It seems that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is transforming the Disney+ shows into a home for street-level heroes. This began with Daredevil, when Charlie Cox brought the hero he created on the Netflix series, which was not officially part of the MCU. As soon as Daredevil showed up in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, it officially brought the character into the MCU. The first Daredevil season also brought in street-level heroes White Tiger and the Punisher, and the second season brings in Jessica Jones, another Netflix Marvel character moving into the MCU. This appears to be just the start.
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Here is a look at more street-level heroes who still need to arrive in the MCU.
7) Cloak & Dagger
Cloak & Dagger had their own television series on Freeform. It ran for two seasons and 20 episodes. While Freeform called it part of the MCU, it never crossed over and only mentioned things from other MCU shows and movies without actually being part of it. This makes them even less connected than the Netflix street-level heroes were before Daredevil arrived on Disney+.
There are so many places for Cloak & Dagger to end up. They debuted in the comics with Spider-Man, so that is an opportunity. They might not fit in as well with someone like Daredevil, but Cloak & Dagger have tremendous possibilities if they make their way officially into the MCU.
6) Black Cat
Black Cat was supposed to debut in the Amazing Spider-Man franchise, as someone named Felicia worked for Oscorp. It never happened. There were hopes she could pop up as a surprise in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but it doesn’t look like that will happen either. Whatever the reason, Black Cat is too great a character to sit on the sidelines.
Felciia Hardy needs to be in the MCU, and she shouldn’t be a villain. Black Cat needs to arrive as a street-level antihero, someone who fights bad people but is also out for herself most of the time, always willing to commit burglaries when needed. Black Cat should have her own heist series or special in the MCU, and it needs to happen soon.
5) Ben Reilly
Ben Reilly is Spider-Man’s clone, but he has become so much more over his existence. He went from being a version of Spider-Man to becoming his own hero as Scarlet Spider, and then as the villain Chasm. In current comics, he has been portraying Peter Parker to keep him employed while Spider-Man is off-planet. Ben could be a great addition to the MCU.
The problem is that the MCU would have trouble explaining it. Unless the MCU introduces Jackal and has him creating clones of Spider-Man, he couldn’t be the same character. With Spider-Noir being named Ben Reilly, this likely will not happen at all, which is disappointing since Ben could be a great MCU antihero.
4) Miles Morales
Miles Morales needs to be in the MCU as a live-action hero. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse will end its trilogy the summer before Avengers: Secret Wars comes out. The idea is that the timing will make it perfect for Miles to make his live-action debut in that huge event movie and then transition into the MCU completely.
Spider-Man is a street-level hero, and will show this in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and it only makes sense that Miles could join him there in the future. It also makes sense that if the MCU is going to make a Champions movie or series, Miles Morales should be part of it alongside names like Kamala Khan, Kate Bishop, Ironheart, and others.
3) Misty Knight
Misty Knight and Colleen Wing were part of the Netflix Marvel world, as they appeared alongside Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Daredevil, and Jessica Jones. However, as mentioned, those shows were not canon to the MCU, and still might not be. While Daredevil is in the MCU and is played by Charlie Cox, the show has barely mentioned anything that came before on Netflix.
The best way to finally make everything from Netflix canon would be to have Colleen show up as the new Iron Fist, which she became at the end of that series. However, Misty Knight is the one who really needs to show up. She wasn’t anywhere near as big as she could have been on Netflix, and she could provide a great new street-level Marvel hero on Disney+.
2) Iron Fist
Of course, there is the argument that the Netflix Marvel characters all became part of the MCU once Daredevil crossed the line. That said, until they show up in an official MCU project, they are not technically in the MCU. Of all the street-level Marvel heroes on Netflix, Iron Fist was treated the worst. He deserves, above all others, redemption.
It wasn’t Finn Jones’ fault that Iron Fist was the least popular member of the Defenders on Netflix. There were two problems. The first were people who knew nothing about Marvel Comics, who felt Iron Fist should be Asian. With Shang-Chi in the MCU, that shouldn’t be a problem anymore. The second problem was a weak storyline, but with Marvel running things, an Iron Fist series, or just him appearing, could be a lot more comic book fan-friendly.
1) Luke Cage
The biggest street-level character who needs to join the MCU is Luke Cage. The MCU should bring back Mike Colter as Luke and have him reprise his role from the Netflix series and preferably join up with Jessica Jones on Disney+. Even having a Heroes for Hire series with Luke Cage and Iron Fist could be possible, and an exciting proposition.
There was hope that Luke Cage would join the Daredevil series in Season 2, and while Jessica Jones is there, the trailers did not show that Luke could arrive as well. Yes, there is an argument that Luke Cage is technically in the MCU since he was on Netflix, and Daredevil is there now. However, until Luke shows up on an MCU series, he isn’t there, and he needs to be.
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