Several Hollywood stars have boarded the Marvel Cinematic Universe since its inception in 2008, but more heroes from the comics have yet to join the franchise. One actor that many have wanted to see join the Avengers-based universe is Glen Powell, and a long-time Marvel Studios writer is sharing the sentiment.
During a new interview with The Playlist, Michael Waldron, who penned the original Avengers: Doomsday script when it was Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, was asked if there was an MCU role that Powell would fit. Waldron, who co-created Chad Powers with the actor, responded with, “He’d be a pretty good Nova.”
Outside of writing the initial Avengers 5 screenplay, Waldron wrote Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, directed by Sam Raimi. He also created the Loki TV show for Tom Hiddleston’s тιтular character.
Powell shared with The Playlist on August 16, 2024, that he has yet to be asked by Marvel or DC for a superhero gig. The Running Man lead commented, “I’ve never gotten a call from DC or Marvel. But I’m a fan of everything they do.”
With the existence of the Nova Corps in the MCU timeline, the door for the hero’s introduction has existed for several phases. Many audience members have been waiting to see Richard Rider finally make his live-action debut, and it’s been a priority for Marvel Studios for several years.
A Nova project was put into development on March 24, 2022, when ᴅᴇᴀᴅline revealed that Moon Knight’s Sabir Pirzada was working on it. However, the project got a new creative on December 16, 2024, when Ed Bernero was hired as the showrunner, thus replacing Pirzada, while also confirming that it would be a television series.
However, the Nova TV show was put on pause, along with Strange Academy and Terror Inc., on February 20, 2025, when ᴅᴇᴀᴅline reported the halt. It was due to Marvel Studios having “simply shifted its priorities at the moment,” as none of the three projects had been formally greenlit.
Marvel Television has been undergoing restructuring, as they are aiming to produce TV shows in a more traditional sense, with the goal of having each series run for multiple seasons. If Nova resumes, it’s unclear if it would get retooled from the small to the big screen as an upcoming MCU movie or even as a Special Presentation on Disney+.
The next release for the MCU will be in January 2026, when the Wonder Man series finally makes its Disney+ premiere.