5 Major MCU Characters We Probably Won’t See In 2026

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It’s highly unlikely that certain Marvel Cinematic Universe characters will appear in Marvel Studios’ new movies and TV shows planned for 2026. 2026 promises to be a big year for Marvel, starting with Wonder Man in January and culminating in Avengers: Doomsday in December. While shows like Daredevil: Born Again, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Punisher, X-Men ’97, VisionQuest, and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will feature familiar faces, some MCU characters won’t be making a comeback.

Some actors aren’t eager to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and recent issues have negatively affected certain characters. Following some disappointing movie releases, the future is unclear for several popular and powerful MCU characters. Unfortunately, this likely means we won’t see some of these fan favorites in 2026, which is a real loss.

5) Marc Spector’s Moon Knight

Oscar Isaac’s debut as Moon Knight – Marc Spector, Steven Grant, and Jake Lockley – in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2022 was a highlight for many fans. However, Isaac has recently expressed reluctance to work with Disney again, following the suspension of talk show host Jimmy Kimmel in September 2025. He’s asked for changes at the studio and throughout the entertainment industry to eliminate political interference. While he mentioned potentially reprising his role as Poe Dameron in Star Wars, this also suggests a return as Moon Knight is now less likely.

4) Jennifer Walters’ She-Hulk

Like Oscar Isaac, Tatiana Maslany has publicly criticized Disney and its CEO, Bob Iger. Maslany played She-Hulk in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, but didn’t receive much support from Disney when she faced criticism. Despite being a compelling and strong new character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, She-Hulk probably won’t appear again soon, as Maslany continues to call for a boycott of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN. She cites concerns about political influence, unfair treatment of employees, and what she sees as Iger’s disconnect from the realities of running the studio.

3) Kang the Conqueror

Kang the Conqueror was set up to be the main villain throughout Marvel’s Multiverse Saga, first appearing in 2021. However, legal issues with actor Jonathan Majors, who was arrested and convicted on assault and harassment charges in 2023, led to his firing from Marvel. While some fans hoped Kang could be recast, Robert Downey Jr. taking on the role of Doctor Doom has effectively replaced Kang as the MCU’s central villain. Though a future return for Kang isn’t impossible, it’s now highly improbable he’ll appear in any projects before 2026.

2) Nick Fury

Nick Fury has been a key figure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ever since the first Iron Man movie. Samuel L. Jackson’s character, the former director of SHIELD, initially assembled the Avengers and continued to support them in their individual stories. He’s made an appearance in all four Avengers films so far, and fans would love to see him in Avengers: Doomsday. However, with recent Marvel projects like Secret Invasion and The Marvels receiving mixed reactions, it’s unclear whether Nick Fury will return in 2026.

1) The Eternals

When Eternals came out as part of Marvel’s Phase 4, it received a lot of negative feedback, and Marvel Studios seemed to abandon plans for a sequel or future appearances by the characters. But recently, the film has gained a more positive reputation, making it disappointing that we haven’t seen the Eternals in a new live-action project since 2021. Fans are eager to learn more about Sersi, Phastos, and Kingo’s journey with Arishem, and to see what happens with Eros, Druig, Thena, and Makkari. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem likely that these storylines will be continued in any upcoming projects in 2026.

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2026-01-05 00:40