Jessica Jones. This doesn't go well.
If the MCU wants to continue exploring questionable experimentation in America's name, then Will would be a perfect character to bring back. He's proof of super-soldier serum's addictive qualities, and one of Marvel Comics' most visually memorable villains. Will could be a perfect foil to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as he steps into the role of Captain America, and an interesting contrast to Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), who is haunted by the serum's place in his own history.
Elektra
The future of the MCU seems primed to fall into three distinct categories: the street-level, the mystical, and the cosmic. Spider-Man seems likely to have the street-level stories locked down, given the character's renewed focus on crime in his own neighborhood. Cosmic affairs are set to be explored in projects like "Loki" Season 2 and "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania." The mystical side of the MCU remains relatively underexplored thus far — though "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" and "Blade" will probably correct that. If Marvel wants to plant even more mystical seeds for the future, it would be smart to bring in Elektra (Élodie Yung). Elektra has a foot in both the mystical and the street-level worlds: She works as a bounty hunter, but she's also returned from the dead multiple times, thanks to ninja magic.
Elektra could be introduced as a reluctant ally who's always willing to play both sides, as comfortable with alleyway action as she is with magical mayhem. "Moon Knight" might be the perfect project for Elektra to slink into, due to this duality — the titular superhero is also tied to both the street-level and the mystical. Depending on the history and persona of Marc Spector present in the series, Elektra could also be an important link to his past. They might have been rival mercenaries, or crossed paths thanks to the influences of mysterious arcane forces upon their lives.
Benjamin Poindexter
The MCU could use more villains who are just plain evil, rather than inverted heroes or tragic figures. An easy way to introduce some truly sinister antagonists would be to carry ones who already exist over from Marvel's Netflix shows. One prime villain who has yet to get a chance to fully shine is Benjamin Poindexter (Wilson Bethel). "Daredevil" sees the sadistic marksman kill using anything that's available, from shards of glass to office supplies. But he always carries out these nefarious deeds from within an impostor Daredevil costume or civilian clothes.
Bringing back Benjamin (better known as Bullseye in the comics) and giving him a more accurate costume would be a thrilling move for the MCU to make. With the events of "Hawkeye" and its introduction of Kingpin in the books, Marvel has made it clear they'll scale the power of their Netflix characters to fit into a world of super-soldiers and godlike aliens. If a street-level project like "Moon Knight" or "Spider-Man 4" needs a sadistic killer working their way through New York, Bullseye would be the perfect, easily-scalable choice. This could also open the door for Matt Murdock to suit back up as Daredevil and appear in a future project.
Madame Gao
The MCU's later movies do a great job of expanding its timeline. Films like "Ant-Man" and "Black Widow" indicate superpowered individuals operating far beyond the scope of the modern Avengers era, and set up periods for future installments to take place within. Similarly, "The Eternals" proves that the MCU can tell a cohesive, singular, generation-spanning story, and still weave it into the wider, interconnected universe. If the MCU continues to embrace these trends, then Madame Gao (Wai Ching Ho) would be the perfect multi-generational villain to introduce.
Madame Gao's presence could be a particularly terrific through-line for "Agatha: House of Harkness" and "Shang-Chi 2." The Netflix series have already established her as a skilled fighter with a deep understanding of mysticism, thanks to her 400+ years of existence. Who better to join the similarly long-lived Agatha on a romp through history than this nigh-immortal criminal mastermind? Gao could also serve as a villain in a future "Shang-Chi" film, whether it's set in the streets or on the mystical side of things. Gao is both a real-world villain and a master of manipulating Chi, which means she poses a credible threat to Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) on both fronts.
Kilgrave
As the primary villain of "Jessica Jones" Season 1, Kilgrave (David Tennant) strikes fear into the hearts of the citizens of New York and the viewers. Outside of Loki's scepter in "The Avengers" and Wanda's hex on Westview, the MCU has seen very little mind control. Kilgrave, who can force people to do whatever he wants simply by commanding it, is a terrifying exception who could make a big splash in the MCU going forward. Kilgrave would be especially perfect on "Echo," as the titular character is deaf, and thus unable to hear Kilgrave's orders.
Kilgrave could also work as a Spider-Man villain: His powers are formidable, but not so fantastic that they don't fit in with the character's stripped-down status quo. He could also go head-to-head with Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), whose massive powers could be put to terrible ends under Kilgrave's direction. Wherever he might end up, Tennant's raw, unhinged energy would be a welcome addition to the MCU's rogues gallery. Kilgrave could end up seared into viewers' minds forever, much like Willem Dafoe's Norman Osborn or Josh Brolin's Thanos.