The Marvel Cinematic Universe pioneered the modern cinematic landscape. It invented and perfected concepts like the post-credits scene and the cameo, which changed the way in which audiences experienced films. However, after Avengers: Endgame, Marvel Studios turned its greatest asset into one of its most glaring weaknesses.
Cameos had meaning because they were teasers for what’s to come. However, in the post-Endgame era, cameos promised a lot, and then just failed to deliver. Some great cameos could have built great moments for the IPs that they were attached to, but the lack of a plan wasted not only some great characters, but also the actors attached to them.
1. Stefan Kapičić Should Have Had A Bigger Role in Deadpool & Wolverine
Colossus in Deadpool | Credits: Marvel Studios
Stefan Kapičić’s Colossus was only the second version of the character in the X-Men Universe. However, the character endeared himself to audiences in Deadpool and Deadpool 2. So, when the character only returned for a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine, fans were obviously disappointed.
Of course, Deadpool & Wolverine had some of the best cameos in the MCU. However, Stefan Kapičić’s Colossus would have been quite the asset in the final fight, or even a variant of his could have joined Deadpool for the final confrontation. It remains to be seen if the actor and the character return for Doomsday or Secret Wars.
NameStefan KapičićCharacterPiotr Nikolayevich “Peter” Rasputin/ ColossusMovies Deadpool (2016), Deadpool 2 (2018), Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
2. Lashana Lynch’s Binary Seemed Like An Important Character
Lashana Lynch has played three versions of Maria Rambeau in the MCU. Her appearance in Captain Marvel remains unparalleled among her other cameos. Her appearance as Captain Marvel on Earth-838 was an exciting twist on the character, only to be shelved by Wanda.
Fans got to look at a third version of the character in the post-credit scene of The Marvels, where Maria Rambeau meets her daughter from another universe. The fun part about this timeline is that Binary shares this universe with the X-Men.
This was a huge revelation for Captain Marvel’s mythos. However, no post-credit scenes or plot developments in the MCU have followed up on the character. Further, with all the characters that are returning for Doomsday, it seems unlikely that this plot hook is going to get any more traction than it did in the post-credit scene.
Name Lashana LynchCharacterMaria Rambeau/Captain Marvel/BinaryMovies Captain Marvel (2019), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), The Marvels (2023)
3. Charlize Theron’s Clea Has Taken Doctor Strange Out Of Commission For Too Long
Clea is a pretty important character in the mythos of Doctor Strange. Taking Stephen away to the dark dimension to deal with an incursion, both characters have been missing in action since. It seems almost as if every post-credit scene is going to amount to nothing, especially because the MCU seems to be heading towards a hard reset come Secret Wars.
There is simply not enough narrative space to resolve Clea’s cameo in Doctor Strange’s story, unless the character is one of the few members of the original MCU who are going to make it into the new setting. Clae will reportedly ( via The Cosmic Circus) be returning in Avengers: Doomsday.
Name Charlize Teron CharacterCleaMovies Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
4. Hayley Atwell Deserved A Better Story For Captain Carter
What If…? treated Captain Carter like its main character. However, the version that existed in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness could have been an important character in live-action IPs of the MCU, too. What If…?‘s treatment of Carter left a lot to be desired.
Had the character been followed up in films like Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Marvels, or Deadpool & Wolverine, even as cameos, the MCU would have felt a little less lackluster. The character was a very interesting take on the mythology of Captain America, and could have potentially been a great concept that did not necessarily need an in-depth history to work with.
Name Hayley AtwellCharacterMargaret Elizabeth “Peggy” Carter/Agent Carter/Captain CarterMovies Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016) , Avengers: Endgame (2019), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
5. Brett Goldstein’s Hercules Could Be A Menace In The MCU
There were a lot of things that were wrong with Thor: Love and Thunder. Brett Goldstein’s Hercules was not one of them. Dressed in green and gold, masquerading th same sort of personality that Thor nurtured before being banished to Earth, the MCU’s Hercules would have been the perfect foil to Thor.
However, given that Thor’s next appearance is going to be in Doomsday, it is unlikely that the Champion of Olympus is going to clash with the King of Asgard anytime soon. It is likely that the character of Thor is going to be retired after Secret Wars or completely recast. I doubt that we will see Brett Goldstein don his golden armor anytime soon in the MCU, if at all.
Name Brett GoldsteinCharacterHerculesMovies Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
6. Mahershala Ali Is The MCU’s Biggest Let-Down
Credits: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert / YouTube
One of the films the MCU released in the post-Endgame era was Eternals. Mahershala Ali’s silky smooth voice introduced fans to his version of Blade. Five years later, and we have seen more of Blade in the Marvel Zombies animated series than in live action.
The solo Blade project has been delayed so many times that even Deadpool & Wolverine could not stop it from taking a shot at it. Now, the project has been pushed further. The Blade solo film has been reported as cancelled, with Ali potentially appearing instead in a Midnight Sons ensemble project.
What was the point of revealing him as the character way back in 2019 if it would be over 10 years before fans see the character in live action?
Name Mahershala Ali CharacterBladeMovies Eternals (2021)
Avengers: Doomsday is set to release on December 18, 2026.
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