When Scarlett Johansson carelessly let slip during an interview on The Late Show last June that there were 62 characters featured in Avengers: Infinity War (before dropping the further bombshell that one fight sequence involved 32 of them), the Internet went into speculatory meltdown. As writers and nerds battled to fill up the announced quota with existing and announced MCU characters, it seemed anybody who’d ever appeared in the franchise would be receiving a call-up.
With the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s biggest ever movie event now only a mere four weeks away, it’s been confirmed that that simply isn’t the case. In addition to the large number of characters from the company’s ABC and Netflix TV shows who are banned from joining in, several big names from the franchise’s movies are also MIA. The two most prominent of these names to be left out of Infinity War have been confirmed by Marvel as Captain Marvel (who will debut in her 2019 origins movie), and Wasp (who along with Hank Pym will instead be appearing in their sequel movie in the summer).
The above two heroines aren’t alone in their absence, as a significant number of supporting figures have also failed to feature in the press releases and trailers that have been put out by Marvel. Following the conclusion of the three big MCU movie trilogies (Tony/Cap/Thor), there are a large number of tertiary players with uncertain futures ahead of them, and their absence from Infinity War is not great news for them, or the actors who portray them.
Here’s our top 10 list of characters who haven’t been confirmed as appearing in the MCU’s big 10th birthday event:
10. Helen Cho
The first character who we’d expected to have seen make a return to the MCU by now is Dr Helen Cho. One of Earth’s most intelligent scientists, and a key member of the Avengers support network (Not to mention being the mother of Amadeus Cho), she’s important enough to be invited to team drinking sessions. So where the hell is she?
Seemingly a classic case of a new character being introduced in haste (Or, as we like to call it, ‘Maya Hansen Syndrome’), Dr Cho has been absent since the events of Age Of Ultron, suggesting that the MCU writers don’t really know what to do now with the character.
9. Sif
If Dr Cho’s disappearance is odd, that’s nothing compared to the vanishing act that the MCU’s sexiest Asgardian has managed to pull. Completely absent from the recent proceedings of Thor: Ragnarok, we’d hoped to see the reason why explained with an appearance in Infinity War. Looks like that won’t be happening thought.
Sif’s cameo’s in Agents Of SHIELD have confirmed that she has a tendency to fly solo on the occasional mission, which leads the door wide open for her to return in the future. Potentially off-world when Surtur destroyed the kingdom, she’s no doubt fighting her way back across the galaxy. Probably to end up in yet another future love triangle with Thor…
8. Erik Selvig
With Jane Foster having been unceremoniously written out of the MCU during the course of Thor: Ragnarok, it looks like that’s the last we’ll be seeing of her and Darcy. But Dr Selvig is an entirely different kettle of fish. A leading scientist, his previous appearances have already established his relationship with Nick Fury and SHIELD air-side of his adventures with Thor.
The hapless physicist always seems to end up at the center of any marauding alien invasion, so it would naturally follow that we’d find him in New York as Thanos and his army come a calling. A quick check of IMDb would suggest that’s not going to be the case, so here’s hoping he’ll be back for Avengers 4. With his trousers on this time…
7. Thaddeus Ross
One of the most enjoyable aspects of Civil War was the MCU return of former General Thaddeus E Ross. Seemingly written out of the MCU along with everybody else who appeared in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, the retired soldier cropped up as the new Secretary Of Defence, inadvertently destroying the Avengers in the process.
It’s a testament to the character’s popularity to see him bought back into the fold, and it remains to be seen if his daughter will also make a reappearance. Hopefully his walk-on part on Civil War wasn’t a one-off, but it looks like he won’t be playing any part in the events of Infinity War.
6. Everett Ross
From one Ross to another, as it appears that Martin Freeman’s hassled spook won’t be capitalizing on the success of his appearance in Black Panther, and is being left frozen out of Infinity War. Which is a bit of a shame really…
It was an intriguing step by Marvel to cast the Sherlock/LOTR actor in the role of an action hero, but one that managed to pay off. There’s little doubt he’ll be back for Black Panther 2 and a good many other adventures involving Chad Boseman’s royal warrior, but not any time soon.
5. Sharon Carter
As if Marvel didn’t treat the Carter family badly enough by cancelling Great Aunt Peggy’s solo series, now they’re messing Sharon around as well. Having spent two movies setting her up as only Steve’s second ever girlfriend, she’s not been seemingly written out of the MCU.
Fan reaction to Emily VanCamp’s portrayal of Sharon has always been muted, but the fact she was a creation of the Russo Brothers and their work on Infinity War meant that there was a good chance she’d be brought on-board. And with heavy betting that Steve Rogers won’t survive that arm wrestle with Thanos, she needs to hurry the hell up if she wants to play any significant part in the future other than yet another funeral appearance.
4. Kraglin
It’s not a bad life when you’re Sean Gunn. Being the brother of Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has secured him not one, but two MCU roles. It’s already been announced that he will be continuing his ongoing duties in Infinity War as the on-set actor who plays Rocket Raccoon, but it looks like he won’t be playing Kraglin this time round.
Last seen dicking around with Yondu’s possessions, it was left quite vague wether or not the events of GOTG2 had left Kraglin as a fully-fledged member of The Guardians, or if he’d go off to rejoin the ranks of the Ravagers. Regardless, he’s bound to be back in time for GOTG3.
3. Aunt May
Being as the opening events of Infinity War are going to heavily feature Tom Holland’s MCU version of Peter Parker, and are taking place in his home town, you’d expect his supporting characters to also be appearing in Infinity War. But despite the movie’s recent international trailer clearly showing Peter on a school bus, there’s been no confirmation that either MJ or Ned will appear in the movie; or indeed Aunt May.
Last seen discovering Pete’s hidden identity at the end of Homecoming, it remains to be seen just how badly she’ll have kicked her nephew’s ass. And that whipping will no doubt pale into insignificance when she finds he’s been floating off into space in his Iron Spider suit during the battle with Thanos…
2. Nick Fury
Samuel L. Jackson’s MCU version of Nick Fury (which was created long before 2008’s Iron Man movie, when Marvel used the actor’s likeness to create their Ultimate Comics variant), has always acted as the glue that has kept the Marvel Cinematic Universe together. The founding member of the Avengers Initiative, even the destruction of his beloved SHIELD wasn’t enough to drive him away, but it looks like he won’t be around for Infinity War.
It’s been confirmed that Jackson will be returning in some form for next year’s Captain Marvel movie, as photos of him providing a facial mold for the project have surfaced online. Being as that movie is set in the 80’s, this will likely be for a mo-cap appearance of some kind, maybe even before he lost his eye during a trust exercise gone badly wrong…
1. Valkyrie
But the biggest name as yet unconfirmed for Infinity War is that of Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie. Having totally stolen the show during last year’s Ragnarok, and apparently still on Thor’s ship at the time of its capture by Thanos, it should be a certainty that she is in the movie. But Thompson has remained strangely absent from the film’s announced cast, and all the promotional material.
It’s highly likely we will see her in the movie, however briefly, as she was snapped in Edinburgh at the time that filming was taking place. But the fact that this was a social media photo with a fan, and not an on-set pic does leave a lingering question mark over Thompson’s involvement in the movie. It’s possible Valkyrie has left the ship before its capture, off on another solo adventure. We’ll have to wait another four weeks, before we find out.
What do you think? Would you like to see these characters in Infinity War? Be sure to tell us your thoughts in the comments!