Top 10 Things We Could See in the MCUs Multiverse

Top 10 Things We Could See in the MCUs Multiverse

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 things we could see in the MCU’s multiverse.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the weirdest and wildest stuff that might make it into the Marvel cinematic multiverse based on what we’ve seen in the comics and what we know about the business.

What else is lurking in the endless depths of Marvel’s many worlds? Let us know which worlds you want to see in the comments.

#10: The DC Universe

Hear us out. It might seem like the last possible thing you should expect to see in a Marvel movie is a reference to characters owned by their bitter rivals. But consider this: Marvel and DC have a long history of crossovers going as far back as the “Superman vs The Amazing Spider-Man” one shot in the 1970s. Even during the most tense, lawsuit-ridden times in their rivalry, artists and writers for both companies have been sneaking references to each other into their comics for decades. That doesn’t mean we’re going to see Wonder Woman shaking hands with Captain America, but keep your eyes peeled, because a quick reference to the Justice League being out in the multiverse somewhere is a real possibility.

#9: Marvel Apes

You’ve heard of the Planet of the Apes, but what about a whole universe of them? Apes have been a weirdly huge part of comics ever since the rumour started that DC Comics got a bump in sales every time they put a gorilla on the cover. Maybe that’s why Marvel created a universe where all their biggest characters were apes, from Spider-Monkey right on down to Iron Mandrill and the Ape-Vengers. We don’t even need to make up jokes for this entry. Those are the characters’ real names. But maybe the weirdest part is that it’s shockingly well-written. Rather than relying solely on punny names and banana jokes, it tells a complicated story of dominance and brutality for a disturbingly believable take on the Marvel heroes as apes.

#8: Classic Versions of the Characters

From the 1960s Spider-Man cartoon to the 70s Incredible Hulk, Marvel characters have been adapted into all kinds of media over the years. Some of them are great. Others, like the 90s Captain America movie, not so much. We already got a little taste of what this might look like in the Spider-Verse movie, but Marvel’s love for referencing their history runs even deeper and weirder than that. For one example, the Spider-Verse comics featured a version of the webhead from a 1970s japanese TV show “Supaidaman” and his giant robot. We don’t know if the cinema-going public is ready for that level of weirdness yet, we’re just saying the filmmakers have a lot of material to pull from.

#7: Actor Cameos

If there’s one thing that ties Marvel movies together, it’s the cameos. Well, one specific cameo for the most part. Don’t pretend you don’t know who we’re talking about. But now that Stan Lee has sadly passed away, it may be time to cast a wider net for their cameos. If we’re bringing back previous versions of the characters, why not bring back the actors who played them? In fact, there are already rumours that Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire show up in “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” in what may be a Spider-Verse style scenario. Either way, bringing back former actors may be a way to make all previous Marvel movies canon in the multiverse. Although, hopefully not ALL of them.

#6: The Noir Universe

Remember that black-and-white Spider-Man in the trench coat from “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse?” Turns out he comes from a whole film noir universe where it’s still the 1930s. It features reinterpretations of all kinds of Marvel characters. Such as Spider-Man as a hard boiled detective, like the Shadow, to Iron Man as a globe-trotting adventurer, like Indiana Jones, in a suit of armour. The Noir Universe, named for the gritty detective genre of film noir, is packed with texture, excitement and darker takes on classic Marvel moments. Nothing against Spider-Verse, but there’s a lot more to discover on a visit to the Noir universe than a goofy background character voiced by Nicolas Cage.

#5: The X-Men

It’s no secret that ever since Disney bought Fox, the rights for the X-Men are back in the hands of the people making the Marvel cinematic universe. Now, the question is less about whether the mutants will show up in an MCU movie and more about how the writers will do it. Will they say mutants have suddenly appeared in the world? Were Wolverine and Professor X locked away this whole time? Have mutants just been around all along and everyone was too busy fighting a purple spaceman and his jewelry collection to say anything? Believe it or not, only some of those answers are stupid. But one other way to do it might be to simply introduce them in the universe next door.

#4: Star Wars

Speaking of things Disney owns... Listen, we’re not saying Disney should film a crossover between Marvel and Star Wars. It would be terrible for both franchises and it would probably crash the world economy when it somehow makes more money than there is on Earth at the box office. But yes, in an infinite number of universes, one of them must contain the Millenium Falcon. And since Kevin Feige, the Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment is known to be working on an as-yet unannounced Star Wars project, it wouldn’t be surprising to see at least a little hint of that somewhere in Marvel’s multiverse.

#3: Marvel Zombies

In the early days of Marvel Comics’ rise to the top of the comic book industry, a Marvel Zombie was a joking name for someone who bought every comic Marvel-- Wait, what? We’re talking about actual zombies? Yes, that’s right. In a comic series that is absolutely not for the faint of heart, Marvel took that old comic nerd joke and made it literal with a universe full of flesh eating monsters who used to be your childhood heroes. There’s even a hint that this prediction might come true in the trailer for the upcoming Marvel What-If animated series with what is unmistakably an undead Captain America. Although that might still be a part of a different, less apocalyptic story.

#2: Marvel 1602

In the year 1602, Queen Elizabeth was on the English Throne, the first European settlers were making their homes in North America and the colony’s first printing press was run by -- Spider-Man? Okay, it might not be totally accurate from a historical standpoint. But in Marvel’s 1602 Universe, the incomparable Niel Gaiman constructs an alternate world where the Marvel heroes arrive on the scene almost 500 years before the versions we know. Nick Fury and Doctor Strange are advisors to the British Crown, the X-men are hunted as witches. And the Hulk… fights a bunch of dinosaurs for some reason. It’s weird, wild and full of mind-bending meditations on the nature of narrative fiction. And it would be an awesome world to visit in the Marvel Multiverse.

#1: The Squadron Supreme

Remember way back in entry number 10 when we said that Marvel has a history of doing sneaky crossovers with DC? Well, if you’re a Justice League fan, the Squadron Supreme might look suspiciously familiar. Once you get a look at Hyperion, Power Princess, Dark Hawk and some of their compatriots, you might start to ask how Marvel is getting away with it. But that’s the point -- the Squadron was created so Marvel could take a shot at its competitor’s biggest characters without getting sued. Would it be a dirty trick to turn them into a movie franchise after copying them like that? Probably. But there are rumours Marvel might be developing one, making it the biggest possible dunk on DC’s own struggling movies.