In a post-Avengers: Endgame MCU, many of the original members of the superhero team have made their final curtain calls. But the need for a group like the Avengers remains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So who among the MCU’s greatest heroes will become the New Avengers? Rumors are making the rounds (via MCU Cosmic and CBR) suggesting that Captain Marvel 2 will set up the next Avengers film, as well as seeming to confirm Spider-Man being a member as well. But who else should make the cut? Here are the heroes who we think should be the main contenders for the next generation of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
Black Panther
Marvel
He’s the biggest hero the MCU has in terms of box office and brand recognition, especially now that Robert Downey Jr. has said his farewell. And Black Panther’s solo film made more money than any Iron Man movie ever did. If the Avengers’ leaders are to be the biggest names in the MCU, then T’Challa has to be front and center and leading the charge. He will be the new Iron Man of the group, in a sense. He’ll provide the advanced technology and money, and essentially bankroll the team. How he’ll juggle roles as team leader and King of Wakanda is anyone’s guess, but we are pretty sure he’d make it work.
Captain Marvel
Marvel
With her amazing box office success, Carol Danvers is now the second biggest solo MCU hero behind Black Panther. If T’Challa is the money and tech behind a new iteration of the Avengers, then Carol will fill the Captain America role. And by this we mean years of military experience and leadership. Both on Earth and out in space. Much like Iron Man and Cap were co-leaders for the Avengers in Age of Ultron, we could see Carol co-leading with T’Challa. And probably butting heads with him just as much as Tony and Steve did.
Sam Wilson/Captain America
Marvel
With Steve Rogers passing on the mantle of Captain America over to his friend Sam Wilson at the end of Avengers: Endgame, we think that Sam should be the link between the old Avengers and the new. It just feels like it’s not really the Avengers unless someone is carrying that famous shield into battle. He would also likely serve as the even tempered character to balance out the co-leaders, who will no doubt quarrel much of the time.
The Mighty Thor
YouTube
It’s not really the Avengers without some Asgardian type wielding a big ol’ hammer. And now that we know that Natalie Portman is returning to the MCU as the new Thor, we think Jane Foster should take her ex-boyfriend’s place on the team. As Thor: Love and Thunder is almost two years away, it’s hard to say just how she’d fit in the team, but we think Goddess of Thunder needs to be there to bring down the lightning.
She-Hulk
Marvel Comics
She hasn’t even been cast yet, but the Sensational She-Hulk is getting her own series on Disney+ soon. And she’s already been described as a future Avenger by the folks at Marvel Studios, so we think she’s a lock for this movie. It just wouldn’t quite feel like a proper Avengers movie without a rampaging Green Goliath, now would it? As an added bonus, she’s a lawyer, so Jennifer Walters could always serve as the team’s legal counsel as well.
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Marvel
These two have only worked as members of the Avengers in the final installment. However, in the comics Ant-Man and Wasp were actually founding members (although it was the Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne versions). Paul Rudd provides a ton of comic relief, and it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have another strong female member on the team either. It would make a ton of sense to have these two finally graduate to full Avengers status.
Spider-Man
Marvel
Spidey has been an Avenger in the comics, but it took him nearly forty years to make the cut. But we don’t think he will take as long to officially become an Avenger. As Iron Man’s protégé, he might want to serve as an Avenger to represent Tony Stark’s legacy. Iron Man did knight Peter as an Avenger in Infinity War. By the time the new movie takes place, Peter will surely have graduated from high school, and at least be college age. And it doesn’t hurt to have Marvel’s company mascot on the team.
Black Knight
Marvel Comics
Another classic Avenger from the comics’ early days, Dane Whitman was a mainstay of the team during the ’80s and ’90s as the Black Knight. The character is being introduced into the MCU by Game of Thrones‘ Kit Harrington in the upcoming Eternals film, where he will get to show off his Medieval mystical weapon, the Ebony Blade. But after that film, he should definitely make his way to being on the New Avengers when that group finally comes together.
Monica Rambeau
Marvel Comics
She’s been called Captain Marvel, Photon, Pulsar, and Spectrum. But whatever she winds up using as her codename, this cosmic powerhouse deserves a spot on the New Avengers. The character was introduced as a child in Captain Marvel, but an adult version will soon debut on WandaVision on Disney+, played by Teyonah Parris. So she’s obviously being set up to become a superhero herself. In the comics, she was leader of the Avengers for a time, and we think she deserves a spot on the team.
Doctor Strange
Marvel
Yes, he’s super powerful and would be a tremendous asset, as we saw in Avengers: Endgame. But Stephen Strange tends to not be a team player in the traditional sense. Generally, he only emerges from the Sanctum Sanctorum to work with other heroes when all of reality itself is as stake. In the comics, he was an Avenger briefly, but he prefers to work with the Defenders. And that’s because they only come together to stop giant threats, and then go their separate ways. On the other hand, if the Avengers are to fight a threat that’s more mystical in nature, they might want Stephen Strange with them.
Featured Image: Marvel Studios
Article updated April 17, 2020.