These 8 Powerful Spider-Man Villains Are Still Missing From The MCU & They Need To Be In Spider-Man 4

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Following recent speculation, it would be great to see these iconic Marvel villains make their MCU debuts to battle Tom Holland’s Peter Parker in Spider-Man 4. Tom Holland was introduced as Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man back in Captain America: Civil War, and in the decade since then, the young wall-crawler has become one of the MCU’s most prominent heroes. A solo MCU trilogy and two epic crossover events have pitted Spider-Man against some of Marvel’s most notable supervillains, but more are expected to debut in 2026’s upcoming Spider-Man 4.

Spider-Man’s rogues gallery in Marvel Comics includes some of the most iconic, well-known and popular villains in comic book history, some of whom have already been adapted for the live-action MCU. So far, Spider-Man has battled the Vulture, Mysterio, Thanos and threats from across the multiverse, including the likes of the Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Lizard, Sandman and Electro. However, there are many more Spider-Man villains that haven’t appeared in the MCU, so it would be brilliant to see Peter Parker take on these new antagonists in Spider-Man 4.

8

Carolyn Trainer’s Lady Octopus

Lady Octopus Debuted In Marvel Comics In 1995’s The Amazing Spider-Man #406

While Otto Octavius’ Doctor Octopus has already appeared in the MCU in the form of Alfred Molina’s returning Spider-Man 2 villain, it’s possible that Spider-Man 4 could feature a different version of the eight-limbed villain. Carolyn Trainer was Octavius’ protégé in Marvel Comics, and became his successor as Doctor Octopus following his death in the Clone Saga in the 1990s. She was originally Doctor Octopus II, but became Lady Octopus after Octavius’ resurrection, and she’d make a fantastic villain for Peter Parker in the live-action MCU.

Doctor Octopus is one of Spider-Man’s most notable villains, but since he has already appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it’s likely that Marvel Studios will elect not to faithfully adapt Otto Octavius again in the MCU’s main continuity. Carolyn Trainer could take up the mantle, given her status as Octavius’ student in Marvel Comics, and an adaptation of the Clone Saga has been speculated for the MCU. Recently, Lady Octopus has become a member of the multiversal Sinister Squadron, a team that opposed the Spider Society and would make a great deal of sense in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga.

7

Mister Negative

Mister Negative Debuted In Marvel Comics In 2007’s Free Comic Book Day: The Amazing Spider-Man #1

There has been a great deal of speculation concerning Mister Negative’s live-action debut for several years, and Spider-Man 4 would be a fantastic place to bring the iconic street-level villain into the MCU. Originally a gangster and human trafficker, the man who would become Mister Negative was captured and subject to experiments alongside the future Cloak and Dagger. This granted him access to both Darkforce and Lightforce, and led to the emergence of two wildly different personalities: philanthropist Mister Positive and crime boss Mister Negative.

Mister Negative’s healing, mind control and energy-charging abilities, as well as his superhuman strength and reflexes, make him one of Spider-Man’s most powerful villains. He has also taken on the likes of Cloak and Dagger, the Punisher and Shang-Chi, so it would be great to introduce him to the street-level stories of the MCU. Daredevil: Born Again has shone a light on the criminal underworld of the MCU, and Mister Negative could debut to become one of the key players in this seedy and gritty world in Spider-Man 4.

6

Miles Warren’s Jackal

The Jackal Debuted In Marvel Comics In 1965’s The Amazing Spider-Man #31

While Miles Warren started his Marvel Comics career as one of the least-popular members of Spider-Man’s rogues gallery, the Jackal has gone on to become one of the wall-crawler’s most notable antagonists. This was most prevalent during the Clone Saga, which saw the Jackal clone Peter Parker and created Ben Reilly, Kaine Parker and more. Miles Warren was also notable due to his obsession with Gwen Stacy, Parker’s first love interest, who has been heavily rumored to be making her MCU debut in Spider-Man 4, perhaps explaining Sadie Sink’s recent casting in the sequel.

It’s surprising that Miles Warren’s Jackal has never been adapted into live-action before now. Over the 60 years since his Marvel Comics debut, he has become one of Spider-Man’s most iconic villains, so Spider-Man 4 would benefit by bringing the genetically-enhanced villain into the MCU, especially if this happens alongside Gwen Stacy. 2011’s Spider-Island event, orchestrated by the Jackal, has also been speculated to be adapted for the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, so Spider-Man 4 might be the only and best chance to bring Miles Warren into live-action.

5

Charlotte Witter’s Spider-Woman

Charlotte Witter’s Spider-Woman Debuted In Marvel Comics In 1999’s The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #5

In Marvel Comics’ continuity, Charlotte Witter was the fourth character to take up the mantle of Spider-Woman, though her version was far from a hero. Witter is the granddaughter of famed clairvoyant mutant Madame Web, and she was prolific in black market transactions, which led her to work with Doctor Octopus. Octavius mutated Witter into a human-spider hybrid in return for her agreeing to kill Spider-Man, and this evolution allows her to steal the powers of the former Spider-Women, though she was defeated by Mattie Franklin’s iteration of the spider-themed hero.

