The Marvel Cinematic Universe entered a new chapter with Phase Four, bringing the Infinity Saga to a close and kicking off the new Multiverse Saga. With some of the old guard gone, the franchise soon began introducing new heroes to fill their shoes. Many of them quickly became fan favorites, but without a team-up movie to bring them together, several heroes haven’t been seen since their debuts.
From Shang-Chi to Man-Thing, these fresh faces all brought something new to the MCU. Audiences may not know when or even if they’ll return, but all of these heroes deserve a chance to make their mark on the Multiverse Saga.
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Shang-Chi
Xu Shang-Chi made his debut in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. His film was well-received and ended with Wong introducing him and his friend, Katy, to Bruce Banner and Carol Danvers. It felt like Shang-Chi would have a key role in the larger universe going forward, but he has yet to grace fans’ screens again.
While a Shang-Chi sequel was confirmed to be in the works shortly after its release, the movie still hasn’t received a release date. Actor Simu Liu hinted at further MCU appearances, but where he’ll pop up next is anyone’s guess. Since Captain Marvel cameoed in his film’s post-credits scene, maybe Shang-Chi will return the favor in The Marvels.
The Eternals
Although they’ve secretly been there all along, the Eternals finally revealed themselves to the world in their self-titled film. Together, these immortal beings were a force to be reckoned with, but after the movie’s civil war, half the remaining teammates were kidnapped while the rest were on a mission in space. Fans have been waiting a long time to find out what happens next.
Eternals wasn’t the most beloved MCU movie upon its release, but producer Nate Moore previously confirmed that the team would still return. Considering its cliffhanger ending, it might be strange to continue the team’s story in a different Marvel project before they get a sequel, but anything is possible.
The Black Knight
Dane Whitman made his debut as Sersi’s seemingly ordinary human boyfriend in Eternals, but as comic fans know, he’s destined to become the Black Knight. With Sersi among the kidnapped, Dane was poised to take up the Ebony Blade in the movie’s post-credits scene before he was interrupted by a mysterious voice.
Given that the voice belonged to Mahershala Ali, who’s set to portray the character Blade in the MCU, many audience members assumed that Dane would appear in the upcoming Blade movie. Actor Kit Harrington has since debunked this idea, so it seems most likely that he’ll return alongside the Eternals, but he could also possibly appear in other supernatural MCU projects.
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Kate Bishop
Hawkeye introduced Kate Bishop as the eager young student of founding Avenger Clint Barton. Together, they celebrated the holiday season and faced off against multiple formidable foes, including Maya Lopez, Yelena Belova and Wilson Fisk, but neither archer has been seen since.
Actor Hailee Steinfeld has been confirmed to return as Kate Bishop in Phase Five, but there’s been no sign of her so far. Given her connections to Maya and Yelena, it wouldn’t be surprising to see her pop up in their respective stories, Echo and Thunderbolts. Rumors have also abounded that the younger Hawkeye will appear in Avengers: Secret Wars, an unconfirmed Young Avengers project, and a speculated Season 2 of Hawkeye.
Moon Knight
Debuting in Moon Knight, Steven Grant and Marc Spector were the reluctant avatars of the Egyptian moon god, Khonshu. The season ended with the two of them working out a new deal with Khonshu, unaware that the god had a separate deal with a third alter in their system, Jake Lockley. Moon Knight hasn’t been seen since.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has confirmed Moon Knight’s return, but whether it will be in a second season or other MCU projects is unclear. Fans are also wondering if Marc’s wife, Layla El-Faouly, will return as the Scarlet Scarab or if the power-up was truly just temporary, as she insisted.
America Chavez
America Chavez burst into the MCU through a star-shaped portal in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. After gaining control of her powers and showing the Scarlet Witch the error of her ways, America decided to stay at Kamar-Taj on Earth-616 and train with the sorcerers there, but fans haven’t gotten to check on her progress yet.
Given the nature of her powers, America could appear anywhere in the MCU and beyond. While fans are hoping she’ll appear in the heavily speculated Young Avengers project, another rumor suggests that, as a current Kamar-Taj student, she could appear in a Wong-led Disney+ series based on the Strange Academy comics.
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The Red Daggers
Introduced in Ms. Marvel, the Order of the Red Daggers was a Karachi-based group of vigilantes dating back centuries. At the end of the season, Kamala convinced one of their members, Kareem, to protect her Clandestine friend, Kamran, even though his mother killed their leader, Waleed.
The Red Daggers would probably return in a second season of Ms. Marvel, but whether the show receives another season allegedly hinges on the performance of The Marvels. That said, there’s clearly plenty of history behind the secret organization that warrants exploration, and Kamala only had time to get to know Waleed and Kareem. Her journey with the group doesn’t feel finished yet.
She-Hulk
Jennifer Walters made her MCU debut in her solo series, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Although she had no interest in becoming a superhero like her cousin, Bruce, Jen gradually learned to embrace her new powers while maintaining her legal career. Despite having plenty of connections to other superpowered people, She-Hulk still hasn’t appeared in any other projects.
Rumors have claimed that She-Hulk Season 2 is in the works, but nothing has been confirmed yet. Considering Jen’s relationship with Matt Murdock, some have speculated that she could make an appearance in Daredevil: Born Again. Alternatively, she could provide legal representation to any superheroes who find themselves in need of her services.
Werewolf by Night
Werewolf by Night introduced audiences to Jack Russell, the titular werewolf, who infiltrated a monster-hunting party to save his friend, Ted. The Disney+ special was popular enough that Disney decided to re-release it in color, but if and when audiences will get to see new live-action stories with Jack is still a mystery.
Producer Brian Gay has stated that there is a place for characters like Jack in the MCU, suggesting that fans haven’t seen the last of Werewolf by Night. Fans have theorized that the werewolf could appear in another MCU horror story, like Blade, but this remains speculation for the moment.
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Elsa Bloodstone
Also debuting in Werewolf by Night, Elsa Bloodstone made quite the impression as a sympathetic monster hunter. The special saw her help Jack and Ted escape, after which she reclaimed her father’s Bloodstone and took over his mansion. What Elsa will do now that she has what she wants remains unknown.
Like Jack, her place in the greater MCU is unclear, as is where she could appear next since Werewolf by Night seems so disconnected from the rest of the franchise. Even so, fans would surely love to see Elsa interact with other Marvel monsters and monster hunters.
Man-Thing
Theodore “Ted” Sallis, aka Man-Thing, stole fans’ hearts when he was introduced as the hunted monster in Werewolf by Night. Although he and Jack managed to escape the monster hunters at Bloodstone Manor, it’s still unclear when audiences might get to see him again.
Unlike his companions, Man-Thing’s comic book counterpart could provide a natural link back to the main MCU. In the comics, Man-Thing is the guardian of the Nexus of All Realities, a key location in the multiverse. Should the MCU include this place somewhere in the Multiverse Saga, there’s a chance that the franchise’s other heroes may run into Ted and his friends.
The MCU introduced plenty of new superheroes in Phase Four, like Shang-Chi and Moon Knight, but fans are still waiting for them to return. Read More