The Marvel Cinematic Universe is growing more and more with each passing year. With the added ability for Marvel Studios to make streaming series for Disney+, different characters get a chance for the spotlight that they couldn't fully have in a two-hour movie.
A recent trend for these series has been to focus on a villain or antihero from a different MCU entry, such as Loki earlier this year or the recently announced Agatha: House of Harkness spinoff series. Fan-favorite villains now have the opportunity to lead an entire series centered around them--and, according to some Reddit users, there are plenty more great MCU baddies that have just as much potential.
Thanos
Some spinoffs are simply inevitable, as is the case with a certain MCU baddie that really struck a chord with fans. According to Reddit user Responsible_Neck_728, a series revolving around the upbringing of Josh Brolin's Thanos, the prime villain of the Infinity Saga, would be an interesting spinoff idea for Marvel Studios to explore.
Belonging to a race comprised of the mythologically-based Eternals, Thanos certainly has a storied history that fans have only gotten bits and pieces of. With the recent introduction of Thanos's brother Eros, played by Harry Styles, perhaps more backstory on the Mad Titan is on the way very soon.
Elektra
There are some characters that deserve a do-over. Maxsenx believes that this is the case for the femme fatale character of Elektra Natchios, who has received not one but two live-action representations over the past few decades, first played by Jennifer Garner and then Elodie Yung.
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Elektra is a character that is often morally ambiguous, meaning that Marvel Studios may choose to represent her as an anti-hero type rather than a full-blown villain. The question remains, however, whether or not they will elect to reboot the character or continue the version introduced on Netflix's Daredevil series.
Xu Wenwu
The MCU is not necessarily known for portraying hero's fathers in a good light. Many times, an Avenger must take down their own father's supervillainous plans. Such was the case with Shang-Chi's Xu Wenwu, a.k.a. "The Mandarin." Reddit user SquareJawSquid cites Wenwu as the best villain of the MCU's Phase 4 so far, also voicing their hopes for a "Wenwu prequel."
There is certainly plenty to explore regarding Wenwu's backstory, as Shang-Chi revealed that the character was over 1,000 years old. The film's opening sequence gave few details about the conqueror's life before meeting his wife, leaving the door open for plenty of storytelling opportunities should Marvel Studios decide to make a prequel series about the character.
Namor
Namor the Sub-Mariner has long been rumored to be an imminent addition to the MCU. The quasi-villainous character has even been speculated to be the main villain of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Emilia67 suggests the character be introduced in a solo project that depicts his life as the king of Atlantis.
It is certainly only a matter of time before Namor enters the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A spinoff series could work wonders in helping general audiences that may not be familiar with the character get used to the idea of his world of Atlantis and the various stories that such a character could bring to the table.
Hela
Reddit user begonetoxicpeople suggests that Marvel Studios develop a series revolving around "the rise to power" of Hela and Odin, likely taking cues from the brief history that Hela revealed about her life with the once-conquering Allfather before he became the benevolent ruler featured in the Thor films.
Though the MCU was often criticized for having one-dimensional villains that made very little impact on the heroes, Phase 3 sought to create stand-out enemies for the members of the Avengers to battle. As a result, Phase 3 villains like Hela turned out to be surprisingly interesting. Cate Blanchett would certainly be welcomed back to her iconic role by Marvel fans should a series revolving around her character's history be developed.
Nebula
LoveWaffle1 notes that most villain solo series tend to turn the antagonist into a more relatable anti-hero type rather than an all-out bad guy. They write that the audience must be on board with the character losing most of their villainous qualities. As such, the user suggests Nebula as a potential candidate for her own spinoff series, detailing her continued redemption arc.
Karen Gillan's Nebula certainly has had an interesting history in the MCU. Beginning her arc as the adopted child of Thanos intent on taking down her father's empire, she gradually learned to connect with others again, with the help of the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Avengers. Now that she is free of her father's grasp for good, it may be interesting to explore the character's next steps in a solo venture.
Taskmaster
The Taskmaster was one of the less popular aspects of the Black Widow solo film earlier this year. The film chose to depict the character in a more sympathetic light, thus limiting the extent to which her true potential could be explored. Reddit user -Nick notes that the character has the potential to grow into a more comics-accurate version now that she is free of her father's control, perhaps in a solo series of her own.
Marvel Studios certainly has plans for Taskmaster in the future of the MCU, opting to keep her alive at the end of Black Widow and keeping her future very open-ended. Whether she will return in a solo series or in another project of some kind (perhaps a Thunderbolts team up), fans should rest assured that they likely haven't seen the last of Olga Kurylenko as the Taskmaster.
Kang
If there is anything that Loki made abundantly clear, it is that Kang is coming. With Jonathan Majors making his MCU debut in the season finale of the Disney+ series, it is only a matter of time before the multitude of Kang variants take the stage and wreak their havoc. Redditor Responsible_Neck_728 suggests that Marvel Studios explore the backstory of He Who Remains and the other Kang variants in their very own spinoff.
Whether in the form of a spinoff series or film, there is no doubt that it won't be long before audiences get to see pieces of Kang the Conqueror's backstory. A full Disney+ series would be an excellent opportunity to see the Multiversal War of which He Who Remains spoke. Fans can also expect to see more of Kang's backstory in his future MCU appearances, as he is confirmed for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Loki season 2.
Kingpin
There are villains that are so popular, fans want a spinoff even before the character is already introduced. In a simple, one-word post, Reddit user Knightboat17 suggests that the MCU make a series revolving around Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime in New York City.
The Kingpin is an incredibly popular Marvel character, who is often at odds with the likes of Daredevil and Spider-Man. He achieved new heights of stardom after Vincent D'Onofrio took on the role for three seasons in the Netflix Daredevil series. With D'Onofrio's Kingpin hotly rumored to be the big bad in Hawkeye, perhaps a solo series is in the near future for the character.
Doctor Doom
There is one villain that fans cannot wait to finally see in the MCU. Redditor NoCapNova99 suggests that the Fantastic Four antagonist Doctor Doom get his own series. TheUltimateNerd05 expands on this idea, pitching an idea for a story following Doom's rise to power as the leader of Latveria as a result of the Decimation, making Doom "a consequence of the MCU."
Victor von Doom is one of Marvel's all-time greatest characters and the best human antagonist in the Fantastic Four's Rogues Gallery. After several decidedly awful live-action adaptations of the character, fans are prepared to sink their teeth into a more comics-accurate Doctor Doom. One way that Marvel can achieve this is by giving the character a prequel series, thus allowing him time to become a fully fleshed-out character worthy of the title he bears.