10 MCU Characters That Need a Standalone Special After The Punisher

With Frank Castle, also known as the Punisher, coming back, Marvel Studios might start creating more short, hour-long specials like the ones they introduced in 2022. These “Special Presentations” offer glimpses of new characters or ideas, and while only two have been released so far, the Punisher’s return suggests many more could be coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Michael Giacchino’s Werewolf by Night kicked off the MCU’s ‘Special Presentations’ – standalone stories, starting with a Halloween special that introduced Gael García Bernal as Jack Russell, the werewolf. Following that, James Gunn directed The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which connected the events of Avengers: Endgame to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. With Gunn’s return in Daredevil: Born Again, and if this new special presentation does well, we can likely expect even more of these unique stories in the future.

Man-Thing Deserves More Development After Werewolf By Night

The 2022 special, Werewolf by Night, brought several new characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Jack Russell, Elsa Bloodstone, Verussa Bloodstone, and the mysterious Man-Thing. Man-Thing is a particularly unique and powerful character from Marvel Comics, and the special offered a brief look at his abilities. Many fans would love to see his story expanded in its own dedicated presentation.

Man-Thing, a character from Marvel Comics, began as Dr. Ted Sallis, a scientist trying to recreate the formula that created Captain America in the Florida Everglades. After a conflict with the villainous organization AIM, he fled, injected himself with the experimental serum, and crashed his car into the swamp. This caused him to transform into a creature made of plant matter. This origin story could be adapted into a Marvel live-action special, potentially leading to a larger role for Man-Thing in future Marvel Cinematic Universe stories.

Marvel Television’s Cloak & Dagger Could Return In a Special Presentation

I was thrilled to hear that Luke Cage and Iron Fist are officially coming back, alongside Daredevil and Jessica Jones! It really seems like Disney is open to bringing back those old Marvel Netflix heroes, and honestly, it’s fantastic news. It got me thinking – could we see Cloak & Dagger next? That show, with Tyrone and Tandy, was surprisingly good, and I’d love to see what happened to them after everything went down. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of a larger revival for those Marvel Television characters.

A ‘Special Presentation’ would be an ideal way to bring back Cloak and Dagger, the heroes who gained the ability to control darkness and light after an accident at the Roxxon Gulf Platform. With street-level stories becoming increasingly popular in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a return for Cloak and Dagger feels more possible now. A short, standalone story – like a ‘Special Presentation’ – would be the perfect format to reintroduce them.

Wong & Madisynn Could Reunite After Their Phase 4 Adventures

This character quickly became a fan favorite throughout Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. It was in She-Hulk that he unexpectedly befriended Madisynn King (played by Patty Guggenheim), a fun-loving partygoer who accidentally ended up in a demonic dimension thanks to a clumsy magician named Donny Blaze (Rhys Coiro).

They were last seen enjoying drinks and rewatching The Sopranos, hinting at future team-ups. It would be fun to see what happens next with these two in a special presentation focused on Wong, which could also answer some long-standing questions about his story. Wong appeared to be assembling a superhero group during Phase 4 of the MCU, but that storyline was left unfinished, making a special presentation a great way to revisit it and bring back both Wong and his surprising friend.

Damage Control’s Series Could Be Reimagined As a Special Presentation

The Department of Damage Control first appeared in the movie Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017, originally established by Robert Downey Jr.’s character after the Battle of New York to handle the aftermath of superhero conflicts. Over the past decade, the organization has evolved. Now, Damage Control plays a bigger role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a group that actively seeks out people with special abilities – and that focus will likely grow even more with the introduction of mutants and the X-Men.

Originally, Marvel planned a TV series in 2015 centered around Damage Control, the team responsible for cleaning up after the Avengers’ battles. That show never happened, but Damage Control has since become a villainous organization. A new short-form series focusing on them now would be much grittier and realistic, and could potentially tease future storylines.

A Phantom Rider Special Presentation Would Establish Ghost Rider’s MCU Lore

There’s been a lot of talk about Ghost Rider joining the main Marvel Cinematic Universe. While Gabriel Luna’s version from Agents of SHIELD isn’t officially part of the MCU storyline, recent rumors suggest another actor might take on the role. Before introducing a new Ghost Rider, it would be a smart move for Marvel to delve into the character’s history with a special presentation, potentially featuring the Phantom Rider – a gunslinger from the Old West who once crossed paths with a time-traveling version of the Spirit of Vengeance.

Carter Slade was the first Phantom Rider, a hero who battled injustice in the Old West while wearing a glowing white outfit. He joined forces with Johnny Blaze when Blaze traveled back in time to the 1800s. The Phantom Rider’s story is actually connected to the origins of the Ghost Rider, as shown in the 2007 film starring Nicolas Cage. While we briefly saw the Phantom Rider in that movie, a dedicated presentation could explore this era of the character in a live-action format.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Might Have Set Up a Brother Voodoo Special

Following a short appearance by Daniel Drumm in the 2016 film Doctor Strange, fans have speculated about the introduction of his brother into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In Marvel comics, Jericho Drumm, a Haitian psychologist and voodoo expert, learns from Papa Jambo and becomes Brother Voodoo, Haiti’s most powerful voodoo priest, even rescuing his brother’s soul – making his arrival in the MCU increasingly probable.

