Several characters in the MCU had strong runs but eventually fizzled out, fading into the background after promising starts. The Multiverse Saga is shaping up to be Marvel’s biggest crossover yet. It promises returning heroes, villains, cosmic threats, and multiversal rivalries.
This is a golden opportunity to return some forgotten faces to the spotlight. Upcoming MCU projects could give fans nostalgic cameos or even full arcs for characters who deserve another shot. From the Runaways and the Inhumans to the Eternals and even one-off heroes, Marvel has plenty of recognizable faces ready to shake up the MCU one more time.
Every Overlooked Marvel Character Who Should Return in the Multiverse Saga
The Eternals
Even though many of the Eternals’ powers already had duplicates across the MCU, their presence carried significant cosmic weight. After breaking Arishem’s rule by interfering with Tiamut’s emergence, the Celestial returned to deliver judgment.
The disappearance of the Eternals left the MCU without a clear picture of what Arishem’s judgment would mean, while also leaving Harry Styles’ Starfox hanging after his brief introduction.
A proper continuation could also tie into the fact that Tiamut’s massive body is now being harvested for resources, as revealed in Captain America: Brave New World. Exploring how that act affects Arishem’s judgment (and if that plays out in the Multiverse Saga) could make for one of the MCU’s biggest storylines.
Magneto (Michael Fassbender)
Avengers: Doomsday is set to bring back one of the most powerful X-Men villains ever, Ian McKellen’s Magneto. But all eyes are on whether Michael Fassbender’s version of the character will also get a cameo.
Fassbender first played Magneto in 2011’s X-Men: First Class, later reprising the role in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), and Dark Phoenix (2019).
Interestingly, reports once claimed that Fassbender was meant to return as Magneto in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, with a scene allegedly filmed but ultimately cut.
Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence)
Rebecca Romijn embodied Mystique across the original X-Men trilogy. Her version of the shapeshifting mutant has already been confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday.
Still, much of the spotlight remains on Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique. She redefined the role when she debuted in X-Men: First Class, playing a more sympathetic and layered version of the character. Lawrence reprised the role in three more films (Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, and Dark Phoenix), giving her rendition of Mystique a central role in the Fox-era storyline.
Fans are now speculating whether the Avengers: Doomsday cast might somehow bring both Mystiques into the fold, offering a rare crossover of the characters’ most iconic portrayals.
Find out which star Dafne Keen thinks has what it takes to slay as the MCU’s new Mystique!
Mister Fantastic (Ioan Gruffudd)
Since Chris Evans’ Human Torch made an appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine, fans are now looking to see if other OG Fantastic Four cast members will resurface in Marvel’s Multiverse Saga. This speculation comes after The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which is set in a retro-futuristic universe and features an entirely new cast, with Pedro Pascal taking on Reed Richards.
Still, one fan pick from the original lineup that keeps coming up is Ioan Gruffudd’s Mr. Fantastic. Gruffudd played Reed Richards in Fantastic Four (2005) and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007).
If the rumor proves true, it would be a big nostalgic moment for fans. It would also link Marvel’s older Fantastic Four movies to the current multiverse storyline.
Hulk (Lou Ferrigno or Eric Bana)
While Mark Ruffalo embodied the role of Hulk and Bruce Banner for over a decade, the character evolved into something different. Following Avengers: Infinity War, Hulk merged with Banner to become Smart Hulk, a calmer, more strategic version of the hero.
His appearance in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law further showed him stepping into the role of mentor to his cousin, Jennifer Walters, proving there’s still some fight left in him if the situation calls for it.
However, the Multiverse offers the perfect chance to bring that side back for fans who miss the raw, aggressive, and unhinged Hulk. The MCU could take it further by tapping into nostalgia by bringing back either Lou Ferrigno or Eric Bana's Hulk (or maybe even both?).
Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell)
Justin Hammer first appeared in Iron Man 2 and was defeated by Iron Man and War Machine before being sent to prison. Since then, he has mostly lived on through small appearances. He had a hilarious cameo in Marvel’s One-Shot All Hail the King and was also name-dropped in Secret Invasion.
Actor Sam Rockwell was teased for a potential return, with rumors pointing toward Marvel’s Thunderbolts*. While that didn't fall through, there is still plenty of room for one more antihero to join the team. Supposing Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is not done recruiting for the New Avengers, Rockwell's Justin Hammer is a perfect candidate.
The Inhumans
The Inhumans’ story was cut short on television, leaving behind more plot holes than answers. The Multiverse Saga has already cracked the door open for their return. Anson Mount reprised his role as Black Bolt in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, appearing as part of the Illuminati. While that version of Black Bolt met a brutal end at Wanda’s hands, it proved Marvel still has an interest in the character.
Outside of the dysfunctional royal family dynamic, fans mostly want to see Black Bolt done justice. His unique powers were barely explored in the series, and the MCU has the perfect chance to reintroduce the Inhumans in a way that finally matches their potential.
The Runaways
The Marvels would have been the perfect opportunity to bring back Ginny Gardner's Karolina Dean with her light-based powers. The team’s absence was especially noticeable given how their Hulu series connected to some major mystical elements like the Darkhold. Still, the characters were left behind.
There’s still a chance for redemption, though. The Runaways could return as older versions of themselves in the Multiverse Saga, especially before Marvel heads into its much-anticipated reset.
With the Multiverse saga in full swing, Marvel can reunite the Runaways with the larger cinematic universe, giving them room for growth and advancement since they were last seen.
Daimon & Ana Helstrom (Helstrom)
Adventure into Fear was meant to be a darker corner of Marvel Television, a lineup of horror-themed shows expanding the MCU into supernatural territory. But after the first and only season of Helstrom, the project was cancelled, leaving the story of Daimon and Ana Helstrom unfinished.
The siblings, half-demons who hunt supernatural threats while battling their own possessed family, added a chilling, horror-driven edge to Marvel’s world. Unfortunately, Helstrom became one of the last projects from the now-defunct Marvel Television era.
A more comic-accurate crossover for Daimon would have been in Doctor Strange or The Defenders, especially considering his ties to Patsy Walker, whom he married in the comics. He also served as a member of the Defenders, which could have anchored him more firmly in the MCU. With the Multiverse Saga embracing forgotten corners of Marvel’s past, this might be the perfect chance to give the Helstroms a second life.
Bobbi Morse (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)
When it comes to Marvel’s list of cancelled or one-off TV projects, Agents of SHIELD stands out as the rare anomaly, a series that ran for seven seasons and built a loyal fanbase along the way.
Throughout its run, the show introduced several heroes and villains who never made the leap into the main MCU. One standout is Bobbi Morse, also known as Mockingbird, played by Adrianne Palicki. A skilled spy and fighter, she became a fan-favorite during her time on the series, even sparking plans for a spinoff that never came to fruition.
Given her history, Bobbi Morse deserves a proper MCU cameo, whether as part of SHIELD’s legacy or in a nostalgic nod to the show’s long run. Bringing her back, even briefly, would be a huge payoff for Agents of SHIELD fans who stuck with the series until the end.
