Whether it's Ryan Gosling as Nova, we'll never know, but that it's rumored to be part of MCU's Phase 6 is good enough news for Marvel fans. The superhero franchise set the San Diego Comic-Con 2022 on fire this month with its paced Phase 5 roster and while there was no hint of Nova, the next Phase is reportedly developing a limited series. Earlier this year, reports of Disney+ making a space series did the rounds, and media outlets across the country opined that it was indeed Nova.

Richard Rider aka Nova often referred to as The Human Rocket, has been a staple of Marvel's cosmic comic books for decades. Debuting in 1976, the hero has appeared as a member of both the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy. His inclusion into the movie universe has been a heavily debated topic among fans.

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He was initially expected to appear in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie but was not included in the final roster for the film. Despite this, the Nova Corps, the fictional alien police organization that employs Nova, did appear in the movie along with their home planet of Xandar.

Fans have speculated about his inclusion in the movies ever since and now their hopes may be realized. Often compared to DC's Green Lantern Corps, the Nova Corps is an intergalactic crime-fighting organization dedicated to the cause of justice and the protection of their homeworld. Guardians of the Galaxy revealed that the Corps had been involved in a long war with the Kree empire which left Xandar devastated.

Back in 2020, Marvel Studios head honcho, Kevin Feige stated that Rider was indeed in the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' draft, but was a scrub. Nova is… if we have a big board with a bunch of characters that have more immediate potential, Nova is on that board, Feige said, speaking to Comicbook.com.

Because of the connection to the Guardians universe, because there are more than one examples to pull from in the comics that are interesting. And you’re absolutely right, he was in the earliest drafts of the [Guardians of the Galaxy]. The latest update sees 'Moon Knight's Sabir Pirzada attached to the project. Perhaps, there's more to expect during the D23 expo that's slated for September.