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Doing my best Carnac the Magnificent impression, I'm going to attempt to name the entire Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 character roster. In multiple interviews, it has been stated the number of character will be "in the 30s." To be on the safe side, I've chosen exactly 30 (15 from Capcom and 15 from Marvel,) and tried to justify each one. I also included some honorable mentions who hopefully will make it into the game (downloadable content perhaps?) In a year, we'll see how well I did. It's like a really egotistical time capsule!
(The lists are in alphabetical order. Remember, these are the characters I objectively believe will make it into the game and not necessarily the ones I like the best.)
Capcom:
1. Cammy – A consistent, well-known, and popular character, Cammy got too much cred not to make the roster (I still can't figure out how she didn't make it into Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom.)
2. Chris Redfield – Chris is the one new character confirmed by the trailer. My guess is he completely bumps out Jill Valentine as they are pretty similar characters.
3. Chun-Li – Practically confirmed in the trailer (as a silhouette) Chun-Li is the most famous female in Street Fighter. I see many a Spinning Bird Kick in our futures.
4. Dante – It's a wonder Dante hasn't been in a Capcom fighter before as he seems perfect for it. Whether that silhouette in the trailer is him or Resident Evil 5's Wesker, there's little doubt in my mind Dante will make the cut.
5. Felicia – Possibly confirmed by the trailer (unless that silhouette is Viewtiful Joe.) Still Felicia is a popular enough character to find her way into the game.
6. Frank West – Frank made it into TvC and with Dead Rising 2 on the horizon (despite not starring Mr. West,) it seems like a no-brainer to include him.
7. Guile – Sonicboom! No doubt we'll be seeing this patriot in the brawl, but my fingers are crossed it's the Jean-Claude Van Damme version (though I think we're all still trying to forget about that.)
8. M. Bison – More Street Fighter characters! Bison is a bigger character and would be a natural answer to Marvel's Colossus.
9. Mega Man – How can you not include Rock? The only question will be if it's MvC's Mega or TvC's Volnutt (or maybe it'll be X. you never know.)
10. Morrigan – The queen of the Darkstalkers has been officially announced. I can't wait to see her fire off all those missiles in gorgeous 3-D.
11. Protoman – Possibly wishful thinking, but with Mega Man 10 still fresh in our minds, it makes sense add him. You can't get cooler than Protoman.
12. Ryu – Arguably the most well-know Capcom character. I will go out on a limb though and predict Ken will not make the list (at least, not initially.)
13. Viewtiful Joe – A TvC alumni and colorful character, Viewtiful Joe has little reason not to make it the big show.
14. Wesker – With his announced inclusion in Lost Planet 2, it appears Capcom is pushing their wannabe-Neo. And that's just fine with me.
15. Zangeif – Who else can stand toe-to-toe with the Hulk?
Page 2 continues with Marvel characters
Marvel:
1. Captain America – All but confirmed, the Captain will definitely see face time, especially with a movie of his own due out sometime in the not-so-distant future.
2. Colossus – I'm not too sure on this one, but something tells me he's going to make it (not that I'll ever use him.)
3. Cyclops – No Marvel game is complete without Cyclops. Can he even see while he's shooting lasers out of his eyes?
4. Deadpool – There's a silhouette that resembles him (How many other caped-crusaders use swords? Actually, don't answer that.) His mix of ranges and styles should make him the perfect compliment to Capcom's Dante.
5. Doctor Doom – The doctor is in! That silhouette certainly looks like our hooded hoodlum. A Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 favorite, Capcom would be remiss if they left out this villain.
6. Thor – An assist character from the original Marvel Vs. Capcom, Thor seems like a safe bet. That Mjonir sure packs a wallop.
7. Hawkeye – Another possible silhouette, Hawkeye has been a favorite of mine since his appearance in Captain America and the Avengers for the arcade.
8. Hulk – Confirmed by the trailer; fans would cry foul if the not so jolly green giant wasn't included.
9. Iceman – One of the most underrated Marvel superheroes in my mind, Iceman's plethora of ice-based possibilities make him a likely candidate.
10. Iron Man – Confirmed by trailer. Iron Man is another MvC2 favorite. His stock has been on the rise ever since his movie debut.
11. Magneto – It's hard to imagine MvC without him. The X-Men's greatest foe is sure to make an appearance.
12. Spiderman – I'm a little surprised he wasn't in the trailer. After three movies, Spidey is one of Marvel's hottest characters. Fingers crossed for a black suit alternate costume!
