Every Non-MCU Marvel Character Who's Joined The MCU

Spoiler alert! This article contains spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has made the bold move of introducing several performances from outside the franchise into the timeline. Before the mighty Marvel franchise began, numerous production companies owned the cinematic rights to Marvel characters. Subsequently, Marvel have regained those rights and are slowly introducing a swathe of characters. Strikingly, Marvel have elected to revive some earlier performances at the same time.

Several landmark movies in the MCU timeline have introduced characters from outside the franchise. Spider-Man: No Way Home included numerous characters from Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, while cameos in Deadpool & Wolverine depicted a litany of characters previously owned by 20th Century Fox. Now that most Marvel characters are back under Disney’s remit, many more familiar faces could be integrated into the MCU’s future.

34

Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man

Spider-Man (2002)

Tobey Maguire debuted as Spider-Man in Sam Raimi’s 2002 movie Spider-Man and subsequently reprised the role for two sequels produced by Sony. Maguire’s performance quickly became iconic, perfectly capturing Peter Parker’s personality and establishing several comic book movie genre tropes. Maguire’s Spider-Man officially entered the MCU in Spider-Man: No Way Home, teaming up with Tom Holland to help bring down the villains from his era as Spider-Man​​​​​​.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the trials and tribulations of being a superhero. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) asks for help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) when his identity becomes a problem for the ones he loves. Unfortunately, when the spell goes wrong, Spider-Man will now have to face off with villains such as Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) and Electro (Jamie Foxx) as Peter finally comes to terms that he can’t run from being Spider-Man. Supported by his close friends and help from an unexpected place (or multiverse), Spider-Man will go toe-to-toe with some of the most legendary foes in his storied history.

Director

Jon Watts

Release Date

December 17, 2021

Runtime

148 Minutes

33

Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man

The Amazing Spider-Man

Andrew Garfield took up the mantle of Spider-Man when Sony rebooted the franchise, appearing in the widely lauded The Amazing Spider-Man and its less favorable sequel. Garfield brought a frenetic energy to the role, neatly reflecting Spider-Man’s quick wit, while also being undeniably cool. Garfield joined Maguire and Holland in their multiverse team-up in Spider-Man: No Way Home, officially joining the MCU to help bring down Electro and the Lizard.

32

Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin

Spider-Man (2002)

One of the most chilling villain performances in Marvel movie history goes to the sinister acting legend Willem Dafoe and his haunting portrayal of the Green Goblin. Goblin was a particularly creepy adversary, and Dafoe’s famed expressive face and voice were especially memorable. Also appearing in the MCU’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, Gobline received a minor costume update and became one of the movie’s most compelling characters.

31

Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock

Spider-Man 2

Alfred Molina is often credited as the greatest Spider-Man villain ever with his nuanced and tragic portrayal of Otto Octavius, aka Doc Ock. Brought to life with a mixture of practical and digital effects, Doc’s tentacles became a convincing extension of Molina’s character. Molina gave an equally impressive performance when he too joined the fray in Spider-Man: No Way Home, maintaining his deft interpretation of the celebrated villain.

30

Jaime Foxx’s Electro

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Though The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is often considered a weaker entry, Jamie Foxx’s Electro was an undeniable highlight. Foxx brought a significant depth to the character, who is frequently depicted as a rather simplistic foe. Foxx added a lot of heart to the villain, making his turn to evil much more compelling. Foxx’s Electro likewise joined the MCU in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

29

Thomas Haden Church’s Sandman

Spider-Man 3

Thomas Haden Church brought a tragic nuance to the Sandman in Spider-Man 3, crafting a truly sympathetic villain. Church’s performance was a standout feature of Raimi’s third spider movie and did a lot to redeem the slightly messy narrative. Though Church was only available to voice his character’s return in Spider-Man: No Way Home, a CGI rendering of his likeness and archival footage officially brought Church’s Sandman into the MCU.

28

Rhys Ifans’ The Lizard

The Amazing Spider-Man

The final foe to officially join the MCU in Spider-Man: No Way Home was Rhys Ifans’ the Lizard. Ifans first portrayed the character in The Amazing Spider-Man, which gave the character a relatable, Frankenstein’s monster-style inflection that explored notions of identity and the consequences of scientific hubris. Like Thomas Haden Church, the Lizard appeared in No Way Home through CGI and archival footage, with Ifans proffering only the voice for his MCU debut.

27

Tom Hardy’s Venom

Venom

Tom Hardy’s Venom originated in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe with the eponymously titled Venom. Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock adapted elements from various Venoms to create a thrilling antihero more in line with the character’s contemporary depiction in Marvel Comics. Tom Hardy made a surprise cameo in the Spider-Man: No Way Home post-credits sequence, briefly transitioning to the MCU timeline before being transported back.

26

John Krasinski’s Mr Fantastic

Fan-Casting

The Fantastic Four’s cinematic character rights were previously owned by 20th Century Fox. After Disney’s acquisition of Fox, John Krasinski was strongly rumored and repeatedly fan-cast as Reed Richards. This led to the character’s first portrayal in the MCU when Krasinski made a cameo appearance as Mister Fantastic in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – though Krasinski has not been cast in the MCU’s Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness

In Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the MCU takes a deeper dive into the Multiverse and the unknown, introducing variants of Strange and other familiar friends and foes – including The Illuminati – and offers a new perspective on how it works and connects. The story follows Stephen Strange, now post-blip and no longer the Sorcerer Supreme. When a terrifying monster rampages through New York seeking to capture a young girl from another multiverse named America Chavez, Strange finds himself as her newfound protector. Unfortunately, his new foe is a former ally, Wanda Maximoff. To protect Chavez and stop Wanda’s rampage, Strange travels the Multiverse looking for answers – and encounters engrossing and terrifying realities that expand the Marvel Universe in a whole new way.

