The Marvel Cinematic Universe has exploded with characters across 15+ years, dozens of films, and multiple streaming series, but there are still key heroes from Marvel's Comic universe that fans are anxiously waiting to see on the big screen.
What’s interesting is that some of them have been referenced, hinted at, or teased indirectly. It is clear Marvel Studios is holding these characters back, not forgetting them, but saving them for the right moment, franchise, or Phase.
Marvel’s not sleeping on these heroes; they’re saving them for the perfect moment. They’re just chilling backstage, ready to steal the spotlight when the time’s right.
Why These 10 Heroes Are Still Missing From the MCU & What Marvel’s Waiting For
Here are 10 Marvel heroes the MCU seems to be deliberately waiting to introduce, and why the timing has to be perfect.
Nova
Nova, particularly Richard Rider, is one of Marvel’s most requested heroes, with Marvel President Kevin Feige confirming a project in development in 2022.
Why Marvel's waiting: The offscreen destruction of Xandar in Avengers: Infinity War sets up Richard Rider’s origin, mirroring the comics where Rhomann Dey transfers the Nova Force to Rider post-Xandar’s fall. This gives Marvel a clean slate to introduce Nova without retconning Guardians Vol. 1’s Nova Corps.
Marvel’s delay avoids cosmic oversaturation post-Guardians and Thor: Love and Thunder. Balancing multiverse (Loki, Deadpool & Wolverine) and supernatural (Blade) projects, Marvel is likely refining Nova as a Disney+ series or a Secret Wars tie-in to maximize impact.
Hyperion
Hyperion is essentially Marvel's Superman — a flying, godlike alien who’s been a hero and a tyrant across multiverse stories.
Why Marvel’s waiting: Because Hyperion works best in a multiversal context. As leader of the Squadron Supreme, he embodies an alternate-universe version of classic heroism. Now that Marvel audiences understand multiverse logic, he could be introduced as either a twisted threat or an unexpected ally. His power level also makes him ideal for a Phase 7-level escalation.
Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards is one of the most powerful characters in Marvel Comics — the reality-warping son of Reed Richards and Sue Storm. While he hasn’t appeared in the MCU yet, the studio may have already started laying the groundwork.
Why Marvel’s waiting: A recent official photo reveal from Fantastic Four: First Steps shows Sue Storm wearing what appears to be a baby bump, sparking widespread speculation that Franklin is already on the way. However, introducing him as a child now gives Marvel the option to build toward his Omega-level abilities over multiple phases. Since his powers are tied to the multiverse and major cosmic shifts, Marvel is clearly saving him as a long-game player who could one day rival Kang, Doom, or even the Beyonder in scale.
Ghost Rider
Though Robbie Reyes appeared in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Marvel Studios has not touched Ghost Rider in the MCU proper.
Why Marvel’s waiting: Because Ghost Rider belongs to the darker, R-rated side of Marvel — one they're only now starting to explore with Blade and Deadpool. He'll likely be saved for Midnight Sons or a horror-heavy team-up. It’s not a matter of "if," but a question of when Marvel fully leans into supernatural horror.
Blue Marvel
Adam Brashear is a brilliant physicist, Marine veteran, and powerhouse hero known from The Ultimates.
Why Marvel’s waiting: Because Blue Marvel fits perfectly into Marvel’s next wave of super-intellectuals (following Tony Stark and Shuri). He also has ties to Monica Rambeau and Carol Danvers, making him ideal for a second Captain Marvel ensemble or a new Avengers roster. Marvel may be spacing out its high-IQ legacy characters deliberately.
Molecule Man
Owen Reece began as a villain but became a crucial multiversal figure in Secret Wars (1984 and 2015).In the 1984 Secret Wars, he’s a powerful pawn of the Beyonder, while in the 2015 Secret Wars (by Jonathan Hickman), he’s central to the multiverse’s collapse and reconstruction.
Why Marvel’s waiting: Molecule Man is a multiverse-altering character. Introducing him too early would undercut his narrative power. With Secret Wars approaching, Marvel is likely holding him as a key reveal — possibly even the reason the multiverse falls apart.
Captain Britain
Brian Braddock was subtly referenced in Avengers: Endgame when Peggy Carter mentions him in an alternate timeline.
Why Marvel’s waiting: Because Captain Britain's mythology is tied to the multiverse and the Captain Britain Corps. Marvel was unlikely to introduce him before general audiences fully grasped timeline variants and alternate Earths. With Secret Wars coming, Braddock could soon emerge as a cross-dimensional defender. Man of Steel's Henry Cavill and Jamie Dornan have both been rumored as possible castings.
Captain Universe
Captain Universe isn’t a person but a cosmic force that chooses a host when the universe is in peril.
Why Marvel’s waiting: Because the Uni-Power is most compelling when it surprises audiences by bonding with an existing hero (like Spider-Man in Spectacular Spider-Man #158-160, or Sue Storm in Fantastic Four #329). As Marvel ramps up for universe-threatening stakes, this wildcard could become a plot twist in Fantastic Four or a future Avengers-level conflict.
Magik (Illyana Rasputin)
Magik (Illyana Rasputin), played by Anya Taylor-Joy, briefly appeared in The New Mutants (2020), but that film belongs to Fox’s non-MCU X-Men timeline.
Why Marvel’s waiting: Magic is a natural fit for the MCU's mystical expansion. But with the X-Men reboot still on the horizon, Marvel may be waiting to introduce her as part of a completely recast, MCU-grounded mutant slate.
Miles Morales
Miles Morales has become a generational icon thanks to Sony's Spider-Verse animated films. But while he’s yet to appear in live-action, the MCU has already planted seeds for his arrival.
Why Marvel’s waiting: In Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Donald Glover’s Aaron Davis (the Prowler) mentions his nephew, a clear reference to Miles, setting the stage for his arrival.
Miles represents Spider-Man’s future. Marvel’s likely letting Tom Holland’s Peter Parker mature, possibly through Spider-Man 4 or post-Secret Wars, before introducing Miles to avoid stealing his thunder. When Miles arrives, it’ll be a baton-pass from Peter to a new Spider-Man.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
