The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a goldmine of content. Whether it’s the original Iron Man or the all-new addition Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the MCU is known for bringing a plethora of action to the screen while also maintaining a good sense of humor. For example: WandaVision left fans both confused and eagerly interested as the plot of the series did not become clear until partway throug. When the truth of Wanda’s actions was revealed, the MCU still found a way to approach the sad story with a light heart. It seems that the MCU has mastered the formula for a perfect cinematic universe, matched by no other.
One specific thing that the MCU has become known for is the cameos that have been sprinkled throughout the films over the past two decades. From the beloved cameo appearances from Stan Lee to the monumental return of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the MCU’s cameos have become something that fans look forward to. That said, just because the cameos leave fans buzzing with excitement does not mean that they are all good. Here are five reasons why cameos in the MCU are a good thing and five reasons why they’re not.
Related: Doctor Strange 2: Every Cameo in Multiverse of Madness

10 Good: Connects Plots Within the MCU

With almost 30 films to date, the MCU continually cranks out blockbuster after blockbuster. Within their library of films, all the movies within the MCU are connected in some way, shape, or form. For example, Black Widow, which takes place between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, even though it was released after Avengers: Endgame, features a cameo appearance from William Hurt’s Thaddeus Ross. His presence helped situate Natasha’s circumstances and establish the emotional stakes of the film, as she had disobeyed the Sokovia Accords that Ross introduced in Civil War, and was therefore considered a criminal in the eyes of the United Nations.

9 Bad: Distracts From the Plot

While some cameos are interwoven into the plot of the film, as seen in No Way Home, some cameos are clunky and were done simply because they could. One example of a universally bad cameo is that of Samuel Sterns who eventually becomes the Hulk’s enemy The Leader in The Incredible Hulk. The problem with this cameo is that it merely shows Sterns being infected by radiation and his appearance warps into a Leader-like appearance. Despite the vast amounts of potential to bring the Leader into the MCU, nothing else is done with this development. This cameo did nothing for the MCU and only distracted from the film itself.

8 Good: Fan Service

When done right, cameos done for the sake of making the audience happy can take the film to the next level. A perfect example of fan service done right was the appearance of every live-action Spider-Man in No Way Home. Tom Holland’s Peter Parker meets the two other Spider-Men from alternate universes within the multiverse, portrayed by actors Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire. This moment left fans screaming as every dream was satisfied in the best way possible, a perfect example of fan service done right and, a celebration or the Spider-Man franchises as a whole.

7 Bad: Fan Service

Some would argue that over the years the MCU has become nothing but a fan service machine and, per CBR, run the risk of relying too much on it by prioritizing fans’ happiness and giving them what they want. One of the best ways for the MCU to achieve the mark of approval from fans is through their choice of cameos, which are heavily influenced by them and what they want. A perfect example of a cameo that was merely done for the sake of fan service was Elon Musk’s appearance in Iron Man 2. Fans wanted to see the connection between Tony Stark and Elon Musk side by side and the MCU delivered. That said, this cameo did not add anything of value to the film.

6 Good: Fulfilled Stan Lee’s Wish of Being an Actor

One constant that always managed to make audiences happy was the cameos made by Stan Lee, the primary creator at Marvel Comics. Lee appeared in every MCU film up until his death, making his last live cameo appearance in Captain Marvel. While these cameos from Lee were always applause-worthy, many people didn’t realize that these cameos were more than just a nod to Lee’s work on everything Marvel. Lee’s cameos fulfilled his life-long dream of being an actor as he appeared in all the MCU films, playing a number of different characters within the MCU.

5 Bad: Leads to Infinite Fan Theories (& Disappointment)

While many fans look forward to potential cameos in any MCU film, unfortunately, some take it too far. If they’re not theorizing about what cameos will appear, then they are focusing on the new cameos made, concocting any potential content that could be made with that cameo in order to predict content from the MCU before it even comes out. For example: fans obsessed over the live-action version of the Spider-Verse, which led to them predicting the cameos of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in No Way Home. All this theorizing led to the biggest surprise of the decade in No Way Home being ruined for many fans.
Related: Doctor Strange 2 Writer Says Deadpool Cameo Was Discussed

4 Good: Surprises the Audience

Nothing surprised audiences more when Sylvester Stallone, known for films like Rambo and Rocky, made an appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as high-ranking Ravager Stakar Ogord with a grudge against Yondu. Stallone’s appearance would have been especially surprising for older Marvel fans as you wouldn’t expect to see such an action star branch out into the comic book world. Director of the film James Gunn even admitted that because of the amount of positive feedback on Stallone’s character, they plan to return to his character in future MCU films. In fact, per Collider, Stallone will reprise his role in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

3 Bad: Too Strong a Focus on Cameos

Since No Way Home, fans have been looking forward to the cameos that the MCU is going to drop in its new content. The newest release Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has a number of cameos in The Illuminati, from Reed Richards to Black Bolt, as well as a number of new characters. This introduction of new characters does not really lead to anything of importance in relation to the overall plot of the film. These forced cameos initially seemed to be an attempt to blow the audience away, however, the opposite was true, as the only cameo that really had fans jumping was John Krasinski’s Mr. Fantastic. Hopefully, the MCU will learn from the mistake of overwhelming the audience with cameos and should instead focus on the film itself.

2 Good: Sets Up Potential Future Appearances

The most recent cameo that shook ground in the MCU was John Krasinski’s cameo as Mr. Fantastic AKA Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness. Many fans anticipated that Krasinski would eventually enter the MCU and now, their wish has been fulfilled. His presence has led many to wonder if this cameo was a one-off or if it is a set-up for a much larger project in which Krasinski will play the role of Mr. Fantastic in his own Fantastic Four film or series. While all this is speculation at this point, cameos provide the audience with new characters that have the potential to gain their own unique spot within the MCU.

1 Bad: Runs the Risk of Boring Audiences

With the MCU reusing characters over and over, even returning to old villains, as seen in No Way Home, they are trying to use nostalgia to give audiences what they want. While this does work to a certain degree, by reusing characters in cameos, it appears that the MCU is beginning to lack fresh ideas and is sticking with well-known and beloved characters for the sake of fan service. This can lead the audience to believe that the MCU is out of ideas and the nostalgia will soon wear off, leaving the audience disappointed and bored.

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