Marvel Rivals has a huge lineup of characters from all across the multiverse, but there are plenty of big names missing that would fit perfectly into the roster.
Any hero shooter lives and dies on the quality of its characters and Marvel Rivals has absolutely nothing to worry about in that area. Thanks to that shiny Marvel license, the game can pull in some of the most recognizable heroes and villains in popular culture, from Iron Man and Spider-Man to Thor and Black Widow.
But while many of the most popular Avengers have already assembled in Marvel Rivals, there are still plenty of characters waiting in the wings that would be great additions. So, here are the 10 characters we want to see join the fight.
Deadpool
Marvel
After years of being a fan-favorite comic book character, a trilogy of hit movies, and now a long-awaited MCU debut alongside Wolverine, Deadpool’s popularity is at an all-time high. So much so that when the launch lineup of heroes was announced, the Merc with the Mouth was the most glaring omission.
But it’s not just his popularity that makes him a must-add in the future, his powers have all the makings of a unique Duelist. His trademark dual blades would lend themselves perfectly to an aggressive damage dealer, while his regenerative healing could be worked into an ability that gives him better survivability than the other characters in that class.
Although his foul-mouthed quips would likely have to be toned down for the sake of Marvel Rivals’ age rating, and to spare Cap’s innocent ears, it feels like only a matter of time before Wade Wilson crashes the party.
Mister Fantastic
Marvel
Marvel Rivals does a great job of delivering the most iconic characters from Marvel’s back catalog, but Reed Richards, also known as Mr. Fantastic, is one of the biggest names missing at launch. The leader of the Fantastic Four has played a pivotal role in the comics for decades, and with Season 0 focusing on a showdown with Doctor Doom, his presence is sorely missed.
As the smartest man alive, Reed would slot perfectly into the Strategist class, but also stretch (sorry) that role to the limit. Using all of the technology of the Future Foundation, he could heal teammates and get them back into the fight, or even use his elastic arms to pull them out of trouble, while still being able to land punches of his own.
With Fantastic Four: First Steps hitting theaters in 2025, there’s going to be more eyes on the character than ever, so adding him to the roster feels like a no-brainer.
Thanos
Marvel
Some characters feel perfect for Marvel Rivals because of their popularity, while others are due to their potential for creative kits. In the case of Thanos, the Mad Titan ticks both boxes. His starring role in the original Infinity Gauntlet run, and later the box-office-shattering Infinity War and Endgame movies, have made him a household name, and he’s tailormade to be a Vanguard.
His size and power alone wouldn’t make him stand out from the likes of Venom and Hulk, but if you throw the Infinity Stones into the mix, you’ve got a tank that can adapt to any situation. Need to ramp up his damage? Use the Power Stone. Want to teleport away from a tough situation? Break out the Space Stone I could go on and on.
I can already picture an Ultimate ability that snaps away the enemies with a click of Thanos’ fingers that would no doubt strike fear into enemies, but make him one of the go-to characters as well.
Cyclops
Marvel
The X-Men already have plenty of representatives in Marvel Rivals, from Wolverine and Storm to Magneto, but the team feels woefully incomplete with Cyclops. As Logan’s long-time rival and leader of the core team, the voice lines practically write themselves.
In terms of his kit, Scott Summers is tailor-made to be a glass cannon — dealing loads of damage with his accurate lasers, but low health due to his lack of super strength. He’d fit right into the Duelist category as a long-range option to rival Hawkeye and Black Widow, picking off the enemy backline with pinpoint shots.
Carnage
Marvel
Although his big-screen outing didn’t exactly do the character justice, Carnage remains a fan-favorite villain in the comics who could shake up the meta in a number of cool ways. On the face of it, his abilities might seem too close to those of Venom, but this smaller symbiote trades size and strength for sheer ferocity.
By channeling Carnage’s anger into a fast and aggressive DPS hero, you’d be left with a deadly close-range option with the power of Iron Fist and the mobility of Spider-Man. There’s also plenty of scope to use his shapeshifting powers to help him create weapons for more versatility.
