The Marvel Cinematic Universe changed the game when it comes to making movies and TV shows that exist under the same umbrella. At its peak, nearly every movie Kevin Fiegie and his team produced would make over a billion dollars at the box office. It's a phenomenon that's been replicated by horror movie franchises like The Conjuring, Star Wars, and their rivals, the D.C. Extended Universe.
As of today, there are currently 34 MCU films, with 10 more in production. But for films like Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool and Wolverine and Tom Holland's Spider-Man No Way Home, the MCU has technically adopted other X-Men and Spider-Man films under its umbrella. The MCU also has 23 TV shows, including Agents of Shield, Loki, and their latest series, Agatha All Along.
All these movies and TV shows have given birth to iconic characters beloved around the world. They've inspired fans to join the movie industry, become actors and actresses, and kids to dress up as them for Halloween. But not all the MCU's characters are a hit with the fans.
10 The Wasp
Introduced in Ant-Man (2015)
The first Ant-Man movie, starring Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly, performed well at the box office, receiving favorable reviews from fans and critics. Lilly's performance was praised, and many fans were excited about Marvel teasing her to suit up for the next film. But after Ant-Man and the Wasp, it was a slow roll downhill from there. Much like the Wasp's superpower, Lilly's role in the Ant-Man franchise quietly grew smaller.
Surprisingly Crowded Movie for Shrinking Crime Fighters
Part of Lilly's diminished role in the Ant-Man sequels is likely due to the surprise performance from many of the supporting cast. Michael Peña, David Dastmalchian, and T.I. all returned as Ant-Man's ex-con crew in Ant-Man and the Wasp, and they received a significant amount of screen time. Also fighting for space was Abby Ryder-Fortson reprising her role as Cassy Lang, the daughter of Scott Lang's Ant-Man and Hank Pym, played by Michael Douglas. This is on top of introducing new villains played by Walton Goggins and Hannah John-Kamen, Michelle Phifer as Janet Van Dyne, the original wasp, and Hank Pym's love interest.
Mind you, this is just the first sequel. In the third installment, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Lilly's role is diminished even further as the movie introduces a new villain, new characters, and brings back an old friend in the form of Darren Cross, played by Corey Stoll, who is now M.O.D.O.K. and is now quote, "... not a dick!" Before Quantumania, the Wasp only appeared in Avengers: Endgame during the final fight against Thanos and for a quick shot with Scott and Cassie. She's not a bad character, but the studio doesn't seem to care enough about her to warrant more screen time.
9 John Walker
Introduced in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (2021)
Making his first appearance in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, John Walker, played by Overlord star Wyatt Russell, didn't generate much interest from casual MCU fans. Taking the Captain America mantle from Sam Wilson (The Falcon) and Bucky Barnes didn't sit well with some fans. Plus, Walker's impulsive outbursts, killing a terrorist that killed his friends, and his arrogance when talking with the Dora Milaje, made some fans feel like he was a spoiled child demanding respect simply because he was chosen to carry Cap's shield.
Maybe It's Time for a Rebrand?
On the other hand, many fans have praised Russell's performance as John Walker. In 2025, Walker will be rebranded as the U.S. Agent in the upcoming Thunderbolts movie starring Florence Pugh and David Harbor. So, while the character hasn't been as big a hit with fans, it's possible this new team-up movie could change the public's opinion of the character.
8 Ava Starr
Introduced in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Despite being one of the better performances in Ant-Man and the Wasp, Ava Starr, played by Killjoys star Hannah John-Kamen, gave the re-imagined character some chilling ghostlike vibes that were kind of forgotten about. This is a shame because Ghost objectively has some of the coolest powers we've seen in the MCU. Being able to phase through objects, and people and become invisible checks some unique boxes to make a killer anti-hero. But despite everything Ghost brings to the table, nobody thought of recruiting her when Thanos was attacking Earth.
Unlucky Debut, But Hope is on the Horizon
Part of the reason for the lack of interest in Ghost is likely linked to the poor reviews and box office performance by Ant-Man and the Wasp. But Hannah John-Kamen is once again stepping into the role for the upcoming MCU film Thunderbolts. So maybe we will get a little understanding of what happened to her after the snap. Also, like Walker, getting more screen time as a hero will likely help generate more interest in the character.
