10 MCU Characters Zac Efron Would Be Perfect For Following Casting Rumors

Zac Efron is one of the most popular actors in Hollywood, and the star would be perfect for a slew of different roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Efron rose to fame in the High School Musical franchise. After that, his career took a turn towards raunchy comedies, with Efron showing he has a hilarious side to him. Recently, one of the best movies in Efron’s career, The Iron Claw, was released, and it led to serious chatter about the star being nominated for a Best Actor Oscar.

While that did not work out, Efron now has fan appeal and critical acclaim beside him, and the actor could continue his The Iron Claw form with a new career path, finally joining the MCU. Efron has been fancast in several Marvel roles over the years. In 2022, Efron responded to MCU casting rumors, saying, “I’ve been a fan of Marvel since I started walking” and “I would jump at the opportunity.” With new rumors claiming Efron has had talks with Marvel to join an upcoming MCU project, there are some great characters for the actor.

10 Ghost Rider

The Midnight Sons Could Form Soon

Ghost Rider is not one of the roles Efron has had his name linked to at Marvel. However, that subversion of expectations could lead to one of the best MCU surprises if the actor ended up playing the Spirit of Vengeance. Johnny Blaze has been fancast with older actors like Norman Reedus or Keanu Reeves over the years; however, the younger Efron might be the one needed to do him justice.

Efron could play Ghost Rider for a decade or more, anchoring the MCU’s supernatural corner. The actor has the skills to bring the motorcycle stuntman with a confident attitude to life easily, as films like Neighbors have shown. Marvel has been branching out in recent years, seemingly setting up multiple teams for the MCU, and one of them is likely the Midnight Sons, a supernatural team that could use a fan-favorite star like Efron as Ghost Rider to establish itself.

9 Ka-Zar

Efron Has The Physicality And Charisma For The Role

Ka-Zar is a unique Marvel character. Originally created to be more of a Tarzan-like brute, the character has evolved into being a more civilized hero in the middle of the jungle. Well, the Savage Land, that is. Ka-Zar lives in the obscure location, which is different from anything that has appeared in the MCU so far. The Savage Land has dinosaurs running around and is the source of a unique kind of Vibranium.

With Black Panther: Wakanda Forever focusing on how the world is after Vibranium, it would make sense for the Savage Land to be explored soon. Efron could then debut in the MCU as Ka-Zar, the protector of the Savage Land. Efron has the physicality needed for the role, and the star could easily carry the weight of introducing a whole new world to the MCU.

8 Gambit

The Actor Would Make Fans Remember His Character’s Name

Gambit has been given the short stick in live-action so far. While Taylor Kitsch delivered a serviceable performance as Remy LeBeau, the actor was part of the worst X-Men movie, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. After that, Channing Tatum was cast as Gambit; however, the planned solo film for the character never materialized. Efron’s popularity could help Gambit be a major player in the MCU as soon as he debuts.

The actor would certainly be one that could star in a solo film if Marvel chooses to go that direction with the X-Men reboot. Efron would be great as Gambit, nailing Remy’s charming persona with ease. The actor also has plenty of experience with romantic roles, and among the many successful aspects of X-Men ’97, the animated series showed how Gambit and Rogue’s relationship has to be done right in the MCU.

7 Nova

The Hero’s MCU Debut Is In The Works

Nova could be one of the heroes to make an MCU debut in the next few years. The reason for that is that it has been revealed that a Nova series is in development. There are two famous versions of the character in the comics, Richard Rider and Sam Alexander. While recent rumors have suggested Sam could be the one to appear in the series, Marvel Studios Head of Streaming Brad Winderbaum hinted Richard Rider could be the one.

Winderbaum recently spoke to Screen Rant about the Nova series, saying, “That is a particular project we are excited about.” Efron would be pitch-perfect casting for Rider. The actor could play both sides of the character, as Nova has been both cocky and more contained, depending on his comic book arc. Efron’s Nova would add excitement to the MCU’s cosmic corner, and he could even join the MCU’s new Guardians of the Galaxy, revitalizing the franchise.

6 Captain America

An MCU Reboot Is Rumored To Happen

Chris Evans became one of the faces of the MCU alongside Robert Downey Jr. due to his poignant work as Captain America. When Evans’ Steve Rogers bowed out of the MCU, staying in the past with Peggy Carter, he appointed Sam Wilson as the new Captain America. While Marvel Studios is all in on its new Cap, Efron could still get the chance to don the iconic superhero mantle in the future.

