7 Other MCU Characters That Would Make a Great Team (Like the Thunderbolts)

Thunderbolts* introduces a new team of powerful anti-heroes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film helps set the stage for next summer’s Avengers: Doomsday, but before audiences can get to any of the action Marvel Studios has prepared for the next couple of years, it’s time to look at some of the heroes and villains who could make a great team. The MCU is known for establishing unpredictable crossovers, and these characters could bring plenty of fun to viewers if they ever happened to get together in a potential movie or television series.

The heroes below have all been part of team dynamics, but deserve to take charge and lead a ragtag group on their own.

Thor

Chris Hemsworth has played the God of Thunder for more than a decade. In that time, audiences have gotten used to the character’s sense of humor and impressive skills with heavy weapons. The fact that Thor wouldn’t make a good leader is why he should be the head of a potential new team. The God of Thunder doesn’t care too much about the rules, as long as everyone is fighting for the same cause. It’s also important to point out that Chris Hemsworth has been one of the actors who has stayed in the franchise, even after some of his peers have already moved on to different projects. Thor has the experience and credibility to lead any group of heroes against villains that may fall under his charge.

Rocket Raccoon

Thor knows plenty when it comes to taking down bad guys and charging into battle, but the big guy doesn’t know much about machines, strategies, and social skills. Rocket Raccoon could be the engineer this team needs. The beloved creature voiced by Bradley Cooper also knows how to put up a fight. Thor and Rocket interacted extensively in Avengers: Infinity War and Thor: Love and Thunder; their friendship could continue if they teamed up again for another mission. Rocket’s sense of humor would also go well with anything Thor would have to say about their enemies.

The Wasp

Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) was one of the characters who didn’t get much to do across her multiple appearances in the MCU, including during the events of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Hope’s powers could be an asset the team may need in particularly dangerous situations. Her presence would also connect the team with the Ant-Man corner of the MCU, a place very different from the worlds depicted in the Thor and Guardians of the Galaxy franchises. Hope’s addition to this team could make up for the lack of character development over the course of an entire trilogy.

Silver Surfer

The world will get to know the new Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) once The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits the big screen later this summer. Not much is known about this character, other than the fact that her responsibility is to warn others about Galactus’s (Ralph Ineson) arrival. There’s no denying that the Silver Surfer’s powers would be interesting to see when it comes to a team dynamic; very few villains from Marvel could stand being attacked by Shalla-Bal and Thor at the same time. The inclusion of the Silver Surfer would also be a gateway to the corners of the MCU that are located beyond the stars.

[ RELATED: The New Thunderbolts* Poster Is Perfect (And a First for Marvel) ]

Yelena Belova

Yes, Yelena Belova is already a part of the Thunderbolts* team. And she was also a part of the Romanoff family that was introduced in Black Widow. But that just continues to prove that Florence Pugh’s character is a wonderful team player. In a group that would already include Thor and Rocket Raccoon, there needs to be a grounded character that can keep audiences engaged with the action they’re seeing on the screen. This is the responsibility Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) was given in the first Avengers movie. In a world of gods and monsters, viewers will constantly need a normal person to remind them what the heroes are fighting for. Yelena is a great vessel for the heart and humanity that the MCU needs.

Shang-Chi

Being introduced as the future of the MCU isn’t always a good thing. Simu Liu starred in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings during a time when movie theatres were struggling because of the pandemic. A post-credits sequence teased a bigger mission for Shang-Chi, including a potential storyline featuring the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Carol Danvers (Brie Larson). But that never came to be. Individual heroes are introduced to the franchise for crossover potential anyway, so it would be nice to see Shang-Chi stealing the spotlight in a team-up. The hero’s connection to the Ten Rings is also an interesting plot point the series should explore.

Agatha Harkness

Everyone’s favorite evil witch became a ghost by the time Agatha All Along came to a close. Kathryn Hahn has been a fan favorite ever since she was introduced in WandaVision. Having a member of the team who can’t be hurt and can walk through walls could be very beneficial for this team – as it was for the Thunderbolts. Agatha could provide intel to the other members while they’re busy fighting for their lives. The witch’s presence would round out a group that could effectively connect every corner of the MCU into a single unpredictable entity.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters in select markets.