MCU’s Forgotten Heroes: Shocking List Revealed

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Over approximately two decades and a total of 47 films and series, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has populated its ranks with a rich array of enduring, popular character favorites. It’s also transformed lesser-known figures such as Iron Man and the Guardians of the Galaxy into global sensations. Characters like Thor, Captain America, and Spider-Man frequently take center stage, but unfortunately, Marvel Studios has neglected some cherished characters, a fact that becomes particularly apparent in Phases 4 and 5. One dedicated fan has even calculated which characters have been sidelined.

Fan of Marvel, @hdwmovies shared on X (previously Twitter) a list showing the number of times prominent characters have appeared on-screen between Avengers: Endgame in 2019 and the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, set for release in 2026. While Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor dominated the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s early era, the current list might catch some off guard. This list excludes post-credit scenes and brief cameos. Yelena Belova (portrayed by Florence Pugh) leads the pack with three screen appearances between Endgame and DoomsdayThunderbolts*. Sam Wilson/Captain America (Anthony Mackie), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani), Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), and Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) share the second spot, each having appeared three times.

*Note: The original text mentions Thunderbolts, but the movie has not been officially named as such yet.

In contrast to certain characters like Hope Van Dyne, Cassie Lang, and Kate Bishop who are supporting heroes in their lower-ranked roles, some other appearances are quite unexpected. For instance, after featuring prominently in multiple Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films between Iron Man and Avengers: Infinity War, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has only appeared once since Avengers: Endgame, in the less-well-received Thor: Love & Thunder. Similarly, Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), who was a regular in the MCU, has made just one appearance since then, in the debated Disney+ series She-Hulk. This is strikingly different from their frequency of appearances during the height of the MCU. Thor appeared in five movies, and Hulk in four, between Iron Man and Avengers: Infinity War.

One of the MCU’s Forgotten Heroes Nearly Led the Avengers

Shang-Chi ended up at the bottom of the list, with just one appearance following Endgame. Interestingly, his only appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was in his solo movie titled Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. This film garnered positive reviews from both audiences and critics, and managed to be a successful box office hit for Marvel Studios, earning over $432 million globally. However, since then, Shang-Chi has not made any further appearances on either the big or small screen.

Initially, drafts from the abandoned script for what was supposed to be Avengers 5 indicated that Shang-Chi would rise to become the main protagonist within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The canceled Kang Dynasty film would have positioned Shang-Chi among the key heroes in the Avengers squad, with them confronting the villain Kang, played by Jonathan Majors. Unfortunately, due to allegations of domestic abuse against the actor chosen for the role of Kang, who was slated to be the next major MCU antagonist, the movie was scrapped. As a result, both characters find themselves in a state of storytelling uncertainty. For now, we can only anticipate how these characters will be portrayed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1, 2026, as part of Phase Six.

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2025-01-16 17:33