13. Storm – Filling out the strong female role in Marvel's roster, Storm's projectile attacks will make her an easy choice for those of us who prefer ranged combat.
14. Venom – He was in MvC2, but of all the Marvel characters, he's the one of which I'm least sure. By far Spiderman's coolest villain, I'm sure many will be disappointed if he doesn't make the cut.
15. Wolverine – The Astonishing X-Men version was confirmed by the trailer, but I doubt we'll see an additional bone-claw version this time around.
Page 3 concludes with honorable mentions and possible DLC (and a special gift!)
Honorable Mentions (since Capcom has said "over 30," maybe some of these characters will make the game proper, maybe some of these will show up as DLC, but I don't see them making it before any of the above characters:)
Akuma – The meanest Street Fighter villain around, Akuma would definitely be a cool unlockable character.
Amaterasu/Chibiterasu – The Okami/Okamiden stars would definitely have a different play style. If I had to pick one, I'd go with Amaterasu, though that weird play style may keep them out of the game completely.
Blanka – His snub from MvC2 dumbfounded quite a few fans. He's got an outside shot at making the roster.
Dhalsim – A Street Fighter favorite, Capcom mentioned they wanted to pick character with interesting moves. I don't know who better fits the bill than Dhalsim, but with so many Street Fighter characters already selected, I wouldn't be surprised if he got left out (no matter how heartbroken I'd be.)
Hayato – A relatively unknown character, Hayato's lightsaber-like sword definitely piqued gamers' interests in MvC2. DLC sounds within the realm of possibility.
Jin – Like Hayato, Jin is another relatively unknown Capcom character whose skills in MvC caught 
people's attention. Also like Hayato, I think Jin is destined for DLC.
Ken – Trying to make a varied roster, I think Capcom will give Ken the boot for playing too similarly to Ryu.
Killer 7 – Yeah, the game was a flop, but the character is cool. Unfortunately, the time commitment of modeling seven people for a single character makes him/them unlikely.
Phoenix Wright – A character who almost made it into TvC, Phoenix Wright seems like a possible fan-favorite. If Capcom can figured out the logistics for him, I could see him making it.
PTX-40A – The Lost Planet mech's appearance in TvC gives him an outside shot at MvC3, but I think Capcom will scrap the really large characters. Though how cool would it be to see one of these fight a Sentinel?
Radd Spencer – While the latest Bionic Commando game was kind of a joke, the character of Radd Spencer appears perfect for a this type of game.
Sagat – Another popular Street Fighter character, I think Sagat has the least chance to see daylight, but I'll put him on the list anyway.
Sakura – Though I don't see the appeal, fans like Sakura. With only five women in my original picks, I'd understand if Capcom added her.
Strider Hiryu – Strider appears to be a strong choice, but he hasn't had his own game for over a decade and that could severely hurt his chances. As DLC though, his odds go way up.
Gambit – Quite possibly the coolest Marvel character of all time, Gambit's chances are decent, despite not really having a large mainstream fan base.
Juggernaut – If you're looking for big guys, he's got to be near the top of your list, but he's far from being a "lock."
Psylocke – Speaking of locks, Psylocke could definitely see some face time in MvC3. Her psychic 
powers might be better suited as a download though.
Rouge – With little Marvel female representation in my original list, Rouge has a great chance of making the roster, I just don't see who she'd replace.
Sabertooth – Wolverine's sworn enemy, Sabertooth has always been a little underwhelming in these types of games. Maybe Capcom will make him better or maybe they'll leave him out entirely.
War Machine – While initially appearing as an Iron Man palette swap, the new Iron Man movie and vocal fan base make him a perfect unlockable or DLC character.
Alright, well that was exhausting. I'm sure many of you (if not all of you) disagree with my list. Maybe you think the Thing or the Sentinel has a better shot. Or MvC original characters like Amingo and Ruby Heart. Hell, maybe you think Servbot will make his triumphant return.
In any case, here's my proposal: e-mail me (zkoeneke@gmail.com) your own list of 30 (15 Marvel and 15 Capcom) and I'll compile and hang on to the data (or just leave them in the comments, though I'd prefer an email.) Then when MvC3 comes out in a year, we'll see how everyone did. I'll even make a post with some statistics once everyone gets me their lists.
I'll give you two weeks to send in your entries (that give you until Friday, May 7.) Who knows, if I get enough entries, I might even have to get a prize for the winner.
And as a special treat to all of those that got this far, here is a custom Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 wallpaper I spent two hours in Photoshop making. Enjoy!
