Gwyneth Paltrow is a Marvel Cinematic Universe veteran...even if she isn't entirely sure which movies she's appeared in (she even forgot that she worked with Tom Holland on Spider-Man: Homecoming).
After appearing in Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, and Iron Man 3, the actress took on a smaller role in this shared world - no great surprise when she's walked away from acting for the most part. We did, however, see Paltrow in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, and it was in the latter she finally suited up as Rescue and got in on the action while battling Thanos and his forces.
While Tony Stark's death means we may not need to catch up with Pepper Potts for a while, it would definitely be surprising if Rescue doesn't appear in Ironheart or Armor Wars. We're bound to see more of Morgan Stark down the line, too, and for what it's worth, Paltrow isn't dismissing an MCU return.
"I think if it was a small part that I could do in like a day or two," she told People in a recent interview. "I would of course be open to that."
That's definitely a positive response, and simply means we can discount seeing Paltrow take on a leading role in an upcoming MCU movie or TV show. We're not overly surprised by this, of course, but it would be no bad thing to see Rescue return to action for at least one more mission down the line.
What do you guys think?
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some of Phase 4's most exciting casting additions!
10. Xochitl Gomez As America Chavez (Doctor Strange 2)
Xochitl Gomez has been acting since 2016, but outside of The Baby-Sitters Club, it's unlikely you'll have seen much of her work. Marvel Studios clearly sees something special in the actress, though, as she's been selected to play Young Avengers member, America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
The hero has the power to cross dimensions, so it's likely that which leads to her meeting the Sorcerer Supreme. From there, we'll almost certainly see her assemble as part of that superhero team.
Gomez is likely going to have a bright future in the MCU, and someone who could lead to there being even more stories set on alternate Earths. Chavez is an absolute powerhouse too, so this definitely isn't a character - or actress - who should be overlooked moving forward.
9. Florian Munteanu As Razor Fist (Shang-Chi)
Florian Munteanu is a professional heavyweight boxer who broke into the acting world with Creed II. However, by far his biggest role promises to be in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
There, he'll take on the role of classic comic book baddie Razor Fist. As the name suggests, the villain has blades for hands, and has used them effectively over the years against the likes of Captain America, Wolverine, and, of course, Shang-Chi. Now, it's possible this version will only be involved in the fight tournament Shang-Chi competes in to win the Ten Rings for The Mandarin.
However, that would be a huge waste. Like Crossbones before him, Razor Fist has the potential to be a recurring presence in the MCU, and could take aim at any number of heroes in the process.
8. Ray Winstone As Dreykov (Black Widow)
Ray Winstone was quietly added to the cast of Black Widow a while ago, but he's definitely not received the attention he deserves. That might be because he's a bigger star in the UK than the U.S., but sleeping on Dreykov, the man behind the Red Room, would be a major blunder.
There aren't a whole lot of clues we can turn to in the comics for an idea of what to expect, but there's every chance that Dreykov will have ties to other clandestine government operations. His group has clearly mastered brainwashing, so perhaps he'll have ties to Weapon X as well?
Either way, Marvel Studios has kept Dreykov under wraps, and there has to be a reason why.
7. Dominique Thorne As Ironheart (Ironheart)
There was so much huge news to come out of Disney's Investor Day last month, that many fans ended up completely missing the fact that Dominique Thorne looks set to play the MCU's Ironheart.
Her only acting credit thus far is If Beale Street Could Talk, but this is another newcomer Marvel Studios is clearly banking on helping to usher in a new wave of stories in this shared world. Iron Man died at the end of Avengers: Endgame, and while War Machine will take on a lead role in that Armor Wars series coming to Disney+, we're expecting to see Ironheart there too.
Basically, she's going to be the MCU's new "Iron Man," and given the popularity of that character, all eyes will be on Thorne to see whether she can fill the void left by Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark.
