The MCU Couldn’t Handle These Marvel Villains 15 Years Ago, But Times Have Changed

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The MCU has been a part of the pop culture landscape for over 15 years, and during that time it has showcased the scope and reach of the Marvel Universe. Launching in 2008 with Iron Man, the MCU made household names out of previous B-list heroes. With these heroes came an endless parade of villains as well, including Loki and Thanos.

There are still many villains left in Marvel Comics for the MCU to shine the spotlight on. However, there are some villains who have had to wait for their turn, for a variety of reasons. Some villains had to wait until their respective franchises were introduced, while others needed advancements in filmmaking technology. Still, others had to wait for the scope of the MCU to expand. Here are 10 Marvel villains the MCU was not ready for 15 years ago, but whose time has come at last.

10

Stilt-Man Would Be a Visual FX Treat to See in Live-Action

Can the MCU Make Stilt-Man Work as a Villain?

From a visual effects standpoint, Daredevil enemy Stilt-Man would be a sight to behold in the MCU. Wilbur Day, AKA Stilt-Man, employs a battlesuit with hydraulic, stilt-like legs. Towering over Daredevil and other heroes, Stilt-Man’s gimmick may sound hokey and dated, but contemporary creators have made the character work. For instance, Wilbur appeared during Christopher Cantwell’s recent Iron Man run, seemingly reformed. It was all a ruse, but it proved that Stilt-Man could be an effective villain. The story also showed that Stilt-Man did not need his trademark gimmick to be a compelling character.

Stilt-Man is best known as one of Daredevil’s greatest enemies, having locked horns with Matt Murdock early in his career. While Stilt-Man has fought plenty of other heroes, his arc always seems to bring him back to Daredevil in the end. This means that Wilbur Day would have to wait until Daredevil entered the MCU to make his own debut. Daredevil’s various MCU outings have introduced some of his arch-villains, including Kingpin and the Owl, which might seem to make Stilt-Man a shoo-in. However, the MCU has kept with Daredevil’s darker side, meaning Stilt-Man may not fit in.

9

The Chameleon Is One of the Few Remaining Spider-Man Foes Not to Appear in Live-Action

The Chameleon Would Be a Worthy Foe for Spider-Man in the MCU

Chameleon holds the honor of being one of Spider-Man’s oldest foes, having appeared in the first issue of the Wall Crawlers solo title, but for some reason he has not made the jump to the MCU. Spider-Man himself was absent from the first several years of the MCU, finally appearing in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, after Disney struck an agreement with Sony to use the character. With Peter’s arrival came several of his villains, including the Vulture and the Shocker. In addition, the Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus appeared in previous Sony films.

The Chameleon’s arrival in live-action is way overdue, and the MCU can make it happen. A new Spider-Man film, to be released in 2026, has been announced, but there is no news concerning the movie’s villain, and the Chameleon would be perfect. A master of disguise, the Chameleon could be introduced as a corporate raider whose actions bring him into conflict with Spider-Man. A character who can change their face to be anyone on Earth would be a dangerous villain, and could create lots of havoc for Spider-Man to face.

8

The Hobgoblin Has Already Been Teased, but Will the MCU Follow Through?

Spider-Man’s pal Ned Leeds Is Not Destined for Good Things

Spider-Man’s first movie nailed a fundamental truth about him: that many of his friends became his enemies, and nowhere is this more true than with Ned Leeds, who would become one of the many Hobgoblins in Marvel history. He was introduced early in Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s revolutionary Amazing Spider-Man run as a friend of Peter Parker’s at The Daily Bugle. Eventually marrying Betty Brant, Ned Leeds was a close ally of Spider-Man’s, until he became the Hobgoblin through a convoluted, and unfortunate, chain of events. The Hobgoblin’s backstory is complicated, but the MCU can cut through it.

