With Halloween less than a week away, now is the perfect time to explore the idea that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is finally diving into more magically and supernatural ideas and themes in Phase 4 and possibly 5.
The MCU’s history with magic and the supernatural.
For most of the MCUs run, science and technology have been the main focus of the movies in terms of themes and plotlines. Iron Man from 2008 is literally the story of a genius building a combat-ready iron suit out of a box of scraps before upgrading to cutting edge technology.
However, when Thor (2012) brought everyone’s favourite pair of Norse Gods, Thor and Loki, into the picture, the MCU expanded beyond Earth and the Marvel Universe became more open and diverse in its concepts.
After this, it was only natural to expand on the ideas of magic by introducing everyone’s favourite Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange.
Doctor Strange (2016) saw Stephen Strange lose the use of his hands and go on a journey of discovery, finding out that magic is more than just a myth and informing viewers of the place magic has had in the MCU from the very beginning. It’s even explained in the movie that physical threats are left to people like The Avengers, whereas mystical threats are dealt with by mystical beings. Different dimensions were also teased, which was our first hint that a multiverse could be present in the MCU.
The universe was expanded once again through the Disney+ show WandaVision (2021).
WandaVision told the story of Wanda Maximoff coming to the realisation that the powers she’s used since her first appearance in Avengers: Age of Ultron, are actually magical in origin and that she is in fact the Scarlet Witch, one of the most powerful beings in the universe.
All of this has led to Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness (2022) which will reportedly see Strange and Wanda clash which will definitely be a sight to behold.
What could be next?
Considering the implications of a battle between two all-powerful magical beings has led to a lot of theorising as to what Phase 4 of the MCU has in store for us.
We know that the multiverse will be explored in more detail which has fans excited as this means characters previously unheard of in the MCU could finally make their debut.
We know that a Blade reboot movie is in development, which is very exciting as Blade is known for fighting vampires and other monsters which will be a fine addition to the MCU.
Moon Knight is another hero close to making his debut in a Disney+ series.
While he isn’t completely supernatural, in the comics he has the ability to increase his strength, speed and other skills depending on the lunar cycle, so it’ll be interesting to see if this is utilised in any way in the show.
There’s also Morbius set for release from Sony Pictures. While he’s technically part of the Sony Universe of films there’s certainly a chance of him finding his way over to the MCU, perhaps in the same way Eddie Brock and Venom do in the post-credit scene of Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
Additionally, Ghost Rider is rumoured to get a more prominent role in future Marvel movies. Ghost Rider has been seen on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D TV show and is supposedly going to cameo in Doctor Strange 2, however like most rumours, nothing can be confirmed just yet.
What other characters could Marvel introduce?
If the producers at Marvel are thinking of a few other supernatural characters to throw into the MCU they’ve got plenty to choose from. Here are four that we think would make great additions whether they appeared in a movie or TV show.
Death
If you’re looking for the spookiest inclusion of them all, Death is be a safe bet. Death is portrayed as a Cosmic entity and watches over the Marvel Universe. In the comics, fan-favourite villain Thanos is actually madly in love with Death, desperately trying to impress her with his devotion, which he displays through the amount of beings he’s killed.
Adding her to the MCU would certainly make things interesting, as aside from the imminent debut of The Eternals, celestial and cosmic beings haven’t really been explored too much.
Wiccan
Wiccan has already been seen in WandaVision. He’s one of the imaginary children that Wanda magically manifests when she takes over the town of Westview.
However, in the end, credits scene of the show’s finale, we hear her two children calling out to her, implying we might see Wiccan and his brother become more prominent in the future of the MCU.
In terms of powers, he has similar, but weaker abilities to Wanda and was a member of the Young Avengers.
Clea
Clea is a love interest and disciple to Doctor Strange. She’s also the daughter of Dormammu, the villain of Doctor Strange (2016). In the comics, she escapes the Dark Dimension and is trained by Strange to use her magical powers for good.
Clea would be an interesting choice as the Dark Dimension and Dormammu have already been well-established and the interactions between her and Strange could do a lot for his character development.
Mephisto
If you recognise this name, it’s likely that you’ve heard it from numerous fan theories regarding WandaVision, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange 2 and even the Loki TV show.
Throughout his history, he’s interacted with many characters, from The Avengers to Doctor Strange, to Scarlet Witch, making now the best time to incorporate him into the MCU.
He’s an all-powerful being who gains even more power from tormenting souls, and in the comics, it was he who was responsible for separating Wanda from her children. His inclusion in the MCU seems inevitable and he’s sure to be an Avengers level threat somewhere down the line.
So, there you have it, the MCU seems to be taking larger steps to explore its darker side. Hopefully, we’ll find out more in the post-credits scene of Spiderman: No Way Home and Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness when they are released.
By Sam Cawley
Twitter: @sams_game