Spooky season’s coming in full swing to Disney+ with the MCU’s first, and hopefully not last, Halloween Special, Werewolf by Night. Directed by composer Michael Giacchino and starring Gael García Bernal, the special is aesthetically and thematically styled on the legendary classic horror films of the -30s and -40s. Monster hunters have united to uncover the mysterious monster that lurks among them, all while also dealing unexpectedly with the TVA from Loki, but in the end, Werewolf by Night could be more consequential than it appears.
Werewolf by Night, Man-Thing, and Zombie are all ready and eager to open the door wide to the vast possibilities of monsters in the MCU. Whether supernatural, cosmic, or scientific, heroic or villainous, monsters are going to be here to stay, and thanks to all the upcoming movies and TV shows, there's no shortage of places where new ones can appear. These monsters, specifically, stand the best chance at joining the MCU soon based on their connections to established characters and prevalence throughout the comics.
Dracula
Based on the trailer, Werewolf by Night might be lacking a true villain, deviating from the classic MCU formula, with the monster hunters, TVA, and/or Man-Thing even taking up the antagonistic role. However, if one prominent villain was to appear, Dracula would make sense. Even if he doesn’t, he’s one of Marvel’s most prolific, so he’ll surely have a place in the MCU’s future.
Most likely, he’ll come into play in Blade, although the same could be said for other vampires like Deacon Frost, Varnae, and his son, Xarus. As monsters like vampires become more of a permanent presence in the MCU, hopefully, that will mean that Dracula will have a long tenure rather than being a one-and-done like many MCU villains.
Vampire By Night
Another vampire with a clear link to the MCU is Nina Price, aka Vampire by Night. She is the niece of Jack Russell, aka Werewolf by Night, so she could surely come into play anytime soon in the future of his stories in the MCU. Interestingly, like her uncle, she and her family were cursed and would turn into werewolves at night, but she was also bitten by a vampire, so she is a very special case.
Although more obscure to casual fans than Werewolf by Night, a Vampire by Night Halloween special would be a great way to follow up on the character while focusing on a new protagonist. Whenever Nina does arrive in the MCU, she could end up teaming with her uncle and other monsters on the second iteration of the Howling Commandos.
Manphibian
The horror films of early Hollywood were a creative breeding ground for enticing characters for Marvel Comics. There’s Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon, which served as inspiration for Manphibian. He is actually an alien who sought revenge on his mate’s murderer, following him to Earth, all while also raising his many children.
Should the group of monster hunters survive Werewolf by Night, Manphibian would be a logical next target, which could entail him joining Jack Russell, Man-Thing, and Elsa Bloodstone in the Legion of Monsters. As such, Manphibian would make for a great protagonist in his own Halloween Special like Vampire by Night.
N'Kantu, The Living Mummy
Another prominent monster deserving of his own Halloween Special is N’Kantu, the Living Mummy. He is an ancient chieftain who was enslaved by an Egyptian pharaoh and subsequently experimented on by an evil sorcerer. N’Kantu was mummified and unexpectedly gifted immortality by the sorcerer, but he was also entombed for thousands of years.
He could have a link into the MCU should Moon Knight return for a second season and explore more of Egyptian mythology and history. Like others, N’Kantu could then become a member of the Howling Commandos and/or Legion of Monsters.
Sasquatch
Not all monsters from Marvel Comics are fit for horror stories, as is the case for Sasquatch. Walter Langkowski desired to turn himself into the Hulk and conducted a gamma ray experiment, but he turns into a great orange and hairy beast like Bigfoot instead of a green behemoth. This was actually from being gifted powers by a Great Beast – powerful creatures from another dimension who hope to take over Earth.
Importantly, Sasquatch is an integral member of Alpha Flight, the Canadian contemporary to the Avengers and a team that should come to the MCU soon. Many of his teammates are true mutants, so it might take a while until they can show up, but when they do, Alpha Flight and Sasquatch could surely get their own Disney+ team-up series or film in the MCU.
Man-Wolf
Jack Russel isn’t the only prominent werewolf hero in the comics. There’s also Man-Wolf and Warwolf, both of which have history with established characters in the MCU. The former, Man-Wolf, however, presents a better case as his real name is John Jameson, though fans might better recognize him as J. Jonah Jameson III. He is the son of J. Jonah Jameson, and he did appear in Raimi’s trilogy, but not in wolf form.
John becomes a werewolf during a mission on the Moon when he found a strange gem called the Godstone. As his father will hopefully remain a prominent part of the MCU in Spider-Man’s future stories, Man-Wolf could come into play there. Alternatively, he could be introduced yet in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law or her future since he eventually marries her.
Teen Abomination
Speaking of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, with the re-emergence of Tim Roth’s Emil Blonsky, aka Abomination, perhaps he’ll eventually get his own teenage counterpart, and Teen Abomination can join the MCU. He’s a relatively new character in the comics, having only been introduced in 2014, but he has an important connection to the MCU already – he is actually Happy Hogan’s son.
Jamie Carlson was accidentally exposed to gamma radiation as a child, and as a teen, he began to transform into a hulking beast, though he wasn’t nearly as powerful as Hulk, Abomination, or other gamma mutates. Nevertheless, he could join the likes of Kate Bishop, Patriot, and other teen heroes in the Young Avengers if he joins the MCU.
Fin Fang Foom
Dragons already have a presence in the MCU, thanks to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Another dragon who could likely come into play in a future film is Fin Fang Foom. He is a Makluan, an alien dragon, who is in Iron Man’s rogues' gallery, although he’ll have to contend with others in the MCU.
With Shang-Chi revealing that the Ten Rings are acting as a beacon for something or someone, many fans presumed that this could mean Fin Fang Foom since the rings are Makluan in origin in the comics. Whether that’s the case and he does appear in Shang-Chi 2 or not, Fin Fang Foom would be an interesting new villain for the MCU.
Shiklah
Another recent addition to the comics who shouldn’t have to wait long to cross into the MCU is Shiklah. She is a succubus and was a princess to a monster kingdom who was awoken from eternal slumber by Deadpool. They struck up a relationship and even got married, although the marriage quickly dissolved as she came to disdain his life as a hero.
Shiklah does also have a relationship with Werewolf by Night, and eventually, she marries Dracula. Thanks to her various connections, there are several options to introduce her, but it would likely be best to wait for Deadpool to have plenty of time to acclimate to the MCU first. Thankfully, Deadpool 3 now has a release date in 2024, so Shiklah's chance of joining the MCU has gotten a bit better.
Frankenstein's Monster
If the MCU wish to continue the Halloween Specials after Werewolf by Night and specifically replicate the archaic aesthetic, Frankenstein’s monster should definitely come into play in the future. In the comics, there have been many variations of Frankenstein’s monster, and he’s evolved beyond the trope of simply being a monster.
It might surprise many MCU fans that there is a character like Frankenstein’s monster in the comics, but there are several ways he could come into play. He’d make a logical inclusion after Werewolf by Night as a prominent member of the Legion of Monsters and Howling Commandos.