10 Marvel Heroes Joining the MCU In 2025

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2025 is shaping up to be a massive year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as it finishes Phase 5 and enters the final chapter of the Multiverse Saga. The long-running superhero franchise is delivering several major theatrical offerings this year, including Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Also debuting this year are several exciting Disney+ series, including Daredevil: Born Again.

In the MCU’s 2025 offerings, fans can expect to meet several new characters who are either joining the franchise for the first time or making a long-awaited return years after their last appearance. From Jon Bernthal’s Punisher to the members of the Fantastic Four, these are the most exciting heroes coming to the MCU this year.

10

The Punisher Will Team Up Daredevil Again In His MCU Return

Jon Bernthal; Daredevil: Born Again

Jon Bernthal’s Punisher is finally returning to the MCU in the upcoming Disney+ series, Daredevil: Born Again. The new show revives the original Netflix series and will bring back several characters, including Daredevil, Kingpin, Foggy Nelson, Karen Page, and Bullseye. The Punisher will join his fellow cast mates in yet another adventure, marking the first time the murderous vigilante has appeared since the second season of his solo series.

The Punisher’s future in the MCU seems bright, with Marvel committed to more street-level stories moving beyond the Multiverse Saga. Hopefully, these stories will feature much more of the Punisher, who is finally getting to interact with the larger MCU. It will be interesting to see how he interacts with more of the Marvel heroes beyond Daredevil and how they will react to his particularly brutal method of crimefighting.

9

The Silver Surfer Finally Comes to Earth This Year

Julia Garner; The Fantastic Four: First Steps

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will feature Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal, a female silver surfer and the herald of Galactus. Her role in the film is shrouded in mystery, including whether she will act as a hero, as the Silver Surfer often does, or if she will remain devoted to her master, the Devourer of Worlds. Nevertheless, this will mark the first time audiences have seen a live-action representation of the Silver Surfer since 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer almost two decades ago.

Shalla-Bal’s future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe beyond First Steps is uncertain. She appears to be a version of the Silver Surfer from a world other than Earth-616. The MCU may choose to go with the more well-known version of the Silver Surfer, Norrin Radd, in the future. Even so, Shalla-Bal will have the distinction of being the MCU’s first official Silver Surfer.

8

Wonder Man Is Getting His Own Disney+ Series

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II; Wonder Man

Simon Williams is a struggling actor trying to get his big break in Hollywood. During the events of his self-titled Disney+ series, Williams uses his unique set of superpowers to become Wonder Man, the greatest superhero/actor there ever was or will be. As he becomes better known to the public eye, Williams will struggle to keep his life in balance as he is drawn deeper into the world of superheroes.

Williams will make his debut in December’s Wonder Man series, which is helmed by Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton. Although it is unclear what Marvel’s plan for Williams may be, with an actor as talented as Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in the role, he is sure to be a highlight of the MCU moving beyond the Multiverse Saga. As rumors persist that Marvel may be setting up the West Coast Avengers, Wonder Man could join the new team’s ranks, as he does in the comics.

7

Sentry Will Be a Massive Threat in Thunderbolts*

Lewis Pullman; Thunderbolts*

Sentry will appear in Thunderbolts*, with Top Gun: Maverick star Lewis Pullman cast in the role after The Walking Dead‘s Steven Yeun was forced to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. When the director of the CIA individually sends multiple assets on a covert operation, they are each shocked to find the others assigned to the job. They are even more surprised when they learn that they have been sent to die at the hands of a powerful superhero named Bob.

Fans of the comics know that “Bob” refers to Bob Reynolds, the civilian identity of the Sentry. It is unclear how much of the Sentry’s story will be adapted in the MCU, as it gets significantly more complicated in the comics. Nevertheless, the Sentry is known for having a heroic side and an extremely dark side. The early trailers for Thunderbolts* suggest that audiences will see both before the film is done. Regardless of how heavily the franchise will use Sentry moving forward, there is no doubt that he is one of the strongest heroes in the MCU.

6

An Iron Fist Will Appear In an Animated Project

Eyes of Wakanda

Game of Thrones star Finn Jones first played the MCU’s Iron Fist during the Defenders Saga on Netflix. Unlike Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage, however, Iron Fist was not a fan favorite, with viewers ridiculing this iteration of the character. Years later, he is the only member of the Defenders that fans don’t want to see return in the larger MCU. Thankfully, Marvel has found a way around this predicament, confirming that a different version of Iron Fist will appear in the upcoming animated series Eyes of Wakanda.

Like the Black Panther or the White Tiger, the mantle of Iron Fist is passed down through generations, as different martial arts masters become the new chief defender of K’un-Lun. This allows Marvel to introduce a new Iron Fist other than the Defenders Saga version. It has yet to be confirmed which Iron Fist will appear in Eyes of Wakanda but, given that the series will largely be set in the past, it seems that this will be one of Danny Rand’s predecessors.