7 Monica Rambeau
Introduced in WandaVision (2021)
When Teyonah Parris, took up the role of Monica Rambeau in WandaVision, many MCU fans knew her character was probably only in the show to tease an upcoming project. That project would turn out to be The Marvels, starring Brie Larson. While starring alongside big names like Larson, Elizabeth Olson, and Paul Bettany can sometimes lead to great exposure to a greater audience, it can also have the opposite effect of being forgotten.
In The Marvels, Parris plays third fiddle to Larson and Ms. Marvel star Iman Vellani, then in WandaVision she plays fourth fiddle to Olsen, Bettany, and Kathryn Hahn. There isn't anything wrong or unlikable about Monica Rambeau, the character just hasn't had her proper time to shine.
Playing Third Fiddle Doesn't Always Pay the Bills
A perfect example of playing third chair is Olson's character Wanda Maximoff and her brother Pietro, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Both played second fiddle to the villain Ultron before deciding to team up and play second fiddle to the Avengers. Wanda went on to star in many more Marvel projects, while Pietro faded to memory.
To be fair, part of that is because he was killed off, but if they can find ways to bring Loki back four times, Kevin Feige and his team could certainly have found a way to bring back Taylor-Johnson's version of Quicksilver. If Monica Rambeau ever gets the chance to play the undisputed lead character in an MCU TV show or movie, one could make the argument that she could be taken off this list.
The Marvels Star Has Been 'Assured' of Her MCU Future
For Ms. Marvel star Iman Vellani, it seems to be a question of when she will return to the MCU rather than a question of if.
6 Flash Thompson (Spider-Man Films) - Introduced in 2017
Tony Revlori plays Flash Thompson in the MCU Spider-Man films. We first meet this re-imagined version of Peter Parker's high school bully in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Revolori plays a more modern version of a bully, using snarky comments and belittling his peers to fuel his ego instead of the traditional muscly sports ball star who locks his victims in their own locker.
The Times They Are Changing for Bullies
The change was most likely made to show the changing of the times. Physical bullying is far less common than it used to be when Spider-Man first appeared in the comics. Changing the character to be a social/psychological bully makes more sense for today's day and age. However, in a movie franchise that has one-liners left and right, a bully who relies on that for his character to stand out can kind of get lost in the shuffle.
Tony Revolori's Flash is a funny character, but if he wasn't in the movie, the writers would just have given the joke to another character, and we all probably would not have cared.
5 Sersi
Introduced in Eternals (2021)
Eternals is filled with fun, entertaining characters that casual MCU fans likely forgot about within a fortnight. Some may have even forgotten that Emma Chan's character, Sersi, was the lead role. MCU star Anthony Mackie once said in an interview that in today's Hollywood:
"It's not the actor that sells the tickets, it's the character."
But in the case of Eternals, it wasn't the characters selling tickets. It was the fact that the movie exists in the MCU that sold the tickets.
Starting as a Team can Sometimes Hurt the Team
Emma Chan does what she can to make Sersi an interesting character, but there were too many new heroes and new plot lines introduced to make a general audience become attached to her character. This is a common accident in superhero films. Examples include DCEU films like Suicide Squad and Justice League. It also doesn't help that Eternals was at the time one of the worst-reviewed films in the MCU. The lack of interest from fans also caused Marvel to reconsider plans for a sequel. So far, no plans to bring Eternals back to the big screen appear to be in the works.
4 Betty Ross
Introduced in The Incredible Hulk (2008)
What if we told you that The Lord of the Rings star Liv Tyler was once in the MCU as the Hulk's love interest? If you forgot, don't worry, you aren't alone. Marvel's second film, The Incredible Hulk, starring Fight Club star Edward Norton, is one of the more forgettable additions to the MCU. Not because of Tyler's performance, but mostly because of the casting and production limbo problems future solo Hulk movies have been in for the better part of a decade. But it is fair to say that Betty Ross was forgettable enough that when Marvel brought the Hulk back for The Avengers, not only did they recast the big green giant with Mark Ruffalo, they changed his love interest, creating an awkward love tension between the Hulk and Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow.
The Hulk Doesn't Need a Love Interest
So why not invite Betty Ross back into the fold? They invited Tim Roth to reprise his role as the Hulk's nemesis, the Abomination. They invited William Hurt to reprise Betty's father, General Thunderbolt Ross. Why no Betty? Well, Marvel eventually decided to see what would happen if Betty Ross joined the fold again. Liv Tyler is set to reprise her role in the upcoming film, Captain America: Brave New World.
