Like the Avengers, the Illuminati is a group of heroes who merge their talents and minds to serve the better interests of humanity. However, instead of going out to literally fight battles, they’re more the secret deliberation side of things. We finally saw the Illuminati in the Marvel Cinematic Universe courtesy of Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but it was on Earth-838 as opposed to the Earth-616 we’ve gotten to know so well. The reasons for the establishment of the Illuminati were similar in that movie as they were in the comics. In Multiverse of Madness, it was to protect the universe from threats too large for a single hero to face. In the comics, it was established for the same purpose, but it was explicitly due to the Kree-Skrull war. Furthermore, in the MCU, it’s revealed Doctor Strange created it, while in the comics, it was Tony Stark who took the initiative.
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The original members of the group were Stark, Mister Fantastic, Namor, Black Bolt, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, and Professor Charles Xavier. We have, of course, met all of those individuals in the MCU already, but are there any from the Illuminati’s subsequent iterations who have not been featured in an MCU movie or show thus far? Let’s find out but note that we left out the 2015-2016 iteration that was made up of supervillains, including Enchantress, Hood, Mad Thinker, Thunderball, and Black Ant, none of whom have been in the MCU so far (though Titania was in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law).
4) Blue Marvel
Blue Marvel joined the Illuminati in Christopher Cantwell’s Thanos limited series. As one might glean given the title, the Illuminati are tasked with taking on the Mad Titan. Blue Marvel was always opposed to the behind closed doors way the Illuminati operated, but Thanos represented a threat large enough for him to put aside his disagreement with their secretiveness and join up.
Blue Marvel, aka Adam Brashear, played football for Cornell University before enlisting to fight in the Korean War. He then led a scientific project aimed at harnessing antimatter only gain his powers through a reactor explosion.
3) Captain Britain
Captain Britain, aka Brian Braddock, was added to the Illuminati when the group expanded its rosters to defend the universe (more specifically, Earth-2319) against the Incursions. Unfortunately, he died in the same issue in which he was introduced as a member: New Avengers (Vol. 3) #14.
The title of Captain Britain has actually been used by several characters, but Brian Braddock was the first. These days, it’s held by his twin sister, Betsy Braddock. Betsy is also known as Psylocke, played by Olivia Munn in X-Men: Apocalypse.
2) White Queen
The White Queen, aka Emma Frost, has appeared in a Marvel movie, but it wasn’t an MCU movie. Specifically, the fantastic X-Men: First Class. That said, when the MCU reboots the X-Men, her inclusion seems somewhat inevitable.
Like Blue Marvel, she joined the Illuminati in the Thanos series in 2023. Frost was essentially the replacement for Charles Xavier. Like Xavier, she’s a telepath and has diplomatic skills (though the latter we didn’t see much of in First Class). Like Captain Britain she was also a member of the Illuminati in New Avengers (Vol. 3) #14. But, also like Captain Britain, she didn’t survive it.
1) Brawn
Brawn, aka Amadeus Cho, is a Korean American genius who becomes the Totally Awesome Hulk aka Brawn. Like She-Hulk in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law he gained his powers from the Hulk (though in Cho’s case, he absorbed gamma radiation, as opposed to having some of Hulk’s blood enter his bloodstream) and retains much of his physical appearance before becoming green and muscular.
Cho joined the Illuminati during the Incursions storyline. In particular, New Avengers (Vol. 3) #1. He wasn’t an immediate sell on the Illuminati, though, as he didn’t take kindly to the fact that Mr. Fantastic and Iron Man sent his pal the Hulk into outer space.
Which of these characters would you like to see in the MCU? Let us know in the comments and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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