What does the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe look like? That’s a question with no clear answer beyond the next two Avengers movies. One of the biggest franchises in the world is at a crossroads in terms of what its impending creative vision and long-term artistic goals are. With Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars apparently providing a “new beginning” for the franchise, who knows where these features will go next.
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Wherever the MCU goes, though, it needs to find room for these supporting characters who only showed up in one MCU film or TV show. They’ve never gotten the chance to have multiple appearences and that’s a shame given what an impression they left in their debuts. Whatever form or media the MCU explores next, these forgotten MCU characters deserve some amount of screentime.
5) Doc Samson (from The Incredible Hulk)
Thanks to Captain America: Brave New World and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, seemingly every major Incredible Hulk cast member and plot thread has been paid off in the 17 years since that movie’s debut. Well, except for Doc Samson (Ty Burrell), a former love interest of Betty Ross. In the comics, Samson becomes a superpowered individual who rubs shoulders with all the Marvel Comics greats. In the MCU, though, he’s been MIA since his debut appearance.
Given all the exploits Doc Samson has experienced in the comics, he needs to finally return for more MCU shenanigans. Perhaps in Spider-Man: Brand New Day alongside Bruce Banner/The Hulk? After all, everyone else from The Incredible Hulk got to come back. Give Doc Samson his due.
4) Madisynn King (from She-Hulk: Attorney at Law)
Not every She-Hulk: Attorney at Law comedic element quite clicked together, but one hysterical part of the show was Madisynn King (Patty Guggenheim), a party girl persistently with a martini in her hand and a nonchalant attitude about all superpowered things happening around her. Phases Four and Five of the MCU have been so preoccupied with multiversal adventures that ordinary people have become scarce in this saga. Madisynn showing back up in grandiose projects like Avengers: Doomsday would be a welcome respite to that dearth. Plus, Guggenheim’s splendid performance can’t be a one-off MCU element.
3) Furry Face (from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania)
In early 2025, the character of Fuzzy Face from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania suddenly went viral online. People were deeply amused that this guy got his own character poster despite nobody remembering that he even existed. In Quantumania, Fuzzy Face (one of many kooky Quantum Realm rebels plotting to overthrow Kang the Conqueror) has no dialogue, is devoid of personality, and only appears for a few frames of screentime.
That makes him an exciting blank slate that some future wacky MCU One-Shot short film, TV show, or movie could imaginatively utilize. This cuddly-looking organism can be whatever an MCU project needs, from an unexpected villain to heartfelt comic relief. Fuzzy Face, as that now infamous character poster demonstrated, is now in the MCU toybox. Future artists in this franchise might as well use him.
2) Karun Patel (from Eternals)
Kingo’s trusty valet Karun Patel (Harish Patel) was an amusingly human element in Eternals, a film all about Godlike beings. Patel’s sharp comic timing was masterful in this title, and it was a shame that his character suddenly vanished once the third act of Eternals got underway. The MCU seems to be moving away from resurrecting Eternals mythology in forthcoming Phases, which diminishes the chances of Karun Patel ever reappearing. However, considering imminent MCU projects like Wonder Man will be dealing with the film industry, it’d be great to see an entertainment-adjacent figure like Karun Patel again.
1) Rhomann Dey (Guardians of the Galaxy)
While Thanos apparently decimated Xandar in the pursuit of an Infinity Stone just before the events of Avengers: Infinity War, one of its most memorable denizens, Nova Corp. member Rhomann Dey (John C. Reilly), did not get any screentime in that colossal blockbuster. This Guardians of the Galaxy scene-stealer hasn’t appeared in any post-2014 MCU media, for that matter, despite Reilly being such a gifted performer and the franchise constantly indulging in cosmic storylines. With no future Guardians of the Galaxy solo movies or a Nova Disney+ TV show on the immediate horizon, Rhomann Dey’s MCU absence likely won’t get rectified anytime soon. However, this franchise would be wise to bring back such an endearing character for Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, especially given his connection to pivotal past MCU events.
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Courtesy of Netflix / Shueisha
