The MCU has added a slew of shows like Daredevil and The Punisher to its timeline. But another non-canon series deserves a second chance.

Earlier this year, Disney+ added Netflix Marvel shows to the official Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. Now, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher, and The Defenders are canon. This has tons of implications inside this universe and opens the door for the possibility of other Marvel TV shows becoming canon, too — after the several X-Men films cameos and the Deadpool 3 rumors, many films are also getting this treatment. If Marvel Studios plans to make another great Marvel TV series canon soon, Hulu’s 2017 hit Marvel’s Runaways should be at the top of the list.

Marvel’s Runaways was the first series to be removed from Disney+ in the May 2023 exodus as part of certain Disney strategic changes, but even now, many think it’s considered the wrong move. In three seasons, Runaways adapted a great chunk of the teenage team’s adventures from the comics — particularly the first volume, created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona. Since then, Marvel Comics has added more to their story that fans yearn to see in live-action. Hulu’s Runaways stands out from other non-MCU adaptations because it was faithful to the comics up to the character design — which not all live-action shows have managed. This, combined with the fact that Marvel Studios is steering towards teenage heroes, makes Marvel’s Runaways a strong contender to become a part of the MCU and, of course, to get a sequel.

The MCU is Making Way For Teenage Heroes

The Runaways and the Young Avengers have teamed up several times in the comics.

Following The Marvels, the MCU certainly has space for the Runaways. With the beginning of the Multiverse Saga, the MCU started introducing more and more young heroes than before, such as América Chávez, Kate Bishop, and the Maximoff twins. The last scene of The Marvels finally sets the ground for all these appearances to turn into something bigger, with Kamala visiting Kate to invite her to join her in her crime-fighting activities. Although nothing is set in stone, fans are already wondering which teenage heroes could become a part of their team.

It would be difficult for all the Runaways members to abandon their team and become part of the Young Avengers/Champions. However, these two teams could easily coexist, as the Young Avengers and the Runaways have done in comics before. These two teams teamed up during two of the most important Marvel events. Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways and Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers follow the adventures of the younglings embedded in these two huge battles. Of course, by this point, the MCU has already adapted both Civil War and Secret Invasion, but there are dozens of events where a Young Avengers/Runaways crossover could take place.

Another great option for the MCU would be to bring a specific character from the Runaways into the action. Nico Minoru already belonged to a different team in the comics. She’s the younger member of A-Force, an all-female team, so she would surely get along with Kamala, Kate, and Cassie just fine. In fact, she will be a part of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man without her team. Sadly, since one of the best things about Marvel’s Runaways was the cast’s chemistry, which allowed for a relatable coming-of-age story amidst the epic superhero battles, this alternative would lose plenty compared to resurrecting the series.

Marvel’s Runaways Was a Great Adaptation

The show was incredibly faithful to the comics character and story-wise, but it didn’t stop there.

The main reason why Marvel’s Runaways deserves to be part of the MCU is the quality of its adaptation, as it stands apart from others because it is incredibly faithful to the comics. Starting with the cast and characterization of the main characters, comic readers surely noticed that some of the choices in Marvel’s Runaways cast were basically perfect, like Lyrica Okano as Nico or Ariela Barer as Gert, who offered spot-on performances. Of course, the cast is only the tip of the iceberg. Marvel’s Runaways production didn’t shy away from copying the heroes’ clothing from the comics — instead of just using a similar palette in order to make a weak reference like other shows have done. What’s more, the actors, albeit young, captured the essence of the characters almost immediately. Barer gave Gert an acerbic personality without pushing it too hard that she stopped being the heart of the team, and Virginia Gardner’s Karolina is equally a free spirit and a naive daughter — a difficult balance to achieve.

Regarding the storylines adapted, Marvel’s Runaways explored Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona’s original run from 2003, which entails the first volume of this team’s adventures. The first season of the series was particularly praised for being faithful to the comics. Now, a great adaptation makes sure to be loyal to its source material, but it also strives to better it. Marvel’s Runaways did a great job at this, especially when expanding on the main villains, The Pride. While the comics focus completely on the kids’ point of view, Runaways makes a point of including their parents’ perspective, too. Given this, they are less two-dimensional villains. Instead, viewers even get to feel a certain empathy for them in certain circumstances, which only makes their actions more terrifying.

Towards the second and third seasons, the series’ writing varied in quality — probably because of the prioritization of including The Pride far beyond their presence in the comics. However, fans didn’t get to see if the show would go further due to its cancelation. Considering the series hinted at previously unheard characters from the comics — like Victor Mancha — the show was likely on its way to including other storylines. This means there’s still plenty from which the MCU could take inspiration.

The Series Could Get a Sequel

The Runaways have had 5 different runs since their debut in 2003.

While Runaways already adapted a great chunk of the first two Runaways volumes, Marvel Studios won’t have a problem finding more storylines and characters to include if this series makes it into the future of the MCU. The Runaways comics are full of interesting characters who could alter the cinematic universe forever. Gib, the last of the Gibborim, could be yet another teenage hero for the MCU, and Victor Mancha would be the perfect way to soft launch Victor von Doom into the MCU since he’s allegedly his son — which turns out to be a lie. Doc Justice — the villain of their most recent storyline by Rainbow Rowell and Andres Genolet — would open up an interesting discussion about the relationships between older and younger heroes and how the wrong attitude towards the superhero gig could end up influencing a whole generation.

Between Rainbow Rowell and Kris Anka’s most recent run, which features the end of the team and their eventual reunion, everything that didn’t get an explanation in the series (like the fact that Morgan Le Fay had the powerful Darkhold) and the storylines that fans would’ve loved to see develop, like Karolina and Nico’s future, could finally be explored and expanded. Even if this doesn’t happen, the series should return to Disney+ and get a place in the official timeline. This would allow the cast of Runaways to return in future projects, even if it’s solo. In the past decade, the Runaways have become an integral part of Marvel Comics, so Marvel Studios would be wise to capture a similar essence in its universe.