Leeds has already been introduced into the MCU, in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, where he was played by Jacob Batalon. Much like the Ned Leeds of Earth-616, he is one of Peter’s closest friends. Curiously enough, the MCU has already teased that Leeds will become the Hobgoblin in a “blink and miss it” Easter Egg in Spider-Man: Far From Home. The films also established that the MCU’s Ned Leeds comes from a family with “magic in it.” There is also a magical component to some of the Hobgoblin’s incarnations, and the MCU could lean on these as well.

7

Mister Sinister’s Live-Action Debut Needs to be One for the Ages

Mister Sinister Could Kick Off the MCU’s X-Men Film

Mister Sinister is one of the X-Men’s greatest foes, but for some reason has never made the leap to live-action. The X-Men themselves were absent from the MCU’s formative years due to their film rights being owned by 20th Century Fox, one of the rivals of Marvel’s parent company Disney. However, in 2019, Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, bringing the X-Men (along with the Fantastic Four) back home. Rather than starting completely over, the MCU has instead incorporated the Fox X-Men characters into their own continuity, with many scheduled to appear in Avengers: Doomsday.

The MCU’s plans for the X-Men after The Multiverse Saga concludes are still under wraps, including potential villains. Magneto might seem to be an easy choice, but the MCU also tends to hold off on introducing major villains right out of the gate. This, when coupled with Magneto’s drift to anti-hero status in the comics, does not make him a logical choice for the first MCU X-Men movie. Instead, the film’s creators should turn to lesser-known, but still cool, villains such as Mister Sinister, whose ties to the X-Men go back to their individual childhoods in some cases.

6

Blade, and Vampires, Are Coming to the MCU: Will Dracula Be Far Behind?

The Lord of Vampires Has Had to Wait a Long Time for His MCU Debut

Dracula had to wait for the loosening of the Comics Code Authority in the early 1970s to make his comic book debut, and he will have to wait for Blade to make his first MCU appearance before jumping to live-action. Vampires will eventually make their way to the MCU in the long-gestating (and apparently now in hiatus) Blade film. Originally set to star Mahershala Ali as the titular vampire hunter, the film’s specifics were kept mum, but now it has entered developmental hell, making it anyone’s guess as to when it will hit theaters.

Should the MCU ever get around to making a Blade movie, Dracula might be an ideal choice for a villain. However, as noted earlier, the MCU also does not immediately introduce major villains, opting to leave them for later films, and this could impact how Dracula makes his debut. The MCU may wait and use Dracula in any Blade sequels, but could start seeding the Lord of Vampires as early as the first movie. Blade has a small rogue’s gallery that also includes Deacon Frost, who could be revealed at the movie’s end as an agent of Dracula.

5

The Stranger Needs to Pay a Visit to the MCU

The Stranger Could Unify a Number of MCU Franchises, Including the X-Men and the Eternals

The cosmic side of the MCU kicked off with 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy movie. In addition to introducing the team of the same name, the film introduced other cosmic characters and concepts that continue to influence the MCU. The Stranger, one of the many cosmic beings who inhabit Universe 616, began as a villain for the X-Men. Over the years, more has been revealed about the Stranger, including a major link to the Eternals, another MCU franchise. The Stranger could be introduced to the MCU as an alien scientist who comes to Earth to study the planet’s emerging mutant population.

The Stranger is often depicted in the comics as tall, often towering over his test subjects. He lives on an artificial planet, called Laboratory World, from which he conducts his experiments. These concepts would make the Stranger a cool sight to see on-screen. However, the trick would be to make it look convincing and not silly and hokey. Given the MCU successfully pulled off Giant-Man, and looks to duplicate the same feat with Galactus, making a convincing Stranger should not be hard at all.

4

The Impossible Man May Not Be So Impossible Anymore

The MCU Needs Shape-Shifters, and the Impossible Man is One of the Best

The Fantastic Four will make their MCU debut later this summer in Fantastic Four: First Steps, which will in turn open the doors to the team’s vast mythology appearing as well. This includes a wide variety of villains, including Doctor Doom, the Molecule Man (more on him later) and the Impossible Man. While technically not a villain, the Impossible Man has made life interesting for the Fantastic Four. Hailing from the planet Poppup, the Impossible Man is the sum of his species: that is, they have a hive mind. Yet what makes the Impossible Man so cool is his shape-shifting ability.