6. Alaqua Cox As Echo (Hawkeye)
Alaqua Cox is another complete newcomer, with not a single acting credit other than Hawkeye on her IMDb page. Once again, it seems likely Marvel Studios has big plans for a character like Echo, and given Cox's age, chances are this version will join the Young Avengers rather than romance Daredevil!
Like the character she's playing, Cox is deaf, and that's going to add some much-needed representation to the MCU. The Native American actress could and should be a major part of future MCU stories, and it's fitting that she's debuting in Hawkeye, especially given the time Maya Lopez spent as Ronin.
Throw in the fact that Echo once served as an assassin for The Kingpin, and there are a tonne of possibilities for where Marvel Studios can take her over the next few years.
5. Iman Vellani As Ms. Marvel (Captain Marvel 2)
Iman Vellani is another actress with no acting credits on her IMDb page beyond the two Marvel Studios projects she's attached to: Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel 2. While we can't wait to see what sort of impact Kamala Khan makes on Disney+, it's the latter which really intrigues us.
For starters, it signals Kamala becoming a key part of the MCU following that show. Plus, if she is an Inhuman (if not, Marvel Studios is taking some major liberties with the source material), then chances are we'll see them somehow factor into whatever comes next for Carol Danvers.
Vellani looks set to be a talent to watch, while if the otherwise underwhelming Marvel's Avengers game taught us anything, it's that Ms. Marvel can make a huge difference in the biggest of franchises.
4. Kathryn Newton As Cassie Lang (Ant-Man 3)
Emma Fuhrmann played the older Cassie Lang in Avengers: Endgame, but with the character set to take on a much larger role in the MCU, Marvel Studios clearly wanted someone more experienced.
Newton has a long list of impressive credits to her name, including Supernatural, Big Little Lies, and Detective Pikachu. She's far from an unknown then, but is someone you definitely shouldn't ignore as we head into Phase 4. For starters, Cassie is almost certainly going to suit up as Stature (or Stinger), and from there, we're definitely expecting her to join the Young Avengers.
Give it a few years, and there's a strong chance Cassie will become the MCU's main shape-shifting superhero. That's exciting, and Newton could be propelled to the A-List by her role in this world.
3. Tenoch Huerta As [Unknown] (Black Panther II)
This is a tough one to talk about, especially when we don't know who Tenoch Huerta is actually playing in Black Panther 2. It has, however, been reported that the Narcos: Mexico star will be the lead villain, and speculation has been running rampant online that he could be Namor the Submariner.
Regardless of whether that's the case, it's exciting to imagine what the actor is bringing to the MCU.
He's not exactly a huge name, but the Mexican actor has made quite the splash in Latin America and Spain. As well as adding some diversity to the MCU, he's also one hell of a talent based on the aforementioned Netflix series. So, regardless of who he's playing in the sequel, consider us excited.
2. Tony Dalton As Jack Duquesne (Hawkeye)
Another actor who has made a name for himself in Latin America, it's Better Call Saul which has brought Tony Dalton to the attention of most people. As the sinister Lalo Salamanca, he's proved himself a terrifying, sinister presence in the series, and one of the most talented actors working today.
Adding him to the MCU was a genius move on Kevin Feige's part, especially as the charismatic Jack Duquesne. Known to comic book fans as Swordsman, he began his career as a circus performer where he helped train a young Hawkeye. They ultimately parted ways, and Jack became a mercenary.
He'd ultimately see the error of his ways, and joined the Avengers. We can't wait to see how his story plays out in the MCU, but hope this character will be around for the long haul.
1. Kumail Nanjiani As Kingo (Eternals)
There are a lot of great actors in Eternals, many of whom are getting their big breaks with the Marvel Studios movie. However, we have good reason for deciding to put the spotlight on Kumail Nanjiani.
He's had noteworthy roles in the likes of The Twilight Zone, Stuber, and The Lovebirds, but after bulking up to play Kingo, we could be looking at Hollywood's next great action star. The character sounds like a real scene-stealer too, as his Eternal has become a famous Bollywood star who loves the limelight.
There could be big things on the horizon for both Nanjiani and Kingo, so keep a close eye on them both!