Lupita Nyong’o’s character, Nakia, and her son, Prince T’Challa, are living in Haiti, choosing to live away from the responsibilities of Wakanda’s throne. This opens the possibility for a new Marvel special focusing on Jericho Drumm to take place within the world of Black Panther, potentially including familiar faces from the Wakanda films. Given Marvel’s interest in magic and magical characters, introducing Jericho Drumm in a special presentation would be a great addition to the MCU.

X-Factor Investigations Would Be a Fun Way to Debut New Mutant Characters

Following the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars, we can anticipate more movies and shows focusing on mutants. Marvel’s Special Presentations could be a great way to introduce different mutant teams, and X-Factor would be an excellent choice. In the comics, X-Factor is a team of New York-based mutants who pretend to hunt down other mutants. In reality, they secretly take in and train those with powers, helping them learn to control their abilities before returning to normal life.

The original X-Factor team is well-known, but a Marvel special could introduce fans to some of the lesser-known mutants. This special could feature Valerie Cooper and show how X-Factor develops into a government-backed team of detectives, led by Multiple Man, Jamie Madrox. Bringing a more realistic, street-level X-Factor into the MCU alongside the X-Men offers exciting possibilities, and a special presentation would be a perfect way to tell their unique story.

Red Guardian’s Special Presentation Could Reveal the MCU’s Winter Guard

David Harbour’s Red Guardian has quickly become a fan favorite in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, known for his comedic timing and heroic actions. We first saw him battling the Red Room alongside his found family in Black Widow, and then teaming up with other complex heroes to defeat the Void in Thunderbolts. With his recent developments, Red Guardian is poised to become an even more important figure in the MCU going forward.

Although Red Guardian seems to have a promising future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fans haven’t seen much of his backstory yet. During the Cold War, Alexei Shostakov was the only person in the Soviet Union to receive their version of the super-soldier serum. He then became a key ally to General Dreykov during his time in the military. A special presentation focusing on Red Guardian – essentially a prequel to Black Widow – could give David Harbour a larger role in the MCU.

A Mephisto Special Presentation Has Been Rumored After Ironheart

Fans have been anticipating the introduction of Mephisto in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for years, and Marvel Studios finally delivered. Sacha Baron Cohen is a brilliant choice to play the character, and it would be disappointing if he only appeared in a single Disney+ show. Rumors suggest Marvel has larger plans for Mephisto, potentially including his own standalone special. Given Mephisto’s long life and immense power, a self-contained special focusing on him would be a great fit.

Mephisto, a being known for making corrupt bargains, has a long history of deals with powerful people – from the wealthiest individuals and royalty to even celebrities like Ringo Starr. He’s continued this pattern recently, making agreements with characters like Parker Robbins and Riri Williams, and is now impacting heroes within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fans have been anticipating a dedicated presentation focusing on him, but it hasn’t happened yet.

Deadpool Could Kill the Marvel Universe In a Special Presentation

Ryan Reynolds successfully brought his character, Deadpool, from the world of 20th Century Fox’s X-Men movies into the main Marvel Cinematic Universe with the 2024 film Deadpool & Wolverine. The film’s huge popularity all but guarantees more Deadpool projects in the future. Although he’ll likely appear as a supporting character going forward, a special presentation – particularly one connected to the Multiverse Saga – would be a great way to showcase Deadpool’s signature chaotic energy and unpredictable nature.

As a huge Marvel fan, I was so excited when they announced Deadpool was officially joining the MCU! Of course, my mind immediately went to the ‘Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe’ storyline. It’s this wild tale where a version of Deadpool loses it after a fight with this character called Psycho-Man. He basically goes on a rampage, taking out everyone – all the heroes, villains, the whole lot – and it gets so extreme that he ends up destroying all of reality and just… moves on to another one. It’s a crazy story, and I’ve been wondering if they might hint at it, or even adapt some of it, now that Deadpool’s in the mix.

Okay, so picture this: a completely self-contained Deadpool story, and honestly, it feels made for the kind of special presentation Marvel’s been doing. We’re talking a seriously explosive, violent ride – maybe the most action-packed Deadpool movie yet! The best part? It doesn’t even need to mess with the main MCU timeline. They could introduce a brand new version of Deadpool we’ve never seen before and just let him loose. We haven’t gotten any news about more of these standalone specials since The Punisher: One Last Kill, but honestly, bringing characters like that into their own stories is a brilliant idea, and I’m hoping we get more of them.

2026-04-24 02:16