Marvel Studios introduced many powerful villains in Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but some were much more well-received than others. The MCU’s Phase 5 kicked off in early 2023 with the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and subsequently included six live-action feature films and six live-action TV shows, all expanding the franchise in new and exciting, but also often very divisive, ways. Phase 5 has now come to an end with the back-to-back releases of Thunderbolts* on the big-screen and Ironheart on Disney+, both of which debuted iconic new villains.
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Some of the most notable and powerful villains ever seen in the MCU made their first appearances during Phase 5, but this polarizing chapter of the franchise also featured some more questionable antagonists. 14 major villains took the spotlight during Phase 5’s live-action instalments, and while some of them have already been confirmed to be returning in the MCU’s future, we’re still waiting for some of the best to come back. The Fantastic Four: First Steps marked a strong start for Phase 6 with Galactus’ debut, but some of Phase 5’s villains could even match the planet-eater.
14) Gravik
With a 53% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, 2023’s Secret Invasion is the lowest-rated MCU TV series, which tainted the debut of its primary antagonist, the shape-shifting Skrull rebellion leader, Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir). Gravik previously worked for Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), but turned against him once he realized Fury and Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) would not find a new Skrull home. Gravik planned to take the Earth for the Skrulls, but he was unceremoniously killed off during a Super Skrull CGI battle against the similarly-empowered G’iah (Emilia Clarke). Gravik was quite the disappointment in the MCU’s Phase 5.
13) Dar-Benn
Despite getting a positive response from audiences and critics alike, 2023’s The Marvels didn’t perform well at the box office, and actually became Marvel Studios lowest-grossing movie yet. This meant that many viewers might not have caught Kree villain Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) in theaters, and wouldn’t have seen her quest for the powerful Quantum Bands. Opposite the likes of Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), and Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), Dar-Benn lacked charisma and magnetism, and her thoughtful and poignant mission to save Hala, the Kree homeworld, was ultimately forgotten and twisted into her wanting ultimate power.
12) Thaddeus Ross’ Red Hulk
After 17 years in the MCU, Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) finally became the Red Hulk in 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World. It was ironic to see Ross follow in his Marvel Comics counterpart’s footsteps and become a Hulk himself in the MCU, but this didn’t really have the impact we wanted. The Red Hulk could have been the main antagonist of a full movie, but was sidelined in a jam-packed Brave New World – Anthony Mackie’s first theatrical appearance as Sam Wilson’s Captain America. There are hopes Red Hulk will return to get more attention in the future.
11) Samuel Sterns’ Leader
The Red Hulk wasn’t the only antagonist in Captain America: Brave New World, as the Phase 5 movie also marked the return of another Hulk villain after a 17-year absence. Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns was exposed to Bruce Banner’s gamma-irradiated blood in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, allowing him to return in Brave New World as the Leader – though he’s never actually named that. This wasn’t a comic-accurate depiction, which caused controversy and made the Leader a bit of a disappointment, but he still showed off his remarkable intelligence and manipulation tactics, which was great to see.
10) Ravonna Renslayer
First seen in Loki season 1, Ravonna Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) was a judge at the Time Variance Authority, but 2023’s season 2 revealed that she actually helped He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors) win the Multiversal War. Ravonna is Kang’s love interest in Marvel Comics, so it was great to see her get more development in Loki season 2 – and she pulled off one of the MCU’s most heinous and evil acts. Even so, Ravonna’s unexplained ending and Kang’s removal from the MCU leave her future in jeopardy, and she isn’t as naturally powerful as other Phase 5 villains.
9) Benjamin Poindexter’s Bullseye
After Daredevil: Born Again was transformed into a direct continuation of the original Defenders Saga series, Benjamin Poindexter’s Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) became an essential inclusion. Bullseye was a key threat in Daredevil season 3, and returned in Born Again to kill Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) and eventually make an attempt on Wilson Fisk’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) life. Bethel will return as Bullseye in Daredevil: Born Again season 2, which will give him more action and attention than his brief appearance in 2025’s season 1, so he’ll surely become a much more prominent antagonist in the MCU going forward.
8) Parker Robbins’ Hood
Phase 5’s final instalment, Marvel Television’s Ironheart, introduced a new villain using the mystical Hood first seen in the animated What If…? season 3. Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos) was gifted the Hood to become “stupid, disgusting, greasy rich,” but the garment’s power changed him and pushed him to alienate all of his allies. The Hood harnesses energy from the Dark Dimension, which makes it and its user incredibly powerful, with magical abilities and invisibility, but it also twisted Parker into a demonic creature. The same could now happen to Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), who acquired the Hood in Ironheart’s finale.
