When it comes to valuable treasures, vibranium is the lifeblood of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, with the release of Captain America: Brave New World, vibranium may have to finally take a backseat in the most rare metal category. As the 35th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America: Brave New World, not only stars Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as the new Captain America, but introduces the virtually indestructible metal, adamantium. Although it is exciting to finally see Thaddeus E. “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford) rage out as Red Hulk, it is even more thrilling to think about the possibilities of where the MCU can go with adamantium added to the fold. Here are some of those moments that can be added into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
X-Men and the Adamantium Claw-wielding Mutant
Let’s start with the most well-known debut of adamantium: its association with the ferocious hero, Wolverine. Adamantium, of course, isn’t new to the big screen. The fictional metal alloy has been mentioned and represented many times in 20th Century Fox movies that focus around X-men lore. However, with adamantium properly introduced in Captain America: Brave New World, it is likely that we will get a new perspective on the Weapon X Project as well as the rise of other mutants soon rather than later. Of course, we have seen an adamantium-cladded Wolverine in the MCU before in the Deadpool & Wolverine film starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman respectively. However, with the multiversal route that Marvel Studios is taking, audiences are likely to see another actor don the iconic yellow and blue spandex suit. This means we could potentially see a different Wolverine get his adamantium upgrades again but with an MCU spin.
Captain America’s Shield Done Right
Speaking of upgrades, Sam Wilson’s Captain America suit is sleek, efficient, and powerful. And with adamantium added to the mix, it is possible that fans will get a more comic-accurate shield to go with the new suit. In the past MCU movies, it has been said that Captain America’s shield is made out of 100% vibranium. However, in the comics, it is explained Captain America is a unique fusion between vibranium and adamantium. Now that adamantium has found its place within the MCU, it will come as no surprise if we find Sam Wilson wielding a shield made of both rare metals in future movies. However, this upgrade in equipment will be depicted and shown off is unknown. But what we do know is that a more lore-accurate shield will only make Captain America more mightier than before.
Bullseye Better Than Ever
Heroes are not the only ones that benefit from the introduction of adamantium. One villain that came back stronger after an adamantium surgery is Bullseye. In the comics, after an intense battle fighting an enraged Daredevil, Bullseye shattered his spine due to falling off a building. After getting his broken bones laced with adamantium, Bullseye made a full recovery to cause havoc in the streets of New York once more. The first episode of Daredevil: Born Again, a Disney+ show centered around Daredevil (Charlie Cox), is set to release on March 4, 2025. Daredevil: Born Again is said to introduce new villains like Bullseye and Muse. The pieces are all in place to possibly see Bullseye get his bones dipped in adamantium goodness in a future MCU project.
Spider-Man’s Adamantium-Equipped Villains
Daredevil isn’t the only hero that should worry about his villains getting an adamantium upgrade. Spider-Man is a friendly neighborhood superhero known for having a large rogue gallery, a lineup of supervillains that he clashes with again and again. These villains range from well-known adversaries like the Green Goblin to more obscure criminals like the Shocker. As troubling as these villains are, what’s more troubling is knowing that some have gotten their sticky fingers on adamantium like Doctor Octopus and Hammerhead.
In the comics, Doctor Octopus traded his old robo-tentacles for adamantium-cladded ones while Hammerhead went through to have adamantine plates placed within his large cranium. Of course, this rare alloy level up has made these villains more deadly than before. MCU’s Spider-Man 4 starring Tom Holland is still in the works and a long way away, so many things about the project are still subject to change. It is also unlikely that either of these villains will be the big bad of the movie. However, the idea of a Spider-Man villain stealing adamantium for personal use is not out of the question.
Whether it is a hero upgrading their arsenal or a villain making themselves more deadly than before, the application for adamantium in future MCU movies is limitless. There is no question that adamantium will pop up in big and small ways in movies. This introduction of the nearly unbreakable metal definitely pushes MCU into a brave new world. Fans of the MCU will simply have to wait and see how Marvel Studios tends to use the larger-than-life metal.