In addition to fulfilling the need for more shape-shifters in the MCU, the Impossible Man would be a treat on a visual level as well. The Impossible Man never sits still, and the right actor could bring this manic energy to life. The Impossible Man does not mean to do the wrong thing, but he is an alien, and thus Earth customs slightly elude him. More often than not, the Impossible Man is played for laughs, and he could interject some much-needed humor into the MCU.

3

The Molecule Man is One of Marvel’s Most Powerful Villains

Anything the Molecule Man Can Think Of, He Can Create

The Molecule Man began as a foe for the Fantastic Four, but evolved into one of Marvel’s most powerful, and complex, villains. Owen Reece was a laboratory technician who accidentally pierced the dimensional barrier, which gave him the power to control individual molecules. Christening himself the Molecule Man, he would come into conflict with both the Fantastic Four and many other Earth heroes as well. HIs power set would make him a challenging villain for the Fantastic Four, and he would not be hard to adapt visually either.

Yet the Molecule Man has a much deeper purpose, one that easily dovetails into the MCU’s future plans. Years after his debut, the Molecule Man was revealed to be an agent for the Beyonders, who gave him his powers. In this retcon, the Molecule Man was a singular entity across the multiverse, designed by the Beyonders to function as a “reality bomb.” The Molecule Man was instrumental in the multiverse’s rebirth during 2015’s Secret Wars crossover event. After Avengers: Doomsday, Secret Wars is next, which would be a grand opportunity to introduce the Molecule Man.

2

Mephisto Is Perhaps the Most Requested MCU Villain

With Mephisto, It is Not a Matter of If He Will Debut, But When He Will Debut

Since the MCU’s beginning, fans have clamored for Mephisto to make his live-action debut, but so far nothing has materialized. Mephisto was a key player in the Infinity Gauntlet, which was the basis for the MCU’s Infinity Saga, but that came and went with no signs of the dark lord. Since the Infinity Saga concluded, the MCU has introduced more supernatural concepts and characters, such as the Darkhold, the Werewolf by Night and Lady Death. With the arrival of these characters in the MCU, now is the perfect time for Mephisto to rear his demonic head.

Looking ahead to the MCU’s future, there are a number of places where Mephisto could make his debut. One of Mephisto’s proteges, the Hood, will be making his live-action debut in the forthcoming Ironheart television series on Disney +. Indeed, there are rumors that Mephisto will play a role in that show as well. If the MCU opts not to introduce Mephisto, then the forthcoming (but currently in production hiatus) Blade film would also make a great place to do so. Regardless of when Mephisto is introduced, it will be a big deal for the MCU.

1

Will the Beyonder Debut in Avengers: Secret Wars?

The Beyonder Is One of Marvel’s Most Powerful Characters

The Beyonder, one of the most powerful beings in Marvel history, has ties to the name Secret Wars, which is also the title of a future Avengers film. In the comics, the Beyonder learned of our world thanks to the same accident that gave the Molecule Man his powers. Intrigued, the Beyonder created Battleworld, and brought two groups: one of heroes and another of villains, to it, charging them to fight each other with the winner being granted their hearts’ desires. The heroes narrowly defeat the Beyonder, and if not for Doctor Doom, they may have failed.

The Beyonder also returned in 2015’s Secret Wars, which forms the basis for the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. The Saga is rumored to culminate with the destruction of the current multiverse and the birth of a new one, just like in Secret Wars. The Beyonder and his kin were revealed to be the multiverse’s destroyers, and the Molecule Man was their unwitting agent. If the MCU indeed brings the Beyonder to the big-screen, he will be unlike any other villain seen before: a mad and petulant god capable of destroying all reality.

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