Marvel Studios' Casting Director Sarah Halley Finn is confident anMCUrole can be found forMeryl Streep, and there are many brilliant Marvel Comics characters that the Hollywood legend would be perfect for. Meryl Streep’s almost-five-decade acting career has seen her be lauded as one of, if not the, best actors of her generation, so the possibility of her joining the MCU is incredibly exciting.Meryl Streep’s versatility has seen her star in comedies, dramas, thrillers and science fiction epics, so she is perfectly primed for a role in a superhero franchise.
Speaking toVarietyatAgatha All Along’spremiere eventin September 2024,Marvel Studios' Casting Director Sarah Halley Finn noted that Meryl Streep is the actor who she hasn’t yet cast in the MCU but who she desperately wants. She notes that Streep could play"anything she wants,“and suggests that there may have already been conversations between Marvel and Streep about her joining the MCU. While Finn states they haven’t found the right role, there are many characters in Marvel Comics that Meryl Streep would excel at delivering in the MCU.
10Cassandra Nova
Emma Corrin Debuted As A Variant Of Cassandra Nova In Deadpool & Wolverine
In comparison to her Marvel Comics' counterpart,Deadpool & Wolverine’sCassandra Novawas much cleaner, sleeker and more put-together. In the comics, Cassandra Nova, the dark shadow of Charles Xavier, is much more disheveled, and usually depicted as an older character, but this makes her even more terrifying.Emma Corrin did an incredible job at bringing the haunting and mysterious villain into live-action for the first time ever, but Meryl Streep could be the perfect choice to introduce a more comic-accurate interpretation.
1 BTS Deadpool & Wolverine Reveal Changes How You Look At Its Villain In The Best Way
Emma Corrin’s Cassandra Nova is one of the MCU’s most sinister villains, and one behind the scenes detail makes her even more haunting and memorable.
This could work asDeadpool & Wolverine’sCassandra Nova is presumably not the version of the villain from the MCU’s Earth-616. It is implied that this version of Nova is the “sister” toJames McAvoy’s Professor X, though her home reality has not been confirmed. Meryl Streep has the talent to exhibit the sinister and scheming version of Cassandra Nova from Earth-616, perhaps being introduced afterAvengers: Secret Wars.This may allow Marvel Studios to bring iconic stories such as the Genosha genocide into live-action, with Streep’s commanding and intimidating Cassandra Nova at the center.
9Veranke
Veranke’s Debut Could Tease An Honest-To-Goodness Secret Invasion
Veranke was the Queen of the Skrulls in Marvel Comics, and the leader of the Skrull invasion of Earth during 2008’sSecret Invasionstoryline. Veranke infiltrated the Avengers by disguising herself as Jessica Drew’s Spider-Woman, and used Drew’s influence to weaken Earth’s Mightiest Heroes from within.Marvel Studios’Secret Invasionseries omitted Veranke completely, instead having Kingsley Ben-Adir’s Gravik lead the Skrull rebellion, but this means that the comics’Secret Invasioncould still be adapted more faithfully, so Veranke’s debut could be imminent.
Marvel Studios’Secret Invasionbecame one of the MCU’s lowest-rated projects, and has been all but ignored in subsequent projects, but there have been calls for a more faithful adaptation ofSecret Invasionin the MCU’s future.
Meryl Streep would excel as the Skrull Queen, and there may be few MCU roles more suitable to the Hollywood icon than that of literal royalty.Being cast as Veranke would give Streep the full MCU treatment, as she would get made-up as a Skrull, get to invade Earth, fight the Avengers, and presumably meet her demise. In Marvel Comics, Veranke is killed byNorman Osborn, kick-starting hisDark Reign, and this could be a fantastic avenue for Marvel Studios to follow in live-action.
8Lilith, Mother Of All Demons
Lilith Is A Rumored Antagonist Of The MCU’s Blade Movie
In recent years, there have been several teases in the MCU towards the formation of the supernatural superhero team, the Midnight Sons.One of the Midnight Sons' most notable adversaries in Marvel Comics is Lilith, Mother of All Demons, so it would be fantastic to see Meryl Streep debut as this formidable, dark and dangerous supervillain. This could see Streep make her first appearance inMarvel Studios' troubledBladereboot, as Lilith has been a rumored villain opposite Mahershala Ali’s Daywalker for quite some time.
Meryl Streep has the screen presence to bring this powerful figure to life.
