The Marvel Cinematic Universe wasted Malekith in Thor: The Dark World, but Phase 4 has the chance to bring him back (and fix him). Christopher Eccleston joined the MCU in Phase 2 to play the Dark Elf villain. Malekith served as the primary antagonist in Thor 2, and his lacking motivation was just one of several reasons why he didn't resonate with viewers. He wanted to use the Reality Stone during the Convergence to make the universe dark again, and appeared to die during the final battle.

Although Malekith was an underwhelming villain, he was far from the only problem with Thor: The Dark World. As a result, Marvel took the Thor franchise in a new direction at the same time the MCU continued to evolve. Taika Waititi took over for Thor: Ragnarok and ditched the Shakespearean/Game of Thrones vibes of the previous films in favor of a comedic tone - even destroying Asgard in the process. The new direction for the Thor franchise and the MCU moving past an Infinity Stone-focused storyline could allow Malekith to return and be better than ever.

Related: How Powerful Thor Really Is In Each MCU Movie

If Phase 4 of the MCU were to bring back Malekith, the most natural spot for him to return would be in Thor: Love and Thunder. The movie will see Waititi return as the writer and director, and Eccleston has already expressed interest in playing Malekith again under Waititi's vision. It's easy to see why too, as Waititi's sensibilities could allow Malekith to get a personality makeover. Instead of being ultra-serious, Waititi could inject some personality into Malekith. The Dark Elf doesn't need to become a complete comedian, but adding some dimensions to his character would be a massive help in getting Malekith closer to his comic counterpart.

There is also another aspect of Malekith from the comics that future appearances could use to make him a more developed character: magic. Malekith has some magical powers in the comics that allow him to change his appearance and teleport, and these abilities were left entirely out of Thor: The Dark World. While Marvel might have been hesitant to use too much magic in 2013, that shouldn't be a concern after Doctor Strange's increased role in the MCU. It could even be revealed that Malekith used magic to escape what seemed to be a crushing death at the end of Thor 2.

If Malekith did manage to avoid dying at the end of Thor: The Dark World, it would be fascinating to see him return in some form in Thor: Love and Thunder. He had a significant role in Jason Aaron's Thor series, which has heavily inspired Waititi and could be used to set up the MCU's adaptation of War of the Realms. It was in this story that Malekith helped lead an invasion of Earth and teamed up with other villains like Dario Agger.

However, there are other projects that Malekith could return in during Phase 4. His magic and the possibilities of the multiverse could see him return in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Malekith could even potentially cross paths with Tom Hiddleston's god of mischief in the Loki Disney+ series. Any of these options would allow the MCU to redeem one of its weakest villains. Now it's just a matter of seeing if, how, or when Malekith does show up again.

MORE: Thor: The Dark World Originally Had A Much Better Ending

Key Release Dates