Top 20 Cameos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
#20: Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark
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“The Incredible Hulk” (2008) The movie might be called “The Incredible Hulk,” but it’s Tony Stark who steals the show in just a brief post-credits scene. As General Ross drowns his sorrows with a green alcoholic beverage, he’s surprised to find Mr. Stark in the same dimly-lit bar. In addition to dropping a couple witty one-liners, Stark lets the general know that he’s putting together a team with a few others. With “Iron Man” coming out just a month before this movie, fans knew that an “Avengers” movie was definitely in the cards. This scene further confirmed that the crossover event was moving forward, and we left the theaters fantasizing about the possibilities of such a big screen event.
#19: Megan Thee Stallion
“She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” (2022) In this comedic take on the MCU, Jennifer Walters and her colleagues handle superpower-related legal issues. The third episode features an Asgardian shapeshifter on trial for fraud as she conned a man while pretending to be Megan Thee Stallion. To our surprise, the real rapper made a cameo appearance in the courtroom, proclaiming her originality. But the scene that got everyone talking happened during the credits. After signing her as a new client, She-Hulk and the artist celebrated by dancing and twerking together. The scene is even better knowing it was added because Tatiana Maslany is a huge Megan Thee Stallion fan. So when Jen says she’d kill for her, we believe it.
#18: Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner
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“Iron Man 3” (2013) Tony Stark and Bruce Banner’s bromance was one of the highlights from “The Avengers.” While we would’ve liked to have seen more of their dynamic in “Iron Man 3,” we’ll gladly settle for this unexpected cameo. The film both opens and closes with narration from Stark, although it’s unclear who exactly he’s addressing. In this hilarious post-credits scene, it’s revealed that he was relaying the entire experience to his fellow Avenger. Stark apparently isn’t the best at telling stories because Banner slept through the whole thing. While Stark is pretty annoyed, it’s not like Banner is that kind of doctor. And given his anger issues, he’s the one who should probably be in therapy.
#17: Danny Pudi as Com Tech #1
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“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (2014) Having worked on “Community” pre-MCU, the Russo Brothers had several cast members cameo in their movies, including Jim Rash in “Civil War” and Ken Jeong in “Endgame”. Actor Danny Pudi, who played Abed on the sitcom, pops up in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” as a com tech who encounters Team Cap.” All of these MCU movies were directed by brothers Anthony and Joe Russo, who had previously worked on several episodes of “Community”. On top of all that, Donald Glover, aka Troy Barnes, played a notable role in “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” Maybe this is what Abed meant by six seasons and a movie.
#16: Nathan Fillion as Monstrous Inmate
“Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014) Sometimes the most amusing cameos are the ones you completely missed. After landing in the Kyln, Star-Lord has a hostile run-in with a blue brute. Fortunately, he has a tree and a talking raccoon in his corner. We bet you didn’t know that the voice behind this CGI inmate is cult actor Nathan Fillion, who appeared in director James Gunn’s previous films, “Slither” and “Super.” Fillion also secured his place as a science fiction icon as Malcolm Reynolds on “Firefly,” making him an ideal fit for the “Guardians” universe. While his appearance as Wonder Man didn’t make the theatrical cut of “Vol. 2,” he did appear in “Vol. 3” as Master Karja.
#15: Garrett Morris as Cab Driver
“Ant-Man” (2015) After first gaining the Ant-Man suit, Scott Lang has a wild first ride, including trying to survive on the floor of a rave. By the end, he’s flung through a window, landing on the hood of a cab. Upon reverting to his normal size, the driver exclaims his confusion. Some may not have realized due to the short screen time, but that’s legendary comedic actor Garrett Morris. He first came into fame as one of the original cast members of “Saturday Night Live”. What makes this small cameo wonderful is the SNL skit, “Superhero Party.” In it, Morris plays Ant-Man, the butt of many jokes from Dan Aykroyd’s Flash and John Belushi’s Hulk.
