It's a crazy time to be a Marvel fan.
In WandaVision, we saw Dark Phoenix star Evan Peters play the MCU's version of Quicksilver, and while he'd later be revealed as "Ralph Bohner," the stage was seemingly set for more crossovers. Thanks to Loki, Variants are about to become the norm in this shared world, and Spider-Man: No Way Home looks set to bring back everyone from Tobey Maguire to Jamie Foxx and Alfred Molina.
There are tonnes of rumours about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, too, and that got us thinking about the other actors we'd like to see given a second chance in the MCU.
We're not suggesting that there aren't better options out there, and this lot could either play the same characters or rebooted Variants (similar to what the plan appears to be for Daredevil). However, the one thing we'd argue that they all have in common is their ability to improve on what came before.
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8. Olivia Munn (Psylocke)
X-Men: Apocalypse was the closest Fox ever got to making an MCU-style movie, but it didn't really resonate with fans or critics. The franchise's cartoonish new direction was very much the beginning of the end for these characters, but there were at least a few bright spots we can appreciate.
The highlights included Olivia Munn's take on Psylocke. The actress wasn't really given much in the way of decent material, but still somehow managed to stand out in an adventure full of questionable creative decisions and poor performances. With that in mind, we'd love to see her get a second chance.
In the comics, Betsy Braddock was the sister of Captain Britain who ended up inhabiting the body of an assassin called Kwannon. They were ultimately separated, with Betsy becoming the new Captain Britain, and Kwannon returning to her life as a hired killer. Having a white woman inhabiting the body of an Asian woman seems ill-advised, so we'd rather see one or the other in the MCU.
7. Shameik Moore (Miles Morales)
Miles Morales has yet to appear in live-action, but Shameik Moore being given the opportunity to play his Into the Spider-Verse character in Spider-Man: No Way Home would be epic.
Moore is only actually a year older than Tom Holland, so while this iteration of the character wouldn't necessarily be Spidey's protégé, there are ways around that. For starters, the actor could be de-aged or simply not unmask, though it would obviously be a lot more impactful and meaningful if he did.
Sony could then use Miles across multiple franchises, and if these two are the same age, then the "Blip" could easily be used to explain why Miles is now the same age as Peter Parker. A cameo like this would also serve as a neat way to set the stage for that upcoming Into the Spider-Verse sequel.
6. Patrick Stewart (Professor X)
Sir Patrick Stewart has confirmed that he met with Kevin Feige to talk about returning as Professor X, and while he claimed that their conversation didn't lead anywhere, rumours continue to persist that he'll reprise the role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness early next year.
It would be no bad thing for James McAvoy to reprise the role of Charles Xavier in the MCU, but Feige understandably wants to bring Stewart back for what sounds like a pretty incredible cameo.
Moving forward, he could even stick around. Remember, in those early comic book appearances, Professor X was always portrayed as an older man, and not the hands-on hero he's become in both the movies and recent comics. It just depends on whether Stewart is willing to commit.
5. Laurence Fishburne (Silver Surfer)
Doug Jones served as the Silver Surfer's body double in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, but it was Man of Steel star Laurence Fishburne who provided the iconic hero's voice.
As bad as that movie was, there's no getting around the fact that, alongside Chris Evans' Human Torch, the Surfer was a highlight. A big part of that was thanks to Fishburne's voiceover work, as he injected life into the character in a way that made him feel both otherworldly and heroic in a way that the often conflicted herald of Galactus needs (especially for his big screen return).
Yes, the actor has since played Bill Foster in Ant-Man and The Wasp. However, we can't imagine Marvel Studios has big plans for him, so it would be easy enough for the actor to step back into the recording booth to lend his voice to another mo-cap version of this fan-favourite character.
4. Josh Brolin (Cable)
Josh Brolin's work as Thanos in the Avengers movies was nothing short of perfect, but the Mad Titan's story came to an end in Avengers: Endgame. With that in mind, there's really nothing to stop him from returning as Cable, especially after he so effortlessly stole the show in Deadpool 2.
That sequel only scratched the surface when it came to the time-travelling mutant's story, and now that's been introduced in the MCU, he'd fit right into this world of multiple timelines and whatnot.
Remember, he's the son of Cyclops and Jean Grey, so him being involved in the next big screen iteration of the X-Men is a given, but it would be no bad thing to begin by bringing him and Zazie Beetz as Domino back for another team-up with Ryan Reynolds' Merc with the Mouth in Deadpool 3.
3. Hugh Jackman (Wolverine)
We know what you're thinking: it's time to cast a new Wolverine. Well, we don't necessarily disagree, but it would be no bad thing to give Hugh Jackman one final shot at playing this character.
He's as synonymous with this role as Robert Downey Jr. is with Iron Man, and it would be a huge win for Kevin Feige if he can tempt Jackman back. That could be for the Deadpool team-up everyone is desperate to see or a simple cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness; either way, as great as Logan might have been, we think he deserves an even better send-off.
Heck, in a new world, the actor can take this clawed mutant down an entirely different path if he were to stick around and it's not as if Wolverine has ever really been portrayed as a "young" man in the comics. Despite what Jackman has said, he's also a long way off being "Old Man Logan" in real life.
2. Willem Dafoe (Green Goblin)
We know this is happening in Spider-Man: No Way Home thanks to the recent trailer, but we'd like a more permanent return for Willem Dafoe's Norman Osborn than just a one-off resurrection.
The Green Goblin is Peter Parker's greatest enemy, and the beginning of that rivalry can be established in this movie. After failing to defeat the wall-crawler with the help of an interdimensional Sinister Six, this displaced Norman could make a life for himself in the MCU and continue to torment Spidey. His presence could even be felt in other franchises, setting the stage for Dark Reign!
This would be an upgrade for Norman, but even making him a big bad who hops between realities could work, and we're sure Dafoe would jump at the chance to continue playing this iconic villain. It goes without saying that we're keeping everything crossed he gets a better costume, though.
1. Michael Fassbender (Magneto)
The X-Men franchise definitely needs to move on from Magento, but there are still many different ways this villain could be used. That includes taking him down the heroic/anti-hero route that's proven so popular in his recent comic book adventures. Even as a member of the X-Men, he doesn't shy away from taking extreme measures to deal with the humans that threaten them.
Sir Ian McKellen is now far too old to return as the character and, with all due respect to the legendary actor, Michael Fassbender has always been better as the Master of Magnetism. Having never really been given particularly strong material to work with since Matthew Vaughn left the series, Fassbender would almost certainly jump at the chance to join the MCU.
We'd like to see this Magneto leading the X-Men alongside Professor X, avoiding the predictable villain turn down the line by clashing with Charles philosophically rather than physically.