Man-Thing has finally joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After years of teasing in shows like Agents of SHIELD and Thor: RagnarokThe iconic Marvel hero finally made his MCU debut in the recently released Halloween special Werewolf at night. Man-Thing debuted in Savage Tales #1 in 1971 and was created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow.
The character is Dr. Theodore “Ted” Sallis and worked to recreate the super soldier serum that Captain America created. He becomes Man-Thing after injecting himself with the formula and wandering into a mysterious swamp that just happens to be in the Nexus of Reality. Man-Thing hides an acid on anyone he touches who feels fear.
The character has been a fan favorite in Marvel Comics since his creation and his appearance in Werewolf at night has made him an overnight star with new fans. The character is arguably the breakthrough hit from the critically acclaimed special, and audiences are probably clamoring for more Man-Thing. With the MCU is a big place and here are some stories that Man-Thing could make next.
Man-Thing in Loki Season 2
Currently, Loki is the only live-action MCU Disney+ series to receive a second season. Season 2 will be about Loki and the new TVA dealing with the aftermath of the events of Season 1 when Sylvie He Who killed Remains and broke the sacred timeline to create the MCU multiverse, and deal with the threat of Kang the Conqueror being bullied at the end of Loki season 1 and will be the main villain in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
In the comics, Man-Thing is the guardian of the Nexus of Realities, protecting his Earth from various threats. Of Loki Season 2 leans pretty heavily on multiverse threats, Man-Thing could team up with the god of mischief and become an unlikely supporting player in the series as a full-time protector of the MCU multiverse.
Agatha Harkness: Coven of Chaos
After stealing the show on WandaVisionAgatha Harkness gets her own Disney+ series titled Agatha Harkness: Coven of Chaos. Few details have been revealed about the series, but Agatha Harkness will likely need a strong supporting roster of characters. The characters she’s often associated with are either presumed dead (Scarlet Witch) or not yet in the MCU (The Fantastic Four), meaning Marvel can draw on their vast library to round out the cast.
Swamp-Thing seems like an ideal fit for the supernatural themed series like Agatha Harkness: Coven of Chaosand would provide a sweet side character that might bring out a little more of Agatha’s humanity.
Marvel Zombies
Marvel Studios is developing an animated series based on the comic Marvel Zombiesand a spin-off from the episode of What if…? The series has already confirmed some survivors made up of many Phase 4 heroes like Shang-Chi, Kate Bishop, and Yelena Belova, meaning Man-Thing would be a perfect fit for this new branch of heroes.
Man-Thing was an important part of several Marvel Zombies comedic storylines, so his inclusion in the series feels fitting. Moreover, his status as a ‘monster’ would be a nice contrast to the zombies. Of course, the audience wants to see Man-Thing take on an army of zombies.
She-Hulk: Lawyer
It is unclear whether She-Hulk: Lawyer will get a season two revamp, but many are probably hoping for it, as the series has a great episodic structure that lends itself to both great comedy and a fun revolving door from guest stars. Man-Thing would fit right in with the world She-Hulk has established. Man-Thing could be one of several cases Jennifer Walters is taking on, possibly captured and held without due process.
A guest spot on She-Hulk: Lawyer would allow the characters to expand on Man-Thing’s origins, as part of his legal briefing. Man-Thing’s endearing nature lends itself to great comedy, and Jennifer Walters would probably make some fun comedic jokes about the character.
Lightning strikes
One of the most important announcements regarding the future of the MCU is the lineup for the movie Lightning strikes. The team mainly consists of characters from the Earth-bound episode stories such as The falcon and winter soldier and Black Widowwith Ghost off Ant-Man and the Wasp also in the team. The film is still two years away from release and the studio is probably still working on the script, and it may be time to add not only more strength to the team, but also a little more diversity in terms of strength and background. Enter Man Thing.
In the 2010s during Marvel’s Heroic Age storyline, Man-Thing was recruited as a member of the Thunderbolts, so there’s precedent for him to join the team. And given that three of the characters on the Thunderbolts roster (Red Guardians, Winter Soldier, and US Agent) are all super soldiers from attempts to recreate the super soldier serum, Man-Thing’s origins could align directly with his other team members as another attempt at super soldier.
Sheet
Sheet is Marvel Studios’ big screen jump into the supernatural after the foundation was laid Werewolf at night. Currently it is unclear what the progress is? Sheet is because they recently hired a new writer to rework the script and recently lost their director. With this shift, the creative teams can now include a character like Man-Thing in the supporting cast, especially as the new Sheet director is a fan, or has just seen the success of Werewolf at night.
Man-Thing on Disney+
The brief but memorable appearance of Man-Thing in Werewolf at night suggests that the character could be strong enough to support his own project, either another Disney+ special more focused on him, or even a Disney+ series that could dive into his origin story and showcase what Man-Thing already has. who spent years in the MCU.
A series could offer a nice explanation why he is a statue on Sakaar in Thor: Ragnarok, in which he shows an episode where he arrives on the planet and finds a way back to Earth. It could be the return of Stéphanie Szostak as Ellen Brandt, the girlfriend of Ted Sallis who betrayed him and was previously seen in Iron Man 3. Man-Thing has certainly proven itself popular and worthy enough to carry its own project.