Photo Credit: Marvel Comics
An Academy Award nominee may play a major Avengers character in the MCU. Whether or not it actually winds up happening remains to be seen, as this is only a rumor at this time and should be treated as such.

Marvel’s Avengers franchise continues later this year with Avengers: Doomsday. That film will be followed by Avengers: Secret Wars, which is dated for 2027. Both Doomsday and Secret Wars are being directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, also known as the Russo Brothers.

Which Academy Award nominee could make their MCU debut as an Avengers member?

According to scooper Alex Perez of The Cosmic Circus, Academy Award nominee LaKeith Stanfield may be circling a role in an upcoming Marvel Studios project.

“[Stanfield is] being looked at for something else down the pipeline, not Black Panther-related. Something… bluer,” Perez wrote.

The “bluer” reference seemingly indicates that Stanfield is being eyed for the role of Blue Marvel. Created by Kevin Grevioux and Mat Broome, Blue Marvel/Adam Bernard Brashear is a superhero character who made their Marvel Comics debut in 2008’s Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel #1. Having been part of superhero teams like the Avengers, the Mighty Avengers, the Defenders, and more, Blue Marvel has superhuman strength, the power to absorb energy, and more.

It’s again important to stress that this is only a rumor at this time, as Stanfield has not been officially cast as Blue Marvel in the MCU. If this does come to fruition, there’s also no guarantee that Stanfield will be in a forthcoming Avengers movie; there could be a Blue Marvel stand-alone movie or show, for example, or he could simply be a supporting character in another project.

Stanfield received a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination for his performance in 2-21’ Judas and the Black Messiah. He recently appeared in Boots Riley’s I Love Boosters movie, which is now playing in United States theaters.