Marvel Studios Still Needs to Give These 7 Characters a Live-Action Debut Following Their Marvel Animation Appearances

Marvel Studios is using its animated shows as a place to try out fresh concepts and different versions of characters. Series like What If…?, Marvel Zombies, and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man have presented beloved characters in exciting new ways, sometimes even years before – or possibly instead of – seeing them in live-action movies or shows.

Even if a character first appears in an animated MCU project, they might not yet be part of the main live-action story – where the biggest events and most popular crossovers happen. These animated appearances are helpful, though, because they introduce the character to audiences and build excitement for when they eventually appear in a live-action film or series.

Animated Marvel Icons Still Waiting for Their Live-Action MCU Debut

Blade (Eric Brooks)

Blade, the iconic Daywalker, is finally joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe! While a live-action movie starring Mahershala Ali is in the works, fans got to see a version of the character sooner in animated form. He first appeared quickly in a montage at the end of What If…? Season 3 as a blend of Blade and Moon Knight. More recently, the animated series Marvel Zombies gave viewers a full look at this alternate take, known as Blade Knight.

Blade Knight has become the Fist of Khonshu, a role previously known from the Moon Knight series through Marc Spector. This new version of the character officially places Eric Brooks (Blade) within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, connecting him to its expanding world of magic and supernatural forces.

Although this animated take is just one version of the character, it’s the first complete visual and story introduction under the Marvel Studios label. This creates significant anticipation for Ali’s future live-action role and requires a good reason for any differences – or similarities – between this version and the main Marvel storyline.

Amadeus Cho

Amadeus Cho, who is incredibly smart and later becomes a super-powered version of the Hulk called the Totally Awesome Hulk, recently appeared in the animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. The show portrays him as an intern at Oscorp, putting him in the middle of Peter Parker and Norman Osborn’s world when Peter is still developing his powers.

Okay, let’s talk about this introduction – it’s a really smart move. They’re dropping in a character who’s basically a genius, famously known as one of the smartest people on the planet in the comics, right into the middle of the MCU’s tech world. Placing him at Oscorp feels very deliberate. It strongly hints that we’re going to see him get involved with some seriously advanced tech, and possibly even gamma radiation – which, if you know the comics, sets him up for a huge role down the line. It’s a clever way to lay the groundwork for his future story.

Presenting Amadeus Cho as a peer of Peter Parker creates a built-in connection that will be impactful when he eventually gets his powers in a live-action movie or series. This would also establish another intelligent young character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, similar to Riri Williams from Ironheart.

Tombstone (Lonnie Lincoln)

Lonnie Lincoln, also known as Tombstone, is a new villain introduced in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. The series shows him starting as a classmate of Peter Parker’s, first as a football player. He earns the nickname “Tombstone” from Big Donovan, the leader of the 110th Street Gang. Later, an encounter with a strange gas leaking from an Oscorp truck gives him incredible strength and his distinctive pale skin.

As a huge film fan, I’m really excited to see this series chart the character’s journey from being just one of the guys to becoming a serious criminal player. What’s cool is that it’s a totally fresh take on his backstory, separate from what we’ve seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far. Honestly, it’s about time we got a live-action version of Tombstone! He’s a big deal in the Spider-Man comics when it comes to organized crime, and I’m especially glad they’re connecting him to Robbie Robertson – a character I’ve always enjoyed seeing in the Spider-Man movies.

Bringing this character into YFNS is a strategic decision to introduce a major villain connected to street crime. This sets the stage for a live-action story that could explore the gritty criminal side of New York City and create a real challenge for Spider-Man.

Uncle Ben

As a huge Spider-Man fan, I always felt like Uncle Ben was missing from the MCU movies. He’s such a core part of Peter Parker’s story, but his death was never actually shown on screen, it was just something we knew happened. It’s awesome to see that the animated shows, like What If…? and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, are finally giving him a more solid place in the story, even if he isn’t physically there. They really highlight how important he was to Peter, which is exactly what I’ve been wanting to see!

As a huge Spider-Man fan, I always loved how YFNS really solidified Uncle Ben’s death as the core reason Peter became Spider-Man. It’s his defining trauma. It’s a little strange though, because we only see Uncle Ben as a picture in the show itself! But the comic book prequel to YFNS was really special – it actually gave us Uncle Ben’s first spoken lines in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hearing him speak to Peter, even from beyond the grave, with such pride and encouragement, just gave his character so much more emotional depth than just a quick mention. It really made the loss feel real.

I’m really impressed that they’re making his story so important, even outside of a live-action film! It shows just how much this character matters. But honestly, I still feel like we need to see him in a live-action scene – maybe a flashback, or even a version from another universe – to truly make the phrase “with great power comes great responsibility” resonate. It’s the heart of Spider-Man, and it deserves that moment within the MCU.

Uatu, The Watcher

As a critic, I have to say Jeffrey Wright’s performance as Uatu, The Watcher, absolutely made What If…? He’s not just narrating events – he’s a central character, and a fascinating one at that. Traditionally, The Watcher observes and doesn’t interfere, but this version breaks that rule, stepping in to safeguard the entire multiverse. Honestly, he’s the biggest, boldest idea to come out of Marvel’s animated projects so far, and a truly compelling figure.

Even though we’ve only seen him in animated form – mostly those charming I Am Groot shorts – it always felt like a matter of time before this character showed up in the live-action Marvel movies. He’s become the perfect link between the main MCU timeline and all those wild, animated multiverse adventures. Honestly, his live-action debut feels totally natural and, dare I say, inevitable!

Seeing this character appear in person would be a huge event, probably signaling a large-scale crossover involving multiple universes. It would finally give a physical body to someone who has, until now, only been an observer in the live-action movies and series.

Storm (Ororo Munroe)

Ororo Munroe, the famous mutant known as Storm, is a highly anticipated addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though fans expect to see the main X-Men team appear in live-action films eventually, a different, exceptionally powerful version of Storm was already introduced in Season 3 of the What If…? animated series.

In a surprising and exciting moment, this version of Storm is depicted wielding Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, earning her the title “Goddess of Thunder.” This instantly showcased just how powerful she could be within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, linking her to Asgardian lore and placing her among the most powerful heroes.

To truly establish the X-Men within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a live-action version of Storm needs to be introduced. This animated story helps guarantee her incredible powers and important role won’t be overlooked when she eventually appears in live-action.

Rhino (Aleksei Sytsevich)

Rhino, a well-known Spider-Man enemy (whose real name is Aleksei Sytsevich), previously appeared in another Spider-Man movie outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though that version wasn’t universally loved. Now, he’s officially joining the MCU in the animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, which is returning for a second season. In the show, Aleksei Sytsevich is a criminal who gets powerful, armored technology and transforms into the massive villain, Rhino.

Featuring a big villain like Rhino in the animated series suggests the creators are planning to quickly develop Spider-Man’s collection of classic enemies. Rhino is important because he shows the kind of strong, physical challenges that Spider-Man will face in future live-action movies. His simple, brute-force approach to villainy is a good contrast to more intelligent foes like Vulture and Doctor Octopus.

2025-10-21 07:09