Few franchises in the entertainment industry have been able to expand as far and wide as the MCU has, reaching every single corner of the globe and creating multiple projects that have earned billions of dollars on their own. Regardless of how some people might feel about the MCU or superhero projects in general, it’s indisputable that Marvel has created something that a large surplus of fans have been able to rally around and find comfort in for the past decade and a half. While many things have contributed to Marvel’s cinematic success, it’s in no small part because of the engaging and relatable heroes that the MCU has brought forth -one of which isWong.
The hero (played byBenedict Wong), who has been reduced to side-kick roles for the entirety of his MCU career, has been a fan favorite since he first appeared in theDoctor Strangemovie in 2016. His dry, witty sense of humor combined with his no-nonsense manner of training and execution of magic immediately caused audiences to fall in love with the unsung hero. Luckily, despite his minor role in the film, Wong wasn’t a one-and-done character, and fans have seen him a few times since his debut. With that being said, and acknowledging how beloved the character is, wouldn’t it be proper justice to see Wong get his own standalone MCU project?
Wong is Sorcerer Supreme
Make jokes or snide comments about how Doctor Strange is theactualSorcerer Supreme – the facts don’t lie. Regardless of the fact that Strange was snapped away by Thanos, ultimately causing Wong to take on the role of Sorcerer Supreme during his absence, the title never officially passed back to Strange. So, for all intents and purposes, Wong still needs to be respected as the most powerful sorcerer in the universe.
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Again, people will argue and complain that a technicality shouldn’t classify Wong as the head of all magic wielders in the world, but the MCU is full of technicalities, and they all serve purposes. While fans might still consider Strange the Sorcerer Supreme in their hearts, in the reality of the world, the title is Wong’s. Even Strange grew big enough to admit that by theend ofMultiverse of Madness. So, with that in mind, perhaps the Sorcerer Supreme should be given the proper respect of a standalone project.
This is the real reason why Wong should get his own project. Marvel keeps teasing audiences by bringing the character in for cameos. As we stated earlier, Wong wasn’t a one-and-done character after his appearance inDoctor Strange,and he later showed up inInfinity War,Endgame,Shang-Chi,Spider-Man: No Way Home, and of course,theDoctor Strangesequelthat debuted in May. That’s five cameo appearances in the last four years.
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Not only were these cameos close to one another, but Wong was actually given more than a cameo appearance inInfinity War, where he helped warn the world of Thanos' arrival and fought against two of Thanos' children shortly thereafter. He then had the task of bringing all the heroes to the final battle duringEndgameand still managed to find time to have a side-gig as a superhero cage-fighter inShang-Chi, where he defeated Abomination in combat. Take all of these appearances and combine them with how muchfans love to see Wongevery time he steps on screen, and it only makes sense to give the character his own standalone project if the MCU is committed to keeping him around anyway.
The Project Doesn’t Have to be a Full Movie or TV Series
Admittedly, the MCU is getting a little crowded right now with new projects/heroes constantly debuting as well as old ones still sticking around for the fun of it. With that in mind, it might be hard to fit aWong movie or TV seriesinto their already jam-packed schedule… but why does he have to have a full movie or tv series? In short, he doesn’t, and he could easily get his own one-hour special.
While the MCU had exclusively been films up until 2020, the arrival of Disney+ allowed Marvel to expand into tv shows, and it has been nothing but successful. Projects likeWandaVision,Loki, andMoon Knighthave been universally praised, allowing the MCU to take their content a step further. Later this year, the MCU will be debuting two different one-hour specials – a Halloween special forWerewolf by Nightand a Christmas special for theGuardians of the Galaxy. So, if these one-hour specials turn out to be hits (and all signs point to that being the case), what’s stopping Marvel from giving more of their beloved characters a little bit more screen-time that they deserve? People would line up to see a project on Wong, whether it’s a movie, entire series, or just a quick one-hour special. The ball’s in your court, Marvel.
