The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been celebrated for its expansive storytelling and iconic characters, but some were completely underutilized. Throughout the MCU timeline, it has brought larger-than-life heroes, nuanced villains, and memorable supporting players to the screen. However, not every character gets their due. Some side characters were introduced with enormous potential, only to be sidelined or underutilized in the grander narrative. These individuals could have brought greater depth and intrigue to the MCU if they had been given more substantial story arcs.
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Side characters often serve as world-building tools, mentors, comedic relief, or even stepping stones for the main heroes. When utilized well, they become integral to the storytelling, often shining just as brightly as the leads. However, with the sprawling and interconnected nature of the MCU movies, some characters have fallen by the wayside. Whether due to limited screen time, underdeveloped storylines, or lack of follow-through, these characters deserve more attention and depth in their arcs – which can hopefully be rectified in the MCU’s future.
10 Idris Elba’s Heimdall
First Introduced In Thor
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Idris Elba’s Heimdall, the all-seeing and all-hearing guardian of Asgard, was a character brimming with potential. Introduced in Thor, Heimdall was pivotal in maintaining the Bifrost and protecting Asgard. Elba brought an air of gravitas and stoicism to the role, making Heimdall a figure of quiet strength. Unfortunately, Heimdall’s contributions to the larger MCU were limited.
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Despite being one of the most intriguing Asgardians, his role often felt restricted to exposition or brief moments of action. His character arc was never fully explored despite numerous appearances, and his death in Avengers: Infinity War felt abrupt, robbing audiences of the chance to see more of his heroism. Heimdall could have been a central figure in Thor’s narrative, particularly in exploring Asgard’s culture, its people, and its legacy. Even Elba has expressed his disappointment with the role.
9 Benicio Del Toro’s The Collector
First Introduced In Thor: Dark World
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Benicio Del Toro’s flamboyant portrayal of Taneleer Tivan, aka The Collector, made an immediate impression in Thor: The Dark World and Guardians of the Galaxy. As a mysterious and eccentric figure obsessed with acquiring rare artifacts, The Collector was a perfect fit for the cosmic side of the MCU. His first appearance even suggested that the Collector would be the one to acquire the Infinity Stones.
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However, Del Toro’s performance and the Collector’s potential was squandered. While he provided valuable exposition about the Infinity Stones, his storyline never expanded beyond being a quirky side character. The destruction of his collection in Avengers: Infinity War occurred off-screen, and his fate remains ambiguous. Given his connections to the broader cosmic lore of Marvel, The Collector could still be used to explore the Elders of the Universe or as a key player in other intergalactic conflicts.
8 Frank Grillo’s Crossbones
First Introduced In Captain America: The Winter Soldier
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Frank Grillo’s Brock Rumlow, better known as Crossbones, was introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier as a HYDRA operative embedded within S.H.I.E.L.D. Grillo brought an intense physicality and menace to the role, making him an excellent antagonist for Captain America. Brock Rumlow appeared in numerous iconic scenes throughout his early appearances, including the famed elevator scene in The Winter Soldier.
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Much like in the comics, Brock Rumlow was transformed into the villain Crossbones. This happened between The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War. However, despite this buildup, Crossbones was drastically underused. His transformation into the iconic villain was rushed, with his ultimate appearance in Civil War limited to a single fight scene. His death early in the film was disappointing, as Crossbones could have been a recurring adversary for Captain America or other Avengers, adding more depth to HYDRA’s previous threat.
7 Jaimie Alexander’s Lady Sif
First Introduced In Thor
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Jaimie Alexander’s Lady Sif was introduced as one of Thor’s closest allies and a fierce Asgardian warrior. First appearing in Thor, Sif was defined by her loyalty and combat prowess, making her a fan-favorite character. Despite her promising introduction, Sif’s appearances dwindled over time. She was conspicuously absent from Thor: Ragnarok, and her contributions in Thor: Dark World were overshadowed by other characters.
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Sif returned briefly for a cameo in Loki, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Thor: Love and Thunder, but these appearances did little to expand her character. The latter killed her off very unceremoniously, and as a final insult, specified that she would not make it to Valhalla. Sif could have made a compelling addition to one of the Avengers movies, expanding the Asgardian line-up. As a warrior and potential romantic interest for Thor, Sif deserved more narrative focus, particularly as Asgard faced its downfall and rebirth.
6 Neal McDonough’s Dum Dum Dugan
First Introduced In Captain America: The First Avenger
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Neal McDonough brought charm and humor to Dum Dum Dugan, a member of the Howling Commandos introduced in Captain America: The First Avenger. As a close ally of Steve Rogers during World War II, Dugan’s larger-than-life personality made him a standout among the Commandos. Unfortunately, Dugan and the rest of the Howling Commandos were largely forgotten after The First Avenger.
While Dum Dum Dugan briefly appeared in Agent Carter and in archival footage, their stories were never fully explored. Dugan’s character could have been used to delve deeper into Captain America’s legacy or to explore the impact of the Howling Commandos on the modern-day MCU. In the comics, Dugan and his comrades became central members of S.H.I.E.L.D. who remained with the agency long into the modern era. While this might be harder to narratively justify in cinema, it’s a shame that this character is gone for good.
5 Cobie Smulders’ Maria Hill
First Introduced In The Avengers
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Cobie Smulders’ Maria Hill made her debut in The Avengers as Nick Fury’s capable second-in-command. As a high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. operative, Hill had the potential to be a key player in the MCU’s spy and espionage narratives – much like her role in the comics. However, Hill’s role was often relegated to the background and was given no real agency of her own.
