Marvel’s ingenuine approach to engaging audiences by breaking the fourth wall has been a success. At the moment, fans get to witness the creative element in MCU’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law starring Tatiana Maslany. The TV series spins around the legal comedy genre featuring Maslany as Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk, who occasionally breaks the fourth wall by turning to the camera and speaking to the viewers.
In the comics, She-Hulk is the first Marvel character to break the fourth wall. Hence, her Marvel movie debut stuck to the approach catering to fans’ satisfaction. However, in the movie world, the Deadpool films have long established the superhero as the most prominent fourth-wall breaker. Although, there are other MCU characters who have enjoyed this unique power before She-Hulk in the movies. Here are 5 MCU characters who did it way before She-Hulk:
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1. Deadpool and Wade Wilson
Over the course of the MCU character’s 2 solo films since 2016, the franchise has made it a tradition to stick with Deadpool’s fourth-wall-breaking. He is unique that way. Besides simply addressing the audience, Deadpool also takes a dip into other superhero franchises.
In the first installment, the film unraveled with Deadpool wiping off a sticky gum off the camera lens. The fourth-wall breaking was kind of new for MCU fans back then, and instantly added to Marvel’s benefit.
A particular scene referenced Ryan Reynolds’ playing Green Lantern for Warner Bros after Wade Wilson bought food from Feige’s Pizza and asked Agent Smith to not make his super suit green or even animated. Likewise, Deadpool 2 didn’t stop at it and Marvel intends to continue with the fourth-wall breaking in 2024’s Deadpool 3 as well.
2. Baby Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
The adorable extraterrestrial tree monster Groot was not associated with breaking the fourth wall before but Vol 2. brought in new ideas for the MCU character. In the sequel, Baby Groot falls off an Orloni in the opening scene. After the camera drifted off a bit too far, Baby Groot briefly knocked into the lens while hanging on for his life. Meanwhile, the rest of his team was kept busy fighting the humongous tentacled creature to protect the Sovereign’s Annulax batteries.
3. Vision from WandaVision
MCU is steadily pacing up with its creativity. Episode 7 of WandaVision portrayed what many 90s kids would miss. A mockumentary-styled episode titled, Breaking the Fourth Wall, which makes it pretty self-explanatory, much like the hit sitcom Modern Family. The episode featured moments when characters spoke to the audience including lead character Vision played by Paul Bettany.
4. The Watcher from What if…?
Even though the MCU character does not top the list of fourth-wall breakers, he certainly does fit in it. In the first season of What if…? The Watcher played by Jeffrey Wright acts as the narrator of the episodes and explains himself as the audience’s guide through these new realities.
As the story unfolds within the episodes, the MCU character speaks to the viewers explaining all that’s happening and how it varies from the real MCU eras. Season 2 of What if…? Is expected to release next year.
5. Pizza Poppa from Doctor Strange 2
Sam Raimi has made it a tradition to feature Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell in his movies, one way or another. The director’s foremost MCU film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness presented Campbell as Pizza Poppa, who burst in the post-credits. After Pizza Poppa freed himself from Doctor Strange’s self-punching spell, he acknowledges the audience by directly staring into the camera and celebrating his newfound freedom with the audience.
As for now, She-Hulk takes the spotlight on much of the fourth wall breaking and making the audience feel visible. But that is until we get to watch Wade Wilson return in Deadpool 3.