#14: Brie Larson as Carol Danvers
“Ms. Marvel” (2022) Going into the series adaptations of “Ms. Marvel,” fans knew how big a Carol fan Kamala Khan was. Plus, with the announcement of their future team-up, we were all wondering about a possible Captain Marvel cameo. While the burgeoning hero gushed over Danvers throughout the show, they saved the cameo as a tease for Kamala’s next adventure. During the mid-credits scene of the finale, Kamala’s bangle began to shimmer before she swapped places with her role model. We may have been expecting an appearance, but definitely not in that way. Though brief, it was fun to see Larson back, and it was a nice set-up for “The Marvels.”
#13: Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton
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“Thor” (2011) Where the other original Avengers either starred in their own standalone movie or played a significant supporting role leading up to the 2012 film, Hawkeye only received a cameo in “Thor.” He may have gotten the short end of the stick, but he certainly made a big impression. When Thor goes up against S.H.I.E.L.D., Phil Coulson calls upon his best shooter. While his face is concealed at first, dedicated comic readers could tell this was Clint Barton based on his weapon of choice. With a bird’s-eye view, Barton is prepared to fire. Just as Thor can’t lift his hammer, however, Hawkeye must wait to demonstrate his archery skills.
#12: David Hasselhoff as the Form of David Hasselhoff
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“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (2017) Having been taken from Earth in the late ‘80s, one of Peter Quill’s biggest character traits is his love of music and pop culture of that era. Writer and director James Gunn has used that in a variety of ways both comedic and serious. In “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” we learned Peter used to tell other kids his father was David Hasselhoff, who wasn’t around only because he was busy shooting “Knight Rider” or touring with his band. After learning his real father, the Celestial, Ego, was responsible for his mother’s death, Quill unloaded his blasters into him. Ego then took on the form of the real Hasselhoff, explaining his human-like form was for Peter’s benefit.
#11: Joe Russo
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Various It isn’t just the “Community” cast that has cameoed in the MCU. Joe and Anthony Russo have directed some of the most acclaimed entries in the series. The former has actually appeared in nearly every movie the brothers have directed. In “Winter Soldier,” he played Dr. Fine, the man caring for the injured Nick Fury. In “Civil War”, he was Dr. Theo Broussard, a psychiatrist Zemo kills and impersonates in order to activate the Winter Soldier. He got much more screen time in “Avengers: Endgame”. Five years after Thanos’ snap, Steve Rogers is seen leading a support group of people whose loved ones disappeared. Russo plays a grieving man, telling a story about trying to date again.
#10: Bruce Campbell as Pizza Poppa
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“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (2022) Having been friends since long before making “The Evil Dead” together, Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi have collaborated many times. Campbell even cameoed throughout Raimi’s “Spider-Man” trilogy. When the director returned to Marvel for “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” he made sure to make room for his old friend. After traveling to a new universe, America Chavez remarks how food is free in most worlds. Here, though, it isn’t, and her theft of some pizza balls draws the ire of Pizza Poppa. Campbell plays the silly character, whose violence is turned back on him by Strange. Not only is it nice to see him, but it’s a great callback to another character whose hand turned against him.
#9: Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger
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“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (2022) As the villain of the first “Black Panther,” Michael B. Jordan crushed it as Erik Killmonger. Both fans and critics praised his portrayal. It was almost a shame he died in the movie since there was no way for him to return for the sequel. But anything is possible in the world of superheroes. In “Wakanda Forever”, as Shuri entered the Ancestral Plane, she expected to see one of her close relatives. Who she got was Erik. He explained that it was her desire for vengeance that caused him to appear and he advised her to act like him. Shuri may not have wanted to see him, but his advice did help her.
#8: Seth Green as Howard the Duck
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“Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014) Marvel has certainly come a long way since they released their first theatrical film: “Howard the Duck.” That 1986 adaption was such a colossal flop that you’d think the MCU could steer clear of Howard at all cost - which made his surprise appearance in “Guardians of the Galaxy” all the more awesome. The Collector’s place is full of Easter eggs, but few stand out like this anthropomorphic duck. The cherry on top of this cameo is that the voice behind Howard is none other than Seth Green, who’d reprise the role multiple times across the MCU. These cameos did the impossible, making us actually want a Howard the Duck reboot!
