The MCU's sixth titular Black superhero just debuted in one of the best Disney+ series released so far. Marvel Studios' first team-up arrived in 2012's The Avengers with a distinct lack of diversity, featuring an all-white roster, five-sixths of which were male. Years later, the MCU Is more diverse than ever with heroes from all cultures, genders, and sexual orientations. Notably, the superhero genre has more Black leads than ever, thanks in part to Black Panther's critical and financial success that paved the way for progress.
Aquaman star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II was officially introduced to the MCU in Disney+'s Wonder Man as the super-powered Hollywood actor Simon Williams, who, in turn, became the MCU's sixth titular Black lead.
While the live-action Wonder Man is played by a Black actor in Abdul-Mateen II, Simon Williams marked the MCU's seventh race-swapped hero, as the super-powered actor has always been white on Marvel Comics' pages.
For now, the Disney+ series' future is up in the air, but there are five MCU projects that are perfect for Wonder Man to return, from Season 2 to Avengers: Doomsday.
The MCU's 5 Other Titular Black Heroes
Sam Wilson
12 years after boarding the MCU in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and quickly becoming the Falcon, Sam Wilson's saga is just beginning. 47-year-old Anthony Mackie got something of a promotion in recent years after Chris Evans' Steve Rogers declared Wilson the next Captain America.
Being a Black man wearing the Stars and Stripes has been key to his taking on the mantle, aiming to represent a more inclusive America while tackling systemic racism. Next up, Captain America will be back in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, leading a new version of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
T'Challa
The late Chadwick Boseman was a pioneer for Black superheroes in and out of the MCU thanks to his role as T'Challa. Black Panther rocked Hollywood with its predominantly Black cast and celebration of African culture, leading to its $1.3 billion gross and its Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.
Boseman's unexpected passing left a hole in the MCU that many argue can never be filled. Director Ryan Coogler dedicated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to memorializing T'Challa while holding on to the 2018 blockbuster's spirit, and the MCU's rumored next Black Panther casting is expected to do so again.
Shore
T'Challa's sudden MCU exit left the void for a new Black Panther that was filled by his sister, Letitia Wright's Shuri, starting from Wakanda Forever and soon to continue as she joins Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Avengers: Doomsday.
Shuri is one of the MCU's greatest minds, who largely took on the Black Panther role to avenge her mother, who was killed by Tenoch Huerta's Namor, and help end the conflict between Wakanda and Talokan.
Ironheart
Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man may be gone from the MCU, but Dominique Thorne's Riri Williams is following in his footsteps as Ironheart. Contrary to what many would expect, Ironheart has no direct connection to Tony Stark, who instead had a "level of influence" over her own work.
Disney+'s Ironheart left the young armored hero in an unfortunate position as she made a deal with Sacha Baron Cohen's Mephisto to resurrect her late friend. Fortunately, Williams may soon have a superhero team of her ow to help her, playing a major role in Disney+'s in-development Champions crossover.
Luke Cage
Netflix's Luke Cage dove headfirst into the New York neighborhood of Harlem, which is known as an epicenter of African-American culture. It did so through the lens of Mike Colter's Luke Cage, who became superstrong and bulletproof thanks to a secret experiment, leading him to become Harlem's hero.
Colter hasn't yet had the opportunity to play Luke Cage under Marvel Studios, only the defunct old Marvel Television division. That said, the Netflix actor recently confirmed he has been "talking to Marvel" about returning as Luke Cage, leaving many questioning if he will appear in Daredevil: Born Again.
Marvel Studios' Other Leading Black Superheroes
Nick Fury
Samuel L. Jackson has been playing a starring role in the MCU since the begin when he crept up on Tony Stark in 2008's Iron Man. Since then, he has lingered in the background as the Director of SHIELD and general Marvel super spy.
In what turned out to be one of the MCU's worst Disney+ series, Nick Fury finally got the spotlight in Secret Invasion. The veteran spy contended with an attack upon Earth from the Skrulls that will reportedly be explored again in Phase 7 to resolve the shape-shifting cliffhanger.
Monica Rambeau
Having been introduced as a child in the '90s-set Captain Marvel, fans met a grown-up Monica Rambeau, now working for SWORD in WandaVision. An encounter with Wanda Maximoff's Hex would eventually give her light-based powers, leading to her team-up role in The Marvels.
Rambeau appears lined up for a major role in Avengers: Doomsday after The Marvels left her stranded in the Fox X-Men universe. Many have speculated that her Multiversal hop caused an Incursion that will be pivotal in Avengers 5.
Makkari
Deaf actress Lauren Ridloff played a starring role in Eternals as the immortal speedster Makkari, one of the many creations of the Celestial Arishem.
Unfortunately, the Eternals have been off the table in the MCU since their 2021 ensemble debut flopped at the box office. While the MCU's fastest woman will be left wandering space with the One Direction star for now, the Eternals will reportedly be back in the next saga as cosmic forces come to the forefront.
Phastos
Each of the Eternals brought something different to the team, for Brian Tyree Henry's Phastos, that was his genius and inventing talents. The actor was responsible for bringing another major Black Marvel character to life in animation as the voice of Miles Morales' father in the Spider-Verse movies.
Phastos' debut made history for the MCU as he was part of the franchise's first-ever LGBTQ+ family and kiss.
Ghost
Actress Hannah John-Kamen boarded the MCU as Ava Starr, aka Ghost, a sympathetic villain fighting for her life in Ant-Man and The Wasp. After Thunderbolts*, Ghost has earned her redemption, and the English actress of Nigerian and Norwegian descent is now firmly playing an MCU superhero.
Thunderbolts* brought Ghost back to the MCU for the first time in seven years, but it won't be the end for her. John-Kamen is among the MCU stars expected to return in both Doomsday and Secret Wars as the Multiversal war looms.
Gamora
The adopted daughter of Thanos, Gamora, may be green-skinned, but actress Zoe Saldana is Black, of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent. The Guardians of the Galaxy star, who also appeared in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, endured multiple hours of makeup daily to turn her green for the MCU.
Sadly, Saldana's Marvel Studios career concluded with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and the conclusion of James Gunn's sci-fi saga. However, her time under Disney in the MCU and Avatar franchises earned Saldana a special place in box office history as the only actor with four $2 billion movies.
War Machine
Don Cheadle's James "Rhodey" Rhodes has spent many years as a supporting character in the MCU, acting as a sidekick to Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man as he donned the War Machine armor across multiple projects. In fact, he became the MCU's first Black superhero in 2008's Iron Man 2.
After being outed as a Skrull in Secret Invasion as the real Rhodey was rescued, Cheadle was expected to lead a solo series movie, Armor Wars. However, despite 15 years of talk about a War Machine solo flick, it seems unlikely to happen.
Blade
Marvel Studios is yet to truly introduce its version of the Black vampire hunter Eric Brooks, aka Blade, who will be played by Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali. He was vaguely introduced with a vocal cameo in Eternals' post-credits scene ahead of his solo flick, but as Blade is reportedly "dead" at Marvel Studios, his future is unclear.
Fans spent some time reuniting with Wesley Snipes' take on Blade in Deadpool & Wolverine, tagging along in The Void in a supporting role. Snipes is credited for playing Hollywood's first mainstream Black superhero in 1998's Blade, which spawned a trilogy that concluded in 2004's Blade: Trinity.
