Penn Badgley rose to international fame as Joe Goldberg in You; however, with many rumors circulating recently suggesting he will soon be joining the MCU, it may not be long until Penn makes his comic book movie debut in his next life-changing role.
With high-profile projects like Gossip Girl under his belt, Penn is no stranger to extreme popularity and with the range to easily switch from handsome heartthrob to maniacal murderer in a second, he is well suited for many comic book roles, One of which he may soon portray in the MCU.
Carnage
After bonding with a symbiote, serial killer Cletus Kasady became Carnage, a reoccurring Spider-Man villain and arch-enemy of Venom. Thanks to Spider-Man: No Way Home's post-credit scene, we know symbiotes now exist within the MCU, implying Carnage will soon make his MCU debut.
Not only does Penn resemble Kasady physically, but he can also portray a believable serial killer too, as shown in You via his character Joe, who has brutally murdered many innocent victims throughout the series whilst still remaining likable in a sort of twisted way. Penn could definitely put his own unique spin on this character and due to his fame, he wouldn't look out of place battling Tom Holland's Spider-Man.
Nightmare
Nightmare is the demon-lord of the Nightmare World who has many powers including the ability to kidnap an individual's astral form and torture them within the Nightmare World. Nightmare is a strong contender for the main antagonist of a future project like Agatha: Coven of Chaos due to his supernatural nature.
Penn undoubtedly has the acting capability to portray this evil entity in a terrifying yet playful manner. With a strong physical resemblance to the character alongside the chops to portray a full-blown villain, Penn would be an excellent choice to portray Nightmare, especially if he appeared in Coven of Chaos due to his history of acting in popular TV shows.
Angel
Warren Worthington III is a mutant with a large pair of feathered wings that grant him the power of flight. This character has been not only a prominent member of the X-Men but also an enemy of the team too after becoming the villain archangel. After Kamala Khan's mutant reveal in Ms. Marvel, it seems the debut of the MCU X-Men is not far off.
With Penn being only 35 years old, he certainly has the capabilities of playing Angel for many years, eventually becoming Archangel in the future. Badgley has proved before he can play the heartthrob hero with a dark side well and also a full-blown villain too. His looks, healthy physique, and acting capability suggest he would be an excellent Angel, a character he could play for many years.
Gambit
Remy LaBeau is a charming, french mutant with the ability to charge inanimate objects and make them explode, who has been both a hero and a villain over the years. With the likes of The Scarlett Witch existing within the MCU, coupled with Deadpool's imminent debut around the corner, it isn't too farfetched to expect Gambit's MCU debut soon.
As an actor of French descent, Penn would be an excellent choice to portray Gambit due to his extreme charm and charisma. Not only does Penn have an uncanny resemblance to the character but he can easily walk the line of hero and villain extremely well. With a history of portraying characters that have troubling relationships, such as the one Gambit and Rogue share, Badgley seems like one of the best choices for Gambit at present.
Hellstrom
Daimon Hellstrom is the Son of Satan who possesses many supernatural-themed superpowers. Although this character has appeared on screen before in the short-lived series Hellstrom, the character has never appeared in the MCU before. With many supernatural characters entering the universe, plus an obvious buildup to The Midnight Sons currently taking place, this character may be debuting very soon.
Penn would be an excellent choice to portray this character due to his looks, physique, and ability to portray menacing characters well. Hellstrom has the opportunity to be a major player in the MCU which is certainly a major commitment Penn is worthy of. With the chops to play this anti-hero in a believable and entertaining manner, he is a perfect choice for the role.
Bullseye
Bullseye is a supervillain with the ability to utilize any object as a lethal projectile due to his uncanny marksmanship. He is a recurring Daredevil villain, with the character even appearing in Daredevil portrayed by Wilson Bethel; however, rumors claim the character may be recast within the main 616 timeline.
Due to this character's unhinged nature, Penn would have the ability to truly let loose when playing this character, fully exploring his abilities to act insane and deranged in a believable manner. Badgley can remain both intimidating and playful on screen, which shows he could be an excellent choice to portray this hitman, especially considering his strong resemblance to the character.
Dr. Doom
Dr. Doom is an extremely powerful villain who has mastered technology and the magic arts over his many years of tyranny. With the potential to be a future MCU big bad, prominent in a whole manner of future franchises, Doom will undoubtedly be the best MCU villain yet. With Fantastic Four releasing in 2024 and a large number of Dr. Doom debut rumors circulating, it seems the era of Doom will begin extremely soon.
Badgley is an excellent casting for Dr. Doom as he has the acting talent to play this complex anti-hero with layers of guilt, sacrifice, and nobility woven within. Not only does Penn heavily resemble Doom but he also has a lot of voice-over experience, suggesting he could act well under a mask. Badgley has mastered the art of playing sinister characters that audiences can sympathize with, which suggests he has what it takes to play Dr. Doom.
Maximus
Maximus Boltagon is an Inhuman supervillain who is both the brother and arch-enemy of Black Bolt. Although Maximus appears in The Inhumans portrayed by Iwan Rheon, the canonicity of this show to the MCU is uncertain, and because of this, Penn may be able to portray this character in the future. After Black Bolt's cameo in Multiverse of Madness, it seems the Inhumans may not be absent from the MCU for much longer.
Penn has an uncanny resemblance to Maximus and would look exactly like the character if given the correct costume. He also has the chops to portray this character's dark, maniacal side whilst easily showing off his extreme intelligence too, potentially even having the opportunity to explore a redemption arc later on in his story.
Cyclops
Cyclops is the mutant leader of the X-Men who possesses the ability to fire destructive optic beams from his eyes. As a core member of The X-Men, Scott will undoubtedly be one of the first mutants to appear within the MCU and after Professor X's cameo within the universe, it's easy to imagine Cyclops' debut isn't far off.
Penn is undoubtedly ready to take on a role of this caliber as the frontman of the X-Men franchise, embracing his helpless romantic, good guy side which he has showcased in previous projects, even utilizing his experience acting in troubled relationships when on screen with Jean Grey. Penn is experienced enough to handle an MCU role but still fresh enough to step into this role without any mainstream preconceptions haunting him. With the perfect look and exact physique for Cyclops, Penn has to be one of the best choices Marvel could pick from.
Mr. Fantastic
Reed Richards, the smartest man alive and leader of the Fantastic Four, has recently made his MCU debut in Multiverse of Madness portrayed by John Krasinski and will appear further throughout the MCU after debuting in Fantastic Four. Rumors suggest Reed will be recast in the main MCU timeline, with further rumors claiming Penn has already met with Marvel Studios about acquiring the role. Of course, whether these rumors are true or not remains to be seen.
As far as younger Reed Richards go, Penn has the looks for this role. He also undoubtedly has the talent to play an intellectual, heroic character with a hidden dark side well, using his experience in shows like Gossip Girl and You to portray Reed's troubled relationship with Sue Storm in a believable way. Mr. Fantastic is a role Penn could grow into and evolve in over time, allowing him to be a major player in the cinematic universe going forwards.