I have speculated that an exciting new superhero team will soon be forming in theMCU, and new characters introduced in Marvel’s animatedYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manseries could support this idea.What If…?voice actor Hudson Thames has returned to the MCU as a variant ofPeter Parker inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and I’ve loved seeing his early days as the titular wall-crawling superhero. Centering on a variant has given Marvel Studios the opportunity to debut some Spider-Man-related characters that we’ve never seen in the MCU.
Some of my favorite characters newly-introduced to the MCU’s multiverse inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-ManincludeColman Domingo’s Norman Osborn, Grace Song’s Nico Minoru and Eugene Byrd’s Lonnie Lincoln. There are several other new characters who haven’t received the development that Osborn, Minoru and Lincoln have, however, which has me intrigued for the remainder of the series. I reckonthese debuts could also have a huge impact on the MCU’s main timeline, especially with Marvel possibly gearing up to form its first Asian-led superhero team.
Marvel May Have Already Been Setting Up The MCU’s Agents Of Atlas
Marvel Comics' Agents Of Atlas Were First Formed Canonically In 1958
While this team originally formed in aWhat If…?storyline in Marvel Comics back in the 1970s and joined Marvel’s main continuity in 2006, the more recentiteration of the Agents of Atlasfrom 2019’sWar of the Realmsevent makes far more sense for the MCU. Formed by secret agent Jimmy Woo to stop the Queen of Cinders from invading the Asian continent, the New Agents of Atlas are a formidable team that I would love to see in live-action. Thankfully,Marvel has recently debuted several members of the Agents of Atlas, and more may be on the way.
Casting Jimmy Woo’s Agents Of ATLAS Avengers-Style Show For Disney+
Jimmy Woo’s role in WandaVision sets up an Agents of Atlas Disney+ show. These are the actors who should portray the team of Asian superheroes.
Alongside Randall Park’s Jimmy Woo from theAnt-Manfranchise andWandaVision,Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi and Awkwafina’s Katywould be clear candidates to join the MCU’s Agents of Atlas. Shang-Chi plays a prominent role in the team in Marvel Comics, and I would love to see him have a more prominent role in the MCU following his debut inShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.While not featured in the Marvel Comics line-up, the Iron Fist would also be a powerful addition, and I’ve now noticedYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manhas debuted more members.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Introduced 2 New Agents Of Atlas Members To The MCU
Pearl Pangan & Amadeus Cho Have Now Debuted In The MCU
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’sdouble-premiere on January 29 introduced us to many new characters in the life ofHudson Thames' Peter Parker variant. Even though they haven’t yet suited up as their Marvel Comics superhero alter egos, two of these new additions inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manare central members of the Agents of Atlas.Pearl Pangan, Parker’s former babysitter and high school crush inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, becomes the water-manipulating Wave, while Amadeus Cho, another intern at Oscorp, transforms into the Hulk known as Brawn.
Both of these heroes join Jimmy Woo, Shang-Chi and others to form the Agents of Atlas during theWar of the Realms. It also seems as though the woman who appears alongside Harry Osborn in a social media post inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manepisode 5, “The Unicorn Unleashed!,” is Luna Snow, a.k.a. Seol Hee, who is a K-pop icon with ice-based abilities, and also a member of the Agents of Atlas in Marvel Comics.These introductions really make me think that Marvel Studios is getting ready to form the Agents of Atlas, which has me very excited.
When The MCU’s Agents Of Atlas Could Debut In Live-Action
Several New Superhero Teams Might Soon Be Forming In The MCU
The most obvious place that I could see the Agents of Atlas coming together would be in Phase 6’sAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Wars.The Russo brothers' upcoming crossover movies are speculated to include several new superhero teams, including the new Avengers, the Young Avengers, the Thunderbolts, the Fantastic Four and perhaps even newAvengers teams from across the multiverse. I would love to see the Agents of Atlas included in the battle against Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, but the team has other options, too.
The casts ofThunderbolts*andThe Fantastic Four: First Stepshave already been confirmed to be returning inAvengers: Doomsday, joining Anthony Mackie, Tom Holland, Hayley Atwell, Robert Downey Jr. and, possibly, Benedict Cumberbatch and Chris Evans, though the latter has recently denied his involvement.
Randall Park’s future as the MCU’s Jimmy Woo hasn’t been confirmed, but given his proximity to the world ofWandaVision, it’s possible he could reappear in 2026’sVisionseries. In light of James Spader’s return as Ultron,Jimmy Woo could recruit the Agents of Atlas to take on the tyrannical artificial intelligence alongside Paul Bettany’s White Vision.Shang-Chi 2is also in development for the MCU, which will highlight more Asian stories in the MCU, and could introduce Shang-Chi to more Asian heroes, culminating in the formation of the Agents of Atlas.
Amadeus Cho’s Live-Action Debut Can Develop Other MCU Heroes’ Stories
Amadeus Cho Could Be The Most Important New Character For The MCU
Typically,Amadeus Cho is not a character associated with Spider-Man in Marvel Comics, so his debut inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manhas me excited for different reasons. While I could easily see Cho becoming involved in some experiment at Oscorp and transforming into Brawn, perhaps even allowing him to become a member of the Agents of Atlas, he is also heavily involved in other heroes' stories in Marvel Comics, so his future in the MCU could be bright. Most notably,Amadeus Cho is associated with Bruce Banner’s Hulkand even Hercules.
The MCU Just Introduced 3 New Potential Recruits For The Avengers Replacement I’d Love To See In Live-Action
The MCU has introduced three potential recruits for the upcoming Avengers replacement currently being formed by Ms. Marvel and Kate Bishop’s Hawkeye.
After Bruce Banner’s depowering at the end of theWorld War Hulkevent, Hercules took over as the Strongest Avenger, and Amadeus Cho traveled with the Greek God as his sidekick. It was later, after 2015’sSecret Wars, thatCho received Hulk-like powers, and these gifts allowed him to become more than just a genius, but a bona fide superhero in his own right. Amadeus Cho’s Brawn joined the Champions, the Avengers andMarvel’s Young Avengers team, and I could see this destiny unfolding in the MCU, should he make the move fromYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Maninto live-action.
