But there are plenty of other high-profile actors and actresses who have yet to appear in the MCU, and fans have many ideas for which characters they could play. Indeed, there are still dozens of great Marvel comic characters who deserve to show up in the MCU. In a moment of pure fan casting, John Krasinski was recently revealed as Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Who else is there to come? Which actors and actresses do fans want to see in the newly discovered and ever-growing multiverse? Well, we have our own thoughts on this as well. Here are our picks for the actors and actresses we want to see in future MCU movies.
9. Al Pacino as Mephisto
The man who gave life to Michael Corleone, Sonny Wortzik, and Frank Serpico has already had informal discussions about joining the MCU, but we’re still waiting for Al Pacino to show up on the big screen. If he were to join, he’d need a large enough role that’s deserving of Pacino’s own extensive gravitas—one that would give him the opportunity to work that character from the ground up. For us, Mephisto would be the perfect role for Pacino to chew up and devour. The Marvel character has a darkness that’s well-suited for Pacino, as well as a certain aura that Pacino could embody with his own.
8. Anna Kendrick as Squirrel Girl
Anna Kendrick is a fine actress, a decent singer, and somebody who exudes a great sense of fun wherever she seems to go. Her likability and general fun-loving attitude mean that her joining the MCU would have to come in a heroic capacity as opposed to a villainous one. That’s why fans have been pushing for her to appear as Squirrel Girl—who, oddly enough, is one of the few characters in the Marvel comic books to have defeated Thanos. Whether or not Kendrick actually appears in the MCU seems to be entirely down to her and the powers at Marvel, but having Squirrel Girl appear in the cinematic universe is really only a matter of time.
7. Anya Taylor-Joy as Gwenpool
Anya Taylor-Joy is, to quote Will Ferrell as fashion designer Mugatu, “so hot right now.” Her career has exploded and she’s currently in the process of leading more than one highly anticipated movie, including Furiosa. She’d be an excellent addition to the MCU in a place where she can bring across a character that feels offbeat but with potential to be epic—which is why she needs to portray Gwenpool. In the comics, Gwenpool knows that she’s in a fictional world. She can manipulate the boxes of text on the pages of the comic as well as the panels in which she appears. The weird fun of Gwenpool makes Anya Taylor-Joy a perfect candidate for the character, and her stardom would help launch the character of Gwenpool to new heights of pop culture recognition.
6. Emily Blunt as Sue Storm
With John Krasinski already having joined the MCU as Reed Richards, fans are celebrating one half of their dream casting for Sue and Reed. Now they want to complete the pair, with Emily Blunt coming in as Sue Storm to accompany her real-life husband. Blunt’s credentials are perfect for the role, with the only cinematic honor she’s yet to achieve being nominated for an Academy Award. Other than that, her acting ability is enough to draw a solid performance as Sue Storm, more so than any of her predecessors. The only stumbling block here is whether or not Blunt would want to take on the role, as her prior comments indicate that she may not be so enthusiastic about being someone as iconic as Invisible Woman.
5. Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy/Spider-Gwen
The MCU has already shown us that the multiverse can have variations of characters with different looks and not-so-different looks. While Doctor Strange looks broadly similar across multiple realities, Spider-Man has different faces in two of his universes. Along those lines, fans don’t want to see anyone other than Emma Stone playing Spider-Gwen. Because Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man has already appeared in the MCU, fans want her back as soon as possible. Emma Stone is one of modern cinema’s most versatile actresses, so to give her old character life in a new form would present a fun challenge for her—and become a celebrated moment for fans.
4. Tom Cruise as Superior Iron Man
We didn’t get to see Tom Cruise suit up as a variant of Tony Stark in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and the disappointment was palpable. For all the cameos in that movie, his non-presence in particular felt like a big loss. However, that doesn’t mean we won’t see him in the MCU at some point in the future, as many sources have indicated Maverick himself will be coming to the MCU sooner rather than later. If Tom Cruise does make an MCU debut, it’ll have to be as Superior Iron Man. He’s perfect for the role, as he can do something new with Iron Man that Downey Jr. never needed to do. Cruise’s endless charm and natural ability to draw people toward him could play well for a variant of Iron Man that’s corrupted.
3. Jessica Chastain as Aldrif Odinsdottir
There are great modern actresses, and then there’s Jessica Chastain. Her acting ability puts her as one of the most transformative actresses in history, and it’s rare for her to commit herself to inferior movies. Putting aside her role in the last X-Men movie, she needs to be brought into the MCU in a significant capacity. Alongside Christian Bale, she’d represent a huge win for Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios. Who could Chastain play? Well, in some respects, it doesn’t really matter because she’d crush any role given. But to see her as Thor’s long-lost sister Aldrif Odinsdottir (aka Angela) would be a treat.
2. Jon Bernthal as The Punisher
Okay, we know this one is definitely happening: Jon Bernthal will be coming back to his iconic role as The Punisher. Seeing Bernthal in the MCU will be a moment of celebration for the character and the fans who kept Bernthal alive in the role, as he’s become the definitive version of on-screen Frank Castle. Re-casting the role would be met with severe backlash from Marvel fans, and Kevin Feige is usually astute in knowing what to do with popular castings. Alongside Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin, expect to see Bernthal’s Punisher back very soon!
1. Keanu Reeves as The Silver Surfer
Keanu Reeves may not be the most versatile actor in the world, but he’s certainly one of the most popular. The John Wick star has long been touted by fans for a role in the MCU, and he’s reportedly turned down multiple opportunities so far because he wants a different role. Well, according to some sources in the know, Keanu Reeves will be coming to the MCU very soon in an undisclosed role—which most of us are hoping will be The Silver Surfer. Reeves’ voice and physical ability set him in good stead to portray Norrin Radd, the being from Zenn-La that becomes The Silver Surfer and Herald of Galactus. His arrival would signal a new age for the MCU, with one of its most powerful characters coming to the fore. Read next: The greatest Marvel MCU opening scenes, ranked