Release Date

May 6, 2022

Runtime

126 minutes

25

Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier

X-Men (2000)

Patrick Stewart was one of the most memorable members of the X-Men movies. Starring as Professor Charles Xavier, the wise and gentile leader of the X-Men, Patrick appeared in the original X-Men trilogy, each movie in The Wolverine trilogy, and in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Like Mister Fantastic, Xavier made a thrilling, albeit brief, cameo appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

24

Kelsey Grammer’s Beast

X-Men: The Last Stand

Beast was first introduced in X-Men: The Last Stand as a former X-Man and a political adviser. He was brought to life perfectly by Kelsey Grammer, who flawlessly captured Hank McCoy’s eloquent and sophisticated nature. Grammer proved so perfect that he has seemingly been cast as the MCU’s Beast, reprising the role in the post-credits scene in The Marvels.

The Marvels

The Marvels sees the long-awaited team-up of Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) as the trio work together to find out how their powers have become inextricably linked. Acting as a sequel to both Captain Marvel (2019) and the Ms. Marvel television show, The Marvels is the 33rd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Director

Nia DaCosta

Release Date

November 10, 2023

Runtime

105 Minutes

23

Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool

X-Men Origins: Wolverine & Deadpool

Ryan Reynolds has proven himself as the ideal Deadpool in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men franchise. Deadpool & Wolverine continued the established narrative, but it was made by the MCU, not Fox. Though the ending for Deadpool & Wolverine left Deadpool’s place in the MCU’s future undefined, he has officially joined the MCU franchise.

Deadpool & Wolverine

A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox.

Director

Shawn Levy

Release Date

July 26, 2024

Runtime

127 Minutes

22

Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine

X-Men (2000)

Hugh Jackman is the most iconic member of Fox’s X-Men universe, portraying the legendary Wolverine in nine movies. After subsequently reprising his role in Deadpool & Wolverine, Jackman’s Wolverine has likewise entered the MCU. This is technically a separate variant than Fox’s Wolverine, who died in Logan, but it is the first depiction of the iconic mutant in the MCU.

21

Chris Evans’ Johnny Storm

Fantastic Four (2005)

Chris Evans originally played Johnny Storm in Fox’s Fantastic Four, reprising the role for its sequel, Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the SIlver Surfer. Evans was one of the few praised aspects of these movies, which was celebrated with a captivating cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine. After misleading the audience to expect a reappearance from Evans’ Captain America, the movie surprised viewers with a dramatic reveal that Evans’ Human Torch is present in the MCU multiverse.

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20

Wesley Snipes’ Blade

Blade (1998)

One of the most surprising cameos in Deadpool & Wolverine was from Wesley Snipes’ Blade. Snipes played the famed vampire hunter in New Line’s Blade trilogy. Ryan Reynolds appeared in Blade: Trinity, leading to an alleged feud between Reynolds and Wesley Snipes, which has since been dispelled. Particularly after Snipes agreed to return to play Blade in the MCU’s Deadpool & Wolverine.

19

Jennifer Garner’s Elektra

Daredevil (2003)

Jennifer Garner was one of the first confirmed cast for Deadpool & Wolverine. Garner first played Elektra in Daredevil, before earning a solo movie, Elektra. The spin-off failed to live up to her previous performance, and the role felt rather unfulfilled. This was rectified in Deadpool & Wolverine, where Garner’s Elektra returned triumphantly as an MCU variant.

18

Channing Tatum’s Gambit

Unproduced Solo Movie

Channing Tatum was robbed of his chance to play Gambit in Fox’s X-Men movies. Tatum was in negotiations for years to play the Ragin’ Cajun, but was repeatedly removed from scripts and the poor reception of X-Men Origins: Wolverine sunk any hope of a solo movie. Tatum finally donned the mutant’s famed brown trench coat and body armor in Deadpool & Wolverine, satisfying years of unfulfilled possibilities.

17

Tyler Mane’s Sabretooth

X-Men (2000)

The first X-Men movie featured several iconic X-Men villains. Professional wrestler Tyler Mane was cast as the ferocious Sabretooth, boasting the lumbering stature and strength necessary to portray the fearsome foe effectively. Mane was recast for X-Men: Origins, robbing audiences of a rematch with Wolverine starring Mane. The MCU’s Deadpool & Wolverine proffered such an opportunity, and in doing so established Sabretooth in the MCU.

16

Ray Park’s Toad

X-Men (2000)

Ray Park starred alongside Mane in X-Men as the amphibious mutant Toad. Though other versions of Toad have appeared in Fox’s X-Men timeline, Park’s was the most prominent – and is best remembered for being struck by Storm’s lightning. Though Park was supposed to appear in Deadpool & Wolverine as a resident of the Void, he was ultimately played by Daniel Medina Ramos for his MCU debut.

15

Dafne Keen’s X-23

Logan

Dafne Keen was roundly celebrated for her performance as Laura (aka X-23) in Logan. Playing the young ferocious mutant with gusto, Keen was a significant character for Wolverine’s death in the Fox timeline. Despite denying her involvement in the movie, Keen returned to play Laura in the MCU’s Deadpool & Wolverine.