But after all of these years it begs the question, does the Hulk really need a love interest? Marvel teased a new love interest for the big guy in Age of Ultron but abandoned it. Mark Ruffalo's Hulk is a completely different person... or Hulk... than was introduced in 2008. It's been over 16 years since we last saw Betty and Bruce Banner interact. Not every character in the MCU needs to keep returning for a small role or a cameo. We went 16 years without knowing what Betty Ross had been up to. But only time will tell if fans will care or not.
3 Danny Rand
Introduced in Iron Fist (2017)
Iron Fist was the MCU's first attempt at a kung fu franchise. Finn Jones plays the title character, teaming up with fellow Game of Thrones star, Jessica Henwick, to bring some killer fight scenes to the MCU. The show is part of the Netflix Defenders series that includes Luke Cage,Jessica Jones, and Daredevil. However, unlike the other members of The Defenders TV shows, Iron Fist comes off as rushed, with the show's writing coming under fire from critics.
Packs a Punch in a Fight, But Not with Fans
This played a major role in terms of getting a general audience to care about this character. We live in a world where we have a plethora of superhero films and TV shows to choose from. If a show comes off as unpolished, it can be a turnoff for fans. It also doesn't help that at the time of Iron Fist's release, the Netflix Defenders characters didn't cross over into the movies of the MCU. Limiting the opportunity for Danny Rand to win fans over, or in this case, remember that he is in the MCU nearly 10 years later.
2 Jane Foster
Introduced in Thor (2011)
In the first two Thor movies, Jane Foster was similar to Betty Ross. Thor needs a love interest, so her character is written into the movie. In Thor: Ragnarok, Jane and Thor were, queue Ross Geller, "ON A BREAK!" So no appearance from Jane. She does return in Taikai Waititi's Thor: Love and Thunder, but not only as a love interest, this time she is here to kick some butt as well. What do the first two Thor films and Love and Thunder have in common? They are some of the worst-reviewed MCU films and star Natalie Portman as Jane Foster.
Thor Doesn't Need Love, He Needs Thunder
Now this is not a knock on Natalie Portman. She is an Oscar-winning actress after all. But what Thor: Ragnarok proved was that we don't always have to give the hero a love interest. Sometimes we just need to let them be a flawed character working to improve themselves. If you took Jane Foster out of any of the Thor films, the plot would not change. Foster has some fun moments in her time in the MCU, but ultimately, is a character fans aren't likely to miss moving forward.
Chris Hemsworth Excited to Return for Thor 5: 'I’m Always Down to Do More'
The Marvel star gave an update on the next Thor sequel while appearing at San Diego Comic-Con.
1 G'iah
Introduced in Secret Invasion (2023)
Bringing Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke on board for Marvel's Secret Invasion series got a lot of fans excited. But by the time the final episode was over, many fans were left thinking, "well... she's here... what now?" Both the show and Clarke's performance have not been getting much love from a good chunk of the Marvel fanbase.
Many were upset that Marvel didn't do the comic book storyline justice, while others say that it doesn't do much to push the MCU forward. But the biggest complaint we've seen is the fact that G'iah has seemingly become the most overpowered character in the MCU in such a short amount of time, with next to zero character development.
Keep it Simple and Take Your Time
Rushing a character or not developing them properly is one issue fans have been pointing out in the MCU lately. It doesn't matter if it's G'iah, Danny Rand, or Carol Danvers; If a character is rushed into arguably the biggest cinematic universe of all time, it can turn viewers off, no matter how loyal.
Today, there is no shortage of quality superhero content and there's more on the way. If Marvel wants fans to care about their characters/movies and TV shows, they need to take time developing their characters, so fans new and old can form a relationship with them and want to keep coming to see them. Throwing a character into the mix when your franchise is on top of the world only works when you're on top of the world.
But now that the MCU has come down from the summit, it seems the studio has developed a habit of pumping out movies and TV shows as fast as they can, throwing them at the wall and seeing what sticks. That isn't going to cut it with their fans.
Marvel needs to remember what made them great. Writing fun, flawed, and relatable characters. Planning how each character can play a role in the grand scheme of things, and taking their time to make the product the best it can be. Marvel has made billions at the box office, so they can afford to do right by their fans and take the extra time to perfect their projects. Which should help make all of their lead characters interesting moving forward.
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