Seth Green Confirms Disappointing Update on Howard the Duck’s Future (And We’re Devastated)

Howard the Duck was a surprise addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, but fans shouldn’t expect the character to headline his own project any time soon. In an interview with ComicBook to promote Robot Chicken, Seth Green, who voices Howard in the MCU, discussed his time playing the character and confirmed there were never any plans to give Howard a larger role. He feels that Howard is a character who fits well making brief appearances in titles like Guardians of the Galaxy and doesn’t necessarily have to be the main focus in order to be a beloved figure amongst fans.

“Howard fit nicely in the Guardians universe,” Green said. “That was the perfect opportunity to check in on him. And then we’ve done a handful of What If…? [episodes] too … we’ve gotten to do some cool stuff on that. Howard’s a funny character, right? There’s some characters that are stars without needing to headline their own project. He’s a funny one, like, where can it work for mass audiences has still kind of yet to be seen.”

Howard the Duck debuted in Marvel Comics back in 1973, and the character made the leap to the big screen in 1986. That film, produced by none other than George Lucas, is one of the most infamous comic book adaptations ever made. Widely panned upon its release, Howard the Duck grossed only $38 million worldwide against a production budget that was between $30-37 million. It also won multiple Razzie Awards, including Worst Picture. Howard the Duck has not headlined a movie or TV show since.

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Howard’s first MCU appearance was in a Guardians of the Galaxy post-credits scene, where he was shown to be part of the Collector’s museum. The character would later make cameos in the next two Guardians of the Galaxy movies, as well as Avengers: Endgame (he’s one of the many who come to the Avengers’ aid in the Portals scene).

Despite Howard the Duck‘s reputation, the character has a lot of potential. It would be fun to see a modern reboot that taps into the property’s satirical sensibilities, providing audiences with a fresh and entertaining riff on the now well-worn superhero genre. With the right creative team, a new Howard the Duck movie or show could give the MCU a jolt of energy by simply being different. Of course, as Green alludes to, this wouldn’t necessarily be the easiest adaptation to produce. There’s a big difference between a handful of cameos in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy (where Howard fit perfectly due to the films’ comedic nature) and centering an entire project around him. The character could be a tricky sell to casual audiences, especially since his heyday was back in the ’70s.

With James Gunn now running things at DC Studios, it seems unlikely a fourth Guardians of the Galaxy movie will be made. Audiences might have seen the last of Howard, especially since What If…? wrapped up its run after three seasons. That will be a disappointing development for fans, but there admittedly isn’t an organic place for Howard on Marvel’s upcoming release schedule (unless he makes another cameo in Secret Wars). Perhaps once the Multiverse Saga has concluded, the studio will contemplate the idea of a new Howard the Duck movie or TV show. It would be a risk, but one that could pay off if it’s handled the right way.