The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a media franchise and shared fictional universe that is the setting of superhero television series based on characters that appear in Marvel Comics publications. Marvel Television released the first series in the universe, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which began airing on ABC during the 2013–14 television season, and was joined by Agent Carter in the 2014–15 television season. Inhumans aired on ABC in the 2017–18 television season. Netflix's Marvel series began in 2015 with Daredevil and Jessica Jones, with Luke Cage releasing in 2016. Those series were followed by Iron Fist, the crossover miniseries The Defenders, and The Punisher in 2017. Additionally, the MCU expanded to Hulu with Runaways, also in 2017, and Helstrom in 2020, and expanded to Freeform with Cloak & Dagger in 2018. Marvel Studios—the production studio behind the MCU feature films—began releasing series in 2021 that feature greater interconnectivity with the films than these series.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is headlined by Clark Gregg in the role of Phil Coulson, while Hayley Atwell stars as Peggy Carter in Agent Carter, both reprising their roles from the MCU films. Anson Mount headlines Inhumans as Black Bolt. Charlie Cox is featured as Matt Murdock / Daredevil in Daredevil, while Krysten Ritter leads as Jessica Jones in Jessica Jones, which also introduces Mike Colter as Luke Cage, who later headlined Luke Cage. Finn Jones stars as Danny Rand / Iron Fist in Iron Fist and joins Cox, Ritter, and Colter in reprising their roles for The Defenders. Jon Bernthal stars as Frank Castle / Punisher in The Punisher, after being introduced in the second season of Daredevil. Runaways co-stars Rhenzy Feliz as Alex Wilder. Cloak & Dagger sees Olivia Holt and Aubrey Joseph as Tandy Bowen / Dagger and Tyrone Johnson / Cloak, respectively. Helstrom stars Tom Austen and Sydney Lemmon as Daimon and Ana Helstrom, respectively.
Due to the nature of the shared universe, several actors appear in the series as characters that had previously appeared in other mediums, including: Gregg, who appeared as Coulson in the films Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, Marvel's The Avengers, and the short films The Consultant and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer, before appearing in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.; and Atwell, who portrayed Carter in the films Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the short film Agent Carter, upon which the series of the same name is based, before appearing in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as well. Atwell is the first actor to appear in multiple MCU television series with her role in Agent Carter. All characters that have made appearances in other MCU media, such as the digital series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot, are noted.
ABC series
Netflix series
2015–2017
Character 2015 2016 2017 Daredevil Jessica Jones Daredevil Luke Cage Iron Fist The Defenders The Punisher Introduced in Daredevil season 1 Turk Barrett Rob Morgan Rob Morgan Rob Morgan Shirley Benson Suzanne H. Smart Suzanne H. Smart Suzanne H. Smart colspan="2" Christian Blake Chris Tardio colspan="6" Elena Cardenas Judith Delgado colspan="6" Mitchell Ellison Geoffrey Cantor Geoffrey Cantor colspan="3" Geoffrey Cantor Wilson Fisk Vincent D'Onofrio Vincent D'Onofrio colspan="4" Francis Tom Walker colspan="6" Gao Wai Ching Ho Wai Ching Ho Wai Ching Ho Carl Hoffman Daryl Edwards colspan="6" Josie Susan Varon Susan Varon colspan="2" Susan Varon Paul Lantom Peter McRobbie Peter McRobbie colspan="2" Peter McRobbie Brett Mahoney Royce Johnson colspan="3" Royce Johnson Vanessa Marianna Ayelet Zurer colspan="6" Matt Murdock Charlie Cox Charlie Cox colspan="2" Charlie Cox Franklin "Foggy" Nelson Elden Henson Elden Henson colspan="2" Elden Henson Leland Owlsley Bob Gunton colspan="6" Karen Page Deborah Ann Woll Deborah Ann Woll colspan="2" Deborah Ann Woll Melvin Potter Matt Gerald Matt Gerald colspan="4" Vladimir Ranskahov Nikolai Nikolaeff colspan="6" Marci Stahl Amy Rutberg Amy Rutberg colspan="2" Amy Rutberg Stick Scott Glenn Scott Glenn colspan="2" Scott Glenn Roscoe Sweeney Kevin Nagle Kevin Nagle colspan="4" Claire Temple Rosario Dawson Rosario Dawson Rosario Dawson Ben Urich Vondie Curtis-Hall colspan="6" Doris Urich Adriane Lenox colspan="6" James Wesley Toby