10 Marvel Characters Who Should Be Recast For The MCU’s Post-Avengers 6 Reboot

Marvel Studios may be rebooting the MCU following the release of Avengers: Secret Wars, meaning several previous MCU characters could be reinvented for new actors. Since Marvel Studios kicked off the MCU with 2008’s Iron Man, dozens of powerful superheroes and dangerous villains have been adapted into live-action, delivering some of their most iconic storylines from Marvel Comics to massive audiences. While this has helped to create the most expansive and successful movie franchise of all time, introducing so many characters also comes with its flaws, as many have been neglected or killed off, despite having more stories to tell.

Recent speculation suggests that Marvel Studios may have a brilliant solution to this problem, however, as the MCU has been rumored to reboot following the release of 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. Marvel Comics used 2015’s epic Secret Wars event to establish a new continuity for the Marvel Universe, so it stands to reason that Marvel Studios will do the same, though this hasn’t been officially confirmed. This would create the opportunity for wasted heroes and villains to be revived, and for beloved heroes to return, though with new actors taking over the roles from some of the MCU’s original stars.​​​​

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10 Natasha Romanoff’s Black Widow Backstory Could Actually Be Explored With A New Actor

Scarlett Johansson Debuted As Natasha Romanoff In Iron Man 2 (2010)

Despite being one of the MCU’s primary heroes since her debut in 2010’s Iron Man 2, Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow, never got the attention she deserved. Her sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame meant she missed out on the Infinity Saga’s epic final battle, and her first solo project was released posthumously, stripping the story of its stakes and emotional impact. A new actor assuming the role of Natasha Romanoff after Avengers: Secret Wars’ potential reboot would allow Marvel Studios to give her more focus, perhaps exploring her complex backstory in a way that Johansson’s Black Widow never did.

9 Danny Rand’s Iron Fist Received Criticism In Marvel Television’s Defenders Saga

Finn Jones Debuted As Danny Rand In Marvel Television’s Iron Fist (2017)

In conjunction with the 2024 release of Echo on Disney+, Marvel Studios integrated Marvel Television’s Defenders Saga into the MCU’s official timeline, suggesting that the events and characters of the previous Netflix franchise may now be MCU canon. While this means several popular heroes, such as Jessica Jones and Luke Cage, could return, Marvel Studios may be better off recasting Danny Rand’s Iron Fist in an MCU reboot. Finn Jones’ depiction of the Immortal Iron Fist received criticism, and made Iron Fist the lowest-rated project in the Defenders Saga, but a new actor in this powerful role could do better.

8 Malekith, The Dark Elf, Is One Of The MCU’s Most Wasted Villains

Christopher Eccleston Debuted As Malekith In Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Marvel Studios may also choose to revisit some of the MCU’s most wasted villains after Avengers: Secret Wars’ rumored reboot, which means Malekith, the Dark Elf, could get his redemption. Christopher Eccleston portrayed this villain in 2013’s Thor: The Dark World, but despite being one of Thor’s longest-running antagonists in Marvel Comics, Malekith was killed off in his first live-action adventure. There are many stories involving Malekith that would be great to adapt into the MCU, including 2019’s seminal War of the Realms event, so this neglected villain deserves another shot at wreaking havoc on the MCU’s God of Thunder.

7 Pietro Maximoff’s Quicksilver Could Return As A Mutant

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Debuted As Pietro Maximoff In Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)

Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s debuts as the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, respectively, in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier were hugely exciting, particularly for fans of Marvel Comics’ mutants. However, while Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff has gone on to undergo a powerful evolution in the MCU, Taylor-Johnson’s Pietro Maximoff was shockingly killed during the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, leaving the MCU without its speedster. Since Taylor-Johnson is now set to portray Kraven the Hunter in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, a new actor could appear as a rebooted Quicksilver in Phase 7, perhaps reintroducing him as a bona fide mutant.

