The Marvel VS Capcom games are beloved not just for their gameplay but also for their characters. The Marvel side of the series has been represented by over 50 characters of heroes and villains. Like any fighting game franchise, speculation is high on the next installment's roster, especially the newcomers.
It is no coincidence that the rosters of Marvel VS Capcom 3 and Marvel VS Capcom: Infinite introduced characters popularized by the Marvel Cinematic Universe, such as Doctor Strange, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel. With the MCU even bigger than it was as of 2022, there are even more opportunities for Marvel newcomers to make their mark on a hypothetical new game.
Howard the Duck
Howard the Duck (Seth Green) may not be a significant player in the MCU's events, but he is still a memorable cameo character from the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. Aside from those films and a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance in the climax of Avengers: Endgame, Howard's most prominent roles were in two episodes of What If...?
It is an unwritten rule that every fighting game has a joke character or at least one that is unorthodox in terms of design and usage. Howard can easily fit into this role and lean heavily into his skills in Quack-Fu. His move set or hyper combos can even include his Iron Duck armor, which was created in the comics by a man who thought he was a relative of Tony Stark.
Red Skull
The evil campaign of the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) was the central conflict of Captain America: The First Avenger. He was believed to be dead or lost for years, only to unexpectedly resurface as the keeper of the Soul Stone in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. With the Soul Stone gone, it remains to be seen if Red Skull may return someday.
The comic abilities of the Red Skull have varied over the decades, but the game can take creative liberties to turn him into a usable fighting game character. He can utilize his superhuman abilities, martial skills, and the telepathic abilities he attained from the brain of Charles Xavier. The Red Skull can easily take his place alongside the villainous greats of the series like Magneto and Thanos.
Moon Knight
With many characters debuting in their own shows and movies, a potential Marvel VS Capcom sequel can capitalize on this by including some of these new characters. Moon Knight (Oscar Issac), set to debut in 2022, is one such character that can make their mark on the game. Created in 1975, Moon Knight headlined several solo comic runs over the decades and was thrust into the spotlight after a teaser in November 2021.
Moon Knight typically lacks superpowers, but his background as a marine made him proficient in martial arts and weapons. The character is also known for handling immense pain and punishment, and the game can use this by giving Moon Knight damage reduction.
Ms. Marvel
Kamala Khan is one of Marvel's most significant successes since her debut in 2014. Since then, she has appeared in other comics, cartoons, and video games. This culminated into a series that will star Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani), set to debut in 2022, followed by a starring role in 2023's The Marvels.
It would be missed opportunity not to include her in a Marvel VS Capcom sequel, and she can provide unique gameplay opportunities with her powers. Her stretching and elasticity can give her range, and she can dish out additional damage with her size-shifting. She can also fill out the spot as a young character in the roster, given that Spider-Man in the series is already an adult.
Vision
Following his big-screen debut in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Vision (Paul Bettany) made further appearances in Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. He was the secondary protagonist in WandaVision, both as a construct created by Wanda and as a white duplicate. The disappearance of this duplicate by the show's end certainly means he will return in the future.
Even taking his MCU appearances aside, Vision is one of the most invaluable members of the Avengers in the comics. His powers, including superior strength, solar energy, and intangibility, provide tons of potential as a fighting game character. Appearing in one of the greatest crossover fighting game series would solidify his importance.
Star-Lord
The MCU has seen multiple appearances of Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, with the character set to return in 2022's Thor: Love and Thunder. Meanwhile, in Marvel VS Capcom, the Guardians of the Galaxy have been represented by Rocket Raccoon, Groot (as part of Rocket's move set), and Gamora. The natural next step would be to include Star-Lord and all his unmistakable traits in the series.
Star-Lord's abilities in the comics are much more diverse than seen in the films. Aside from close-quarter combat, he is armed with a gun that harnesses the power of the elements. He also has a psychic bond with his sentient spaceship, which could be used in hyper combos similar to Jin Saotome from Capcom's Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness.
The Fantastic Four
As the very first superhero team of Marvel Comics, the Fantastic Four have more than earned their place in comics history, with their rebooted MCU film coming down the line. Therefore, it is strange that none of the team has been represented in the game yet, outside of villains like Super Skrull and their most powerful and deadly foe: Doctor Doom.
The Fantastic Four is best known as a team, so this can be implemented into a fighting game appearance. The Thing can be the primary character that plays like The Hulk, but the similarities would end with special moves incorporating Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, and Human Torch. The Fantastic Four can be the Marvel equivalent of Capcom's Captain Commando from past installments.
Daredevil
Daredevil (Charlie Cox) was one of the most popular characters of Marvel Netflix, and its cancellation was highly criticized. He was not down for long, as he eventually returned for a cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home. This appearance has fully cemented his place in the MCU, and it is only a matter of time before Matt Murdock suits up again as The Man Without Fear.
While implementing his radar sense may be tricky, Daredevil still has his unrivaled martial arts abilities. His signature billy club weapon can also provide a lot of versatility for short and long-ranged combat. Hyper Combos can even involve an appearance by Elektra joining Daredevil in an all-out attack.
Scarlet Witch
Though she appeared in a handful of films starting with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, it was not until WandaVision that the name of the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) was bestowed onto Wanda Maximoff. She dropped off the radar after the events in Westview but is set to return in 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
While Doctor Strange was already in the game as a spellcaster fighter, Scarlet Witch's abilities can make her different enough. Her powers in the comic books have had a long history of explanations and retcons, from probability-altering hex bolts to chaos magic spells and rewriting all of reality itself. This wide array of powers provides many possibilities for move sets and Hyper Combos.
Loki
Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has been on a long and winding road throughout the MCU, starting with the first Thor movie up until 2021 with his show. The God of Mischief was a complex character who has been a villain, a hero, and something in-between. The cliffhanger ending of Loki's first season ensures his return, but it is uncertain if Loki will ever grace the silver screen again in the future.
As one of the great Marvel villains, Loki's appearance in Marvel VS Capcom is long overdue. As a child of Joutenheim and Asgard, Loki's comic abilities are second-to-none. Superhuman skills, magic, skills with bladed weapons, and shapeshifting are just some of what he has up his sleeve. If he was given the right move set, Loki could have the potential to be a top-tier character.