Glen Powell has been taking on a number of roles as of late, having played the likes of an aviator, a professor/police contractor and a tornado wrangler. However, the fan-favorite actor has yet to take on the role of a superhero. Considering Powell’s leading man status and his love of big movies, it’s somewhat surprising he’s yet to don a cape or cowl. There’s still a chance he might join a comic book-based franchise at some point, though, and one of Avengers: Doomsday’s writers has a great idea for a role for Powell.
Which MCU Hero Would Glen Powell Be A Strong Fit For?
Michael Waldron has been synonymous with the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a few years now, thanks to his stellar work on the first season of Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Most recently, Waldron has been working with Stephen McFeely on the screenplays for Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. While on The Playlist’s Bingeworthy Podcast, Waldron – a fan of the comics – was asked about a possible MCU part for his Chad Powers collaborator, and he name-dropped a sweet cosmic character:
He’d be a pretty good Nova.
Nova is a character fans have been waiting to see in the MCU for years now, with comic book devotees feeling particularly optimistic upon the introduction of the Nova Corps in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Several characters have taken on the mantle of Nova, and Powell would be most specifically suited for the Richard Rider iteration of the hero. Introduced in the pages of Marvel Comics back in the ‘70s, Rider is a young man who’s imbued with power by dying Nova Corpsman Rhomann Dey (played by John C. Reilly in the MCU).
There have been plenty of fan castings for Rider, with one of the most consistent A-listers associated with the role being Ryan Gosling. Fan art has even shown what Gosling could look like as the beloved cosmic crusader. I’ve personally been fond of the idea of Garrett Hedlund taking on the role, but I really like the notion of Glen Powell sporting the blue armor and gold helmet, given his talents. Of course, there’s still the matter of when Marvel Studios might actually choose to do something with Rider.
Where Do Things Stand With Nova In The MCU?
As a character, Nova has seen his fair share of starts and stops over the years. Years ago, James Gunn opted not to include Rider in Guardians of the Galaxy, citing the importance of Rider as a character and his desire to have only one important human (Peter Quill) highlighted in the movie. Avengers: Infinity War nearly included Rider as well, though Stephen McFeely and co-writer Christopher Markus thought that “early idea” ultimately “didn’t make much sense” given the destruction of Xandar.
It was reported in 2024, however, that a Nova project was being developed for Disney+, with Moon Knight’s Sabir Pirzada having been hired to develop it. By early 2025, though, reports began to surface about the production along with others being shelved by Marvel Studios. As of this writing, it’s unclear if the streaming offering will actually happen.
Whatever the case, I’m hopeful that Richard Rider will officially enter the MCU some day, and I definitely wouldn’t mind if Glen Powell were to be the one to play him. Powell definitely looks the part, yet he has the skills to portray not only Rider’s selfless nature but the darker sides of his personality as well. We’ll just have to wait and see if Michael Waldron’s thought becomes a reality.
Until then, stream MCU movies and TV shows using a Disney+ subscription now, and ahead to the release of Avengers: Doomsday, which opens in theaters on December 18 amid the 2026 movie schedule. Filming has wrapped, so Nova likely won’t show up there, barring any reshoots. Still, given the scope of Secret Wars, maybe he could pop up in that movie.
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