Following the disappointing performance of 2024’s Madame Web, set in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, it would be great to see Marvel Studios bring a more comic-accurate and powerful portrayal of the iconic psychic into the MCU proper. Debuting her granddaughter would be a fantastic way to facilitate this, and Charlotte Witter would be a brilliant dark mirror to Peter Parker in Spider-Man 4. Charlotte Witter’s debut in Spider-Man 4 could establish a multiverse connection while also keeping the sequel’s storyline grounded and dark.

4

Felicia Hardy’s Black Cat

Black Cat Debuted In Marvel Comics In 1979’s The Amazing Spider-Man #194

Perhaps the most-rumored character expected to debut alongside Tom Holland’s Peter Parker in Spider-Man 4 has been Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. the villain-turned-antihero known as Black Cat. After everyone in the world forgot Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home, including Zendaya’s MJ, now is the perfect time to introduce a new love interest for the wall-crawler, and Black Cat is one of the most interesting. She is also one of the most powerful, as she has the ability to manipulate probability fields, giving her enemies bad luck, which Deadpool 2 already proved is a power that works well on-screen.

Black Cat was almost played by Anne Hathaway in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4, made her live-action debut with Felicity Jones’ face in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and almost took part in a live-action series focused on Black Cat and Silver Sable. After these canceled or lackluster incarnations, it would be great to see Black Cat finally get a substantive role in live-action. No Way Home created a void that would make Felicia Hardy’s debut in Spider-Man 4 very poignant and perfectly timed, and she could become a new long-running frenemy to Tom Holland’s hero.

3

Morlun

Morlun Debuted In Marvel Comics In 2001’s The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #30

Morlun is recognized as one of the most powerful and dangerous adversaries, not just of Peter Parker’s Spider-Man, but of every version of the wall-crawler from across the multiverse. Morlun and his vampiric family, the Inheritors, travel from universe to universe to hunt Spider-Totems, which means he would fit perfectly into the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, especially since Morlun is the main antagonist of Marvel Comics’ Spider-Verse event. It would make a lot of sense for Spider-Man 4 to explore the Spider-Verse in live-action, so Morlun is perfectly primed to be the sequel’s villain.

Spider-Man: No Way Home’s villain-packed storyline has left big shoes for Spider-Man 4’s antagonist to fill, as whoever takes the role needs to deliver more intensity and a bigger threat. Morlun is the perfect candidate to fill this role, as he is perhaps the most haunting antagonist to every Spider-Man in Marvel Comics. He is a brutal and violent killer, so Morlun would be an incredibly dark addition to Spider-Man 4, but this might be just what the movie needs, as his debut could even signify Peter Parker battling and defeating his own darkness.

2

Adriana Soria’s Spider-Queen

Spider-Queen Debuted In Marvel Comics In 2004’s Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #15

As previously mentioned, the Spider-Island storyline has been the source of speculation concerning Spider-Man 4’s narrative. If this comes to fruition, Marvel Studios must introduce Adriana Soria, a.k.a. the powerful Spider-Queen, into live-action. Soria was the first female United States Marine to go into combat during WWII. During battle, she absorbed radiation from nuclear tests that drove her insane and activated latent abilities in her genes. She returned to New York as “The Queen,” with her powers enabling her to control insects and give spider-like powers to those exposed to her saliva, which also eventually transformed her victims into spider-monsters.

This power allowed her to put Peter Parker under her control, though she was originally bested. Later, however, she teamed up with the Jackal to infect the residents of New York with the “Spider-Flu,” granting them their own spider-like powers. The Spider-Island storyline would make for a strong narrative in Spider-Man 4, and the Spider-Queen is the best possible supervillain to debut in this event. Adriana Soria could change the landscape of the MCU forever, and provide Peter Parker with his most intense and dangerous adversary yet.

1

Sergei Kravinoff’s Kraven The Hunter

Kraven The Hunter Debuted In Marvel Comics In 1964’s The Amazing Spider-Man #15

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Aaron Taylor-Johnson recently brought Sergei Kravinoff to life in 2024’s Kraven the Hunter, but after the SSU movie’s monumentally-bad box office performance and poor reception, there have been calls for Marvel Studios to hastily reinvent the character for the MCU proper. Kraven the Hunter is one of Spider-Man’s most iconic villains, typically a hunter who considers Spider-Man to be “the most dangerous game.” In his legendary 1987 storyline, Kraven’s Last Hunt, the hunter even succeeds in killing Spider-Man and takes his place, though the wall-crawler is soon revealed to have survived.

Kraven the Hunter is one of Spider-Man’s oldest and most formidable foes, so he deserves far more action in live-action than just the disappointing movie in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. There have been several mentions of him almost joining the MCU in previous projects, most notably in Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther, but Spider-Man 4 could finally make this a reality. A live-action battle between Spider-Man and Kraven the Hunter has been highly anticipated for years, so this would be an incredible selling point for Spider-Man 4, and would help to gloss over Sony’s recent Marvel movie mistakes.

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