Insider Daniel RPK has been keeping the news cycle going lately with a deluge of casting calls for several projects. Several such bits of info have come available for Daredevil: Born Again lately and now it seems it’s time for Captain America: New World Order to get some time in the spotlight.
According to Daniel RPK, New World Order is going to include a male character described as a “Marvel mainstay.” That’s unfortunately not much to go on, but we thought we’d give it a shot anyway. Here are five “Marvel mainstays” who might show up in Captain America: New World Order.
Rick Jones
For hardcore comic book fans, it’s unthinkable that the MCU has gone on so long without Rick Jones. Throughout his 596 comic book appearances, Jones has been a key ally to Mar-Vell, the Hulk, Steve Rogers and the Avengers. He’s been part of some wacky cosmic adventures, found himself smack in the center of a Multiversal conflict known as the Destiny War in Kurt Busiek‘s Avengers Forever and found himself turned into a Gamma mutate known as A-Bomb. Jones is as close to the definition of a “mainstay” as there is in Marvel Comics and making his MCU debut in a Captain America movie that also features Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross and the Leader makes quite a bit of sense, especially since the latter two individuals were a part of his transformation into A-Bomb.
Jim Hammond
While Rick Jones may have more appearances in the pages of Marvel Comics, Jim Hammond, The Original Human Torch, predates Jones by over 20 years, having made his first appearance in 1939’s Marvel Comics #1. If you want a Marvel mainstay, Hammond is your guy. Technically, the character already exists within the MCU, having been “introduced” in Captain America: The First Avenger. The First of the Marvels, Hammond has been an Invader, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and a West Coast Avenger in the comics and could serve a very interesting purpose in a film that’s rumored to feature the Red Hulk. Red Hulk’s unique instability causes him to emit increasing amounts of Gamma as he becomes increasingly angry which causes him to “catch fire” before eventually exploding. Hammond’s android body comes complete with a couple of abilities that can counteract that including thermokinesis (the ability to increase or reduce the heat in other objects), the complete resistance to heat and the absorb and emit radiation of his own. In fact, it was the radiation from a nuclear bomb on a test site that “reactivated” the Torch in the pages of the comics. Finding a way to include Hammond would be both a fascinating callback to The First Avenger and give the world an unexpected weapon against the Red Hulk.
Doc Samson
Like Hammond, Samson has already been introduced in the MCU. Ty Burrell played a very boring and laid-back version of Samson in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, a movie that many questioned the canonicity of until recently. With Ross, Emil Blonsky and know Samuel Sterns all back and part of the ongoing narrative in the MCU, bringing back Samson would fit the pattern. As a psychiatrist, Samson played a major role in Bruce Banner’s ongoing personality struggles. He also factored heavily into Red Hulk’s introductory arc and was a member of the Thunderbolts. It’s easy to see how Samson could fit in and, hopefully, transition into the green-haired, Gamma-powered Doc Samson fans have loved over his 322 comic book appearances. As for why there’s a casting call, that’s simple: Burrell may well have chosen not to return in the role forcing Marvel Studios to go a-lookin’.
Dr. Walter Langkowski
While Doctor Langkowski may seem like less of a mainstay than Doc Samson, the character has actually appeared 333 times in the pages of Marvel Comics, just edging out his doctoral counterpart. Unlike the rest of the characters on this list, Langkowski PROBABLY wasn’t available for use by Marvel Studios until 2019 (the assumption is that his live-action rights were controlled by Fox) but like Samson, he’d be a great fit for any story involving Gamma. Langkowski experimented with gamma and found himself mutated into a creature he himself dubbed Sasquatch. As Sasquatch, Langkowski served Canada through the Gamma Flight, Beta Flight and finally Alpha Fight programs through Department H. His presence would potentially portend interesting things down the road, but he’d also fit in nicely to a project with a potential new Hulk.
Dennis Dunphy
He’s not exactly a mainstay. Most people don’t even know who he is. But this is a Sam Wilson movie and Dennis Dunphy has routinely worked closely with Sam in the comics over the last decade. Let’s give the Detroit native a shot in the MCU! He’s only had 95 appearances, but he’s been in the big leagues as a member of the Avengers and there’s a good Daredevil costume gag waiting to happen now that the gold suit is canon.
Let us know what other characters you think might fit the bill for the “Marvel mainstay” the studio is looking to include in Captain America: New World Order!