7) Kang the Conqueror
It’s a shame that Kang the Conqueror hasn’t taken a higher spot on this list. Jonathan Majors appeared as Kang and his villainous variants throughout Phases 4 and 5 – billed to be the Multiverse Saga’s primary antagonist. Majors’ arrest, conviction, and firing from Marvel in 2023 left Kang’s future in jeopardy, however, and spurred Marvel to shift plans to focus on Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) instead. While Kang was quite powerful, he was also swiftly defeated in Quantumania, and his variants also didn’t fare so well, so he didn’t actually seem like much of a threat, which was unfortunate.
6) Mephisto
Ironheart’s finale, “The Past Is the Past,” revealed that Parker Robbins’ benefactor was none other than the iconic Marvel supervillain, Mephisto (Sacha Baron Cohen). Mephisto had been heavily teased and rumored in the MCU for years before Agatha All Along’s name-drop and his debut in Ironheart. As Hell’s ruler, Mephisto is incredibly powerful and one of Marvel’s most significant antagonists. He has already mentioned that he’s entered into manipulative and dangerous deals with many individuals in the MCU, including kings, popes, a Beatle, and, of course, Parker Robbins and Riri Williams. Mephisto’s future is exciting, but hasn’t yet been confirmed.
5) Death
Although not technically a villain, Death made her MCU debut as the primary antagonist of 2024’s Agatha All Along. Aubrey Plaza played the original Green Witch, who previously had a relationship with Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), but has since become estranged after she took Agatha’s son, Nicholas Scratch (Abel Lysenko). Death’s power is unmatched and incomprehensible, but she simply didn’t get enough development in Agatha All Along – we want much more from Aubrey Plaza in the MCU, and it would be great to see her cross paths with many more characters beyond the franchise’s witches.
4) Cassandra Nova
Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine finally joined the MCU in the self-titled Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024, which brought them into the Void at the End of Time, where they crossed paths with Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin). In Marvel Comics, Cassandra is the parasitic sister to Charles Xavier’s Professor X, and Corrin captured the essence of this role perfectly. Cassandra was truly sinister and delightfully terrifying, using her manipulations and mind tricks to subjugate many, including the Deadpool Corps. Cassandra’s charisma and personality made her even more captivating, earning her a spot among Phase 5’s best villains.
3) The High Evolutionary
James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise featured some brilliant villains, including Ronin the Accuser, Ego the Living Planet, and the Mad Titan Thanos. However, the titular team’s Phase 5 adventure in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 debuted their most sadistic and harrowing enemy yet in the form of the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji). The High Evolutionary ran experiments on living beings in an effort to create the perfect society, and, when he failed, he had no qualms in committing genocide to wipe the slate clean. Iwuji’s performance was remarkable, making the High Evolutionary seem even more unstoppable.
2) Wilson Fisk’s Kingpin
Ever since Matt Murdock’s (Charlie Cox) debut in Netflix’s Daredevil series, he has been opposed by Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin. D’Onofrio reprised the role in the MCU proper in Hawkeye, Echo, and in Phase 5’s Daredevil: Born Again, where he was elected as the new Mayor of New York City. This gives Fisk almost unlimited power, especially after he placed the city under martial law and outlawed vigilantism, targeting many of the MCU’s street-level heroes. Fisk’s brutality, violence, aggression, and ego make him one of the MCU’s most dangerous and terrifying antagonists, even without any superhuman gifts.
1) The Void
All of Phase 5’s villains have something to offer, and have demonstrated some impressive powers, but none are as significant, unmatched, unstoppable, and formidable as the Void. Lewis Pullman debuted in 2025’s Thunderbolts* as Robert Reynolds, who became the Sentry after undergoing OXE’s experiments, which also unlocked his darker alter ego, the shadow-like Void. The Void can thrust anyone into their own dark memories, and exhibits telekinesis, strength, and matter manipulation abilities. The New Avengers only stopped the Void by convincing Reynolds to fight himself inside his mind, but would have been no match for this immensely powerful villain otherwise.
Who are your favorite villains from the MCU’s Phase 5? Let us know in the comments!
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