With the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, all the MCU's Phase Six projects, and the Sony-Marvel deal, the MCU roster is packed with new faces. Thanks to the Multiverse and timeline shifts, the possibilities are simply exciting, with Marvel taking advantage and some characters finally making their MCU debut (including Doctor Doom, members of the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Nova, and others).
There are still some significant gaps, though. Many of Marvel’s OGs and fan-favorite cosmic characters are still missing from the lineup. While movies like Avengers: Endgame and Infinity War explored intergalactic threats, only a few like Guardians of the Galaxy, The Eternals, and Captain Marvel tackled cosmic adventures in depth. This has left some of Marvel’s most fascinating intergalactic stories and characters unexplored.
Read on for a list of must-see cosmic characters. The MCU is still missing some heavy hitters, including the ones below.
8 Marvel Cosmic Entities That Deserve a Spot in the MCU
Annihilus
The insectoid warlord and ruler of the Negative Zone, Annihilus, seeks to annihilate all positive matter. He would make a great addition to the MCU, just for the type of saga his arrival would promise.
Many MCU fans believe Annihilus would have made sense as the next major villain after Avengers: Infinity War, although it now seems likely that Avengers: Doomsday will focus on Doctor Doom instead. Still, with the Nova series reportedly making progress, there’s reason to be hopeful, especially since Richard Rider (Nova) is notorious in the comics for killing Annihilus by ripping out his internal organs.
There’s also some other exciting rivalries worth exploring on-screen. Annihilus has clashed with just about everyone. In fact, Thanos once stepped in to stop him in the comics. Yes, Thanos fought him—let that sink in. He’s also gone head-to-head with the Fantastic Four, the Silver Surfer, and Ronan the Accuser.
Beta Ray Bill
Beta Ray Bill is sometimes described as an alternative skin for Thor, with a horse's face. Though he’s not Asgardian, according to the comics, he was among the first non-Asgardians to wield Mjolnir.
From his budding bromance with Thor, raw power, and his special place in the hearts of MCU fans, if there was ever a time to give fans a feel-good moment, it would be "Beta Ray Bill, coming to cinemas."
Beta Ray Bill has already been referenced in the MCU. He had a cameo in Thor: Ragnarok that was cut from the movie. So, fans are still owed a full reappearance and the chance to finally see him in action, and get the screen time he truly deserves.
Quasar (Wendell Vaughn)
Quasar has bounced around in the comic world, being referred to as several different superheroes over time, including Phyla-Vell, Avril Kincaid, and Wendell Vaughn.
But the one common thread among all these versions is the character's Quantum Bands—ancient, advanced alien tech that grants the wearer the ability to manipulate quantum energy. In Nova (Vol. 4) #24, Richard Rider borrowed the Quantum Bands from Wendell and temporarily became Quasar himself.
Wendell Vaughn, in particular, stands out as the longest-running Quasar character and the first to use the name. Aside from the diverse storylines and legacy of the name, there’s just so much the MCU could do with the Quasar (Wendell Vaughn) character—from exploring the Quantum Realm, to giving fans a cosmic adventure through the eyes of an incredibly human guy who becomes the “Cosmic Avenger.” It’s a space epic waiting to happen.
Corsair (Christopher Summers)
Yet another morally gray hero to add a little more spice to the MCU. The tragic story of Major Christopher Summers begins when he and his wife were separated from their children in a plane crash and imprisoned by one of the most powerful extraterrestrial empires in Marvel, the Shi’ar Empire.
Interestingly, the children he left behind, Scott and Alex Summers, have already appeared in Fox's X-Men films as Cyclops and Havok. And with Avengers: Doomsday set to feature members of the X-Men, there’s no better time for Marvel to finally introduce this star-faring outlaw into the MCU and reunite him with his family on the big screen.
Thankfully, things are already moving along as some overenthusiastic fans already have a lineup of actors to play Corsair in the MCU, with Brenda Fraser, Johnny Depp, Viggo Mortensen, and Pedro Pascal making a fan-cast list.
Captain Universe
Captain Universe is any character who wields the power of a mysterious energy source called the Uni-Power. The Uni-Power is known to appear during times of crisis, attaching itself to anyone, who then becomes Captain Universe.
Even though many believe Infinity War would have been the perfect opportunity for an introduction, it’s still worth holding out hope for a debut in the coming Phase Six movies, especially Avengers: Doomsday. For starters, Captain Universe needs very minimal character development. It could attach to some of Marvel's already established and beloved characters to make an interesting twist.
Some of the best picks to wield the power of Captain Universe in the MCU include Star-Lord, Luke Cage, Turk Barrett, and others.
Ghost Rider (Cosmic Ghost Rider / Frank Castle)
Supposing Marvel is in the market for a more exciting and violent R-rated phase, then Ghost Rider, the peculiar mix of The Punisher, Ghost Rider, and Silver Surfer, all capped with the personality of the endearing Deadpool, is one powerful character who could lead the charge and revolutionize the MCU.
Even though fans would be thrilled to see any Ghost Rider variant debut in the MCU, the cosmic-level version, the insane combo, remains at the top of every Marvel comic fan’s Christmas list.
Moondragon (Heather Douglas)
Due to wishful thinking, it was once rumored that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 director James Gunn had cast Daniela Melchior to portray Moondragon. However, fans were left disappointed when she ended up playing Ura instead.
Moondragon, also known as Heather Douglas, is famously Drax’s daughter. She’s an extremely powerful character, often considered the most powerful telepath in the Marvel Universe, surpassing Professor X and Jean Grey. She can bend minds across the universe and has even influenced cosmic beings like Galactus.
MCU fans would have a field day with this character. She brings a rare triple threat: telepathy, telekinesis, and hand-to-hand combat mastery, having been trained by monks on Thanos’ home planet.
Nova (Richard Rider)
Nova is easily one of Marvel’s most underrated cosmic superheroes—right up there with characters like Quasar and Captain Universe.
Since his first appearance in Nova #1 in 1976, he was created as something like Spider-Man with a cosmic twist. A regular high schooler chosen by an intergalactic police force to become the next Nova Centurion, eventually rising to Nova Prime.
From the Annihilation storyline to his budding bromance with Quasar, there’s so much potential with Nova—team-ups, threats, and all the cosmic goodness fans love about the MCU, including big names like Annihilus, Silver Surfer, Star-Lord, and others.
In the New Warriors series, he’s known for ending the Annihilation Wave by ripping out Annihilus’s internal organs. And if that story doesn’t make it to the MCU, then at the very least, the New Warriors storyline should.
With the initial Marvel Nova TV series dead on arrival, what better way to soothe fans than to revive the original plan — and usher in a new, cosmic "Avengers"-style team-up: The New Warriors, featuring engaging characters like Night Thrasher, Speedball, Firestar, and more.
