The exciting news that Jamie Foxx as Electro from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is going to appear in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Spider-Man sequel has sent shockwaves through the fandom. Few details about Electro's return have been revealed but it suggests the likelihood of a multiverse in the next phase of the franchise, something already teased in the title of Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness.
Electro opens the door to all kinds of possibilities, including other characters from other non-MCU Marvel franchises showing up. After all, J.K. Simmons' irreplaceable J. Jonah Jameson already returned in Spider-Man: Far From Home, so what's stopping the others from appearing in the MCU? Whether it's Fox or Sony, lots of characters would be great choices for reprises in the MCU.
The Thing (Fantastic Four)
Very little of the Fox Fantastic Four movies worked. Really, none of the Fantastic Four movies made it past being tolerable at best. That being said, one thing that the two Fantastic Four movies from the early 2000's did right was cast Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm, also known as The Thing. That and get Chris Evans into Marvel, though he doesn't count since he's already Captain America.
Chiklis brought a gruff lived-in experience to the otherwise rubbery Thing. The MCU version of the classic character is likely to be realized through CGI, as the version from the imminently forgettable 2015 version was. That doesn't mean that Chiklis couldn't return to voice the character and get a do-over on what was a promising take on The Thing.
Spider-Man (The Amazing Spider-Man)
Truth be told, Sony's The Amazing Spider-Man era didn't get a lot of things right. One thing that most people enjoyed about it was Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker. He emphasized the nerdier aspects of Peter while also keeping that snarky edge that Spider-Man has, throwing witty comebacks in the midst of combat. He also had great chemistry with Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy (more on her later).
Garfield may not rank among the best Spider-Men but in an era where everything and everyone is on the table, it would be nice to see him get a second chance with a character he can obviously excel in.
Quicksilver (Fox's X-Men Series)
One of the absolute highlights of X-Men: Days Of Futures Past, and really, the back half of the Fox X-Men movies, was Quicksilver. X-Men: Days Of Futures Past is one of the best X-Men movies ever, but special thanks goes to the show-stopping cameo of Quicksilver (Evan Peters).
The setpiece where he runs around the kitchen inside the Pentagon, casually rearranging the bullets and other projectiles launched at the X-Men is a classic in superhero movies. The sequels repeated the scene to lesser effect, but he proved an outstanding take on the character and an easy candidate for a multiverse crossover.
Mary Jane Watson (The Spider-Man Trilogy)
An older Mary Jane Watson proved a pivotal figure in the outstanding animated film Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, and the same concept could work in live-action. One of the best things about the original Sam Raimi trilogy of Spidey films was Kristen Dunst as Mary Jane, Spider-Man's longtime crush and eventual girlfriend.
Dunst's version of the character radically reinvented Mary Jane. She became Peter Parker's childhood friend (they met as teenagers in the comics) and their stories became very much entwined. It would be great to see how the two lived happily ever after, or maybe not.
Spider-Man (The Spider-Man Trilogy)
Seeing Kristen Dunst again as Mary Jane certainly would be a reason to include Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man. The original film version of the iconic character remains close to the hearts of fans around the world, and if Michael Keaton can come back as Batman in a new movie, then Tobey Maguire can too.
His portrayal of Peter Parker discovering his power and responsibility remains a benchmark for Marvel films in general. An older, wiser Peter Parker might make an interesting subject in the MCU, as he did in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.
Gwen Stacy (The Amazing Spider-Man)
A great upside of the multiverse concept opening the doors to other film franchises is the opportunity to make up for past mistakes. Sony's The Amazing Spider-Man films struggled with too many ideas and bad execution, but it featured an outstanding Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy.
Just as she did in the comics, Gwen tragically died at the end of the second film. That doesn't mean her story is necessarily over, though. Among many other things, Spider-Gwen has become one of the most popular new heroines in the comics and she may even be the subject of Olivia Wilde's upcoming Spider-movie. Either Gwen's death could be undone in the MCU, or Emma Stone will get the chance to portray the character differently.
The Original Howard The Duck
A more comics-accurate Howard The Duck has already appeared in the MCU thanks to the Guardians of the Galaxy, but if there can be multiple versions of Spider-Man running around, there can be various waterfowl as well.
The fan-favorite character infamously starred in the cult so-bad-it's-good classic Howard the Duck from 1986, and was almost the subject of a Marvel television series. This animatronic/live-action version of Howard would be a gas to see again in the MCU, even in a cameo. Throw in Lea Thompson and it would be a delight for fans of every era!
Sandman (Spider-Man 3)
The inclusion of Electro from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in the MCU suggests a lot of things. One of them is that Sinister Six is just around the corner. The original team in the comics consisted of Electro, Mysterio, Vulture, Doctor Octopus, Kraven The Hunter, and Sandman. Luckily, a great Sandman already exists in the movies.
Thomas Hayden Church made the Sandman a sympathetic and compelling villain in Spider-Man 3. In fact, he was one of the best things about the so-so sequel and would be an ideal candidate for a crossover into the MCU. That, and the CGI used to bring him to life was pretty impressive for its time.
Deadpool
Disney's acquisition of Fox is great in many respects for Marvel fans. It finally brings the X-Men and Fantastic Four under the same roof. It's not without downsides though, and one of them is the Merc with a Mouth himself: Deadpool.
The hilarious fourth-wall breaking mercenary proved a smash in two movies for Fox, but his fate remains in limbo post-merger. The concern seems to be as much how the R-rated character fits into the generally PG-13 MCU, but also how the meta-perspective of Deadpool works inside the context of a cinematic universe that isn't as self-aware as Deadpool 2. Given the multiverse angle, though, his inclusion makes the most sense.
Wolverine/Logan (Fox's X-Men Series)
The one character fans have wanted to see in the MCU from the first whispers of the Fox acquisition is Wolverine. There's no other way around it: Hugh Jackman is Logan and though he's effectively retired from the role, he has suggested he would return for a chance to team up with the Avengers.
Fortunately, there's a ready-made template if the MCU wants to do it. Though the MCU Wolverine is likely to be a new actor, it would be a fitting send-off and treat for fans to see Jackman handing the torch and claws to whoever will take his place. Even a brief appearance from Jackman donning the adamantanium claws one last time would be more than enough for fans.