Surprise cameo appearances have become the bread and butter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
So today we are counting down the 25 best cameos the mega-franchise has to offer.
Before we begin, its essential to specify precisely what constitutes a cameo.
Without further ado, here are our picks for the best cameos in the MCUs storied history.
A great example of this is Captain Americas PSA videos fromSpider-Man: Homecoming.
Ad content continues below
24.
David Hasselhoff in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.
2 (2017)
…or should we say Zardu Hasselfrau?
Quill reacts by immediately laser blasting the celestial being.
In a fit of rage, Ego shapeshifts into David Hasselhoff, one of Star-Lords childhood heroes.
However, Hasselhoff appears later in the film during the credits, singing the original mixtape track Guardians Inferno.
The hilarious and catchy tune perfectly represents the tone of the Guardians movies.
Thus the Hoffs appearance in the sequel is much more emotionally resident for those paying attention.
The directing duo never forgot their roots, as they managed to sneak in several cameos for their formerCommunitystars.
employee during the 1970s in the same film.
However, that was not a Russo Brothers wink and nudge.
Doctor Stranges scene inThor: Ragnarokis a perfect example of this.
When he took over the dwindling Thor franchise in 2017, Taika Waititi injected some much-needed life into it.
While mostly fueled by gags, watching these two larger-than-life characters interact on screen was a treat for fans.
between two of Doctor Stranges magic portals.
The Original Marvel Comics Guardians of the Galaxy in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.
InGuardians of the Galaxy Vol.
Finally, future Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh joined the squad as Aleta Ogord.
The originalDaredevilseries, which ran on Netflix for three seasons, was embraced by viewers and critics alike.
Fast forward a few years, and the hype forSpider-Man: No Way Homeis building.
There were also loose reports that Charlie Cox would triumphantly return to the Marvel universe.
And that he did.
Next March, Daredevil will once again headline his own series, this time titledDaredevil: Born Again.
We cant wait to see what the MCU has in store for the character in the future.
Fast-forward nearly 30 years to the release ofGuardians of the Galaxy, the most obscure MCU movie yet.
The ragtag group of heroes was composed of lesser-known Marvel characters such as Rocket Raccoon and Groot.
Little did we know that James Gunn had even more inside baseball references in store.
Its Howard the Duck.
Voiced nowadays byFamily Guystar Seth Green.
3(2023),What If…?
(2021), and even a brief glimpse of him during the final battle inAvengers: Endgame.
The Asgardian trickster briefly transforms into Captain America while walking down a hallway with Thor.
However, the fight scene between the two heroes wearing red mightve actually saved the universe.
Whats most important about this scene was establishing a connection between the two characters.
So, if it werent for a short skirmish between Ant-Man and the Falcon, Thanos mightve won!
That introduction ended up being a brief appearance inThor.
agent Phil Coulson requests eyes to be up high on the Asgardian with a gun.
What we eventually got was the Illuminati on Earth-838.
This council was made up of several different styles of cameo.
Members of the Illuminati included Maria Rambeau, taking over the mantle of Captain Marvel instead of Carol Danvers.
The two highest profile cameos from this scene featuredThe Officebreakout John Krasinski playing Reed Richards/Mr.
Fantastic, a popular online fan-casting come to life.
For some fans, and even some of the actors, that was a disappointment.
But the cruel, mean-spirited humor in their deaths was classic Sam Raimi mischief.
Killmonger in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Director and actor pairings are nothing new.
One grouping thats flown under the radar in recent years is Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan.
Despite this, audiences were unsure whether or not Jordan would pop up inBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever.
This process transports her to the Ancestral Plane, the afterlife of the Wakandan people.
In the original film, TChalla talked to his late father, TChaka, in this domain.
InWakanda Forever, Shuri is surprised to see her cousin Killmonger there instead waiting to greet her.
Nobody knew what happened to the villainous character, and fans wouldnt find out for another seven years.
EnterAvengers: Infinity War.
To obtain the Soul Stone, Thanos must sacrifice a soul he truly loves.
Who is the protector of the Soul Stone?
However, lets not forget whenSpider-Man: Far From Homewas released.
In 2019, the MCU was fresh offEndgame, and the Multiverse Saga had yet to begin.
When J. Jonah popped up on screen in the mid-credits ofFar From Home, it was a genuine shock.
However, the feature concludes with Steve Rogers waking up in present-day New York City.
There he is greeted by Nick Fury.
Discovered in the backdrop of the Void, a hooded figure with a familiar voice communicates with our heroes.
But in a classic bait-and-switch reveal, Evans does not assemble the Avengers.
Instead he exclaims flame on!
whilst his body is engulfed in fire.
Thats right, hes Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch fromFantastic Four(2005).
Additionally, the final post-credits bit about his words for Cassandra Nova was the icing on the cake.
Thanos in The Avengers (2012)
The Avengerstook the world by storm in May 2012.
A glance and a grin.
Thats all it took to establish Thanos in the MCU.
The mad titans intentions were palpable from a single expression: we all knew he meant business.
Everyone and their mamma (literally, if youre Thor) showed up in this movie.
But the cameos dont stop there.
InGuardians of the Galaxy Vol.
Nick Fury in Iron Man (2008)
Im here to talk to you about the Avenger initiative.
Those 10 words uttered by Samuel L. Jacksons Nick Fury started this whole shebang.
Nobody thought anything likeThe Avengerswas possible whenIron Manwas released.
Every Marvel movie before it was a standalone project with no crossover.
All that changed when the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
popped up in the post-credits scene ofIron Man.
For starters, Samuel L. Jackson was a surprise cameo unto himself.
Fury states, You think youre the only superhero in the world?
Mr. Stark, youve become part of a bigger universe; you just dont know it yet.
