The Marvel Cinematic Universe has spent years growing into most expansive shared universe in cinema, adapting countless Marvel characters into live-action in the process. This has seen the heroes of the Avengers brought to the big screen, but has also crucially introduced multiple memorable Marvel villains across the history of the franchise. The power levels of the MCU’s villains often vary greatly, with some being considered Avengers-level threats and others better suited to one-on-one battles with the franchise’s heroes. However, one of the more consistent elements of the MCU’s handling of its villains is that many of them die after one or two appearances.
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This isn’t always the case, though. In fact, there are many prominent or otherwise memorable villains who are still alive in the MCU, although many have been inactive for some time. Whether they will make another appearance or not remains to be seen in many cases, but they boast the relatively rare accolade of so far surviving in the MCU.
1) Karl Mordo
Though his most recent MCU appearance was as part of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘s Illuminati, Karl Mordo has yet to make a canon villain appearance in the franchise’s main timeline. After being introduced as an ally of Stephen Strange in 2016’s Doctor Strange, Mordo’s villain turn was teased in the movie’s post-credits sequence. In the comics, he is best known as the villain Baron Mordo, whose vendetta against the Marvel Universe’s sorcerers makes him one of Doctor Strange’s consistently recurring adversaries.
As seen in Doctor Strange‘s post-credits scene, Mordo is alive and well in the MCU. Though his transformation into a villain was only briefly shown, it did tease Mordo’s future as a potentially major antagonist within the franchise. His brief appearance in Multiverse of Madness served to remind audiences that Mordo is still out there in the MCU’s main timeline, and could play a more substantial villain role in upcoming movies.
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2) Sonny Burch
Sonny Burch’s brief MCU role certainly didn’t earn him a place among the franchise’s most important villains, but he remains somewhat memorable. Played by Walton Goggins, Burch appeared as a secondary antagonist in 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp, and was introduced as a black-market technology dealer attempting to steal Hank Pym’s formula. The character was only loosely based on his namesake from the comics, who was also a minor player in the wider Marvel continuity. However, Burch is another interesting villain that’s technically still alive and kicking in the MCU.
Ant-Man and the Wasp‘s ending sees Burch taken into custody by the San Francisco Police Department. Though Burch’s overall status as a minor villain may not seem to warrant an MCU return, Walton Goggins’ own popularity makes it seem more plausible. Considering the versatile nature of the character, there are many ways that he could resurface, including with his rumored role in the upcoming Armor Wars movie, making Burch a potentially noteworthy villain that has so far survived in the MCU.
3) Namor
Namor’s place within the wider Marvel continuity is relatively complex, as he is typically considered neither a hero nor a villain. However, his MCU debut painted him very much as the latter, as his war on Wakanda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever saw him established as a dangerous antagonist. After being defeated by Shuri and forced to embrace peace in the movie’s climactic battle, Namor returned to his kingdom of Talokan, embracing a tentative alliance with Wakanda.
As well as surviving his introduction as an MCU villain, Namor is set to return in Avengers: Doomsday. Though his comic book role as an antihero makes Namor somewhat unpredictable, it is unlikely that he will return as an antagonist in his next MCU appearances. However, as he was introduced into the franchise as a villain, it is possible that Namor will continue to cause problems for the MCU’s heroes somewhere down the line.
4) Justin Hammer
Justin Hammer made his MCU debut all the way back in Phase 1, appearing in 2010’s Iron Man 2. Sam Rockwell’s turn as Tony Stark’s rival weapons manufacturer was a show-stealer, and despite being the movie’s secondary antagonist, he earned far more popularity than its main villain. The movie ended with Hammer being apprehended by the authorities, and his incarceration was later briefly referenced in the one-shot All Hail the King.
Hammer’s survival has kept the door open for his MCU return. After being arrested for his actions in Iron Man 2, Hammer will undoubtedly have even more of a vendetta against Stark’s surviving associates, most notably Happy Hogan, Pepper Potts, and War Machine. Hammer could possibly return in the upcoming Armor Wars movie, as his role in that story would be an organic way to continue his short-lived arc in Iron Man 2.
