When Will Nova Join The MCU? Upcoming Movies & Shows He Could Appear In

Fans are waiting to see Nova join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and there are several upcoming movies and shows that could feature him. As the MCU continues to expand, one of the characters fans most want to see is Richard Rider a.k.a. Nova. The powerful cosmic superhero is a staple of Marvel's cosmic stories. Theoretically, this makes him a great fit for the MCU as it keeps telling more cosmic stories after the success of Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor.

Marvel Studios is well aware of the interest in Nova making his MCU debut. It has nearly happened on a few different occasions too. Some expected Nova to be mentioned or featured as a cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy after the establishment of the Nova Corps, but that didn't happen. Instead, there was a time when Nova was going to be featured in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. He would've been the one sent to Earth to warn the Avengers about Thanos; however, Hulk ultimately filled this role. The Russo brothers even teased fans that he was secretly in Avengers: Endgame's climactic battle.

The lack of Nova appearing in the MCU to this point comes despite Feige teasing that he is near the top of the list of characters that Marvel is considering introducing next. This has left fans wondering when Marvel Studios will finally bring one of their greatest cosmic heroes to the MCU and make him one of the most important characters for years to come. With a full slate of movies and Disney+ shows announced though, where could Nova finally make his MCU debut?

Nova

Marvel Studios isn't confirmed to be developing a solo Nova movie, but it is still the most likely place where he could be introduced. The MCU has already laid a lot of groundwork for Nova's eventual appearance too. Thanos acquiring the Power Stone off-screen before Avengers: Infinity War should mean that he decimated Xandar and the Nova Corps. This could set up Rhomann Dey (John C. Reilly) recruiting Rider to join the Nova Corps and have him spend the years after the snap trying to help piece the galaxy back together.

Guardians of the Galaxy 3

James Gunn has long been hesitant to include Nova in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, but Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 could be the right place to change that. One of the main reasons Nova was off the table for past films was Gunn's interest in keeping Peter Quill as the only human on the team. However, he previously teased that this could change with the third Guardians. He's also said that the movie sets up the next decade of cosmic MCU stories, and Nova must be part of those plans; Nova's appearance could be tied to the next mission that the Guardians go on, but he could also present a romantic foil for Star-Lord, as Nova and Gamora have been a couple in the comics. With Avengers: Endgame introducing a past version of Gamora who isn't in love with Quill, the emergence of Nova could give Gamora some agency in choosing her path — and give Quill a chance to show maturity by accepting her decision.

Thor: Love and Thunder

Thor Odinson Jane Love and Thunder Featured

Just about any cosmic story is a place where Nova could find a role in the MCU, so it is worth mentioning Thor: Love and Thunder as another movie where Richard Rider could appear. The story that Taika Waititi has planned hasn't been revealed, but teases of Space Sharks are a prime example of how cosmic it could be. As Thor and Jane Foster go on their new adventure, it is possible that they could come across Nova. Perhaps this could even be the role that Waititi met with Ryan Gosling about?

Nick Fury Show

The most recently announced MCU project could also be a fit for Nova potentially. Samuel L. Jackson is returning as Nick Fury for an unspecified Disney+ series, and there are two main stories that it might revolve around. Fury's return could be in a series focusing on his space-focused organization SWORD or the rumored Secret Invasion series. In either case, it isn't too difficult to imagine Nova showing up. If it is focused on SWORD, Fury and his new team could come across Nova during their adventures. It is even possible that they could hear about a human named Richard Rider who recently left Earth after potentially getting superpowers. If the series is Secret Invasion instead, then Nova could have an important role, just as he did in the comics.

Captain Marvel 2

Brie Larson as Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel

Speaking of a possible Secret Invasion role for Nova, there is some belief that Captain Marvel 2 will continue such a thread. If that is the case, Nova could play a big role in Captain Marvel 2, even if he is left out of any possible set up. The comics saw Rider help turn the tide against Earth's fight with the Skrulls. It also featured the reactivation of the Worldmind, a supercomputer filled with knowledge based on deceased Nova Corps members. A similar role for Nova in Captain Marvel 2 could be used to announce him as the next big MCU hero who could work with Carol to protect the cosmos and Earth for years to come.

Ms. Marvel

Richard Rider appearing in Ms. Marvel might seem a bit strange, but he isn't the only version of Nova that the MCU could use. Sam Alexander is a young Latino who becomes a new version of Nova after finding his dad's old Nova Corps Black Ops helmet. Although it is expected that Rider will be introduced first, there is no guarantee that this is the path the MCU will follow. In the comics, Sam Alexander's Nova is part of the Champions, which also features Kamala Khan. The Champions might not assemble in Ms. Marvel, but a cameo by Sam could help plant the seed of their future partnership.

Spider-Man: Homecoming 3/4

Sam Alexander's Nova could also be a candidate to appear in Spider-Man: Homecoming 3 or 4. Tom Holland's Peter Parker is currently the MCU's biggest young superhero and could soon be introduced to a myriad of young heroes, such as Nova. Although the comics traditionally have paired Sam's Nova with the Miles Morales version of Spider-Man, fans of the animated series Ultimate Spider-Man know that Sam and Peter can have fun adventures together too. With Electro appearing in Spider-Man: Homecoming 3, there's no telling what the film could ultimately contain, so maybe some Nova set up will come from it too.

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