Marvel Rumor: Famous Olympian Demigod to Join the MCU
Like the rest of Hollywood, Marvel had to pump the brakes on its production schedule for its next batch of superhero flicks.
Whether you fall in the camp who loves the MCU or the one with superhero fatigue, the past few months served as a simmering pot of theories, rumors, and even revelations for Phases 4 and 5. We’re throwing in another mystery and it has nothing to do with Spider-Man, X-Men, or Iron Man murmurings.
Demigod Hercules may join MCU
Forgive us if we give you low or high hopes, but a new rumor is tossing Marvel’s Hercules into the mix as one of the MCU’s next surprises.
It comes on the heels of news that Disney is turning its 1997 animated tale Hercules into a live-action remake. Hercules could become a hot commodity once again under the Disney-Marvel banner.
The latest speculation is being floated by The Cinema Spot and its sources say the hero with superhuman strength will appear sooner than fans think in Marvel’s massive movie universe.
What is Hercules’ history in the comics?
Known in Greek lore as the son of Zeus and a mortal mother, Hercules is famous for his brute muscle power and for performing the Twelve Labors. His backstory in Marvel cannon is similar, except for the fact that one of those labors was handled by an Eternal named the Forgotten One.
According to Marvel.com, Hercules and Thor crossed paths in the early days of the comics, specifically in Journey into Mystery Annual from 1965. Thor accidentally fell into Olympus during a trip to Jotunheim, and a battle of egos ensued when he and Hercules attempted to cross a bridge at the same time.
It was their first meeting, and they ended up getting into a skirmish until Zeus showed up and broke it up. They shook hands and parted ways as friends. After that, Hercules rocked with the Avengers and in his own solo comic books.
How Hercules could fit into the MCU
Marvel experts and geeks believe that Hercules’ adventures in the comics could set him up for a cameo in Thor: Love and Thunder, The Eternals, or alongside Hulk (or She-Hulk). Those are the best guesses–barring the prospect of him receiving his own film.
Taika Waititi is directing the new Thor movie and dropped some clues about what fans can expect—like Space Sharks—and he guarantees it’s going to be bonkers. Perhaps there’s room for the Olympian to fist bump Thor? Nothing’s been confirmed, but it’s a possibility.
With The Eternals—a movie that’s been discussed for years—it’s been noted that the immortal heroes interacted heavily the Olympian gods in Jack Kirby’s comic creations.
That includes Zeus and Hercules. It’s a huge pantheon and even Kevin Feige acknowledged that the MCU storytelling tangents could see these worlds intersect.
Hercules’ track record with the Avengers could place him in a Disney+ series or smackdab in a feature film, but we’ll have to wait until at least 2021 to find out.
