The Marvel Cinematic Universe built an empire on shared storytelling and well-placed cameos. From the moment Nick Fury stepped out of the shadows at the end of Iron Man, the MCU made it clear that anyone can show up at any time. Ever since, each new project has included at least one unexpected appearance from a major character audiences had met in a previous project or would get to know better in future films.
As fun as it can be to shove as many cameos into each film, a key aspect of building a shared universe involves knowing when to hold back. Over the years, Marvel Studios has scrapped several cameos that were originally intended for specific projects. From early introductions of major heroes to surprise returns that would have shocked viewers, these deleted cameos would have changed the MCU forever.
Captain Marvel Nearly Debuted in Avengers: Age of Ultron
Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) unleashes her full power for the first time in Captain Marvel.Image via Marvel Studios
Brie Larson eventually joined the franchise as Carol Danvers in 2019, but Captain Marvel’s MCU introduction nearly came much sooner. Early dailies from the set of Avengers: Age of Ultron and interviews with the director and crew reveal that the film originally included a cameo from Captain Marvel in its final moments. The ultimate scene of the film introduces a larger roster of Avengers, including the Scarlet Witch, Vision, and Falcon, as they prepare to train with Captain America and Black Widow. In the original cut, Captain Marvel would have also been included in this sequence, teasing her future appearances in the MCU.
Although Captain Marvel’s appearance in Age of Ultron was filmed using a stand-in, Marvel eventually opted to cut the cameo in favor of fleshing the character out further in her own origin movie. Naturally, had her original appearance stayed in the film, the MCU would look much different today. Most notably, Captain Marvel would have been present for the battle with Thanos during the events of Avengers: Infinity War, which could have ended much differently in such a scenario. Audiences may have also gotten to see more interactions between Carol Danvers and the other Avengers, which is something the current version of the character sorely lacks.
Hawkeye Almost Appeared in Avengers: Infinity War
Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye in Captain America Civil WarImage via Marvel Studios
Avengers: Infinity War included the largest roster of superheroes ever put to screen before, but even this massive film couldn’t include everyone. One of the biggest exclusions from the third Avengers movie is Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye, who is revealed to be under house arrest following his actions in Captain America: Civil War. However, the original plan for Infinity War would have included a single scene with Clint Barton that eventually showed up in another MCU project.
Originally, Infinity War would have shown how Thanos’s snap affected Clint Barton and his family. As the other Avengers are disappearing on Titan and in Wakanda, the film would have included a scene at the Barton homestead, where Clint would discover that his entire family had been snapped out of existence. This moment was eventually cut from the finale of Infinity War and used as the opening scene of Avengers: Endgame, giving the film a haunting start that perfectly sets the scene for the rest of the story.
WandaVision Originally Included a Massive Cameo From Doctor Strange
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Stephen Strange in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness posterImage via Marvel Studios
WandaVision captivated MCU fans with a mysterious story that invited viewers to theorize about what was really going on in Westview, New Jersey. One of the prevailing theories (besides that Mephisto was behind everything) included the idea that Doctor Strange had somehow infiltrated Wanda Maximoff’s pocket reality and was trying to get a message to her through the show’s strange commercial breaks. While Doctor Strange never showed up in WandaVision, early plans for the Disney+ series would have confirmed this theory.
Since the ending of WandaVision, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has revealed that the show’s original finale would have included a cameo from Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange. The show would have confirmed that Strange was responsible for the bizarre commercial breaks as he tried to get a subliminal message through to Wanda. However, this cameo was eventually cut in order for the series to focus more on Wanda’s story rather than setting up her appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Still, Strange’s appearance could have explained one of the lingering mysteries of WandaVision.
Steve Rogers Could Have Returned in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America in the middle of a battle against Hydra and leading the Avengers to victory.Image via Marvel Studios
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier spends a great deal of time setting up Sam Wilson as Steve Rogers’s successor to the mantle of Captain America. While Rogers himself never appears in the Disney+ series, he is mentioned several times, including in one humorous moment when Joaquin Torres recounts a theory that he is living somewhere on the moon. While Chris Evans does not appear in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the original Captain America would have returned in the original plan for the series.
It’s unclear precisely what role Steve Rogers played in the original idea for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but it seems likely that he would have made only one short appearance to motivate Sam on his journey to claiming the title of Captain America. Had he shown up in the series, audiences would have learned a lot about what happened to Steve after his return at the end of Avengers: Endgame. As it stands now, the world still doesn’t know where Steve is or if he is even still alive. Hopefully, some of these questions will be answered in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday crossover.
Spider-Man: No Way Home Originally Featured Even More Multiversal Cameos
Emma Stone stars as Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-ManImage via Sony
Spider-Man: No Way Home united three generations of Spider-Man fans by bringing all three live-action versions of the character together for the first time. In addition to Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire’s appearances in the film, No Way Home features several returning villains from previous franchises, including Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin, Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus, Thomas Haden Church’s Sandman, Rhys Ifans’s Lizard, and Jamie Foxx’s Electro. However, early plans for No Way Home would have included cameos from a few other major characters.
