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- With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 5) just around the corner, fans can expect more action, comedic moments, and hopefully, some fourth wall breaks to add to the growing list of the MCU's direct addresses to the audience.
Whether it is a superhero blockbuster or silent cinema, films and shows play around with characters that can break the fourth wall and directly talk to the audience. The most recent addition to this category is She-Hulk: Attorney at Law's titular character, Jennifer Walters a.k.a She-Hulk.
It is nothing new for MCU characters to break the fourth wall. Whether it is Deadpool or Baby Groot, many such characters have the power of talking to their audience. Directly speaking to the camera enables them to establish the intricacies of their character or alter-ego in a better way.
Updated on May 1, 2023, by Hannah Saab:
With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 5) just around the corner, fans can expect more action, comedic moments, and hopefully, some fourth wall breaks to add to the growing list of the MCU's direct addresses to the audience.
10 Captain America – 'Spider-Man Homecoming' (2017)
Spider-Man Homecoming’s post-credit scene is unlike any other MCU post-credit scene, where they usually give a sneak peek into the future. This time, Captain America (Chris Evans) breaks the fourth wall and mocks MCU fanatics.
There are several PSA advertisements in the movie done by Captain America for Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and his classmates. So, one of those advertisements is played in the post-credit scenes when he directly speaks to the audience about how they patiently wait for the signature post-credit scenes MCU movies are known for.
9 Baby Groot – 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' (2017)
Baby Groot has never said anything else but “I am Groot.” While this is not directly at the camera, the character has done something even cooler to break the fourth wall in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Groot knocks himself into the camera lens when he falls off Orloni’s back. Before this happens, when he is on the creature’s back, he looks directly into the camera as his entire team fights the monster crew in the background.
8 Wanda Maximoff – 'WandaVision' (2021)
The “Breaking the Fourth Wall” episode of WandaVision not only has interviews with Vision but with Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) too. It begins with snippets like from a documentary, where Wanda addresses the viewers directly.
Wanda is seen waking up to find that Vision is no longer on his side of the bed, and then viewers see her in a bathrobe addressing an interviewer about how we let our fear and anger take the best of us. Also, she bluntly expresses herself about things failing around her and how she is not able to handle any of them. It's one of the highest-rated episodes of the MCU show, which delved into Wanda's heartbreaking arc.
7 Loki and Sylvie – 'Loki' (2021 - )
Loki’s Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) looking directly into the camera is one of the most subtle fourth wall breaks in the MCU. It's not just Sylvie. There are instances when Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors) briefly look directly into the camera as well.
In episode 3, Sylvie is discussing the future strategy with Loki after being thrown out of the train on Lamentis-1 – she briefly looks into the camera here. Similarly, there is a scene when Loki looks right through the lens while talking to Mobius (Owen Wilson). And, He Who Remains also looks into the camera when he is in an elevator with the two Loki variants.
6 Pizza Poppa – 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' (2022)
If it is a Sam Raimi movie, then Bruce Campbell is supposed to be there, no matter the role. The same is the case with Multiverse of Madness. The actor, in fact, makes his presence in the post-credit scene where he breaks the fourth wall.
Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) meet Campbell's Pizza Poppa when they land on Earth 838. In the post-credit, he is seen celebrating and addressing the camera that he has finally gained his freedom from Strange’s spell after punching himself for three weeks.
5 Vision – 'WandaVision' (2021)
Episode 7 of WandaVision is titled “Breaking the Fourth Wall," making it obvious what is exactly going to occur. The episode is styled like popular sitcoms from the 2000s, like The Office and Modern Family. This episode has several interview sequences like Modern Family where Vision (Paul Bettany) breaks the fourth wall.
There are times when the lead actor expresses his emotions by simply looking into the camera. And there is one instance where he abruptly gets up and leaves when he realizes that he must leave to help Wanda.
4 Wanda Maximoff – 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' (2022)
Wanda has broken the fourth wall more than once, and she does it again in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Sam Raimi’s direction makes sure that this scene doesn’t come out normally – it must give chills and terrify the MCU fans.
After being corrupted by the Darkhold and unleashing herself as Scarlet Witch, Wanda becomes the main antagonist of the film. So, when the Witch dreamwalks to meet her children, there’s one scene when she directly stares into the camera for a couple of seconds, not only breaking the fourth wall but making it the creepiest break yet.
3 The Watcher – 'What If...?' (2021 - )
What If…? is an animated show that talks about alternate timelines of several superheroes. All through this alternate multiverse journey, the Marvel fans were accompanied by The Watcher (Jeffrey Wright). It is he who is telling the audience how that particular event differs from the real MCU timeline.
Every episode begins with The Watcher talking to his audience. The first thing that he did in each episode was to introduce himself by saying, "your guide through these vast new realities." The Watcher is a mere observer who just introduces the timeline and then doesn’t interfere with any events happening. An epic moment takes place when Ultron (Ross Marquand) breaks the fourth wall by hearing The Watcher's narration, which soon starts an epic fight.
2 Jennifer Walters – 'She-Hulk: Attorney at Law' (2022)
Addressing the audience from the first episode, and then doing it whenever she gets a chance, She-Hulk’s Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) is among the most iconic additions to the MCU’s roster of breaking the fourth wall.
Jen breaks the fourth wall similar to Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Fleabag. She takes over the camera to directly tell her audience what she feels inside and what she is going through – which she cannot tell anyone – thus creating a relationship with the audience.
1 Deadpool – 'Deadpool' (2016) & 'Deadpool 2' (2018)
2016’s Deadpool is the movie that begins with the lead wiping gum off the camera. So, if it is about breaking the fourth floor, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) has spoken to the audience more than anyone else. Wade Wilson’s character has done the same in Deadpool 2 as well and the same will continue in Deadpool 3.
Deadpool not only talks to his audience but also mocks the other franchises. Sometimes he mocks his fellow X-Men and their movies, as well as Reynolds' role in Green Lantern. He even addresses the Martha effect from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.