One thing that Marvel Rivals lacks is a character that’s truly terrifying, and Cleatus Cassidy and his parasitic partner are the perfect choice to fix that.
Green Goblin
Marvel
The only thing more annoying than flying heroes is flying heroes without competition, and Iron Man, for the most part, has dominated the airways since launch. The likes of Spider-Man, Star-Lord, and Doctor Strange can challenge him for a brief time, but Green Goblin would be a genuine rival.
Using his signature glider and Pumpkin Bombs, old Norm would rain damage from above, forcing the enemy team to think twice before venturing out of cover. And, crucially, he’d be a real counter to Iron Man, diverting his attention away from the ground and paving the way for some intense aerial battles.
Silver Surfer
Marvel
Sticking with flying heroes, not only would Silver Surfer be a brilliant addition in his own right, but adding him to the roster would also be a more practical way of smuggling another legendary villain into Marvel Rivals. Norrin Radd is best known as the herald of Galactus and has a unique set of abilities that would work as a mobile Vanguard.
His cosmic surfboard lets him move at ridiculous speeds, and he can also phase out of trouble if things get too intense. With all this said, it’s not hard to picture him as a dive tank akin to Winston, appearing to deal big damage before flying off to heal up.
Then, just imagine an ultimate ability where the Devourer of Worlds arrives from the sky to deal a devasting AOE attack capable of wiping out an entire team. It’s pure childhood fantasy, but it wouldn’t feel out of place in the current lineup.
Ms. Marvel
Marvel
Ms. Marvel is one of the newest comic book characters to strike a real chord with fans, leading to the character taking on starring roles in Square Enix’s Avengers game, as well as her own Disney+ show and team-up movie. Although only a third of those projects went according to plan, Marvel Rivals is the perfect place to give Kamala Khan the spotlight once again.
Her ability to enlarge or elongate herself would make her one of the most visually striking Vanguards in the game, landing blows with gigantic fists and bulking up to tank incoming damage. There are also plenty of mobility options, as she can stretch out her arms to swing or extend her legs to cover huge distances.
Ms. Marvel has been a breath of fresh air on the pages and screen alike, and a spot alongside Captain America and Doctor Strange would do wonders in raising her profile even further.
Nightcrawler
Marvel
Some comic book characters have powers that just scream “video game,” and Nightcrawler is right at the top of that list. Despite being one of the more underrated members of the X-Men, his dark aesthetic and awesome teleportation ability have made him a fan favorite.
Marvel Rivals has a few characters who can vanish and reappear, such as Magik or Loki, but building an entire kit around it has all the hallmarks of a fun DPS. He’d likely fall into a similar category as Sombra in Overwatch, appearing suddenly from nowhere before quickly vanishing in a cloud of smoke.
Kurt Wagner has been painfully underserved since his show-stealing appearance in 2003’s X2, so it’s high time that he finally got another chance on a big stage.
Ant-Man
Marvel
Ant-Man was always one of the smaller (pun intended) Marvel heroes, until Paul Rudd’s portrayal in two standalone MCU movies as well as Civil War and Endgame made him a household name. Now, it’s time for him to complete his ascent by joining Marvel Rivals.
The game is currently lacking a hero that you can directly compare to OW2’s Sombra, and Scott Lang or Hank Pym are tailormade for that role. Whereas Sombra turns invisible, Ant-Man would use his shrinking power to vanish from sight, before emerging for a surprise attack that would keep a team’s backline guessing.
There’s plenty of room for creativity with his ultimate ability too, as he could flip the script by transforming into Giant Man to turn the tide of a battle. It’d definitely require some careful balancing, but he’d be an exciting addition to the meta.
With the Season 1 update and plenty more content planned throughout 2025, the lineup of Marvel Rivals characters is only going to get larger. We’ll have to wait and see if any of these picks, or other obscure names from the comics, make the cut.
Marvel Rivals has plenty of characters but there some big names missing, so here are the 10 heroes and villains that need to join the roster. Read More