It would be fantastic to see the main cast of Stranger Things get roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the conclusion of the popular Netflix series. The Duffer brothers have brought Stranger Things to an end after almost a decade following the adventures of Hawkins’ residents as they fought creatures from an alternate dimension. While spinoffs are in development, the main Stranger Things story is over, clearing up its stars’ schedules potentially for roles in the MCU.
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There are already several Stranger Things stars in the MCU. This includes Joe Chrest, who portrayed Ted Wheeler in Stranger Things and Frank in Ant-Man, Rob Morgan, who played Officer Calvin Powell in Stranger Things and Turk Barrett in the Defenders Saga, and Randy Havens, Strangers Things’ Scott Clarke who plays various minor characters in the MCU. David Harbour and Joseph Quinn also have huge roles in the MCU as Alexei Shostakov’s Red Guardian and Johnny Storm’s Human Torch, respectively, and they could be joined by some of their Stranger Things castmates as some of Marvel’s most exciting characters.
15) Winona Ryder as Mary Parker
Winona Ryder played Joyce Byers throughout Stranger Things, coming back into the mainstream and establishing herself as the perfect actor for a badass maternal character. In Stranger Things, she is the mother to Jonathan and Will Byers, but in the MCU, she could be the mother of Peter Parker’s Spider-Man, Mary Parker. We don’t know anything about Spider-Man’s family history in the MCU, but future projects could explore this, and Ryder would be an inspired choice to play Mary. In Marvel Comics, Mary and her husband, Richard, were agents of the CIA and later SHIELD prior to their deaths, and Ryder has proven she’d fit this role perfectly.
14) Brett Gelman as Doctor Faustus
Comedy actor Brett Gelman joined Stranger Things in season 2 as the versatile and talented former investigative journalist Murray Bauman. He subsequently became a core part of the cast and a fan-favorite character, but it would be great to see him take on a more dramatic role in the MCU. Perhaps that of the bearded Doctor Faustus, an Austrian psychiatrist and criminal mastermind who uses psychological manipulation to fight his enemies, primarily Captain America. Ralph Brown played Johann Fennhoff in Agent Carter, but this is not considered canon to the MCU, so it would be great to see Gelman’s take on this formidable villain.
13) Natalia Dyer as Kitty Pryde’s Shadowcat
Natalia Dyer’s Nancy Wheeler was at the core of Stranger Things since the start as one of the most capable members of the teen cast. As Nancy, Dyer showed off her ability to portray an intellectual character who is also street-smart and skilled in combat—especially in the final season—and these are all qualities that could translate into Kitty Pryde’s Shadowcat. Marvel Studios is preparing its own X-Men reboot for the MCU, and it would be fantastic to see the mutant Shadowcat be involved in the team. At 30-years-old, Dyer is also old enough to allow Shadowcat to explore her romance with Peter Quill’s Star-Lord in the MCU, which could debut one of Marvel’s best power-couples.
12) Charlie Heaton as Sam Guthrie’s Cannonball
Charlie Heaton has already dipped his toes into the world of Marvel following his role of Jonathan Byers in Stranger Things. He played a dark and grounded version of Sam Guthrie’s Cannonball in The New Mutants, the final movie in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men franchise, but the movie’s poor performance soured his Marvel debut. Heaton deserves another shot as Cannonball, especially since he was one of the strongest parts of The New Mutants as it is. Cannonball is a member of the New Mutants, the X-Men, and even the Avengers in Marvel Comics, so bringing Heaton back in the role could set him up for a bright future in the MCU.
11) Joe Keery as Rick Jones
It’s kind of unbelievable that Rick Jones hasn’t yet made his MCU debut, but perhaps he’s just been waiting for Joe Keery. Keery has had a huge arc as Steve Harrington in Stranger Things, going from jock to hero, and he has proven his action skills, wit and humor, and sidekick potential, which means he’d be great as the sidekick to the Hulk, Captain Marvel, and more in the MCU. Jones is a prominent character in these stories in Marvel Comics, despite having no innate superpowers, and this down-to-Earth, man-of-the-people role would be perfect for Keery. Jones is also a skilled guitarist, which would allow Keery to bring his musical talents as Djo to the MCU.
10) Maya Hawke as Crystal
After her father’s debut as Arthur Harrow in Moon Knight, it would be fantastic to see Maya Hawke join the MCU too. Her run as Robin Buckley in Stranger Things received huge acclaim, and it would be great to see her take on a similarly-charismatic role in the MCU, perhaps that of the Inhuman Crystal. Crystal forms a romantic relationship with Johnny Storm, which could reunite Stranger Things co-stars Hawke and Quinn, and introducing Crystal could offer the Inhumans redemption after their previous live-action disappointments. Black Bolt appeared in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, so it would be great to see Hawke play an Inhuman princess next.
9) Finn Wolfhard as Kurt Wagner’s Nightcrawler
We’ve watched Finn Wolfhard and his young co-stars grow up in Stranger Things, and the actor has taken on several other brilliant roles outside of Mike Wheeler. After appearing in It, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, King of the Hill, and more, it would be great to see Wolfhard join the MCU, and the acrobatic and mysterious Nightcrawler would be a fantastic casting choice. Alan Cumming’s Nightcrawler is returning in Avengers: Doomsday, but Marvel seems to be taking a younger direction for its X-Men reboot, and Wolfhard’s acting talent and name recognition would be a huge benefit for the teleporting mutant.
