Another day, another Marvel news roundup. Before Disney Plus Day commences this Thursday, bringing the streaming debut of Thor: Love ad Thunder and a new episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law with it, one of the Mouse House’s most legendary stars has weighed in — for the very first time — on whether they would ever join the MCU. Meanwhile, fans are preparing themselves to lose one of the franchise’s longest-lasting characters in the incoming Phase Five.
Tom Hanks in the MCU — Woody do it?
Tom Hanks is a literal Disney legend — the man has played Walt himself, for Mickey’s sakes — so it’s not too crazy to suggest that he could wind up in the MCU one of these days. The Toy Story icon was finally asked about this by Josh Horowitz of the Happy Sad Confused podcast. In a classic example of Hanks’ patented politeness, he mostly avoided answering whether he’d be interested by waxing lyrical about John Ford westerns instead, but, if you read between the lines, it sounds like he’s not ruling out the possibility 100 percent. We’ll take it.
Fury fans decree his days are numbered
Speaking of legends, they don’t get much bigger in the MCU than Mr. Nick Fury, the former S.H.I.E.L.D. director who is officially the longest-lasting character in the franchise at this point thanks to his post-credits Iron Man cameo. And yet fans are convinced that Sam Jackson’s days in the universe are finally drawing to a close, with some theorizing next year’s Secret Invasion could act as Fury’s swan song. If there is any truth to this talk, then it won’t be the same without him.
They are the Champions
In another fan theory update, we all know that Marvel is working toward forming the Young Avengers in the MCU, but some are pondering if a different teenage superhero team could be on their way to live-action alongside — or potentially in place of — them. Specifically, the Champions, whose roster includes Ms. Marvel, Ironheart, and Nova in the comics. Considering all those characters and more are either already in or are shortly coming to the franchise, there may be something to this concept.
And the Oscar (should’ve gone) to…
Marvel loyalists have been saying that Robert Downey Jr. deserved an Oscar for his role as Tony Stark for years, but a new wave of support for our very own friendly neighborhood Spider-Man argues that it’s actually Tom Holland who is responsible for the MCU’s single greatest performance. Yes, Twitter seems to agree en masse that the Brit’s portrayal of Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home is the absolute finest leading turn that’s ever graced a Marvel movie. And, honestly, it’s hard to disagree.
Tune in tomorrow, aka Disney Plus Day, for our next roundup of the latest Marvel news!