5 Heroes I’m Most Excited About Joining the MCU in 2026

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2026 looks like it will be an exciting year for Marvel. While they have fewer projects planned compared to previous years, Marvel Studios is preparing a strong lineup of new content, including original series on Disney+ that explore different types of stories and huge, game-changing events for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Okay, so Marvel’s got a ton of new characters coming up, and honestly, some of them feel like they’re being set up to be the next big heroes of the MCU. We’re talking about everything from younger heroes who are connected to the original Avengers, to completely new teams popping in from other universes to save their worlds. Over the next year, I’m really hyped to see which of these new superheroes really stand out!

Wonder Man Makes His Live-Action Debut Next Year

Next year, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will be moving from DC Comics films to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starring as Simon Phillips in Wonder Man. The story follows Phillips, an actor struggling to find success in Hollywood. He lands the lead role in a remake of the classic superhero movie Wonder Man, and unexpectedly gains superpowers, transforming his body into a source of incredible ionic energy.

Wonder Man is incredibly powerful, boasting abilities like super strength, flight, teleportation, and even the power to come back to life. Despite being a major Marvel hero, he hasn’t appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe yet, but his introduction could have a significant impact. Simon Phillips has strong ties to heroes like Vision and the Scarlet Witch, making him a great addition to future team-up events such as Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.

Speed is the Latest Young Avenger to Join the MCU

The upcoming Marvel series VisionQuest, slated for Disney+ in 2026, remains largely under wraps, with Marvel sharing few details. What we do know is that it will introduce Tommy Maximoff, also known as Speed, the teenage son of Vision and Wanda Maximoff. The character will be played by Scottish actor Ruaridh Mollica. Tommy is the twin brother of Billy Maximoff, or Wiccan, who recently reappeared in the Agatha All Along series.

Tommy Maximoff is the newest addition to what’s shaping up to be a Young Avengers team in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel has been setting the stage for this team for years, introducing heroes like Ms. Marvel and Ironheart. With Wiccan and Speed now joining the group, the team is almost complete and will likely first appear in a Disney+ series as part of Phase 7. Tommy’s arrival feels like the final step in bringing the long-awaited Young Avengers to life.

The X-Men Are Arriving in Avengers: Doomsday

Okay, I’m SO excited about the X-Men finally joining the MCU! We’ve been waiting forever, and while the reboot with Jake Schreier is going to be amazing, it’s awesome to hear that the original cast gets one last hurrah first. I mean, Professor X, Magneto, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Beast, Mystique, and Gambit – all of them are confirmed to be coming over next year! And there are whispers that we might even see Wolverine, Deadpool, X-23, Storm, and Jean Grey too! Seriously, this is a dream come true for any X-Men fan like me.

Avengers: Doomsday will be a historic event, bringing the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men together on screen for the very first time. This film unites beloved characters from the past twenty-five years of Marvel movies and provides a satisfying conclusion to their stories before the X-Men are reintroduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2028.

Doorman Is a Mysterious New Villain Joining the MCU

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe features popular heroes like Spider-Man and Wolverine, it’s also become known for introducing lesser-known comic book characters to a wider audience. The next character getting this treatment is Doorman, a relatively obscure superhero who will appear in the upcoming Wonder Man series. Actor Byron Bowers will play DeMarr Davis, a mutant with the ability to teleport and become intangible.

Doorman isn’t a well-known Marvel character, which actually gives filmmakers a lot of freedom when bringing him to the screen. He’s historically been part of the Great Lakes Avengers, a somewhat silly superhero team known for their less-than-impressive abilities. With Mr. Immortal recently appearing in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, introducing Doorman could be a fun way to hint at the future appearance of this comedic team. Alternatively, Marvel could showcase Doorman’s true potential by exploring his “Angel of Death” side, which grants him control over the powerful Darkforce energy – the same energy that powers Cloak.

Jessica Jones Is Finally Returning to the MCU

The upcoming second season of Born Again will bring back Jessica Jones, the private investigator and former Defender, six years after she last appeared on screen. The season will feature a reunion between Jessica and Matt Murdock after a long time, as they form a new team to fight against New York City’s corrupt new mayor, Wilson Fisk.

Before the Daredevil: Born Again series, Jessica Jones had a loose connection to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While her show was part of The Defenders Saga, its place in official MCU continuity was unclear. Now, with her return in Born Again, Krysten Ritter’s character is officially a part of the MCU. This is particularly exciting because it could lead to a new Jessica Jones series or a revival of The Defenders. Jessica Jones’s return might also pave the way for other former Defenders, like Luke Cage and Iron Fist, to rejoin the MCU.

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2025-12-12 22:11