The upcoming MCU film, “The Marvels,” is set to make history with its star-studded cast of lead actors. In the past, fans were used to seeing recognizable faces from previous films or completely new characters as lead actors in upcoming MCU films. However, Phase 4 changed that narrative by introducing characters that were previously only seen in Disney+ shows.

Lead Actors In Disney+ Shows Get Top Billing in “The Marvels”

For the first time in MCU history, two of the top-billed lead actors in “The Marvels” are from Marvel Disney+ series. Iman Vellani, who played Kamala Khan in the “Ms. Marvel” series, and Teyonah Parris, who portrayed Monica Rambeau in “WandaVision,” are both making their franchise debuts in the film. The full list of top-billed lead actors also includes Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Zawe Ashton, and Park Seo-joon.

Other MCU Films Also Feature Disney+ Characters

Although “The Marvels” is the first film to include two top-billed lead actors from Disney+ shows, other MCU films have also introduced characters from the streaming platform. For instance, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine first appeared in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” and had a significant role in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Julian Hilliard’s Billy Maximoff and Jett Klyne’s Tommy Maximoff made their debuts in “WandaVision” before returning in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.” Jonathan Majors, who first appeared as He Who Remains in the “Loki” series, played Kang the Conqueror in “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania.”

Disney+ Shows Set The Stage For Future MCU Films

Disney+ shows are also shaping the future of the MCU. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” will feature the return of Cosmo the Spacedog, who first appeared in “The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” on Disney+. “Captain America: New World Order” will include Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres and Carl Lumbly’s Isaiah Bradley, who were both introduced in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” Julia Louis-Dreyfus will also appear in the film. “Thunderbolts” will feature Louis-Dreyfus reprising her role as Val, alongside Wyatt Russell’s US Agent, who was also introduced in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.”

Disney+ And MCU Films Work Together

When Marvel Studios announced that it would be branching out the MCU to include television shows, many fans were skeptical about how the two would work together. However, Phase 4 proved that Disney+ shows and MCU films can work together seamlessly. The events of Disney+ shows laid the groundwork for most of the Phase 4 movies. “The Marvels” is just the latest example of how Disney+ shows are becoming just as crucial as a movie theater for the MCU. In the future, fans might see a feature film where all the lead actors originally started in one of the television shows.