Before the MCU ever took off, Marvel had a host of successful adaptations across media that have fond memories attached to them. Be it films before 2008’s Iron Man, the animated series based on beloved characters and teams, or even the video games, Marvel has had some great iterations of characters that fans have come to enjoy and adore.
With Avengers: Secret Wars shaping to be just as big a spectacle as Avengers: Endgame, Marvel might have its hands full trying to top the spectacle and volume of the finale of the Infinity Saga. Thankfully, a lot of beloved Marvel media is fair game to use for the films, given that it is a multiverse story, with plenty of potential fun cameos and easter eggs for audiences to spot and enjoy. Here are ten such cameos that could be a fun easter egg for Marvel fans.
Chris Evan’s Human Torch
Before he was Captain America, leading the Avengers into a charge against Thanos, Chris Evans was the cocky yet lovable Human Torch, a.k.a Johnny Storm, a member of the Fantastic Four. Playing the character in two films for Fox Studios, ever since the multiverse has been blown wide open, fans have been clamoring to see MCU’s Captain America cross paths with Fox’s first Human Torch.
While that opportunity has passed, Chris Evans could find another chance to enter the MCU without having to mess with the send-off that was given to Captain America. And who wouldn’t want to see a wisened Johnny Storm, taking over from retired Reed and Sue to help out where law enforcement couldn’t?
Wesley Snipe’s Blade
Mahershalla Ali’s Blade will be making his debut sometime shortly, but Wesley Snipes’s portrayal of the character remains just as iconic now as it was two decades ago. As gory and as angsty as the portrayal was, Blade carved the path for future Marvel films, proving to execs that a Marvel character can make it at the box office. Including the character in Secret Wars will not only allow fans to enjoy a fun little cameo in the MCU but would also bring in the possibility of the character crossing paths with his MCU version.
Ang Lee’s Hulk
It has been over a decade and a half since the Hulk had a solo film. But before the character made an appearance in the MCU, Ang Lee took a crack at directing a Hulk film, one that was released in 2003. Isolated from the wider Marvel franchise, Hulk is a film a lot of audiences remember fondly, given that Marvel has been unable to produce a solo Hulk venture despite having the rights to do so. The Hulk appearing in Secret Wars would not only be a fun bit of nostalgic story-telling but could also measure fan anticipation with regards to a solo Hulk film.
Nicolas Cage’s Ghost Rider
Well before Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was released, rumor had it that Ghost Rider was going to be a part of the Illuminati. While that rumor remained just that, it would be fun to see Nicholas Cage reprise the role of the Spirit of Vengence, and finally introduce the MCU to Mephistopheles, the king of Hell that so many anticipated would play a bigger role in the MCU. Apart from being a fan-favorite character, Ghost Rider would also be a heavy hitter that the Avengers would love to have on their side, against whoever they are fighting.
Old King Thor
Thor might be retired in the MCU, but multiple versions of the character have never given up the fight. Old King Thor is one of the most beloved versions of the character and is also the leader of the Thor Corps, a peacekeeping police force on Battleworld, the setting of Secret Wars in the comics.
Not only could Old King Thor lead the Avengers, but he could also be one of the heaviest hitters that the Avengers could through at a threat, given that the character is the absolute monarch of Asgard, and also the wielder of the Thor force, which he has full control over. Did I mention the arm is made from the same material as the Destroyer?
Quicksilver from X-Men: Days of Future Past
Evan Peters’ cameo in WandaVision had a lot of people speculating about the nature of the character in the MCU. While almost everyone was fooled into believing that the MCU had brought in a character from the Fox-verse, fans were ultimately disappointed with the reveal that Peters’ role was that of a gag character.
Marvel has a chance to correct this mistake, by bringing in a Quicksilver that is part of the main X-Men, perhaps providing Wanda with some closure, who is yet to be confirmed to be dead. Peters’ version of the character is one of the fastest adaptations of Quicksilver, giving the good guys that much more of an edge.
Rogue from X-Men: The Animated Series
X-Men: The Animated Series is one of the most beloved versions of the mutant population of the MCU, with Rogue having her most iconic design yet in this adaptation. This version of the character, despite being the quintessential version of Rogue for many fans, also has the powers of Captain Marvel, which she absorbed permanently.
Combined with her powers of energy absorption, this character will be a fun little cameo of the original fans, while also providing the Avengers with a second Captain Marvel to throw at whatever Big Bad decided to tangle with them on that day.
James Rogers from Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow
Steve Rogers has retired and Natasha Romanoff is dead. However, in another timeline, the two got together as a couple and had a son, who was orphaned by Ultron. James Rogers serves up fans of both characters with enough chatter material, but also be a fun cameo for anyone familiar with the Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow animated film.
James Rogers comes from a world where the Avengers die fighting Ultron, and the children of the Avengers take up the mantle to fight to defeat the AI. There is also the fact that people have been clamoring to see the children of Peggy and Steve, this could be a fun bit of fan service for those interested.
Mandarin from Iron Man: Armoured Adventures
Iron Man: Armour Adventures had a short run, but it left a big impact on an entire generation of viewers. Besides great character design, the animated series also had one of the most intimidating depictions of the Mandarin. Unlike Shang Chi of the MCU, the Mandarin here is a character named Gene Khan, who searched for the Makluan Rings to summon the Mandarin armor, which Tony Stark fought against on multiple occasions.
This version of the character is vastly different from what we have seen in the MCU or even the comics. However, Armoured Adventures created a slew of interesting designs for a lot of characters, and seeing them in live-action could make the most hardcore among Marvel fans squeal with glee.
Spider-Punk from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Honestly, any character that exists in the Spider-Verse franchise could make a very successful cameo in Secret Wars. However, Spider-Punk is played by MCU’s own Daniel Kaluuya, who played W’kabi, the head of security of the Border tribe. Spider-Punk has since turned into a fan-favorite character in Across the Spider-Verse and has the right chaotic energy required to make a brief but memorable cameo and then duck out and let the plot take its course.