Early story ideas for No Way Home included appearances from Kirsten Dunst’s MJ Watson, Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy, and Sally Field’s Aunt May. These cameos were eventually scrapped, likely because the film was already packed with memorable characters. Of these three characters, Gwen’s appearance would have been the most dramatic, giving her a reunion with Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man and offering them a chance at closure after her tragic death in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
Balder Almost Joined the Illuminati in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Daniel Craig as Balder the BraveImage by CBR
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may not have been the cameo-fest that many Marvel fans had been hoping for, but one scene still managed to deliver a few special appearances. When Doctor Strange is brought before the Illuminati of Earth-838, several familiar faces appear, including Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Hayley Atwell as Captain Carter, Lashana Lynch as Captain Marvel, John Krasinski as Mister Fantastic, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Baron Mordo, and Anson Mount as Black Bolt. However, there is a seventh chair in the Illuminati chamber that would have belonged to an important character from Marvel Comics.
Original plans for Multiverse of Madness would have included Balder the Brave, Thor’s brother, as the seventh member of the Illuminati on Earth-838. Concept art reveals that Balder would have worn his comic-accurate costume and eventually met a similarly gruesome fate as the rest of his compatriots at the hands of the Scarlet Witch. Rumors suggest that Daniel Craig was in talks to play the Asgardian god before the role was ultimately cut. This also isn’t the first time that the MCU has tried to introduce Balder, as the character was cut from other projects, including Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok.
The Original Baron Mordo Met a Grisly Fate in the Original Cut of Multiverse of Madness
Baron Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) leads Doctor Strange to the Illuminati in Multiverse of MadnessImage via Marvel Studios
Chiwetel Ejiofor returns as an alternate-universe version of Baron Karl Mordo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. However, original plans for the film would have also included his Earth-616 counterpart. In a deleted opening scene, Mordo would have been killed by the Scarlet Witch after trying to apprehend her. In a gruesome moment that would have started the film with a bang, Wanda would have beheaded the rogue sorcerer after a brief confrontation.
Baron Mordo remains one of the most frustrating loose ends in the MCU. 2016’s Doctor Strange hinted that he would return as a villain in future films, but this version of Mordo hasn’t been seen since. Nearly a decade later, Mordo’s storyline remains entirely unresolved. Given that his death at Wanda Maximoff’s hand didn’t make the final cut of Multiverse of Madness, it is safe to assume that Mordo is still out there somewhere, continuing to cause trouble for all the remaining sorcerers in the MCU.
Thor: Love and Thunder Almost Added to Gorr the God Butcher’s Victim List
Jeff Goldblum stars as the Grandmaster in Thor: RagnarokImage via Marvel Studios
Thor: Love and Thunder was one of the biggest letdowns of the MCU’s Phase 4. Among the biggest complaints about the film is that it entirely wastes a terrific performance by Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher. For a character with the title “God Butcher,” Gorr kills shockingly few gods onscreen. There are, however, several deleted scenes that would have shown Gorr butchering familiar characters from previous installments of the MCU.
Prior to Love and Thunder’s release, Marvel revealed that Jeff Goldblum and Peter Dinklage would both return as the Grandmaster and Eitri, respectively. Neither appears in the finished cut of the film, but it was later revealed that the Grandmaster would have been one of Gorr’s victims. It is safe to assume that Eitri would have met a similar fate. Game of Thrones’ Lena Headey was also cast in an undisclosed role, perhaps as a third deleted victim of Gorr the God Butcher. Had these scenes remained in the film, audiences might have been kinder to its depiction of Gorr.
Nic Cage Could Have Returned as Ghost Rider in Deadpool & Wolverine
Ghost Rider on his motorcycle in Ghost Rider.Image via Sony Pictures
Deadpool & Wolverine includes several cameos from iconic Marvel actors, particularly in its scenes set in the Void. At one point, the titular superheroes encounter a team known as “The Others,” which includes Chris Evans as the Human Torch, Dafne Keen as X-23, Jennifer Garner as Elektra Natchios, Wesley Snipes as Blade, and Channing Tatum as Gambit. As excellent as each of these cameos was, one additional character was originally envisioned as a part of “The Others.”
After the film’s release, Ryan Reynolds revealed that he tried to get Nic Cage to return as Ghost Rider in Deadpool & Wolverine. Unfortunately, the iconic actor was not available to reprise his superhero role. His absence in the film does leave the door open for future appearances in the Multiverse Saga, however, including in upcoming crossover films like Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
Black Widow Almost Made a Cameo in Thunderbolts*
Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow fights Taskmaster in an epic showdown in Black Widow.Image via Marvel Studios
Thunderbolts* is one of Marvel’s best films in years, primarily thanks to its immersive and introspective exploration of loneliness, regret, and depression. These themes are represented by the Void, the villainous alter-ego of Lewis Pullman’s Bob Reynolds. Yelena Belova learns to confront these fears by charging headfirst into the Void’s “shame rooms,” where she encounters one of her most traumatic memories. However, things were almost much more tragic for Yelena in the Void.
Early plans for Thunderbolts* included a scene where Yelena was confronted by the memory of her sister, Natasha Romanoff, during her time in the Void. These plans were likely made while Scarlett Johansson was still more involved in the film’s production. Ultimately, Johansson stepped away from the project, and this scene was eventually cut. While it would have been terrific to see Natasha one last time, Thunderbolts* still manages to give Yelena the emotional journey she needs without an appearance from her sister.