Summary
As theMarvel Cinematic Universecontinues to explore its cosmic branch, earthbound adventures like the earlyAvengersmovies are a thing of the past. With everything fromThe MarvelstoGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,EternalstoThor: Love and Thundertaking fans to the stars, there’s more on the way with the upcomingNovaseries. Although theMCUhopes to find a new lease of life in the stars, it’s in danger of wasting one of its best villains.
While details are thin on the ground about Ed Bernero’sNovaseries, the latest buzz is that the legendary Annihilus could be making his MCU debut. However, with Annihilus being up there with Onslaught, Galactus, and Doctor Doom as a Thanos-level villains who could lead the franchise’s future, there are worries that the Lord of the Negative Zone will end up left on the sidelines like theSony Spider-Man Universe’s Knull.
Annihilus Could be the MCU’s Next Thanos
Known as the insectoid ruler of the Negative Zone, Annihilus typically uses the Cosmic Control Rod that gives him godlike abilities, trying to extend his own life while wiping out anything living that stands in his way. Introduced in 1968’sFantastic Four Annual #6, Annihilus’ debut comic reiterates that he’s a villain typically associated with the Fantastic Four. As Marvel’s First Family has enough to contend with inThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsthanks to presumed villain roles for Galactus, Silver Surfer, anda rumored Doctor Doom, Annihilus is reportedly finding his place inNova.
Annihilus really came into his own for2006’sAnnihilationcrossover event. Here, Annihilus launched an attack on the Positive Universe with his Annihilation Wave, taking out the Nova Corps and forcing a band of cosmic heroes and villains to join forces against him. This included the likes of Nova, Star-Lord, a reborn Drax the Destroyer, Galactus, the Silver Surfer, and a complicated role for Thanos.Annihilationis seen as one of the biggest Marvel crossovers, while its popularity led to a rebootedGuardians of the Galaxy. This lineup is the one that the MCU has largely adapted, meaningGuardians of the Galaxymovie fans have a lot to thank Annihilus for.
Even beforeAvengers: Endgame, there were theories that Annihilus was going to appear as a successor to Thanos and wild rumors that the movie would be titledAvengers: Annihilation. That turned out to be a bust, and even five years later, there’s still no official sign of the green meanie. Others looked toThe Marvelsto at least tease Annihilus, and if the movie had followed the comics where Mar-Vell and Rick Jones were trapped in the Negative Zone through theuse of the Nega-Bands, it could’ve fit together nicely.
It’s unclear who the MCU’s next big bad will be, but with Jonathan Majors out as Kang the Conqueror, Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom looks to be the main villain ofAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Wars. If Doom’s arc is wrapped up over those two movies, the MCU will likely be on the lookout for another main villain. Assuming the cosmic branch of the MCU continues to grow, a loose adaptation ofAnnihiluscould see the Silver Surfer andGalactus return fromFirst Stepsand bring back the Guardians of the Galaxy. Then again, it’s just as possible that Annihilus will be confined toNovalikeSecret Invasion’s Super Skrull.
There have been similar complaints that a potentially franchise-shattering villain likeMephisto is tipped to debut inIronheart, which is why more recent rumors that Sacha Baron Cohen will appear inSpider-Man 4have proved some divisive. At least Annihilus has plenty of comic book history, meaning his role in the Disney+ series makes sense. Also, assuming that the Fantastic Four make it out ofSecret Warsalive and Annihilus isn’t defeated inNova, he has the potential to really shine in the inevitableFirst Stepssequel.
What do we Know About the Nova TV Series?
For now, Annihilus remains on the sidelines with fan castings even suggesting thatJohn Malkovich’s mysteryFirst Stepscharactercould be a ruse to hide Annihilus. As for Nova, this is another character there’s been plenty of speculation about in the MCU. Posting a now-deleted Threads in November 2024, James Gunn confirmed that he nixed the idea of Richard Rider’s Nova appearing in the originalGuardians of the Galaxyand its sequels, saying he wanted Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord to be the only human member of the team.
ANovaseries was first discussed in 2022, and despite things going suspiciously quiet, a July 2024 update from Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed that theNovaseries was still in active development. It isn’t expected to arrive for another three to four years, meaning fans can realistically expectNovain 2027 or 2028. At least this should neatly set Annihilus up as a major villain in Phase 7, a.k.a. the so-called Mutant Saga. It’s still a long wait, especially afterAvengers: Infinity Warscreenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely confirmed they once discussed including him appearing in the 2018 movie.
Given Nova’s prominence in the cosmic side of Marvel Comics and Gunn admitting he was ‘too big’ to include in theGuardiansmovies, the lack of Nova in the MCU is a frustrating one. The Nova Corps and Glenn Close’s Nova Prime have similarly been criticized for their lack of screen time. Going back toInfinity War, the movie reportedly cut a 45-minute sequence that included Thanos’ decimation of Xander to gain the Power Stone. It’s safe to assume this will be revisited inNova, with Rider potentially arriving somewhere before this in the MCU. Like Mephisto finding a place inIronheartorLady Death inAgatha All Along, audiences have come to expect the unexpected.
For now, Annihilus and Nova remain distant plans in the inevitable future of the franchise. Marvel Studios has always liked to plan ahead, and although this worked back in the early days of Phase One, there are complaints thatMCU projects are announced years before they happen(if they happen at all). It’s also important not to take away from the hype surrounding other upcoming characters like the Fantastic Four, Galactus, and the MCU’s unique take on Doctor Doom. At least theNovaseries gives audiences something to look forward to. Considering the potential of both Annihilus and Nova, audiences hope this is one villain and hero pairing that gets the long-awaited justice they deserve and aren’t simply discarded by a six-episode miniseries.
