The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a transition period. The original Avengers are gone for the most part, and the powers that be are relying on less-proven commodities to take their place. However, there have been some swings and misses along the way, including with Kang, who was going to be the Big Bad of the Multiverse Saga. Doctor Doom is taking over for him, and Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. will play the new villain in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. The higher-ups at Marvel Studios claim they couldn’t see anyone else fitting the role as well as Downey Jr., but that’s probably a bit of a fabrication. It’s more likely that they know they need a win and know they can get one with the former face of the franchise.
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Downey Jr. won’t be around to save the franchise forever, though. Eventually, Doom is going to lose, and the MCU will be back at square one. Fortunately, several Marvel characters have the potential to step in and take over as the face of the MCU once the position opens up again.
1) Cyclops
There’s no doubt that the X-Men are an important part of the MCU’s future. Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier is working on a reboot, and Scott Summers is sure to be part of the proceedings. Fox’s franchise did Cyclops dirty by having him play second-fiddle to Wolverine and not act like a leader. The MCU can make things right by putting Cyclops front and center, just like his animated counterpart on X-Men ’97.
2) Wolverine
Of course, the old adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” could apply here, especially after the success of Deadpool & Wolverine. Whether it’s Hugh Jackman or another actor, Marvel Studios already knows that Logan can carry a franchise on his back. Being in the MCU may even unlock the rest of the character’s potential, as it won’t be afraid to embrace the more outlandish parts of his story.
3) Magneto
Making a villain the face of the franchise sounds ridiculous, but Magneto has enough layers for it to work. He is one of the standouts on X-Men ’97, and the live-action MCU could steal a page from its playbook by having the mutant embrace his more heroic side. Humanity is sure to tick him off now and again, but seeing him fight the urge to strike back would make for compelling storytelling.
4) Mister Fantastic
Outside of the X-Men, the property that Marvel Studios seems most excited about is the Fantastic Four. Marvel’s First Family’s MCU debut comes in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, where the team will face off against Galactus. Reed Richards’ big brain is sure to come in handy, which is why he’s going to turn around and lead the Avengers in Doomsday. It’s hard to imagine a world where the MCU has Pedro Pascal playing one of its premier heroes, and he doesn’t get his fair share of screen time.
5) Yelena Belova
Despite failing to hit it big at the box office, Thunderbolts* is a critical darling. The star of the show is Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, who struggles with loneliness and figuring out her purpose. With her now leading the New Avengers, the MCU could decide to go all-in and make her the next big thing, recruiting new heroes and protecting the innocent.
6) Miles Morales
According to Kevin Feige, it may be a long time before Miles Morales appears in live-action. However, once Marvel Studios gets the green light, there’s going to be nothing to stop it from embracing the next Spider-Man fully. Miles is different from his mentor, Peter Parker, as he won’t be in Tony Stark’s shadow when he debuts. There will be ample time to flesh Miles out and prepare him to lead the MCU into a new era.
7) Iron Man
Feige also made it clear that there have been discussions about recasting iconic MCU roles, including Iron Man. It’s going to be difficult to push any version of Tony into the background, so the best course of action may be to hand him the keys to the kingdom once again. It won’t be easy for whoever takes over for Downey Jr., but having the full support of Marvel Studios will help them win people over.
Do you think one of the characters on this list could be the next face of the MCU? Who else deserves a chance to lead the franchise? Let us know in the comments below!
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Image courtesy of Netflix -
Courtesy of Marvel
