Six Latinx Marvel characters that could get their own MCU film

Recently, there have been a few films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that have provided representation for several groups who often are ignored by Hollywood, especially larger franchises. “Captain Marvel” (2019) proudly became the first MCU film to feature a woman as its main protagonist. The marketing for “Black Panther” (2018) was also very much centered around being a Black superhero movie, intertwining itself with Black identity through costume design and soundtrack production created by Black artists. “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021) had a similar approach, with much of the film’s marketing and plot focused on the main character’s Asian ethnicity. 

Marvel allowing these films to be celebrations for a certain identity truly is a wonderful way to make the representation meaningful. However, the MCU, while doing its best to be representative of our world as a whole, has skimped on Latinx representation. The very few characters who have shown up are unlikely to have their own feature length film; although everyone would enjoy a Michael Peña Luis trilogy, it’s not going to happen. So in honor of Latinx Heritage Month, let’s take a look at which Marvel comic book characters could join the MCU as its first Latinx lead.

Miles Morales

Miles Morales, aka Ultimate Spider-Man, is an Afro-Latinx 13-year-old from Brooklyn, New York on Earth 1610. He is bitten by a radioactive spider and subsequently given powers similar to the original Spider-Man, with the addition of camouflage, stun blasts and superhuman strength and agility. In his universe, Peter Parker is killed, and Morales must take up the burden of taking up the mantle of Spider-Man.

Miles’ ability as a main character in a live-action film in the MCU is an enticing prospect. Firstly, the Miles Morales character has become immensely popular because of the animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018), as well as the video game “Spider-Man” (2018), where he was a featured character. 

Miles, as a Black character, also represents a section of the Latinx population all too often ignored, and his character shows audiences Black and Latinx are not mutually exclusive.

The only negative to a Miles Morales feature MCU film is Marvel’s deal with Sony. What is and isn’t permitted between the two studios is not well known. However, it would not be surprising if Miles Morales was off-limits considering the character’s success in recent years. This seems even less likely when considering “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2” is scheduled to release next year. It’s not impossible, though, and audiences everywhere can dream about seeing the young web slinger on the big screen soon.

Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O’Hara)

If Sony won’t allow Marvel to use Morales, maybe it would allow the use of a minor character from that same story. Miguel O’Hara was born on Earth-928, several decades in the future and well after the heyday of the original Spider-Man. Miguel received his spider powers when he merged his DNA with a spider after his bosses at the corporation Alchemax tried to kill him. 

Miguel’s Mexican heritage from his mother’s side is more present in the comics than his half-Irish side. Using Spider-Man 2099 could be a stroke of genius for Marvel, creating a film with a Latinx lead while also introducing mainstream audiences to an aspect of the Marvel universe not yet explored. Marvel has not been afraid to go out on a limb and make movies about the weirder aspects of the comic book canon, “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014), “Thor: Ragnarok” (2017) and even “Shang-Chi” (2021) all serve as examples of this. With the next few movies setting up the multiverse, there is very clearly a bridge to Miguel’s version of Earth. A movie with Miguel fighting futuristic or robotic versions of well-known superheroes sounds like an incredible cinematic experience. 

Falcon (Joaquin Torres)

Marvel could also look to an already established character in its canon if they wanted to have a lead for their first Latinx film. Joaquin Torres shows up in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” (2021) as an Airforce operative and a friend of Sam Wilson. By the end of the show, Sam relinquishes his identity as Falcon and becomes Captain America. While the show does not mention who will take up the mantle of Falcon, in the comics, where Joaquin Torres becomes Falcon after Sam Wilson becomes the new Captain America, offers some insight. 

Joaquin Torres was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States with his mother and grandmother when he was six years old. His appreciation for the Mexican American community, especially Mexican immigrants, played a key part in his character. His origin story is actually tied to stopping violence towards Latinx immigrants trying to cross the border, as the evil corporation Malus was kidnapping and experimenting on them. A film featuring Torres as the lead  and including themes of immigration and discrimination would be an incredible example of representation by Marvel. They already have the character set up, all they need to do is pull the trigger.

Nova (Sam Alexander)

Sam Alexander is a 13-year-old living in Arizona with his mother, who is of undetermined Latinx descent, and his father, who is a miserable drunk. After his father goes missing, Sam finds a mysterious black helmet that gives him superhuman abilities including superhuman strength and durability, telekinesis, flight, force fields, translation of any language and the ability to breathe underwater and in space. Sam later finds out that this helmet belonged to his father, who was a member of the Nova Corps, the space police force that originated on the planet Xandar.

A movie about Sam Alexander’s Nova would be an interesting one and Marvel could go in several directions with the story. After seeing them in “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014), the Nova Corps are not heard from again until the beginning of “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018) Exploring the rebirth of the corps could help fill the void for wacky space hijinks that the “Guardians of the Galaxy” might leave after their final movie. 

Although Sam Alexander’s character’s Latinx heritage is not really part of his identity in the comics, it’s possible and very easy for the MCU version to be more in touch with his Latinx roots since his origin story is rooted in where he comes from. 

Miss America (America Chavez)

More intersectional representation! America Chavez’s origins have been rewritten a few times, as she was originally from a dimension not bound to time or space called the Utopia Parallel. Recent rewrites cast her as a girl born to Puerto Rican doctors. Chavez was the subject of brutal experiments that gave her the ability to fly, travel dimensions, achieve bioluminescence and have bulletproof skin. 

America’s character is fascinating because she is relatively new, making her first comic-book appearance in 2011 and growing in popularity since. Part of this has to do with her being an LGBTQ+ woman of color, an often underrepresented demographic. 

Past that, however, Chavez is a unique and compelling character. Despite being a badass in every sense of the word, she struggles to deal with severe childhood trauma. The stories Marvel could tell with her are countless, and, hopefully, they are already setting up for that.

Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes)

Marvel could also try and resurrect a failure from the past through Robbie Reyes’ version of Ghost Rider. He was born in East Los Angeles to Mexican American parents. After years of struggling with poverty and violence in his community, Reyes tries to get out of this situation by winning a street race for $50,000. He is then chased and senselessly murdered by mercenaries searching for something in the trunk of the car that Robbie “borrowed.” 

Before dying, however, Reyes is possessed by a spirit and resurrected as a demonic being with a flaming skull-like head. Reyes’ run as Ghost Rider has been up and down with mixed reactions from fans. His origin story is admittedly a little bit goofy and some of his stories have not been given good reviews by critics and fans alike. However, this should not dissuade Marvel from trying to find a place for the Ghost Rider character in their lineup. 

The character of Ghost Rider is unlike anything that’s been portrayed so far. Reyes is also a very sympathetic character, as most of his motivation comes from trying to help his brother Gabriel, who has no motor control over his legs.

If anything, Marvel needs to make this film just to right the wrong of the poorly received “Ghost Rider” (2007) film starring Nicolas Cage.