Marvel Studios Blocked This Fan-Favorite From Joining Thunderbolts in Phase 5

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In the closing act of Marvel Studio’s Phase 5 epic, “Thunderbolts,” unfortunately, I didn’t see my beloved multiversal hero make an appearance as initially planned in the grand saga.

In Phase 5, the highly anticipated team-up film, Thunderbolts, gathers a diverse group of characters for an exciting journey. The titular squad, the menacing Sentry, and potential appearances by Marvel Comics’ Songbird promise a thrilling experience.

This upcoming movie’s cast will feature actors who have appeared in multiple Marvel Cinematic Universe productions previously, such as “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier,” “Black Widow,” and “Ant-Man and The Wasp.” However, this roster has been refined over the past couple of years during the development stage.

Major Characters Nixed from MCU Phase 5

In a chat with Games Radar, Director Jake Schreier shared that there was a significant character he had hoped to feature in the last Phase 5 Marvel Cinematic Universe film.

Reflecting on his movie proposal, Schreier recalled a time when he had hoped to include Man-Thing as part of the team during production. Yet, he acknowledged that ultimately, everything turned out favorably without the giant green creature appearing in the final film.

In his initial appearance within the MCU, Man-Thing featured in “Werewolf by Night.” Yet, since then, he has not reappeared in the MCU and missed out on joining the cast of “Thunderbolts.” However, this is not an unprecedented situation for actors involved with Marvel Studios productions.

More recently, the characters Beta Ray Bill, Iron Fist, and Ghost Rider were excluded from Season 3 of What If…?. This is because these characters have not been featured in the live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe before, making them unavailable for inclusion in the animated series.

In the series Agatha All Along, there were two additional characters, Mephisto and Hulkling, who were significant to the main characters but ultimately did not appear.

I also suggest:

In the TV show Agatha All Along, there were a couple of characters, Mephisto and Hulkling, who had important connections with the principal characters but didn’t end up being part of the series.

In a twist that left me puzzled, it seemed that the creators of X-Men ’97 were unable to include Deadpool. Interestingly enough, he would make his grand entrance into the Marvel universe just a bit later, starring in Deadpool & Wolverine, which followed soon after.

When Will Man-Thing Return to the MCU?

Man-Thing quickly won over fans’ hearts when he first appeared in “Werewolf by Night“. This sparked curiosity about where else we might encounter this character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Regrettably, despite the initial project’s debut over two years ago, there has been no trace yet of the beloved creature often referred to as “Ted”.

In the recent past, I found myself portraying a colossal figure, deep within the woods, sharing tranquil moments by a crackling fire with Gael Garcia Bernal’s Jack Russell. This scene marked the conclusion of the thrilling ‘Werewolf by Night’ special.

Ted is associated with the supernatural aspects of the Marvel universe, as demonstrated by his battle against demons alongside Jennifer Kale (depicted in the MCU’s “Agatha All Along”). Moreover, he appears in narratives linked to the Nexus of All Realities, thus binding him to occurrences beyond Earth and in other dimensions.

Although it’s unlikely that Ted will feature in movies such as “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars”, potential projects with teams like the Midnight Suns may provide an opportunity for his return. Meanwhile, he might reappear when the franchise resumes its focus on magical or monster-filled narratives.

At present, Man-Thing will take a backseat, but it’s likely that the Marvel Cinematic Universe will delve into his specialty again as the Multiverse Saga approaches its end.

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2025-05-13 06:15