10 Most Powerful Marvel Villains Who Have Never Appeared in the MCU

They say the villain can make or break a story, which certainly holds true in the comic book industry. A superhero can only be so compelling if they’re not facing off against fascinating villains. Over the years, Marvel Comics has introduced dozens of such characters across the Universe, facing off against iconic heroes like the X-Men, Avengers, and Guardians of the Galaxy. Despite the numerous movies and television shows in the MCU, many heroes and villains have yet to make their canonical debut on the big screen. That’s not to say it’ll never happen — the MCU is always searching for new characters to pull into the fold.

Currently, the MCU is in what they’re calling Phase Five, which began in 2023 and will conclude sometime this year. Introducing a new Phase is the perfect time to bring a new, powerful villain into the mix, and it doesn’t necessarily have to rely solely on Doctor Doom (though we’re here for his appearance). Thus far, Phase Six is confirmed to include two anticipated MCU reboots (Blade and The Fantastic Four: First Steps) and the next installment in several stories (Spider-Man, Avengers, etc). This opens the door to so many possibilities that resisting the temptation to theory-craft is impossible.

Here are the 10 most powerful Marvel villains who have never appeared in the MCU.

The Molecule Man

Owen Reece’s backstory is similar to that of many scientists in the world of comic books. He was experimenting when something went awry, exposing him to the power of the Beyonders. Instead of killing him (as would probably happen in our realm), Owen gains the ability to manipulate reality, and thus, he becomes the Molecule Man. Molecule Man is arguably one of the most powerful beings on Earth, thanks to his ability to manipulate the world down to a molecular level. It stands to reason that Molecule Man may face off against the Fantastic Four in their first movie.

Ironically, the presence of another villain helps explain Molecule Man’s potential entry into the MCU. Doctor Doom infamously forced Molecule Man to create a new world, which would become known as Battleworld. In other words, introducing Molecule Man could open the door to an MCU version of Battleworld, and fans are here for that.

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The Minotaur

Dario Agger is a villain through and through. As the CEO of Roxxon Corp, he’s a truly awful human who puts profits over human lives. Roxxon Corp has been in the MCU since the beginning; you just have to know what to look for. Their logos have graced everything from trucks to billboards, and their work was responsible for the events of Cloak & Dagger. To put it simply, Roxxon is not a company for the people. As its owner, Dario stands to reap Roxxon’s rewards. When Dario was young, he miraculously survived something impossible by praying to the gods. The gods heard his prayer and gave him the gift to shift into the mythical Minotaur. Dario has not used this gift for good and only pulls out his secret weapon when the going gets tough — or he has to get tough to get his way.

Since Roxxon Corp has been around this whole time, it stands to reason that we may someday see its CEO. The introduction of Dario Agger could begin small, maybe showing him in an interview on TV for a clip before moving on to something else. These appearances could build with time, eventually revealing Dario’s other side. Regardless of how Dario entered the MCU, there’s no doubt that he would offer a multi-faceted threat.

Ares

In a way, the face of Ares has already made its way into the MCU, courtesy of a statue in Thor: Ragnarok. However, that’s hardly the same thing. Ares is a member of the Olympians and arguably one of the most lethal combatants in the mythological sector, which is saying something. As the God of War, Ares is not often portrayed as frolicking with the rest of the gods, which may explain his absence until now. More importantly, at some point in his history, Ares attempted to overthrow Olympus and got himself banished in exchange. Much like Thor, he found himself on Earth.

As a god, Ares is a complicated character. He isn’t always a villain, but one should never consider him a true ally. At best, Ares lands somewhere in the anti-hero category, and that’s when he’s having a good day. On a bad day, he could easily become a problem for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to deal with.

The Shi’ar Empire

The Shi’ar Empire is not a singular villain but an intergalactic empire with an overly aggressive autocratic imperial government. Translation: They tend to take over worlds and galaxies, forcing their laws and opinions on countless races. Since their introduction in Marvel Comics, the Shi’ar have established several organizations (much like Earth and all its heroes/villains). So, introducing the Shi’ar could open the door to new stories, including those of the Imperial Guard, the Fraternity of Raptors, and more. Notably, despite the fast distance between them, the Shi’ar have deep ties to the X-Men, thanks to Cassandra Nova, Vulcan, and other mutants turned members of the Shi’ar Empire.

There are several believable ways to introduce the Shi’ar Empire into the MCU. One possibility would be through the X-Men, as a variation of Cassandra Nova has already reared its head in Deadpool & Wolverine. Alternatively, the Shi’ar could pose a more galactic threat against Nova or any other space-faring hero. In the comics, the Shi’ar deities challenged Jane Foster’s Thor to a battle, and while that particular door has shut, a variation of this plot could be made.

The Brood

The Brood is a terrifyingly massive insectoid alien race. Their cruelty knows no bounds, and they should be avoided at all costs. A queen will usually lead the Brood and seek out other species to act as hosts (unlike what happens in Alien). The Brood are traditionally enemies of the X-Men, but they’ve been known to get in the way of other heroes, such as the Fantastic Four and Captain Marvel. The Brood’s biggest goals in life are to consume resources and reproduce. That isn’t to say they can’t be directed towards a target, as both the Shi’ar Empire and Kree have discovered.

