Why Howard the Duck Should Be the Next MCU Superstar

Nearly eleven years after the Marvel Cinematic Universe first hit theaters, Howard the Duck has managed to sweep up three credits under his belt. After appearing in the two Guardians of the Galaxy films, everyone's favorite quacker finally made the leap to a larger property, getting a cameo in the closing moments of Avengers: Endgame. Three cameos in and we think it's time to have the discussion — could Howard become the next MCU superstar?

Now, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we've got to note that all three of Howard's appearances have been incredibly brief. In fact, all three cameos combined clock in around ten seconds, give or take a moment or two. It's not like the character is a small comics character like any means, so why such a reduced role? Let's take a little dive and walk through the reasons why Howard is the picturesque superstar for Kevin Feige and the team at Marvel Studios.

On the surface, Howard is a dream character for the consumer products division at a worldwide conglomerate such as The Walt Disney Company. Action figures, plush toys, pool floaties, apparel — Howard the Duck is just as brandable as Iron Man or Captain America. I mean, look at what the team has managed to do with Rocket Raccoon and Groot. Spinning out of consumer products, Howard's a character that appeals to the masses. Though a cute and fuzzy duck at first glance that kids would be sure love in a lead, the persona that comes with Howard is most definitely adult-oriented, something that would provide plenty of jokes for movie-going parents.

Really, he's a character that'd sell himself — but what does that mean in terms of a character arc? The gritty storyline that comes with the character sets up supreme storytelling, especially if Marvel Studios can get it in the hands of the right filmmaker. It's a fish out of water scenario that'd, quite frankly, be somewhat similar to that of Rocket Raccoon. In fact, they've already laid the groundwork that the two characters could have even been created by the same character or entity.

Do you think Howard the Duck should get an expanded role in the MCU? Why or why not? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments below or by hitting me up on Twitter at @AdamBarnhardt!

You can see Howard's latest cameo in Avengers: Endgame, now out in theaters. The only other Marvel Studios film due out this year is Spider-Man: Far From Home, due out July 2nd.