Leonard Moore colspan="6" Nobu Yoshioka Peter Shinkoda Peter Shinkoda colspan="4" Introduced in Jessica Jones season 1 Clair Danielle Ferland colspan="5" Oscar Clemons Clarke Peters colspan="5" Reva Connors Parisa Fitz-Henley Parisa Fitz-Henley colspan="3" Donald Paul Pryce colspan="5" Malcolm Ducasse Eka Darville colspan="3" Eka Darville Emma Gillian Glasco colspan="5" Jeri Hogarth Carrie-Anne Moss Carrie-Anne Moss Carrie-Anne Moss Jackson Ryan Ferrell colspan="5" Alisa Jones Miriam Shor colspan="5" Jessica Jones Krysten Ritter colspan="3" Krysten Ritter Carl Lucas / Luke Cage Mike Colter Mike Colter Mike Colter Nicole Nichole Yannetty colspan="3" Nichole Yannetty Pam Susie Abromeit colspan="5" Samantha Reyes Michelle Hurd colspan="4" Robyn Colby Minifie colspan="5" Wendy Ross-Hogarth Robin Weigert colspan="5" Ruben Kieran Mulcare colspan="5" Hope Shlottman Erin Moriarty colspan="5" Will Simpson Wil Traval colspan="5" Albert Thompson Michael Siberry colspan="5" Kevin Thompson David Tennant colspan="5" Louise Thompson Lisa Emery colspan="5" Patricia "Trish" Walker Rachael Taylor Rachael Taylor Rachael Taylor Introduced in Daredevil season 2 Frank Castle colspan="2" Jon Bernthal colspan="3" Jon Bernthal Louisa Delgado colspan="2" Marilyn Torres colspan="4" Benjamin Donovan colspan="2" Danny Johnson colspan="3" Stan Gibson colspan="2" John Pirkis colspan="4" Hirochi colspan="2" Ron Nakahara colspan="4" Ray Schoonover colspan="2" Clancy Brown colspan="3" Clancy Brown Elektra Natchios colspan="2" Élodie Yung colspan="2" Élodie Yung Blake Tower colspan="2" Stephen Rider Stephen Rider colspan="3" Introduced in Luke Cage season 1 Hernan "Shades" Alvarez colspan="3" Theo Rossi colspan="3" Mark Bailey colspan="3" Justin Swain colspan="3" Noah Burstein colspan="3" Michael Kostroff colspan="3" Domingo Colon colspan="3" Jacob Vargas colspan="3" Darryl colspan="3" Marquis Rodriguez colspan="2" Mariah Dillard colspan="3" Alfre Woodard colspan="3" Bobby Fish colspan="3" Ron Cephas Jones colspan="3" D. W. Griffith colspan="3" Jeremiah Richard Craft colspan="3" Mercedes "Misty" Knight colspan="3" Simone Missick Simone Missick Connie Lin colspan="3" Jade Wu colspan="3" Megan McLaren colspan="3" Dawn-Lyen Gardner colspan="3" Candace Miller colspan="3" Deborah Ayorinde colspan="3" Priscilla Ridley colspan="3" Karen Pittman colspan="3" Rafael Scarfe colspan="3" Frank Whaley colspan="3" Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes colspan="3" Mahershala Ali colspan="3" Willis Stryker colspan="3" Erik LaRay Harvey colspan="3" Sugar colspan="3" Sean Ringgold colspan="3" Soledad Temple colspan="3" Sônia Braga colspan="3" Thembi Wallace colspan="3" Tijuana Ricks colspan="2" Alex Wesley colspan="3" John Clarence Stewart colspan="3" Lonnie Wilson colspan="3" Darius Kaleb colspan="3" Zip colspan="3" Jaiden Kaine colspan="3" Introduced in Iron Fist season 1 Bakuto colspan="4" Ramón Rodríguez Davos colspan="4" Sacha Dhawan colspan="2" Kyle colspan="4" Alex Wyse colspan="2" Harold Meachum colspan="4" David Wenham colspan="2" Joy Meachum colspan="4" Jessica Stroup colspan="2" Ward Meachum colspan="4" Tom Pelphrey colspan="2" Megan colspan="4" Barrett Doss colspan="2" Danny Rand colspan="4" Finn Jones Wendell Rand colspan="4" David Furr colspan="2" Maria Rodriguez colspan="4" Elise Santora colspan="2" Kevin Singleton colspan="4" Ramon Fernandez colspan="2" Lawrence Wilkins colspan="4" Clifton Davis colspan="2" Colleen Wing colspan="4" Jessica Henwick Introduced in The Defenders Cole Miller colspan="5" J. Mallory McCree Murakami colspan="5" Yutaka Takeuchi Lexi Raymond colspan="5" Chloe Levine Michelle Raymond colspan="5" Michelle Federer Alexandra colspan="5" Sigourney Weaver Sowande colspan="5" Babs Olusanmokun Strieber colspan="5" Ron Simons Introduced in The Punisher season 1 Frank Castle Jr. colspan="6" Aidan Pierce Brennan Lisa Castle colspan="6" Nicolette Pierini Maria Castle colspan="6" Kelli Barrett Rafael Hernandez colspan="6" Tony Plana Curtis Hoyle colspan="6" Jason R. Moore Isaac Lange colspan="6" Jordan Mahome David Lieberman colspan="6" Ebon Moss-Bachrach Leo Lieberman colspan="6" Ripley Sobo Sarah Lieberman colspan="6" Jaime Ray Newman Zach Lieberman colspan="6" Kobi Frumer Dinah Madani colspan="6" Amber Rose Revah Farah Madani colspan="6" Shohreh Aghdashloo William Rawlins colspan="6" Paul Schulze Billy Russo colspan="6" Ben Barnes Sam Stein colspan="6" Michael Nathanson Lewis Wilson colspan="6" Daniel Webber
2018–2019