Marvel Studios Will Bring Back 6 R-Rated MCU Heroes In 2026

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Confirmed R-rated Marvel heroes will be back in 2026, as Marvel Studios has a full year of content planned. This includes both major movies and streaming series on Disney+. While most projects will feature the studio’s typically PG-13 characters, the next month will especially highlight its more mature heroes.

For a long time, Marvel Studios stuck to making movies and shows suitable for all ages. But recently, they’ve started considering content with more mature themes, potentially allowing for R-rated projects. This opens the possibility of bringing grittier, more adult heroes into the Marvel Cinematic Universe without changing what makes those characters unique.

In 2026, several of the franchise’s mature-themed heroes will be back, with some movies maintaining the R-rating and others potentially offering broader accessibility.

Every R-Rated MCU Hero Coming in 2026

Daredevil

Charlie Cox has been playing Matt Murdock, also known as Daredevil, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2015. For over ten years, his character – a lawyer who fights crime as a masked vigilante – has battled villains in the tough streets of New York City, and now his adventures are also available on Disney+.

Daredevil made a comeback to the world of superheroes last spring with the release of Daredevil: Born Again, and is scheduled to return again this year with Season 2 of Born Again. Charlie Cox’s portrayal of the Marvel hero is famous for its gritty, brutal fighting style and mature themes, making an R-rating essential for the show to stay true to the character.

Jessica Jones

Krysten Ritter will reprise her role as Jessica Jones in the second season of Born Again, joining Charlie Cox as Daredevil. The two heroes will team up to battle the dangerous Mayor Wilson Fisk and his Anti-Vigilante Task Force.

Jones isn’t as outwardly aggressive as characters like Daredevil or the Punisher, but she’s definitely mature in her content, especially with her strong and sometimes very explicit language.

Punisher

Jon Bernthal’s portrayal of Frank Castle, the Punisher, is known for its intense violence and gritty action. Viewers recently saw his character’s brutal style in the first season of Daredevil: Born Again, and it’s expected to be featured again in the second season. In addition, Bernthal is scheduled to star in his own project within the next year.

Look, I’m really excited about this. Jon Bernthal is coming back as the Punisher! We’re getting a special presentation later this year where he’s going after a powerful female crime boss. Apparently, she has a history with Frank Castle – a past that goes all the way back to his days in the old Netflix ‘Defenders’ universe. Expect plenty of brutal action, as he’s clearly out for revenge.

White Tiger

Some fans might be surprised to learn that White Tiger, a character connected to Daredevil, is expected to return in Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again. Though the character was killed off in Season 1, a new hero will take up the White Tiger identity in the upcoming season.

In the finale of Born Again Season 1, Agela Del Toro, the daughter of the original White Tiger, hinted at becoming a superhero herself. She’s stepping into her father Hector’s shoes and joining the battle against Kingpin, played by Vincent D’Onofrio.

Gambit

Channing Tatum will reprise his role as Gambit, one of only two R-rated Marvel heroes expected to appear in a PG-13 movie in 2026. Following his introduction in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, Tatum’s character will join forces with the Avengers in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday to battle Doctor Doom.

It’s currently unknown if the Gambit we’ll see in Doomsday is the same character from Deadpool 3, or a different version from the older X-Men movies. However, fans can still look forward to the return of this popular, mature hero.

Deadpool

Although he wasn’t part of the popular Avengers: Doomsday online event, Ryan Reynolds is confirmed to reprise his role as the irreverent Deadpool in the next big Marvel movie. Deadpool is known for being Marvel’s R-rated character – full of violence, crude humor, and generally outrageous behavior.

Deadpool joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Doomsday is interesting because it will be his first time appearing in a PG-13 movie. Fans can likely expect him to playfully acknowledge that he can’t be as explicit as in previous films, adding a humorous element to the story.

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2026-01-17 09:06