Marvel Studios' recent focus on thesupernatural and magical worlds of the MCU, particularly in projects such asWandaVision, Werewolf by Night, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of MadnessandAgatha All Along, perhaps creates the perfect opportunity for Lilith’s live-action debut. Meryl Streep has the screen presence to bring this powerful figure to life, and there’s no doubt she would deliver a captivating and magnetic performance.With Streep in this role, Lilith could become one of the most recognized and terrifying villains in the MCU’s history.
7Agatha Harkness Variant
Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness Is Very Different From Her Marvel Comics Counterpart
Kathryn Hahn’s depiction oforiginal Salem witch Agatha Harknesshas been hugely celebrated. Hahn’s performances inWandaVisionandAgatha All Alongare second-to-none, but her version of the villain is far removed from the character’s depiction in Marvel Comics. While Agatha Harkness has become significantly younger in recent Marvel Comics stories,she started out as an elderly witch, governess to the Fantastic Four and mentor to the Scarlet Witch. This version of the character would be perfect to bring Meryl Streep into the MCU.
When Agatha All Along Takes Place In The MCU Timeline
Agatha All Along naturally takes place after WandaVision as its sequel, but the first episode has confirmed where exactly the series falls in the MCU.
The Multiverse Saga creates the opportunity for a variant of Agatha Harkness to appear alongside Kathryn Hahn’s version. Since she looks after Franklin Richards, the son of Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman, in Marvel Comics, it’s possible that this more comic-accurate Agatha Harkness could debut in2025’sThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, which is set in an alternate universe.Meryl Streep would be an inspired casting choice as Agatha Harkness, given her caring and gentle qualities, but also her ability to demonstrate sheer power, which this iconic witch is best known for.
6Valerie Vector, A.K.A. Voyager
Valerie Vector Could Develop The MCU’s Elders Of The Universe
Interestingly, Valerie Vector’s debut in the MCU was actually set up back in 2017’sThor: Ragnarok. Originally known as Va Nee Gast, a.k.a. Voyager,Vector was initially presented as a lost member of the Avengers, but was later revealed to be the daughter of the Grandmaster, and one of the Elders of the Universe.Jeff Goldblum debuted as the GrandmasterinRagnarok, and seeing him and Meryl Streep perform together as the strange coupling of father and daughter would simply be phenomenal.
Taneleer Tivan’s Collector and Ego the Living Planet, among many others, are also Elders of the Universe.
Marvel Studios has set up several members of the Elders of the Universe in the MCU, but the species has never actually been referred to by name, and has seen very little development. Alongside the Grandmaster, Taneleer Tivan’s Collector and Ego the Living Planet, among many others, are alsoElders of the Universe in Marvel Comics.Meryl Streep’s introduction to the MCU would be the perfect vehicle to develop this mysterious species much further, which could perhaps take place in the as-yet-unannouncedThor 5.
5Hera
Thor: Love & Thunder Set Up Hera’s Debut Perfectly
WhileThor: Ragnarokmay have set up Meryl Streep’s debut as an Elder of the Universe, 2022’sThor: Love and Thundercould have introduced the perfect way for her to appear as a powerful goddess, a role fit for the Hollywood legend.Love and ThundersawRussell Crowe make his first MCU appearance as Zeus, the King of the Gods in Omnipotence City, and,in Marvel Comics, Zeus is married to Hera. This would be an incredible role for Meryl Streep, particularly given her strong friendship with Russell Crowe.
Thor: Love and Thunderintroduced many new Gods to the MCU as the citizens of Omnipotence City, including Dionysus, Quetzalcoatl, Bao, Bast and the Old Kronan God, among many others.
Hera’s age-old feud with Hercules in Marvel Comics would be incredible to see in the live-action MCU following Brett Goldstein’s debut as the god inThor: Love and Thunder’spost-credits scene. This could set up Meryl Streep’s Hera as the villain forThor 5, which could see Hercules and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor band together to take on the twisted Olympian.Hera would be a formidable role for Streep, and wouldn’t need to be action-heavy, allowing her to be more of a master of manipulation than a skilled hand-to-hand combatant, which would surely benefit Streep.
4Lady Death
Lady Death Has Connections To Several Notable MCU Characters
Death, otherwise known as Lady or Mistress Death, is one of the most powerful and notable beings in the Marvel Universe, a cosmic entity personifying death itself. With an incomprehensible level of power,Lady Death would be a huge character for Meryl Streep to bring to the MCU, and she could become one of the most consistent and harrowing characters the franchise has ever seen. This would be especially brilliant as Death is connected to many notable characters in Marvel Comics, which could allow Streep to appear in several upcoming MCU projects.
