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Avengers: Endgame brought “the Infinity Saga” to its inevitable conclusion. But the movie also set up much of what’s to come in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For all the MCU’s future plans on the big screen and on Disney+, one character is conspicuously absent. However, now is as good a time as any to formally reintroduce Howard the Duck to Marvel fans.

The Marvel Studios booth at the D23 Expo
The Marvel Studios booth at the D23 Expo | ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images

‘Howard the Duck’ is the first Marvel movie

Today, the MCU is the highest-grossing movie series in the history of cinema. According to CNBC, the MCU has earned more than $22.5 billion worldwide. But back in the 1980s, Marvel Comics made a disastrous first attempt to adapt its characters to the big screen. The result was 1986’s sci-fi comedy Howard the Duck, one of the most infamously strange movies ever.

Despite George Lucas’ role as a producer, Howard the Duck failed to attract an audience. The movie follows the titular character (voiced by Chip Zien) as he crash-lands on Earth and winds up having to defend the planet. The cast includes such stars as Lea Thompson (Back to the Future), Jeffrey Jones (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off), and even future Oscar winner Tim Robbins.

The MCU version of the character is primed and ready for his own story

However, even with the 1986 movie’s bad reputation, Howard the Duck does exist in the MCU. Director James Gunn included the character in both Guardians of the Galaxy movies. While his appearances have been brief, the fact remains the MCU version of Howard the Duck exists. Moreover, Gunn cast popular actor and voice performer Seth Green (Family Guy) in the role.

GreenGreen told Syfy Wire in 2020 that Marvel has no current plans for Howard the Duck, as far as he knows. But the actor did concede he loves voicing Howard and “would do it anytime they asked.” With the MCU in an anything-goes approach right now, perhaps now is the best time to tap into a new Howard the Duck project. But will Marvel Studios actually do so?

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Why is Howard the Duck in ‘Avengers: Endgame’?

Ironically, a Howard the Duck animated series was in the works over at Hulu. But after Marvel Television got rolled into Marvel Studios, the project was canceled. Although Green was not officially cast, it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t be the first choice. After all, he did voice Howard on a pair of Marvel animated shows on Disney XD.

Green’s Robot Chicken experience would fold neatly into an adult-oriented Howard the Duck series in line with DC’s Harley Quinn. Likewise, another film — whether it be animated or live-action — could give the MCU’s Howard the freedom to run wild. Marvel Studios is already diversifying its brand with the R-rated Deadpool 3. So Howard the Duck would make sense next.

The character already helped save the world as part of the army against Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Avengers: Endgame. But what does he do next? With an actor and fan-approved design in place, any Howard the Duck movie or TV series is about as low-stakes as the MCU could hope for. At the very least, here’s hoping Gunn includes him in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

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