While there have been many cameos that leaked before the movie was released, DC, Marvel, and Fox have managed to keep some exciting moments a secret.
Superhero movie cameos leaking before release has become common in recent years, and while the Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC, and more have had cameos leak before the time intended for their reveal, many exciting ones were successfully kept secret. The MCU’s best movies have included exciting lead characters but also made room for some incredible cameos. On the DC side of things, movies like The Flash were built with cameos in mind for their biggest moments.
Marvel, DC, and Fox’s X-Men movies have kept some surprises hidden in their sleeves until release time and again. However, in recent years, rumors, set photos and videos, trailers filled with spoilers, and more have contributed to cameos being leaked before a movie’s release. That comes as the multiverse serves as the perfect tool to increase the use of cameos, creating a problem. However, the announced DCU movies and Marvel films can look to successful secret cameos from the past to see how the effort to keep them a secret is worth it.
10. Agent Carter’s Jarvis In Avengers: Endgame
Jarvis Had An MCU Presence Before The Series
Avengers: Endgame is the MCU’s most ambitious movie. The project served as the grand finale of the Infinity Saga — with Spider-Man: Far From Home as its epilogue — which meant Marvel had to pull all the stops. In order to do so, Marvel crafted a film that acted as the perfect victory lap around the MCU up to that point. The latest Avengers film featured a sprawling cast, which included 38 named characters alone in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle.
With so many characters in play from all corners of the MCU, Marvel had the opportunity to feature some surprising cameos. One that fans did not see coming was that of James D’Arcy as Edwin Jarvis. The actor reprised his role from Marvel’s Agent Carter, playing the human version of Jarvis that would later become Paul Bettany’s Jarvis and subsequently Vision.
9. Brad Pitt As Vanisher In Deadpool 2
The Actor Was Rumored For Another Role In The Film
Brad Pitt is one of the most famous movie stars to have ever lived. The actor has consistently appeared in acclaimed movies throughout his career, giving life to plenty of action-heavy roles that show he would succeed as a major character in a superhero franchise. However, Pitt has yet to appear in a meaningful way in a Marvel or DC movie. Still, the actor had a hilarious cameo in Deadpool 2 that served as his introduction to the genre.
Pitt played Vanisher in the film. As the character’s power was invisibility, Pitt only showed his face as Vanisher for a brief scene when the X-Force member was electrocuted to death. Pitt had previously been rumored to play a bigger role in the movie, with Deadpool comic book creator Rob Liefeld confirming Pitt was considered to play Cable, though at least a cool cameo came out after the deal was not closed.
8. Donald Glover As The Prowler In Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
Glover Had Previously Played The Character
Miles Morales’ animated Spider-Verse trilogy has led to many exciting technical developments for the medium. Adding to that, the movie franchise has powerful storytelling, perfectly uniting several cameos, emotional beats, well-developed arcs, visually compelling action, and more. 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse started the franchise in style, with multiple characters coming to Miles’ world. However, the sequel decided to go a step beyond, with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse featuring many universes and several new Spider-Man variants, with some playing important roles.
While not a Spider-Man variant, one of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘s most surprising moments came when Miles Morales came face-to-face with a version of his uncle Aaron. Donald Glover, who had played Aaron Davis in the MCU, returned as a fully realized version of the character as the Prowler, connecting the MCU to the Spider-Verse movies, with Glover’s Prowler hinting that the MCU’s Miles Morales could be close.
7. Stan Lee As Himself In Teen Titans Go! To The Movies
Stan Lee’s Cameos Are Iconic
Stan Lee is one of the most important figures in comic book history. The comic book legend co-created countless popular Marvel heroes, like Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, and many more. Due to his important status within Marvel Comics, the creator was given the opportunity to become part of Marvel’s live-action legacy, with Stan Lee making several cameos in Marvel projects, both in and outside the MCU, which contributed to him becoming equally popular among comic book readers and moviegoing audiences.
While Stan Lee did some work at DC, the creator never had as major of a story in the company compared to his Marvel connection. Due to that, Teen Titans Go! To The Movies shocked everyone by including Lee as himself, making a cameo in the DC movie. The Teen Titans film broke the fourth wall, so having the “cameo king” Stan Lee in the film was fitting, despite being for DC.
6. Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark In The Incredible Hulk
Iron Man Repeated An MCU Trick
Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark helped start the MCU and make it the major success it became. In 2008, RDJ played Tony Stark twice. First, the actor showed all his charisma and proved doubters wrong by making Iron Man break all expectations, and then, the star returned for a surprise cameo in The Incredible Hulk. Although he did not meet Edward Norton’s Hulk, Downey’s Tony Stark had an interesting role to play.