For a moment, it seemed like The Brood could stand a chance to work its way into the MCU through The Marvels. That didn’t happen, but there’s still a chance for these villains to appear, especially now that mutants are finally joining the MCU.

King Hyperion

Marvel Comics has been around long enough to ensure many characters have a complicated history. That includes Hyperion, who has been both a hero and a villain, depending on what point of the story we’re focusing on. Hyperion hails from a planet of Eternals, though he didn’t get the chance to grow up there. Thanks to the Multiverse, readers have seen many variations of this character; for example, he was a hero in Earth-712. Meanwhile, another universe portrayed a version of Hyperion created and controlled by the Grandmaster, setting him on a path of villainy. He joined The Squadron Sinister and went up against the Avengers. The infamous King Hyperion arc takes place on Earth-4023, where Hyperion killed Galactus and any hero who stood in the way, enabling him to take over the planet.

The MCU is already primed to introduce either version of Hyperion, thanks to the Multiverse. Hyperion could join either side, depending on how things go. For example, King Hyperion ultimately ended up with the Thunderbolts for a time, which should speak volumes about his character. Alternatively, he could find himself working alongside the Avengers, as he’s been known to do following the destruction of his home planet.

Annihilus

Annihilus is one of those villains that nobody should underestimate. Anything that can survive in the Negative Zone should be given clear space. Annihilus cares only for one thing: his survival. Anything in his way will be obliterated, so his name is quite appropriate. This and his tendency to wander the universe, conquering planets as he sees fit, puts him at odds with Earth’s heroes, and rightly so. Annihilus is dangerous for many reasons, from his intellect to enhanced speed, strength, and durability. More concerningly, his access to the Cosmic Control Rod means he’ll always be reborn. In other words, the heroes can kill him all they want, but it will take more effort to make his death stick.

Given his conquering ways, it’s easy to see how Annihilus could fit into the MCU, as he’s not the first (or last) villain to set his sights on Earth. As such, he could fit into several different Marvel storylines, including Captain Marvel, The Fantastic Four, and the Avengers.

Knull

The Marvel Universe has a shocking number of eldritch horrors. One such creature is Knull, the eldritch god of darkness. Without him, the symbiotes we’ve come to know, love, and hate wouldn’t exist. Knull took over the Marvel Universe during a major event called King in Black, in which he (and his forces) battled nearly every known hero in the universe. In other words, fans have plenty of reasons to hope that Knull will become the next big bad of the MCU. He would undoubtedly hold his own if he were anything like the comic book version.

Here’s where things get tricky/interesting: Knull, the Black King, already made a cameo in Sony’s Venom 3, but that doesn’t mean he’s tied to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thus far, only Spider-Man has crossed those lines between Sony and the MCU, but there’s reason to hope more will follow. If done right, Knull could pose a very different threat to the heroes of the MCU.

Gladiator

Kallark is known to many in the Marvel Universe, though he’s most commonly called The Gladiator. As a member of the Shi’ar Imperial Guard, it’s his responsibility to protect the rulers and uphold their laws. Even before joining the Guard, Kallark had already earned a reputation for himself. He’s descended from a warrior family, all but ensuring he would continue the tradition of battling for honor. Since his introduction, Kallark has joined many Marvel teams, including the Annihilators and the Dark Guardians. He’s come across many heroes, from the X-Men to the Guardians of the Galaxy, plus anyone else who’s gotten on the wrong side of the Shi’ar Empire.

Given The Gladiator’s presence in the far universe, he could easily appear in any series set in space. This could include the Nova television series, though it’s far from a given. The Gladiator would have had a better chance at appearing during the Guardians of the Galaxy‘s run. That said, he could appear in any Asgardian story, as he infamously went against Thor on multiple occasions, which should serve as an example of Kallark’s capabilities.

Mephisto

Mephisto is an extra-dimensional demon and the thorn in the side of every superhero. As the ruler of Hell, Mephisto is probably best known for his ability to make crooked deals and attempts to grasp a foothold on Earth. Imagine a demon obsessed with getting his hands on human souls, and you’ve got the core concept for Mephisto. He’s been known to grant powers, steal abilities (such as when he stole Reed’s intelligence), and ruin lives.

In truth, Mephisto’s cameo in the MCU feels inevitable at this point. When WandaVision first premiered, fans were convinced that Mephisto was behind the spell until the show confirmed otherwise. There’s still a chance he had some role to play in what happened, and even if this isn’t the case, he can still get involved in the future. Agatha All Along confirmed Mephisto’s existence by name-dropping this character, perfectly setting up for a future appearance. Mephisto could fit into several stories, including Ghost Rider, Doctor Strange, and obviously, any witchy content (Agatha, Scarlet Witch).

What villains do you think it’s time to bring into the MCU? Let us know in the comments below!