#7: Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson
“Ant-Man” (2015) Following the success of Phase One, Marvel began to introduce more supportive heroes like Sam Wilson’s Falcon in “The Winter Soldier.” Anthony Mackie fit Cap’s ally well, and it was made clear the character was going to be important going forward. “Ant-Man” released the following year, and while we got some recognizable faces during the flashback intro, Falcon’s cameo provided a light-hearted bout between the newer heroes. As Scott prepared to infiltrate an Avengers compound, he was surprised to find it was being patrolled. Despite being new to it, Ant-Man held his own. Plus, this cameo led to Scott becoming allies with Captain America, who he’d help on future adventures.
#6: Lou Ferrigno as Security Guard
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“The Incredible Hulk” (2008) Whether you prefer Edward Norton or Mark Ruffalo’s portrayal of Bruce Banner, we can all agree that Lou Ferrigno will always have a special place in Hulk history. In addition to playing the angry green giant on the small screen for several years, Ferrigno has contributed to the Hulk’s voice in several theatrical interpretations. In “The Incredible Hulk,” Ferrigno was also given the chance to get in front of the camera as a security guard who Bruce bribes with a pizza. This actually wasn’t the first time Ferrigno played a guard in a “Hulk” movie, as he’s seen alongside Stan Lee in the 2003 adaptation.
#5: J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson
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“Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019) Some actors fit so well into a role, you just can’t recast them. J.K. Simmons played the perfect J. Jonah Jameson in Sony’s original “Spider-Man” trilogy. He was so good that he went on to voice him in multiple animated appearances. That’s what made his cameo in “Far From Home” so wonderful. After defeating Mysterio, Peter was shocked to learn altered footage had framed him for the villain’s murder and revealed his identity. The video was broadcast courtesy of the Daily Bugle, and we can’t deny how good it was to see Simmons back. Since he was a major part of “No Way Home”, we can expect much more of this angry reporter in the future.
#4: Matt Damon as Actor Loki
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“Thor: Ragnarok” (2017) Ben Affleck might be Batman and Daredevil, but Matt Damon got to be Loki... well, sort of. In one of the MCU’s funniest moments to date, Thor returns to Asgard where Loki is posing as his father Odin. Loki has rewritten history through theater, portraying himself as a glorified hero who died nobly. As if that’s not egotistical enough, the actor cast as Loki looks an awful lot like Matt Damon. This cameo is so hysterical that many people overlook Chris Hemsworth’s real life older brother Luke, who plays the Thor actor. Honestly, we’d love to see Matt and Luke reenact all of “Thor: The Dark World.”
#3: Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock
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“Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021) It seems like as soon as “Daredevil” ended, we all began counting down the days until we could see the character again. Thankfully, when we did, actor Charlie Cox got to keep the part. He had earned plenty of praise across the Netflix show’s three seasons, pleasing hordes of fans in the process. When Peter Parker was revealed to be Spider-Man, he needed the aid of a really good lawyer. Still, with most people concerned over who else might appear, we weren’t expecting Matt Murdock to dole out legal advice. Although it was cool to get a “Venom” connection, we’d been waiting for this for years.
#2: Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury
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“Iron Man” (2008) Now that the MCU is established, we go into every new movie anticipating a couple epic cameos and post-credits scenes. When “Iron Man” hit theaters in 2008 though, most audiences had no idea what they were in for. So you can imagine the thrill of being in the theater when Samuel L. Jackson showed up at the last minute as Nick Fury. As if his presence alone wasn't incredible enough, this cameo launched itself into legendary status when Fury mentioned the Avenger Initiative. This scene not only raised the bar for after-credits sequences, but also made good on its promise of an “Avengers” movie four years later.
#1: Stan Lee
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Various How could we give our top spot to anyone else other than Stan “The Man” Lee? Even before there was an MCU, this comic book icon was known for popping up in Marvel movies. While we’ve come to expect an appearance from Lee, that doesn’t make his cameos any less applause-worthy. Whether he’s playing a man mistaken for Larry King or a thirsty gambler, Lee is always a welcome presence. It’s even been suggested that all of his MCU characters are the same person, secretly working as the Watcher Informant. Lee’s various cameos have helped him to technically become the highest-grossing star at the domestic box office, topping Nick Fury himself, Samuel L. Jackson!
