Over the past fourteen years, Marvel has become a mainstay in entertainment worldwide, releasing twenty-seven films and eighteen TV shows. Much of his success stems from strong leadership and incredible casting decisions that help create a vast but largely cohesive universe.
It’s no secret that cameos also play an incredibly important role in this, whether it’s just Easter eggs, funny snippets, or ways to introduce new characters and storylines. Out of an incredible number of options, here are some of the best cameos in the Marvel cinematic universe.
Julie Louis-Dreyfus — Black Widow
“Black Widow” initiated the fourth phase of the MCU and introduced viewers to many new heroes and villains, including unexpectedly Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in the post-credits stinger. Then she took on a big role in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and is likely to become a prominent figure in future films and TV shows.
Samuel L. Jackson – Iron Man
In the post-credits scene that launched the global franchise, 2008’s “Iron Man” featured Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, the director of the Shield. Of course, Jackson has steadily returned in numerous subsequent films. He even starred in “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” at the very beginning, but his first full-fledged main role will soon appear in “Secret Invasion”.
Hayley Atwell and John Slattery — Ant-Man
Not all of the best cameos are taken from the endings of the films, including at the beginning of “Ant-Man”, where Hayley Atwell and John Slattery briefly return as Peggy Carter and Howard Stark. They have both become regular faces that can be seen again and again throughout the films, and this one is no exception.
However, these cameos serve an important purpose, inextricably linking the past and the present together. Tony’s death in Avengers: Finale makes Slattery’s return to the MCU unlikely, but Atwell is determined to remain important in the MCU, and there are rumors that she could still appear as Captain Carter “What If…?” In the Doctor. Strange in the multiverse of madness.
Yvette Nicole Brown and Ken Jeong — “Avengers: The Finale”
Anthony and Joe Russo are known for creating some of the highlights in the MCU in their four films, but they are equally loved for their work as directors and producers on popular comedy series such as “Community,” “Arrested Development,” and “Happy Ending.” As a funny allusion to their past work, several previous employees of these shows briefly appeared in the MCU.
Jamie Alexander — Loki
Unfortunately, scheduling conflicts prevented Jamie Alexander from returning to the role of Lady Sif in Thor: Ragnarok, although this may be a blessing, since she could have been killed by Hela as a Trio of Warriors. However, it was a pleasant surprise to see her back in “Loki” on Disney+ after not seeing her for six years—eight for those who haven’t watched “Agents of Shield.”
Alfrey Woodard — “Captain America: Standoff”
Some of the best cameos aren’t always meant to be funny, including when Emmy Award-winning actress Alfrey Woodard cameos in the movie “The First Avenger: Civil War.” She plays Miriam Sharp, a grieving mother who confronts Tony Stark over the death of her son during the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron. Woodard demonstrates a brilliant game with Downey in such a short moment.
J.K. Simmons – Spider-Man: Far from Home
In what paved the way for the multiverse-unifying play “Spider-Man: There is No Way Home,” J.K. Simmons reprised his role as Daily Bugle expert J. K. Simmons. John Jameson from Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy in a scene after the credits of Spider-Man: Far From Home. Theaters exploded with applause and admiration when they saw his familiar face.
Of course, he then went on to play a more important role in the subsequent film, and now that there is hope for a second Spider-Man trilogy in the MCU, it’s safe to say that this won’t be the last thing we’ll see in the role of Simmons. J. Jonah Jameson.
Matt Damon, Luke Hemsworth and Sam Neal — “Thor: Ragnarok”
Of all the great moments in Taiki Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok, one special moment occurs at the beginning of the film in the form of an Asgardian play about Loki. It turns out that this is a trick of Loki’s to get all smug by impersonating Odin, but actually the best part is who is portraying Loki in the play: Matt Damon. He is joined by Sam Neal from Jurassic Park as Odin and Luke Hemsworth, Chris’ older brother, as Thor.
Stan Lee – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
There can’t be a list of cameos in the Marvel cinematic universe without mentioning the Stan Lee icon. Before his death in 2018, he appeared in funny cameos in every Marvel movie and even in several TV shows — of course, the whole list could be devoted only to his cameos and similar other comic book authors.