8) Gaten Matarazzo as Hank McCoy’s Beast
It’s hard to imagine Gaten Matarazzo playing anyone but the tech-savvy, geeky, and hugely intelligent Dustin Henderson from Stranger Things. These qualities make him perfect, however, for a younger iteration of Hank McCoy’s Beast, yet another iconic X-Men hero who Marvel Studios will likely be reinventing for the MCU proper. After Kelsey Grammer returns as Beast, we want the character to get a full renovation, and Matarazzo would bring a youthful energy and vibrancy to the character that we haven’t really seen before. Beast was a founding X-Men member in Marvel Comics, so should take a more prominent role in the MCU’s version of the team.
7) Caleb McLaughlin as Harry Osborn
For a long time, Caleb McLaughlin was the subject of huge fan-casting placing him as Miles Morales in the MCU but, at 24-years-old, he has already aged out of the young role. Instead, if Colman Domingo makes the move from the animated Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man series to live-action as Norman Osborn, McLaughlin would be an incredible choice to play Harry Osborn, his son. This would partner McLaughlin with Tom Holland as Harry is Peter Parker’s best friend, and would set up the Stranger Things star for some dramatic and unexpected stories in the future. He is a talented actor of both drama and comedy, and has proven his athletic abilities, so would be an inspired choice for Harry Osborn in the MCU.
6) Priah Ferguson as Lunella Lafayette’s Moon Girl
Playing the younger sister of McLaughlin’s Lucas Sinclair in Stranger Things, Erica, Priah Ferguson is primed to join the MCU as a new young hero. Lunella Lafayette’s Moon Girl would be a brilliant choice. Moon Girl made her debut in Marvel Comics in 2015 as a super-genius Inhuman, and Ferguson has demonstrated the talent to play an unlikely genius-level character with Erica Sinclair. Lafayette has embarked on animated adventures in the short-lived Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur series, but it would be great to see her make her live-action debut, perhaps setting her up for the Young Avengers or Champions teams.
5) Noah Schnapp as Bobby Drake’s Iceman
Will Byers’ identity questions and coming out storyline throughout several seasons of Stranger Things was hugely important and beautiful to watch, and Noah Schnapp could bring this representation to the MCU too. Bobby Drake’s Iceman, a founding member of the X-Men, was revealed to be gay in 2015 in Marvel Comics, leading to some transformative and representative storylines as the comics handled LGBTQ+ messages with care. The MCU needs this representation, and Schnapp would be an incredible vessel—pun intended—to bring this into the franchise, especially as one of the most powerful and notable X-Men heroes ever.
4) Sadie Sink as Jean Grey
After playing Max Mayfield through four seasons of Stranger Things, Sadie Sink is set to join the MCU in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. We don’t yet know who Sink will be playing in Brand New Day, but there have been many theories fan-casting her in a number of roles. While some have suggested Gwen Stacy, Mayday Parker, Mary Jane Watson, Rachel Cole-Alves, and more, Jean Grey would be an inspired choice for the red-haired Stranger Things star. Jean Grey needs a strong performer in the role after two lackluster portrayals in live-action, and Sadie Sink would be the perfect choice. Her roles in Stranger Things, The Whale, O’Dessa, and more have proven she has the range and talent to pull off such an unmatched character.
3) Millie Bobby Brown as Betsy Braddock’s Psylocke
Millie Bobby Brown was at the center of Stranger Things throughout the show’s entire run as she played Eleven, a psychic escapee from the Hawkins Lab who was one of the show’s biggest mysteries. Brown has changed significantly since debuting as the child Eleven in Stranger Things season 1, and she has spent the last decade portraying an American character, despite being British, so it would be great to see her play a Brit in the MCU. Betsy Braddock would be a fantastic choice, whether as Captain Britain or as the X-Men member Psylocke. Millie Bobby Brown has the screen presence, dramatic ability, and action skills necessary to pull off Psylocke, and could bring more personality to the character than we’ve ever seen before.
2) Jamie Campbell Bower as Knull
Despite making his Stranger Things debut in season 4, Jamie Campbell Bower is one of the most important stars in the show as he played the villainous Henry Creel, aka Vecna, aka One. Bower proved his versatility by playing the sinister Creel and the monstrous Vecna simultaneously, and he could bring this villain experience to a reinvented Knull in the MCU. A CGI Knull made his live-action debut in Venom: The Last Dance in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, played by Andy Serkis, but since the SSU is over and Venom may be coming to the MCU, it would be great to see Knull, his most powerful antagonist, follow. Bower would be an esteemed choice, bringing enthusiasm, darkness, and intensity to the character to make him even more impactful on-screen.
1) Nell Fisher as Valeria Richards
Holly Wheeler was seen in Stranger Things since the start, but was only played by Nell Fisher for her most substantial role in season 5. At 14-years-old, Nell Fisher is the perfect age to portray the current iteration of Valeria Richards, the daughter of Reed Richards and Sue Storm. Valeria is the younger sister of Franklin Richards, who was born in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but often appears older than him because of time travel. This means Fisher is perfectly primed to play the intelligent and formidable hero in the MCU—reflecting her turn as Holly the Heroic in Stranger Things. There has been speculation that Valeria Richards could debut in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars, and it would be brilliant to see Nell Fisher make the move to the MCU so quickly after Stranger Things.
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