6 Loki Can Return As A Younger Character In Phase 7

Tom Hiddleston Debuted As Loki In Thor (2011)

Tom Hiddleston has had a fantastic arc as the Asgardian God of Mischief, Loki, since debuting in 2011’s Thor, which has seen him become one of the most popular aspects of the recent MCU. Despite his death at the hands of Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, a variant of Loki from 2012 escaped capture during Endgame’s Time Heist, and eventually transformed into the protector of the entire multiverse. It would be fantastic to see a new actor assume the role, portraying perhaps a younger version of the character who could bring more of his entertaining Marvel Comics stories to life.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

5 Drax The Destroyer’s Rich Marvel Comics Backstory Can Be Adapted Properly

Dave Bautista Debuted As Drax The Destroyer In Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)

Dave Bautista first appeared as Drax the Destroyer in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and became a founding member of the titular team. Despite retiring from the role after 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Bautista revealed to io9 that he’d happily portray a different character in the MCU’s future, creating the opportunity for a new actor to portray Drax after an MCU reboot. Bautista’s Drax never explored his complex backstory from Marvel Comics, which saw the human Arthur Douglas have his soul implanted in an alien body, so a new version of the character could investigate these origins​​​​​​​.

When I said that I was done, I was really just done with my journey as Drax. I still have a relationship with Marvel. I’ve seen Kevin Feige again, Lou [D’Esposito] as recently as two weeks ago. And they know that I would be up for a role. I love the universe – the superhero universe, I love it. I’m a fan. So Marvel or DC, if they call, I would answer the phone. And if the role makes sense, I’d be all over it. I just would like the opportunity to do a bigger role, a different role. Maybe a deeper role. I’d love to have the opportunity to play, like an ominous villain in the superhero universe. Yeah. But never. I’m not done with it. But my journey with Drax is over.

4 A New Mandarin Could Actually Battle Iron Man In The MCU’s Future

Tony Leung Debuted As Xu Wenwu In Shang-Chi & The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021)

Despite being one of Tony Stark’s most prominent adversaries throughout their entire Marvel Comics history, the Mandarin and Iron Man never faced off in the live-action MCU, which was truly a travesty. In fact, Tony Leung debuted as Xu Wenwu, the MCU’s Mandarin, after Robert Downey Jr.’s Stark had sacrificed himself in Endgame, and though Leung delivered a fantastic performance in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, a new actor could give the Mandarin a more substantial MCU role. This could finally bring him into conflict with Iron Man, while still developing the mystery surrounding the Ten Rings.

3 T’Challa’s Black Panther Can Return After An MCU Reboot

Chadwick Boseman Debuted As T’Challa In Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Far from being wasted, Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa, the Black Panther, was one of the most popular additions to the MCU’s Phase 3. Unfortunately, Boseman’s tragic passing in 2020 meant that he was no longer able to portray T’Challa, and the character was subsequently removed off-screen by an undisclosed illness in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. By the time of Avengers: Secret Wars potential reboot, enough time will have passed so that T’Challa can be recast for a new actor, enabling decades-worth of Black Panther’s adventures from Marvel Comics, and potentially even his prominent romance with the mutant Storm, to be adapted.

2 Steve Rogers’ Captain America Has More Stories To Tell In The MCU

Chris Evans Debuted As Steve Rogers In Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers became one of the cornerstone superheroes of the MCU after his debut in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger. Evans’ MCU career saw him appear in at least one project every year between his 2011 debut and departure in 2019’s Endgame. However, there are still many Captain America stories in Marvel Comics that Evans never brought to the big screen, but a new actor could have this privilege if Steve Rogers is recast after Avengers: Secret Wars. This would be a brilliant way to continue Evans’ MCU legacy, while keeping Rogers’ Captain America in the MCU.

1 Tony Stark’s Iron Man Could Be Reinvented In The MCU’s Reboot

Robert Downey Jr. Debuted As Tony Stark In Iron Man (2008)

Robert Downey Jr. became the face of the MCU as the franchise’s first on-screen hero in 2008’s Iron Man, and delivered one of the franchise’s most cathartic and emotional moments in Endgame. Tony Stark’s sacrifice was a powerful moment, but his absence has created a void in the MCU that needs to be filled. While it may be difficult to imagine another actor in the role of Stark’s Iron Man, it would be brilliant to see a version of the iconic hero return after a potential reboot in Avengers: Secret Wars, allowing the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist to live on.

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