One of the most glaring omissions from Marvel’s Thunderbolts movie is the Abomination. Played by Tim Roth, Hulk’s greatest enemy in Marvel Comics has long been a favorite for a spot on the roster of the MCU’s Thunderbolts team. However, he wasn’t one of the seven characters in the cast image released during Marvel’s presentation at the D23 Expo 2022.

Despite being absent from the big screen for more than a decade, the Abomination is far from a forgotten villain in the MCU. Years after The Incredible Hulk left the door open for a return, Marvel finally brought him back for a small role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Later, She-Hulk: Attorney At Law advanced his story and got him released from prison. Based on his recent relevancy in Phase 4, there was good reason to suspect that Tim Roth’s MCU character would be the muscle of Marvel’s anti-hero team. But if the released image is of the fully assembled team for the movie, Marvel may have entirely different plans for Abomination.

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With Abomination presumably on a better path after his guest appearances in She-Hulk, the character certainly feels like a great fit for the Thunderbolts, which raises questions about why Marvel wouldn’t give him a role in the film. One possible explanation is that Marvel intentionally avoided MCU powerhouses like Abomination when picking the team. Red Guardian actor David Harbour hinted at this being the plan when he said that the Thunderbolts don’t live up to “the super in superhero”. And it is true that while several members of the Thunderbolts have powers, none are incredibly powerful. Looking at Harbour’s comments, that may be by design.

What Abomination’s Future In The MCU Could Be

Abomination in his cell in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law.

So unless Marvel is hiding his role for the time being, it’s possible that in the interest of telling a story about a group of superheroes weaker or less capable than the Avengers, Marvel has passed on using Abomination in Thunderbolts. But either way, there should still be opportunities for the character to return after She-Hulk. If She-Hulk truly is setting up a World War Hulk storyline, Marvel could likely find a place for him in that. Alternatively, there could be room for him in one or two of Phase 5’s upcoming projects, such as Secret Invasion or Captain America: New World Order, particularly with the latter using Hulk’s other rival, the Leader.

All things considered, Abomination is still poised to have a future in the MCU, regardless of whether or not appears in Thunderbolts. And while there could still be a sense that skipping over him would be a huge missed opportunity for the movie, there’s always a chance it could bring him in for a potential sequel. Either way, it’s hard to imagine that She-Hulk will be the last audiences see of Tim Roth's Abomination.

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