Marvel Studios is undeniably building towards an epic Multiversal crescendo with Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027. With The Fantastic Four: First Steps cracking open the door this summer and Avengers: Doomsday (2026) set to assemble a massive, world-spanning cast, the stage is being meticulously set. Yet, despite the burgeoning roster, several pivotal figures from both the iconic 1985 and the reality-shattering 2015 Secret Wars comic storylines – key influences for the upcoming films – have yet to make their official MCU debut.
While their inclusion remains speculative, these ten characters played significant roles in the source material and deserve serious consideration as Marvel charts its course towards Avengers: Doomsday and the ultimate Secret Wars throwdown.
(Note: This list excludes characters already confirmed for MCU appearances or those who have had significant MCU roles. It does include characters from non-MCU Marvel films.)
1. Molecule Man (Owen Reece)
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
Far more than a quirky Fantastic Four villain, Owen Reece, a.k.a. Molecule Man, wields the power to manipulate matter at an atomic level – a direct result of his profound connection to the Multiverse itself. In both the 1985 and 2015 Secret Wars comics, his abilities are absolutely central to Doctor Doom’s ambitious plans to conquer all of reality. However, Molecule Man’s inherent instability and fluctuating allegiance also make him a critical factor in Doom’s eventual downfall, particularly in the 2015 arc where an unlikely bond with Miles Morales leads to betrayal. His power is ultimately instrumental in the Fantastic Four’s efforts to rebuild the shattered Multiverse.
2. Miles Morales (Spider-Man)
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
Already a Multiversal superstar thanks to the acclaimed animated Spider-Verse films, Miles Morales is a cornerstone of the 2015 Secret Wars comic. Escaping the annihilation of his home reality, Miles joins the heroes of the prime Marvel Universe on Doctor Doom’s patchwork Battleworld. His unexpected friendship with Molecule Man becomes a linchpin in overthrowing Doom, with Molecule Man later repaying Miles’ kindness by integrating him and his family into the mainstream Marvel Universe. Could Avengers: Secret Wars be Miles’ official live-action entry point into the MCU?
3. The Beyonder / The Beyonders
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The 1985 Secret Wars is orchestrated by the Beyonder, an enigmatic, omnipotent cosmic being who creates the original Battleworld to pit Marvel’s greatest heroes and villains against each other for his amusement. The 2015 sequel expands this concept, revealing an entire race of Beyonders existing outside the Marvel Multiverse. These beings are responsible for both its creation and its cyclical destruction, with only Doctor Doom managing to stand against them and forge his own Battleworld from the remnants of reality.
4. The Mapmakers and The Builders
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In the lead-up to the 2015 Secret Wars, the Mapmakers act as the Beyonders’ ground troops, traversing realities via Incursions (collisions that destroy universes) and reprogramming any opposition. Allied against this cosmic threat are the Builders, the first sentient beings in the Marvel Universe. They wage a desperate, reality-spanning war to halt the Incursions, but are ultimately annihilated by the Beyonders, paving the way for Doctor Doom’s rise as the savior and architect of the new Battleworld.
5. Volcana (Marsha Rosenberg)
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Volcana gained her fiery, seismic powers from a device created by Doctor Doom during the original 1985 Secret Wars (alongside Titania, already seen in the MCU). While formidable, Marsha Rosenberg is often more interested in a quiet life with her beau, Owen Reece (Molecule Man), than in supervillainy. Volcana’s unique motivations make her a compelling character, and though perhaps a long shot, her inclusion would add a fun, unconventional dynamic to the MCU.
6. The Venom Symbiote
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Yes, a speck of the Venom Symbiote made a brief, gag-focused cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, its true comic origin is intrinsically tied to the 1985 Secret Wars, where Spider-Man first discovers the alien costume. Given this iconic history and the setup for a new Spider-Man trilogy, properly introducing the symbiote during Avengers: Secret Wars feels like a narrative slam dunk.
7. Black Swan
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If Silver Surfer is Galactus’s herald, Black Swan is Doom’s. Across numerous realities, Black Swans serve Doctor Doom within a religious order worshipping him as “Rabum Alal.” Each originates from a world consumed by an Incursion orchestrated by Doom leading up to the 2015 Secret Wars. The primary Black Swan becomes one of Doom’s key generals on Battleworld, eventually aligning with Thanos’s Black Order after Doom’s defeat.
8. Valeria Richards
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While much buzz surrounds Franklin Richards’ potential appearance in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, his sister Valeria Richards plays a more substantial role in the 2015 Secret Wars. On Doom’s Battleworld, Sue Storm is his empress, and Franklin and Valeria are his step-children, with no memory of their past lives. However, Valeria’s intellect – which may even surpass her father Reed’s and Doom’s – proves crucial. When she encounters the true Reed Richards, she aids him in the plan to depose Doom and restore the Multiverse.
9. Manifold (Eden Fesi)
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
One of the most intriguing modern X-Men (though he debuted as an Avenger), the Aboriginal Australian mutant Manifold was tutored by Gateway in teleportation. But his powers are far more profound: Manifold can literally bend time and space by “speaking” to the universe. In the 2015 Secret Wars, his abilities are instrumental in saving the key heroes – including Reed Richards and Miles Morales – who ultimately defeat Doctor Doom.
10. The Maker
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
The Maker is the twisted, evil Reed Richards from the original Ultimate Universe. During the 2015 Secret Wars, he reluctantly teams up with the prime Reed Richards to combat Doom, though their methods (particularly regarding whether to kill Doom) diverge. The Maker’s eventual betrayal is thwarted by Molecule Man, who famously transforms him into pepperoni pizza. He later resurfaced in the core Marvel Universe and is now the architect of the new Ultimate Universe.
As Marvel Studios navigates the complex tapestry of the Multiverse Saga, the potential inclusion of these characters could add incredible depth and comic accuracy to the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Only time will tell who makes the final cut for this ultimate cinematic showdown.
