There has been a lot of buzz around which characters Marvel should put in Avengers: Secret Wars, but they also need to figure out who NOT to include.
There has been a lot of excitement and speculation about which MCU characters should show up in Avengers: Secret Wars, with even some popular names creating complications for the next era of the franchise. As such, though it seems like few characters from any universe are really off the table at this point, Marvel should really think twice about the choices they make. Certain heroes aren’t really suited to a massive crossover event, while others have already had the perfect end to their stories. Some older characters never really worked to begin with, and Secret Wars would likely be better off without them.
Right now, rumors have mentioned everything from Robert Downey Jr. returning as Iron Man to Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier showing up in Avengers 6. It is exciting to think of the possibilities this opens up, but the MCU does also have to be careful about its own legacy. Unless the franchise is headed for a major reboot or rework following Secret Wars, it will need to make sure it doesn’t do anything to hurt the brand or make viewers less invested in the MCU timeline, and the best way to do that is to steer clear of certain characters who wouldn’t work.
10Echo’s Main Show Wasn’t Very Connected To The MCU
Alaqua Cox Plays Echo In The MCU
Echo was the first MCU show to be released as a Marvel Spotlight project. This new banner is meant to suggest that the shows or movies under it stand on their own. Though Echo did have a connection to the larger MCU through Kingpin, her story was largely personal and could easily be enjoyed without watching other MCU projects. Marvel should respect the standalone nature of their Spotlight projects if they want them to be successful, and not make audiences feel like they have to see Secret Wars just to know how Echo’s story ends.
9Blade Might Be Too Violent For Main MCU Crossovers
Mahershala Ali Will Play Blade In The MCU
The upcoming Blade movie will be rated R, likely due to its violence. Blade isn’t known for making raunchy jokes like Deadpool, so his movie is going to have to be pretty gory to earn its R-rating – and unlike Deadpool 3, it doesn’t seem Blade will be able to rely on the shock value of seemingly killing off former Marvel film characters, so it likely will have to double down on its violence.
This means if Marvel wants to bring Blade in for Avengers: Secret Wars, they will have to tone down his character – and any allies or enemies brought with him – significantly to fit in with the rest of the MCU. With this in mind, Blade might be better off as a Marvel Spotlight project, or just crossing over with other horror-based heroes for a Midnight Suns movie.
8Spider-Man 3’s Venom Has Been Outclassed
Topher Grace Played Venom In Spider-Man 3
The version of Venom that showed up in Spider-Man 3 was a pretty weak depiction of the character, lacking the proper screen time the character needs to fully work, as well as a lack of the kind of characterization needed to make the complicated villain truly work. This is due in part to director Sam Raimi being forced to include Venom in the movie, as the director has discussed the complications this created.
With Grace’s Venom being associated with many criticisms leveled at Spider-Man 3, it may be best to avoid including him in a movie that arguably celebrates Marvel’s history. As such, if Marvel wants a Venom for Secret Wars, they should stick with Tom Hardy’s version of the character, or use the symbiote left behind in Spider-Man: No Way Home to make their own.
7Daredevil Should Stick To Street-Level Events
Charlie Cox Plays Daredevil In The MCU
Marvel seems to be setting up the MCU to make it easier to follow. There will be street-level heroes like Daredevil and Echo, Avengers like Captain America, and supernatural heroes like Blade. If Marvel is committed to making the MCU more friendly to newer audiences, they would likely want to hold a few street-level heroes back from participating in Avengers: Secret Wars, so fans don’t feel like they’re missing out on important plot points if they don’t see the movie. As the most popular street-level hero currently in the MCU, Daredevil seems like a good candidate to skip Secret Wars.
6Thanos Could Overshadow The New Big Bads
Josh Brolin Played Thanos In The MCU
Though Thanos was only the main villain for two movies, his presence loomed large over the earlier MCU phases. With Marvel’s current Kang troubles, they haven’t firmly established a new big bad to rival Thanos yet. With Avengers: Secret Wars happening in just three years, and only one Marvel movie in 2024, Marvel doesn’t have a lot of time to build up a new villain. Bringing back Thanos could undermine Marvel’s newer villains, given his strong MCU history.
5Werewolf by Night Wouldn’t Look As Good In Full Color
Gael García Bernal Plays Werewolf By Night In The MCU
Jack Russell’s classic Wolfman look was perfect for the black and white retro-style Werewolf by Night. However, in full color with bright lighting, the costume wouldn’t be nearly as effective. If Marvel doesn’t mind using the character as a joke in Secret Wars, they could still include him, but it would seem like a waste. Unless they give Jack Russell’s werewolf form a significant redesign, he should probably stick to black and white projects for now.
4Tony Stark and Steve Rogers Had The Perfect Conclusions
Robert Downey Jr. And Chris Evans Played Tony Stark And Steve Rogers In The MCU
Avengers: Endgame felt like a definitive end to the first major chunk of the MCU. Though some of the original characters have stuck around, the post-Endgame MCU should avoid revisiting characters who were given a good ending in the movie. Tony Stark’s heroic sacrifice and final “I am Iron Man” was the perfect way to bring the character full-circle. Likewise, giving Steve Rogers a happy ending and a second chance to live a normal life was a very sweet send-off for the character. Bringing either of them back would risk ruining these perfect endings and Marvel can’t really improve on them.
3There Isn’t Much Nostalgia For The Original Fantastic Four
Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, And Reed Richards Played The Team In Fantastic Four 2005
2005’s Fantastic Four isn’t exactly held in high regard. There hasn’t really been a great live-action adaptation of Marvel’s first family yet, which is partially why there’s so much hype around the upcoming Fantastic Four project. Besides not having a lot of fanfare behind the original version, the MCU Fantastic Four will still be pretty new by the time Avengers: Secret Wars comes around. Taking into account all of this context, it seems as though Marvel should let their new version enjoy the spotlight, instead of trying to cram in a second version that isn’t even that popular.
2The Original Guardians of the Galaxy Returning Would Undermine Their Send-Off
The Original Guardian’s Story Ended With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
The Guardians of the Galaxy movies have always felt like their own thing. While the Guardians did cross over for Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, their involvement in the wider MCU was never really the appeal. James Gunn established such a tight narrative around the team and gave them the perfect ending in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Including the full original Guardians roster in Secret Wars would only mess with the solid ending the team already got.
1Hawkeye Should Be Allowed To Retire
Jeremy Renner Plays Hawkeye In The MCU
Hawkeye has been trying to retire since before the events of Captain America: Civil War. With Kate Bishop stepping up to take over the mantle in Hawkeye, it seems like the perfect time for Clint to hang up his bow and just enjoy time with his family. Bringing the character in for Avengers: Secret Wars would seem almost mean at this point, and Hawkeye deserves a break. Worse, if he is included, Hawkeye seems like the kind of character the MCU might kill off, whereas Clint should be allowed to just retire in peace – especially since so many other original Avengers have also died in recent franchise history.