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While Maria Hill appeared in several films, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Spider-Man: Far From Home, her character never received significant development. Hill could have been given more of a role in the aftermath of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s collapse, perhaps even stepping into a leadership role – as she does in the comics. Instead, her potential to be a major figure in the MCU’s grounded, Earth-based stories went untapped. She was often relegated to being Fury’s sidekick or simply a cameo.
4 Winston Duke’s M’Baku
First Introduced In Black Panther
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Winston Duke’s M’Baku, the leader of the Jabari Tribe, was a standout character in Black Panther. Duke brought a mix of humor, charisma, and strength to the role, making M’Baku one of the most captivating MCU side characters. His arc in the film, from adversary to ally, demonstrates his complexity and leadership, making him especially compelling.
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Despite his memorable debut, M’Baku’s role in subsequent films was limited. In Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, he had minimal screen time, and while he returned in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever , his character’s growth wasn’t as prominent as it could have been. M’Baku has the potential to be a central figure in Wakanda’s future, especially as the nation navigates leadership changes. Expanding his role would enrich the franchise’s exploration of Wakandan culture and politics. With numerous Wakanda-based projects in the MCU’s future, hopefully M’Baku can return.
3 Laurence Fishburne’s Bill Foster
First Introduced In Ant-Man And The Wasp
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Laurence Fishburne made his MCU debut as Dr. Bill Foster in Ant-Man and the Wasp . Foster, a former colleague of Hank Pym, was introduced as a rival scientist with a personal stake in the film’s conflict. His connection to the Quantum Realm and his mentorship of Ava Starr (Ghost) hinted at a fascinating backstory. However, Foster’s character was underutilized. His rivalry with Pym was only briefly touched upon, and his scientific expertise was overshadowed by the film’s other plotlines.
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With Fishburne’s talent and Foster’s rich comic history as Goliath, the character could have been a key figure in the MCU’s exploration of science and heroism. Moreover, in the comics, Bill Foster is known as Goliath and is an iconic superhero. Having Fishburne’s talent behind such a great character should have been groundbreaking but is instead relegated to a minor role.
2 Sylvester Stallone’s Stakar Ogord
First Introduced In Stakar Ogord
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Sylvester Stallone’s Stakar Ogord, also known as Starhawk, appeared briefly in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. As a Ravager captain and former ally of Yondu, Stakar’s presence hinted at a deeper history within the Ravager community. The character’s inclusion was satisfying as he was one of the original Guardians of the Galaxy in the comics.
Stallone’s commanding performance added sufficient weight to the character, making him an intriguing addition to the cosmic side of the MCU. Despite his potential, Stakar’s role was limited to a few scenes. His reunion with other Ravager leaders in the GOTG Vol. 2 post-credits scene suggested a larger storyline, but it has yet to materialize. Stakar and his team could have been the focus of a spinoff, exploring the Ravagers’ adventures or a different Guardians of the Galaxy team.
1 Thomas Kretschmann’s Baron Strucker
First Introduced In Captain America: The Winter Soldier
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Thomas Kretschmann’s Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, a high-ranking HYDRA leader, was introduced in the mid-credits scene in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and played a more prominent role in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Strucker was responsible for experimenting on Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, making him a key figure in the MCU’s early exploration of enhanced individuals. While in the comics, Strucker is one of HYDRA’s leaders and is considered an archenemy of Nick Fury.
Despite his importance, Strucker’s story was cut short. He was unceremoniously killed off-screen in Age of Ultron, leaving his potential as a formidable villain unexplored. Strucker could have been a major antagonist, bridging the gap between HYDRA’s machinations and the Avengers’ challenges. His untimely demise robbed the Marvel Cinematic Universe of a complex and threatening foe like he is in the comics.
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Marvel Cinematic Universe $23 $35 Save $12
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
Created by Kevin Feige First Film Iron Man Upcoming Films Deadpool & Wolverine , Captain America: Brave New World , Thunderbolts* , Blade (2025) , The Fantastic Four: First Steps , Avengers: Doomsday (2026) , Avengers: Secret Wars First TV Show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Upcoming TV Shows Agatha: Coven of Chaos , Ironheart , Daredevil: Born Again , Wakanda , Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man , Marvel Zombies , Wonder Man , Vision Quest Cast Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Evans , Scarlett Johansson , Samuel L. Jackson , Jeremy Renner , Chris Hemsworth , Mark Ruffalo , Edward Norton , Paul Rudd , Tom Holland , Tom Hiddleston , Anthony Mackie , Cobie Smulders , Brie Larson , Chadwick Boseman , Sebastian Stan , Chris Pratt , Dave Bautista , Zoe Saldana , Bradley Cooper , Vin Diesel , Pom Klementieff , Josh Brolin , Karen Gillan , Clark Gregg , Paul Bettany , Don Cheadle , Benedict Cumberbatch , Evangeline Lilly , Simu Liu , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Angelina Jolie , Kit Harington , Salma Hayek , Richard Madden , Barry Keoghan , Gemma Chan , Ma Dong-seok , Brian Tyree Henry , Kumail Nanjiani , Lauren Ridloff , Lia McHugh , Jonathan Majors TV Show(s) Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. , Agent Carter , Inhumans , WandaVision , The Falcon and the Winter Soldier , Loki , What If…? , Hawkeye , Moon Knight , Ms. Marvel , She-Hulk: Attorney at Law , Secret Invasion , Marvel’s Echo Expand $23 at AmazonSee at TargetSee at Walmart
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Release Date February 14, 2025
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Release Date May 7, 2027
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