Seth Green on Howard the Duck’s MCU Future: Don’t Expect a Solo Project Anytime Soon
Howard the Duck might be one of the most unexpected but completely welcome addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but if you were hoping for a standalone project starring the wisecracking duck, Seth Green has some news for you… it’s probably not happening.
Green, who has voiced Howard in the MCU since Guardians of the Galaxy, recently spoke with ComicBook while promoting Robot Chicken and confirmed that Marvel never had plans for the character to take on a bigger role. Instead, Howard works best as a fun, occasional presence in the wider universe.
Green explained: “Howard fit nicely in the Guardians universe. That was the perfect opportunity to check in on him. And then we’ve done a handful of What If…? [episodes] too … we’ve gotten to do some cool stuff on that.
“Howard’s a funny character, right? There’s some characters that are stars without needing to headline their own project. He’s a funny one, like, where can it work for mass audiences has still kind of yet to be seen.”
Howard the Duck has been a part of Marvel Comics since 1973, and while he may not have the same cultural cachet as Spider-Man or the X-Men, he does have a certain notoriety.
His first big-screen outing in 1986, produced by George Lucas, is one of the most infamous comic book movies ever made. It bombed hard at the box office, grossing just $38 million against a hefty $30–37 million budget.
His MCU journey began with a quick post-credits cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy, where he was spotted in the Collector’s museum. Since then, he’s popped up in Guardians Vol. 2, What If…?, and even made a blink-and a brief appearance in Avengers: Endgame’s epic Portals scene.
There’s something about Howard the Duck that still feels like it could work as a solo project. A new take on the character could lean into his satirical roots and lampoon the superhero genre in a way that feels fresh and fun.
But as Green pointed out, there’s a big difference between sneaking into a few Guardians scenes and carrying an entire movie or TV series. Marvel thinks Howard is a tricky character to sell, but i think he would make a big splash.
That said, if Marvel ever did decide to give Howard his moment in the spotlight, it would need the right creative team to make it work. Personally, I’d love to see a Howard the Duck & Hellcow film—because if you’re going weird, you might as well go all in.