5) Razor Fist
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings introduced many exciting characters into the MCU, including a handful of iconic Marvel Comics figures. One of the more surprisingly popular additions was Florian Munteanu’s Razor Fist, who was an unexpected favorite after his role in the movie’s instantly iconic bus fight. Razor Fist survived the events of the movie, meaning that he’s another secondary antagonist who could potentially resurface later in the franchise.
Plans for Shang-Chi 2 appear to remain firmly in Marvel Studios’ metaphorical pipeline, which appears to be the most likely place for Razor Fist to reappear. However, Florian Munteanu hinted that Razor Fist may return in Avengers: Doomsday, meaning that the villain could appear sooner than expected. Regardless, Razor Fist’s popularity combined with the fact that he remains an active character in the MCU seems to spell a live-action future for the character.
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6) Baron Zemo
Baron Helmut Zemo made his first appearance in the MCU in Captain America: Civil War in 2016, where he established himself as one of the most effective and cunning villains in the franchise. His plan to drive the Avengers apart worked near-perfectly, exacting his revenge over the death of his family in the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron. Daniel Brühl’s Zemo was apprehended in the movie’s final scenes, and later reappeared as part of the cast of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Zemo’s conniving nature and his status as a capable criminal operator make him a great villain, and Brühl’s performance only helped cement his MCU potential. Zemo survived both of his major MCU appearances to date, and is presumably still active somewhere in the background of the franchise’s narrative. Not only does this make his eventual return seem an inevitability, but also a distinctly exciting prospect.
7) Arishem
First appearing in 2021’s Eternals, Arishem is undeniably one of the MCU’s biggest villains. The Celestial boasts ancient and immeasurable power, and is capable of destroying worlds at will. His role in the movie was not as a direct villain, but as a more oblique and looming antagonist. The movie’s ending set up future stories in which Arishem’s role is more prominent, establishing him more firmly as an MCU villain with an agenda against Earth.
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As the Prime Celestial, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Arishem survived the events of Eternals. For such a powerful being to be killed would have to be a major occasion, meaning that Arishem was at least able to survive his first MCU appearance. Whether he will return remains to be seen, but considering his overwhelming power level and Eternals‘ cliffhanger ending, it seems likely that he will resurface in the MCU’s future.
8) The Leader
After being introduced into the MCU all the way back in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, Samuel Sterns was conspicuous in his absence for more than a decade. However, he made his triumphant return as the Leader in Captain America: Brave New World, where he finally fulfilled his villainous potential. Part of his master plan to undermine Thaddeus Ross involved turning himself into the authorities, which saw him being kept in custody inside The Raft by the movie’s end.
Despite being apprehended and imprisoned, the Leader being alive in the MCU makes his return an apparent certainty. The formidably intelligent villain is sure to escape or secure his release at some point, facilitating future appearances in the MCU. There are also theories that the Leader will appear in Avengers: Doomsday in a major role, establishing his survival as a potential set up for an even bigger part to play in the franchise’s future.
9) Red Skull
Captain America: The First Avenger did more than just introduce Steve Rogers’ Captain America into the MCU, as it also featured his arch-nemesis, the Red Skull. The movie’s villain led Hydra forces during WWII before being thwarted by Captain America and seemingly killed when attempting to draw upon the power of the Tesseract. It was later revealed that Red Skull had survived, and had been pressed into service as the keeper of the Soul Stone on Vormir.
After Red Skull’s brief appearances in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame established that he had survived, speculation about his MCU future began to swirl. Though specific plans have not been announced, there remains a possibility that the Red Skull could re-emerge as a significant threat. As one of the best MCU villains to only make a single major appearance, it would seem that Red Skull’s survival practically begs for his return as a major antagonist.
10) Dormammu
Dormammu is undeniably one of the most powerful villains introduced into the MCU, but he has still only made a single appearance in the franchise. Making his live-action debut in 2016’s Doctor Strange, Dormammu appeared only briefly in a battle with Strange, who creatively forced the incredibly powerful being to an unexpected stalemate. This led to Dormmamu returning to the Dark Dimension, where he has seemingly remained ever since.
When and where Dormammu will return isn’t clear, though Doctor Strange seems the most likely hero to battle the villain. Regardless, the villain is alive and well within the MCU, and continues to pose a potential threat to the heroes of the franchise. Dormammu is among the most dangerous beings introduced into the MCU, and one of its most prominent living villains.