5

White Tiger Is a New Street-Level Superhero

Kamar de los Reyes; Daredevil: Born Again

Daredevil: Born Again will introduce a brand-new street-level vigilante in Hector Ayala, who moonlights as the White Tiger. Audiences only get a brief sneak peek at the White Tiger’s debut in the upcoming show’s first trailer, as Ayala pulls on his signature white-and-black mask. Details about the White Tiger’s role in the series are sparse, but his inclusion speaks to the ongoing rumors that Marvel is looking to round out its cast of street-level superheroes.

Tragically, Kamar de los Reyes, who plays Hector Ayala in Daredevil: Born Again, died in 2023, suggesting that this will be the first and last time that we see his character in the MCU. However, the White Tiger is a mantle passed down to many heroes in the comics, leaving room for someone to carry on Hector Ayala’s legacy. Some rumors suggest that Marvel was already planning on introducing one of Ayala’s successors, perhaps Ava Ayala, to carry on the mantle in future MCU titles.

4

The Thing Will Finally Make His MCU Debut This Year

Ebon Moss-Bachrach; The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Ben Grimm, a.k.a. the Thing, is a superhero set to join the MCU in the upcoming film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Portrayed by Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Grimm is the best friend of Reed Richards who was transformed into a rock-human hybrid after being exposed to cosmic radiation on a space flight with the other future members of the Fantastic Four. Though sometimes grumpy, the Thing is known for his pure heart and his love of “clobberin'” his enemies.

There is a lot of discussion about how Marvel plans to bring the Thing to life in the MCU. Previous versions have attempted to use practical effects to portray the Thing’s rocky body, while more recent iterations relied on CGI. Moss-Bachrach has hinted that the MCU will rely on the latter method, noting that the technology behind motion-capture performances has improved greatly since 2015’s Fantastic Four. He even hinted that legendary motion-capture actor Andy Serkis offered some helpful hints about how to make his performance stand out, even from behind layers of animation.

3

The Human Torch Joins Marvel’s First Family in a New Reboot

Joseph Quinn; The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Joseph Quinn, known for his work on Stranger Things and Gladiator II, will be the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Johnny Storm, a.k.a. the Human Torch. He follows in the footsteps of Chris Evans and Michael B. Jordan, who played the character in the previous two franchises. His debut also comes only one year after Evans memorably reprised his role in the multiverse-centric film, Deadpool & Wolverine, only to be brutally murdered by Cassandra Nova. Thankfully, Marvel is committed to keeping Quinn’s Johnny Storm alive for a bit longer than Evans’s iteration of the character.

Johnny Storm is the younger brother of Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman, and an integral member of the Fantastic Four. His powers include the ability to engulf his body in flames, making him an important asset to the superhero team. Storm is also known for his hot head and cocky personality, which are always a fun foil to the more reserved members of the Fantastic Four.

2

The Invisible Woman Makes Her First Live-Action Appearance in a Decade

Vanessa Kirby; The Fantastic Four: First Steps

The Crown actress Vanessa Kirby is set to play the MCU’s Susan Storm-Richards, a.k.a. the Invisible Woman. Making her debut in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Sue Storm is the wife of Reed Richards who finds herself capable of turning invisible and generating powerful force fields after being exposed to cosmic radiation during a trip to outer space. She becomes a founding member of the Fantastic Four, helping keep the team together even through some of its most difficult moments.

Not much is known about Kirby’s iteration of the Invisible Woman, but rumors suggest that she will play an even bigger role in the upcoming Fantastic Four movie than previous versions of the character did in their respective franchises. Although some alternate-universe members of the Fantastic Four have appeared in the MCU in recent years, Sue Storm hasn’t been depicted in live-action since 2015’s Fantastic Four. 2025 will finally break this long streak, introducing the definitive Sue Storm.

1

Mister Fantastic Leads the Fantastic Four in the MCU

Pedro Pascal; The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Pedro Pascal, known for his work in countless high-profile projects including Game of Thrones, The Mandalorian, The Last of Us, and Gladiator II, will lead the MCU’s Fantastic Four as Dr. Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mister Fantastic. The MCU has teased audiences with the introduction of an alternate-universe version of Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, played by John Krasinski. However, Pascal’s version will be the definitive Reed Richards in the MCU.

Reed Richards is set to be a major player moving forward in the MCU. Audiences expect him to be a central character in the upcoming Secret Wars crossover event, which will set him against his archenemy, Doctor Doom. Mister Fantastic and the other members of the Fantastic Four will also be founding heroes in the post-Secret Wars MCU, ushering in a new age of the long-running superhero franchise.

“}]] 2025 is shaping up to be a big year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with several new heroes set to join the franchise in its upcoming projects.  Read More