The MCU should have two major blockbusters with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, but then it will be time to reset things and move on with the legacy heroes rather than relying on the old standbys. One of the big complaints about recent MCU movies is that people want Steve Rogers, Iron Man, Thor, and other favorites back. This is a bad thing because they can’t just keep regurgitating these older heroes and expect fresh stories. Instead, Marvel needed to be working harder on the legacy heroes they introduced and then mostly ignored. Some of these are already hugely popular, but still remain sidelined.
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From the next era of Iron Man and Thor to the Avengers of the future, here is a look at 10 legacy heroes that need to carry the MCU into the future.
10) Shuri
Shuri has already gotten her own movie, but this was only because of a real-life tragedy. When Chadwick Boseman died, Marvel chose not to recast the Black Panther, instead paying respect to Boseman’s legacy. Instead, the studio made T’Challa’s sister Shuri the new Black Panther and had her move into the lead role. Now, there is T’Challa’s son, who was introduced in the Wakanda Forever post-credit scene, but this is Shuri’s role now, and the MCU needs to give her the respect she has earned during her time in the movies.
9) Love
One hero who could get a bigger chance in the future, although it isn’t likely, is Thor’s daughter, Love. For those who have already forgotten most of what happened in Thor: Love and Thunder, Love is Gorr the God Butcher’s daughter, and Thor promised to raise her after Gorr sacrificed his own life to resurrect her. The problem here is that Chris Hemsworth’s father plays Love, and she is not a professional actor. However, she is a superhero in this world now, and could be a chance to replace her dad when Thor’s time comes to an end in the MCU.
8) Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards was a toddler when he last appeared in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. However, as Marvel Comics fans know, Franklin has been aged up quickly in the books, and his powers could allow that to happen in the MCU. The idea is that Franklin might be the one who aids Doctor Doom in creating Battleworld, and if this happens, it could be a perfect chance to age him to his teenage years, which is where he is in the comics. That said, Franklin Richards is one of Marvel’s most powerful characters, and the MCU will have to deal with that when the Fantastic Four have their first movie on the post-Secret Wars Earth.
7) X-23
X-23 is Laura Kinney, and she was introduced for the first time in the alternate future of Logan. However, she was also reintroduced in Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024, and at the end of that movie, she was in Deadpool’s world with Wolverine. This means that she should be part of the MCU future, especially since Deadpool and Wolverine are both returning in future films, although not as part of the MCU. With the MCU bringing in a young team of mutants rather than the veterans everyone knows, it could be a great chance to bring in Laura as the new female Wolverine.
6) Yelena Belova
Yelena Belova has had more screentime than almost any other legacy hero in the MCU. She made her debut in Black Widow, and by the end of that movie, she was basically the world’s new Black Widow, replacing her sister following her death. Yelena then appeared in the Hawkeye series, working for Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and then again in Thunderbolts, where she was still working for the corrupt government official. Yelena will be back in Avengers: Doomsday, and she is a fantastic member of the MCU who should stick around after the reboot.
5) Wiccan
Wiccan will be a big part of the MCU moving forward, and if he is not, Marvel is making a huge mistake. Of course, he first appeared as a child when Wanada Maximoff created her twins in a delusion where she lived an ideal life with Vision (who was really dead). Wiccan then returned in his new form in Agatha All Along, where he began to master his magical powers thanks to the help of Agatha Harkness. Wiccan will be back in VisionQuest in 2025, and when the MCU reboots after Secret Wars, he should be part of the Young Avengers team when it forms.
4) Ironheart
Ironheart had one of the best, most underrated shows on Disney+. Too many people refused to watch the series for reasons that have nothing to do with its quality, and those people missed out on something really good. Of course, Ironheart introduced Riri Williams to the world as she battled a villain known as the Hood, faced off with the son of Iron Man’s first enemy, Obadiah Stane, and then ended up dealing with the demonic Mephisto. Ironheart was a great series, and her appearance in What If…? shows how important she should be in the MCU’s future.
3) Ms. Marvel
The best legacy character in the MCU, and no one else is even close, is Kamala Khan, Ms. Marvel. Honestly, Iman Vellani is the best casting Marvel has done since signing Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth. No one is better at their role today than Vellani is as Kamala Khan, and she is everything Marvel fans should want from the actors in this universe. Her Disney+ series was spectacular, and she was a highlight in the fun and overly criticized movie, The Marvels. She was also a highlight of What If…?, and Kamala should be in as many MCUU projects as humanly possible.
2) Kate Bishop
Kate Bishop debuted in Hawkeye, and she quickly became the replacement archer as the veteran Hawkeye slowly steps back and out of the picture. As with Kamala Khan and Ironheart, Kate was also a big part of the What If…? series, and these three characters should share the screen on a regular basis from here on. Kate should be part of the Young Avengers team, or preferably one called the Champions instead. Why Marvel hasn’t pulled the trigger on the teenage team remains a mystery because these three legacy heroes should be its backbone.
1) Miles Morales
Miles Morales is a different case. Yes, Miles was mentioned in Spider-Man: Homecoming, but he has never appeared in the actual MCU. That said, he was in the Sony Into the Spider-Verse movies, and the last film in that trilogy will hit theaters before Avengers: Secret Wars. If Marvel is smart, they will bring in Miles Morales for Secret Wars, explaining he was part of the Incursions, and then a live-action version could exist to move into the MCU in the reboot. Having Miles interact with Peter Parker would be perfect, and having him join Kamala, Riri, and Kate on a new teenage superhero team is a necessity.
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