Top 10 Fox Characters Coming to the MCU

The MCU basically spent 10 years building towards Infinity War and the fourth Avengers film. But the looming question on everyone’s mind is… where does Marvel Studios take it from here? How are you supposed to follow a guy who’s wiped out half of all life in the universe with the snap of a finger? There are a few popular options kicking around, but this insectoid evildoer is a strong contender. Originally introduced as a villain in the pages of “Fantastic Four,” Annihilus is a terrifying conqueror from the Negative Zone. Over the years, he’s tangled with everyone from the Avengers to the Guardians of the Galaxy - and he’s a serious threat.

It seems safe to assume that as the MCU continues to push forward they’ll further expand the cosmic side of things. The extraterrestrial species we’ve encountered thus far are a testament to the wealth of weird and wonderful source material out there - but we’re only beginning to scratch the surface. Before the Disney-Fox acquisition, one of Marvel’s most compelling extraterrestrial races, the Shi’ar, were strictly off-limits. But no more! Humanoid in appearance, the Shi’ar are a highly advanced race who have established a vast galactic empire that sees them ruling over thousands of planets and species. A race rich in culture and comic book history, the Shi’ar have played a role in some great storylines, and would fit right in alongside the Kree and Skrulls in the MCU.

We know, we know… Doctor Doom is a package deal with a certain family of heroes, but we’ll get to them later! We believe that the not-so-good doctor is a potentially huge asset to the MCU in his own right. As one of Earth’s most brilliant and complex villains, Doom is the sort of antagonist who you can’t help but love. He’s brilliant, scientific, a fierce idealist and an intimidating leader who commands respect, even from his foes. In short, he’s exactly the sort of villain that we’d love to see face off against Tony Stark and company. He’s been dragged through the cinematic muck twice already, so it’s about time he’s given the MCU treatment.

Sure, we might be getting ahead of ourselves, but hey, MCU architect Kevin Feige is always planning ahead, and if he can think long-term, why can’t we do the same? 2019’s “Captain Marvel” introduces the extraterrestrial species known as the Skrulls to the MCU and these shapeshifters are sure to shake up the cinematic universe as we know it. The Skrulls have a nasty habit of trying to conquer Earth, and a track record that skews heavily in favor of failure. After being defeated one too many times, the Skrull Empire imbued one of their greatest warriors with the combined powers of Marvel’s first family. Suffice it to say, he’s a force to be reckoned with.

What the MCU has done with an incomplete roster of heroes and villains is quite frankly astounding. They even managed to introduce Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver despite the fact that their father belonged to 20th Century Fox. While we’re impressed, it’s time for one of Marvel’s greatest villains and most morally complex characters to come home. Call him Magnus or Erik if you like, we prefer to recognize him as the Master of Magnetism, Magneto. An often violent champion of mutant rights, Magneto will push the MCU into deeper, richer thematic territory than ever before, bringing with him his Brotherhood of Mutants and a whole slew of familiar faces and cool power sets.

Honestly, this is part of the merger that scares us the most. Fox’s Marvel mutant movies have been very hit-or-miss, but with “Deadpool” and its sequel, they succeeded by going where Disney likely wouldn’t. Deadpool might work as a PG-13 film, but only in a self-aware meta-cut of an R-rated film that’s already been released. “Deadpool” is a one-of-a-kind franchise that is best in isolation. But… imagine if the MCU let Deadpool alongside Domino and Cable continue to exist as an R-rated property on the fringe of their shared universe, much like they did at Fox? Use Deadpool sparingly, let him do his thing, and you get the best of both worlds!

As we’ve already said, chances are that the MCU will increasingly be looking towards the stars as it continues to expand. Looking over the source material, there are few cosmic Marvel figures that are more essential to the beloved off-world adventures and storylines than the Silver Surfer. An odd creation, to say the least, Silver Surfer has got a great origin story and odd relationship to right, wrong, honor, and responsibility that helps to complicate the moral paradigm of any story in which he appears. Also… he’s a naked silver dude on a surfboard. Just imagine the material that Quill, Drax, and Rocket would come up with.

Of course, where the Silver Surfer goes, the Devourer of Worlds is sure to follow. And considering how badly Galactus went over with audiences in the 2007 film, you can bet that Marvel isn’t going to turn this villain into a giant storm cloud. A massive cosmic being who literally consumes planets to sustain his energy needs, Galactus is a constant in the Marvel comics, a being not necessarily evil, but rather simply too far removed from the everyday concerns of mortal beings to really care. Done right though, Galactus would be an incredible addition to the MCU.

Without further ado, let’s discuss one of the two teams we’ve been dancing around for much of this list. The Fantastic Four might not resonate with comic book readers like they once did, but their importance to the world of Marvel comics cannot be overstated. They revolutionized the industry and are essential to so many other characters and classic storylines. Though their cinematic outings with Fox left much to be desired, the MCU treatment could be exactly what Marvel’s first family needs to bring them back up to the A-list. They’re an admittedly tough group to adapt, but if anyone can find the right formula, it’s the good folks at the Marvel Studios think tank.

Marvel Comics has historically been subdivided into groups of characters and storylines. The MCU was built around the Avengers, and we’ve discussed the cosmic side of things, but you’re not really adapting the world of Marvel comics as a whole until you include the mutants. Though often occupying their own corner of the comic book universe, the X-Men, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters and mutantkind at large play an important role, both thematically and in major crossover events. Captain America and Black Panther have raised ideological questions, but the X-Men franchise forces relevant social issues into the foreground. If properly integrated, Wolverine, Mystique, Storm, Rogue, and company could be central to the MCU for years to come.