Marvel’s cinematic universe is planning two large-scale events with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Afterwards, it’s important to move forward and focus on new heroes instead of constantly bringing back the original Avengers. While fans miss characters like Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor, repeatedly relying on them prevents the MCU from telling new stories. Marvel should have spent more time developing the newer heroes they’ve already introduced, some of whom are already popular with audiences but haven’t been given enough focus.
With Iron Man and Thor’s stories evolving and the future of the Avengers uncertain, here’s a look at 10 heroes who could lead the Marvel Cinematic Universe forward.
10) Shuri
Shuri received her own movie largely due to the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman. Marvel decided against recasting the role of Black Panther as a tribute to Boseman, and instead chose to make Shuri, T’Challa’s sister, the new Black Panther. While T’Challa’s son was introduced after the credits of Wakanda Forever, Shuri currently holds the lead role, and deserves recognition for her established presence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
9) Love
While it’s unlikely, Love, Thor’s daughter, has potential to become a more prominent hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For those needing a refresher from Thor: Love and Thunder, Love is the daughter of Gorr the God Butcher, and Thor vowed to raise her after her father’s sacrifice. The challenge is that she’s played by Chris Hemsworth’s daughter, and isn’t a professional actress. Despite this, she’s now a superhero within the MCU, and could potentially take over for Thor when his time as a hero is done.
8) Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards was just a baby when he last appeared in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. But in the comic books, he’s grown up quickly, and his incredible powers could allow for a similar change in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Some fans speculate that Franklin might help Doctor Doom create Battleworld, and this could be a good opportunity to age him up to his teenage years, matching his comic book age. Regardless, Franklin is one of Marvel’s most powerful beings, and the MCU will need to address that when the Fantastic Four debut in their first movie, set on Earth after Secret Wars.
7) X-23
As a huge fan, I was so excited to see X-23, aka Laura Kinney, show up in Deadpool & Wolverine! She originally came onto the scene in the Logan timeline, but now she’s seemingly landed in Deadpool’s world alongside Wolverine. That definitely hints she’ll be part of the MCU’s future, especially with both Deadpool and Wolverine coming back for more. It’s interesting that Marvel seems to be focusing on a younger generation of mutants, and I think introducing Laura as a fresh take on the female Wolverine would be absolutely amazing! It feels like the perfect fit for where things are headed.
6) Yelena Belova
As a huge MCU fan, I’ve really noticed how much screen time Yelena Belova has gotten – more than most of the original heroes, honestly! She first showed up in Black Widow, and by the end, she’d essentially taken over as the new Black Widow after her sister’s sacrifice. Then we saw her in Hawkeye, working for Valentina, and she continued that relationship in Thunderbolts. It’s exciting to hear she’ll be in Avengers: Doomsday too! I think Yelena’s a great addition to the MCU and I really hope they keep her around even after everything gets rebooted.
5) Wiccan
As a fan, I’m really hoping Marvel continues to focus on Wiccan. I think leaving him out would be a huge missed opportunity! He first showed up as one of Wanda Maximoff’s twins, created when she was lost in a fantasy world after Vision died. Then, we saw him again in Agatha All Along, where he started learning about his powers with Agatha Harkness’s help. I’m excited to see him return in VisionQuest in 2025, and I truly believe he needs to be a key member of the Young Avengers when the MCU moves forward after Secret Wars. He’s just too important to leave out!
4) Ironheart
Ironheart was a surprisingly excellent show on Disney+, but it didn’t get the attention it deserved. Many people skipped it for reasons unrelated to its quality, which was a real shame. The series introduced Riri Williams, and she faced off against compelling villains like the Hood, the son of Obadiah Stane, and even the demonic Mephisto. Ironheart is a strong addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and her appearance in What If…? proves she should play a bigger role going forward.
3) Ms. Marvel
Kamala Khan, a.k.a. Ms. Marvel, is easily the strongest legacy character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Iman Vellani’s performance is arguably Marvel’s best casting choice since Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth. Currently, no other actor embodies their role better than Vellani as Kamala Khan – she’s exactly what Marvel fans want to see. Her Disney+ series was fantastic, and even in the divisive movie The Marvels, she stood out as a bright spot. She also impressed in What If…?, and fans are eager to see Kamala Khan featured in as many future MCU projects as possible.
2) Kate Bishop
As a critic, I was immediately captivated by Kate Bishop’s introduction in Hawkeye. It was clear from the start she was being positioned as the new archer, gracefully taking the reins as Clint Barton prepares to hang up his bow. Like Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel) and the upcoming Ironheart, Kate felt like a key piece of Marvel’s future, and I truly believe these three should be sharing the screen much more often. Honestly, it feels like a missed opportunity that we haven’t seen a dedicated team-up yet – a Young Avengers or, even better, a Champions roster built around these legacy heroes would be fantastic. It’s a mystery to me why Marvel hasn’t fully committed, because Kate, Kamala, and the future Ironheart really should be the core of that team.
1) Miles Morales
I’ve always been a huge fan of Miles Morales, and I think he’s a bit of an anomaly. While they name-dropped him in Spider-Man: Homecoming, he hasn’t actually shown up in the main Marvel Cinematic Universe yet. But he’s been incredible in the Into the Spider-Verse films, and with the final movie coming out before Avengers: Secret Wars, I think Marvel would be brilliant to include him! They could easily explain his absence by saying he was involved in the Incursions, and then finally bring a live-action Miles into the MCU after the reboot. Honestly, seeing him team up with Peter Parker would be a dream come true! And he needs to join forces with Kamala, Riri, and Kate – a new team of young heroes is exactly what the MCU needs.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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2026-01-16 18:20