Across the hero’s long cinematic history, Spider-Man has faced some great movie villains that aren’t in the MCU. As one of Marvel’s most iconic heroes, Spider-Man has enjoyed many opportunities to shine on the big screen. Each and every live-action incarnation of Spider-Man brings something new to the continuity, with every Spider-Man movie adapting different elements of his comic book story. This has seen the hero face many different villains in his blockbuster outings, including multiple versions of some antagonists. For a hero as popular as Spider-Man, delivering interesting, menacing, and even compelling villains is absolutely essential, and the movies have largely not disappointed.
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There are many Spider-Man villains the MCU needs to do right by, as the franchise has already proven itself to be the definitive live-action Marvel adaptation. In adapting some villains, the MCU can look to other movies, as some have already been represented in other franchises. While the MCU has already brought in some of the most popular Spider-Man villains from across the Multiverse, there are still a handful of good antagonists that have yet to appear in Marvel’s flagship franchise.
5) Chameleon
Kraven the Hunter might not have been the best movie of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, but it did feature some interesting villains. The movie adapted the villain of the same name, but it also featured other figures from the wider Spider-Man mythos. Among these was the villain Chameleon, who is the half-brother of Kraven the Hunter, and is a master of disguise who also has the ability to mimic others’ voices.
Chameleon isn’t strictly a villain in Kraven the Hunter‘s story, but he was set up by the movie’s finale as a potential future antagonist. While the franchise has now ended, its version of the Chameleon had genuine promise, especially if he had been given a chance to face a version of Spider-Man. The MCU has teased the villain, but he has not yet made a genuine appearance as a Spider-Man villain within the franchise, despite his clear cinematic potential.
4) Prowler
The villain known as the Prowler has not yet appeared in the MCU. However, he did serve as one of the antagonists in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which itself is one of Sony’s best animated movies. As the uncle of Miles Morales, Aaron Davis is an especially interesting figure, as his connection to the hero establishes a complex relationship that challenges Spider-Man’s moral perceptions.
The Prowler is another villain who has been teased in the MCU, but he hasn’t appeared. Donald Glover played Davis in a cameo in Spider-Man: Homecoming, although not under the name Prowler and not as a villain. Prowler’s status as a great villain is also directly connected to Miles Morales, meaning that his potential is largely dependent on the introduction of Peter Parker’s successor.
3) Rhino
Rhino is one of the strongest Spider-Man villains who needs an MCU appearance, although he has been featured in more than one live-action movie to date. Paul Giamatti briefly played the villain in 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and Alessandro Nivola played Rhino in a more substantial role in Kraven the Hunter. While neither version of the character quite did the villain justice, he’s still a potentially great antagonist who deserves to face Spider-Man in another movie.
Rhino’s own animal-related abilities make him an interesting foe for Spider-Man. In place of Spider-Man’s agility, Rhino has raw power, and that’s something that potentially makes for some great Spider-Man action scenes. The pair have yet to face off properly on-screen in a way that does the villain justice, but he’s still a great Spider-Man movie antagonist regardless.
2) Kraven The Hunter
Kraven the Hunter isn’t necessarily the most iconic Spider-Man villain, but he has proven one of the best of the hero’s antagonists in film. He made his live-action debut in 2024’s Kraven the Hunter, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Though the movie was not particularly successful, Taylor-Johnson’s version of the villain was compelling enough to lead his own solo movie and would make a great antagonist if pitted directly against the hero.
Taylor-Johnson was able to bring a physicality to the role that helped bring him to life in an exciting fashion. The movie’s depiction of Kraven as more of an anti-hero might not work in a Spider-Man movie, but seeing him face off against his long-time comic book enemy would be great. He’s another example of a good villain who was wasted in an unimpressive movie, but Kraven the Hunter is still a great Spider-Man movie character.
1) Carnage
There aren’t many Sony Spider-Verse characters who deserve to return, but Carnage is one of the few who potentially earned an MCU appearance. Appearing in 2021’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage, played by Woody Harrelson, Kletus Casady and his alien symbiote made for a great villain. As Venom’s child, Carnage is volatile and dangerous even for a symbiote, and makes a great movie villain.
In the comics, Carnage has often faced Spider-Man, and their encounters are also something that could look great in a live-action movie. Carnage’s appearance in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe might have established him as a great villain, but it didn’t quite live up to his full potential. Even so, he stands out as one of the best Spider-Man villains who have yet to make even a cameo appearance in the MCU.
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