Infinity War: Why The Original Thanos Lady Death Plan Changed
Like in the comics, Thanos' original MCU motivation was to court Lady Death as hinted in The Avengers but Avengers: Infinity War changed it — why?
Most notably, Lady Death is the subject of Thanos' obsession and love, which culminates in him collecting the Infinity Stones and wiping out half the universe’s population in an effort to woo her.Thanos has recently been teased to return to the MCU, so Meryl Streep appearing as Death would make a lot of sense. Death also has a brief relationship with Deadpool, who can’t die, and even inserts herself into several Spider-Man stories in Marvel Comics.This creates some huge opportunities for Meryl Streep, who would be an inspired choice for this insanely powerful character.
3Ophelia Sarkissian, A.K.A. Madame Hydra
A Version Of Madame Hydra May Already Be In The MCU
Ophelia Sarkissian is usually depicted as a younger woman than Meryl Streep, but with a rich backstory as the villainous Viper, it would make sense for Streep to portray the character as a seasoned Madame Hydra. This would perhaps be in opposition toJulia Louis-Dreyfus' Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who also becomes Madame Hydra in Marvel Comics, though has shown no affiliation to HYDRA in the MCU.HYDRA has been noticeably missing from the MCU for several years, and Meryl Streep may be the perfect actor to revive the sinister organization.
Madame Hydra could be introduced as a major threat in futureCaptain Americasequels.
With Meryl Streep’s Madame Hydra on the throne, HYDRA would surely come back to the MCU with a bang.Streep could deliver a powerful performance as the mastermind behind HYDRA, tapping into her more dramatic skillsetto follow in the footsteps of the likes of Hugo Weaving’s Red Skull and Robert Redford’s Alexander Pierce. Madame Hydra could be introduced as a major threat in futureCaptain Americasequels after 2025’sBrave New World, connecting Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson to Captain America’s MCU history.
2Infinity
Thor: Love & Thunder Debuted Infinity’s Male Counterpart, Eternity
WhileThor: Love and Thundermay have set up the opportunity for Meryl Streep to appear as Zeus' wife, Hera, the 2022 movie also marked the MCU debut of one of the most powerful and recognizable beings in Marvel Comics, Eternity.Usually depicted as a male, Eternity’s female counterpart is Infinity, and Meryl Streep would be a supreme casting choice for this formidable cosmic entity. While Eternity is the personification of time, Infinity represents space, and herconnection to the Quantum Bandsin Marvel Comics means her MCU debut may be imminent.
Thor: Love & Thunder Wasted Multiverse Of Madness’ Best Potential Character
Eternity was featured in Phase 4’s divisive Thor: Love & Thunder, but the cosmic entity might have been better suited in a different MCU project.
Kamala Khan’s bangle was revealed to be one of the Quantum Bands in 2023’sThe Marvels, and it is Infinity in the comics who provides the Bands with their power. This means that a possibleMs. Marvelseason 2,Young Avengersmovie orCaptain Marvel 3could introduce Infinity to the MCU, andit will be hard to find an actor capable enough to deliver the presence, command and captivating nature of a cosmic entity on the level of Infinity than Meryl Streep. In fact, there may only be one Marvel character better suited to the actor.
1Cassandra Webb A.K.A. Madame Web
Madame Web May Be Reinvented In The MCU After Sony’s Failure
That is Madame Web. Similarly to Agatha Harkness, Cassandra Webb was recently introduced to live-action as a much younger woman than her Marvel Comics counterpart, but what worked for Agatha did not for Cassandra. Dakota Johnson’s version of the Spider-Man ally in 2024’sMadame Web, part of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, was a laughable disappointment.The character would be better by being far more comic-accurate, depicted as an elderly mentor and clairvoyant ally to Spider-Man, and Meryl Streep fits the brief perfectly.
Madame Webis the lowest-scored Sony Spider-Man Universe on Rotten Tomatoes, with a critics score of 11%, falling behindMorbius'15%. Both projects were written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless.
Old enough to be comic-accurate, but still active and spry enough to deliver the more physical touches of Madame Web, Meryl Streep would be an inspired casting choice.The character could be reinvented in the MCU’s main continuity, completely separate to Sony’s iteration, and given Madame Web’s role in Marvel Comics' multiverse events, it would make sense for her to have a role inSpider-Man 4and beyond. WhileMeryl Streepwould be perfect for this role, Sarah Halley Finn’s comments suggest it won’t be long before we know who she’ll actually be playing in the MCU.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