An MCU reboot is rumored to happen after Avengers: Secret Wars. If that were to happen, while Anthony Mackie could continue in the MCU as Sam Wilson, Marvel would most likely recast Steve Rogers, and Efron would make for the perfect new actor for the role. In his most famous role, High School Musical‘s Troy Bolton, Efron showed he has the leadership skills, charisma, and confidence to play Captain America in the MCU and continue Evans’ legacy.

5 Jimmy Hudson

Zac Efron Has A Connection To Hugh Jackman

Jimmy Hudson is Wolverine’s son, and the character would make for a great role for Efron to join the MCU. In his almost 25 years playing Wolverine, Hugh Jackman has cemented himself as the live-action face of the character. The actor will soon return to the big screen as Logan in Deadpool & Wolverine, finally joining the MCU. As Jackman is too old to play Wolverine for another decade, Efron could take over the role.

However, given how Jackman is so closely connected to Logan, Marvel might have a better chance building upon his portrayal than recasting the role. Efron could then play the Jimmy Hudson version of Wolverine, who is Logan’s son. As Efron and Jackman had great chemistry in The Greatest Showman, the two appearing together as father and son for a movie or two could set up Efron as the MCU’s new Wolverine.

4 Hyperion

A Superman-Like Hero

Another exciting character that Efron could play in the MCU is Hyperion. As Efron has already missed out on playing Sentry in Thunderbolts*, with the role reportedly going to Top Gun: Maverick‘s Lewis Pullman, Hyperion emerges as a cool alternative that would let Efron give life to one of Marvel’s Superman-like characters. Hyperion is the leader of the Squadron Supreme, a team based on DC’s Justice League.

Efron has the energy and sunny personality to pass off the whole Superman-like savior of the world attitude that Hyperion has had in many appearances. Hyperion has been part of the Avengers in the comics. Given Efron’s popularity, the criticism over the lack of a direction for the MCU, and the fact that a new Avengers team will rise in the coming years, the actor playing Hyperion could not be more timely.

3 Human Torch

The Marvel Role That He Was Born To Play

Efron would have been the perfect Human Torch for the MCU, potentially better than The Fantastic Four‘s Joseph Quinn, had the role been cast a few years ago. While the ship has sailed on his chances of playing the main Johnny Storm, the Multiverse Saga still allows Efron the chance to get his flame on in upcoming projects.

Given how John Krasinski was cast as Reed Richards for a one-off multiverse role thanks to fan demand, Efron has a real chance of playing the Human Torch in the future. Efron has been the top fancast for the role for years, and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige must have kept tabs on that. Deadpool & Wolverine and Avengers: Secret Wars seem like the two most likely projects where Efron could play a variant Johnny Storm, showing the charisma, cocky attitude, confidence, and compassion that make the Human Torch so popular.

2 Wolverine

Efron Has The Grit For The Role

While Efron could play the Jimmy Hudson of Wolverine alongside Jackman’s Logan, the actor would also make for a fine Wolverine himself when the MCU’s X-Men reboot comes along. Efron has had multiple extremely physical roles in movies like Baywatch and The Iron Claw that show he would continue what Jackman has done with the character.

In Netflix’s docuseries Down to Earth with Zac Efron, the actor sported a very Wolverine-like look, with facial hair and great shape, which only helped his fancasts as Wolverine. After Jackman’s time as Wolverine, Marvel could decide to choose a major star to continue the character’s legacy, as it might otherwise prove too much pressure for a rising actor. Efron has proved time and again that he has the acting chops needed for the role, and the actor could deliver in action scenes, sarcastic comments, and subtle emotional moments, making him a great choice for the MCU’s Wolverine.

1 Cyclops

Zac Efron Could Lead The MCU’s X-Men

Cyclops never really got the chance to shine in live-action, despite having had great actors play him. Recently, Marvel showed that the studio understands Scott Summers’ importance, making him one of the most exciting characters in Disney+’s X-Men ’97. Whenever the MCU decides to use Cyclops, Marvel has to continue that positive trend, finally allowing the character to shine in live-action.

Efron would be a perfect pick to play Cyclops in the MCU. The actor has the star power to serve as the field leader of the X-Men, standing up to whoever gets cast as the new Wolverine, thus making Cyclops the important hero he is meant to be. Efron has the charisma and nuance to his acting that is needed to make Cyclops both a firm leader and a character who has many layers. As such, Zac Efron could bring out the best in Cyclops in the MCU.