As the MCU was just starting, there was not the same huge level of leaks as there are today, which allowed RDJ’s cameo to remain a mystery. And it worked, because when Tony Stark emerged to talk to Thunderbolt Ross about a team he was assembling, audiences were left speechless. Similar to Nick Fury in Iron Man, Tony Stark’s cameo was another step in assembling the Avengers.
5. The X-Men In Deadpool 2
The Cameo Paid Off Previous Jokes
Brad Pitt’s cameo as Vanisher was far from the only exciting cameo in Deadpool 2, with the franchise keeping a few characters secret up until released. One of the most talked about aspects of Fox’s two Deadpool movies was how Wade Wilson existed in the same universe as the X-Men, even visiting the X-Mansion but seeing no one. Deadpool 2 brilliantly dealt with that by including a major X-Men team cameo.
When Deadpool is walking through the X-Mansion’s halls, he talks about how he never sees the X-Men, which leads to the reveal that the franchise’s younger cast, with James McAvoy’s Charles Xavier, Nicholas Hoult’s Beast and more, was in a room behind him, which has its door quickly closed before Deadpool can realize they are there. Deadpool & Wolverine is rumored to include several cameos, continuing the franchise’s practice.
4. Seth Green As Howard The Duck In Guardians Of The Galaxy
The Character Had A Previous Box Office Bomb
Howard the Duck is a hilarious character. However, no one expected him to appear in the MCU as much as he has. The character had a solo film released in 1986, though Howard the Duck turned out to be a box office bomb. Still, director James Gunn kept the weirdly charming Marvel character close to his heart, introducing Howard the Duck as a surprising cameo in The Collector’s museum in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy.
While the character has not had a major role in the MCU, Howard went on to make a series of cameo appearances, including all Guardians of the Galaxy films, as well as showing up to help in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle. Seth Green voices Howard the Duck in the MCU, with the actor really shining as the character in an episode of Disney+’s What If…? season 2, which gave him a bigger role.
3. Brett Goldstein As Hercules In Thor: Love And Thunder
Thor’s Next Big Fight Is Set
Brett Goldstein broke out in the sports comedy series Ted Lasso. In the show, Goldstein gave life to the gruff Roy Kent, showing his impeccable comedic timing as the straight man in several jokes, as well as his ability to strike fear in others when needed. Those skills quickly led to the actor joining the MCU, with Goldstein making a surprise appearance as Hercules — a character who has been part of the Avengers in the comics — in Thor: Love and Thunder.
While Goldstein has yet to show up again as Hercules in the MCU, the actor has a guaranteed future in the franchise. Thor: Love and Thunder saw Zeus send his son, Hercules, on a quest for revenge against Thor, which should lead to an epic battle in a future MCU project, be it Thor 5 or something else.
2. The Thor: Ragnarok Theater Cameos
Multiple Movie Stars Made Appearances
Thor: Ragnarok is easily the MCU’s best Thor movie. It represented the partnership between director Taika Waititi and star Chris Hemsworth at its best, breathing new air into the God of Thunder’s franchise. The movie presented several scenes imbued with Waititi’s comedic flair, and one of them led to a few exciting cameos. In Asgard, Odin — secretly Loki — watches a play about the events of Thor: The Dark World, only all the actors in it are exciting cameos.
Matt Damon gave life to Loki, Sam Neill was Odin, and Luke Hemsworth — Chris’ brother — played Thor in the play. The scene was hilarious, proving itself such a success that the concept and actors were brought back for Thor: Love and Thunder. That play also added Melissa McCarthy as the actress playing Hela to recount Thor: Ragnarok‘s events.
1. Hugh Jackman As Wolverine In X-Men: First Class
Logan Is The Most Popular Live-Action Marvel Mutant
Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine will be joining the MCU soon, with Deadpool & Wolverine rumored to include many exciting cameos. Before that, the character had a long run at Fox, with Jackman appearing across different X-Men movie timelines and leading a trilogy of Wolverine films. Amid many lead roles, Jackman even found himself making a cameo. 2011’s X-Men: First Class saw Magneto and Charles Xavier try to recruit Wolverine for the X-Men, only for Logan to instantly say, “Go f–k yourself.”
Jackman’s Wolverine cameo was hilarious while also ensuring that the new X-Men movie timeline let its younger cast shine outside of Wolverine’s shadow. With Jackman now back in the role, the actor could be meeting James McAvoy’s Charles Xavier and Michael Fassbender’s Magneto with their roles switched in Deadpool & Wolverine. It remains to be seen if the MCU movie will keep its cameos secret, something both Marvel and DC have had a hard time doing in recent years.
