It was recently announced that a Thunderbolts film is in development for the MCU – just one new project among dozens previously revealed. The film will be uniting villains and anti-heroes from across the vast franchise, such as Winter Soldier, Abomination, Yelena Belova, and Taskmaster. It will be an exciting and new venture for the MCU as they’ve never really featured these perspectives as the protagonists.
Whether in Thunderbolts or elsewhere through the other films or TV shows soon to be coming, the opportunity is ripe put the MCU twist on some obscure or underrated villains from the comics, and these are surely deserving of that chance.
Molecule Man
Upon introducing the multiverse in Loki, many avid Marvel Comics fans surmise that the MCU is headed for Secret Wars. There are actually two different crossover events called Secret Wars and both involved multiple universes merging together, thus uniting heroes and villains from across the multiverse. An obscure but immensely powerful villain instrumental in this is Molecule Man.
He was first introduced as an enemy to the Fantastic Four in 1963, but his reality-warping powers allowed Doctor Doom to shape Battleworld as he saw fit and rise to become God Emperor Doom. The introduction of incursions in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness also reinforces fan speculation about Secret Wars, so it does seem likely that Molecule Man’s arrival is in the future.
Wrecking Crew
Although the trend in the MCU following Avengers: Endgame is to continue growing in scale and spectacle, there are still several great street-level villains who can be utilized, such as the Wrecking Crew. Made up of Wrecker, Bulldozer, Piledriver, and Thunderball, they were introduced as a team in 1974, fighting the Defenders.
They likely wouldn’t be the big bad of a series or film, but they would make for fun secondary antagonists, the muscle and enforcers for the said big bad. As such, they could fit into the MCU, whether they are fighting the Fantastic Four, She-Hulk, or Daredevil, for instance. They could go up against the MCU’s Defenders – Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist – if they are all reincorporated as many fans are hoping for.
The Hood
Hawkeye brought back Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin, one of the best crime bosses from Marvel Comics, and now he needs some new competition. To fill that role and add a new element to the franchise would be Parker Robbins, AKA the Hood. He was once a petty criminal, but a strange encounter with a demon left him in the possession of a hood that gave him mysterious powers.
Robbins uses such powers to take over the criminal underworld of New York City. He would make for a great new villain, able to go up against heroes and fellow villains alike. The Hood could be incorporated into the recently announced Daredevil season 4, but there are actually rumors he could be the main antagonist in Ironheart. Since he’s still relatively fresh in the comics, this would help catapult the Hood to the masses.
Lady Deathstrike
Something that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier finally introduced was the fact that Steve Rogers was not the only person to experience the super-soldier program. In the comics, it is revealed that he was the first success in the Weapon Plus Program, and the tenth was Wolverine. Weapon X was in part able to succeed because of the work of Lord Dark Wind, who is also the father of a unique and underrated villain, Lady Deathstrike.
She is rightfully recognized for her absurdly long and sharp fingernails, and her training has made her an incredibly deadly assassin. As she is a mutant, she’ll have to wait in the long line to come into the MCU behind Wolverine and the X-Men, but she would make for a compelling antagonist in his possible solo film – or even in Deadpool 3.
Mole Man
Ever since it was first announced that the Fantastic Four are finally coming to the MCU, fans have been clamoring for more information and theorizing left and right as to how they can be introduced. After their intro, the next logical question is regarding their antagonist. Of course, there’s the classic and iconic choice, Doctor Doom, who will naturally play a large role in the MCU. However, a better choice for their first film in the MCU might also be their first villain ever, Mole Man.
His goal was to take over the world using his Moloids, mole-human hybrids, but the Fantastic Four were able to avert that. Over the following decades, he’s kept trying it again and again, sometimes teaming up with other villains, but he’s never fully succeeded.
Count Nefaria
Kingpin is not the only mob boss who’s gone toe-to-toe with Avengers. Count Luchino Nefaria heads up the Maggia. Not just in New York City, but the entire global organization. He was first introduced in 1965, opposing the newly formed Avengers. Many years later he returned, now empowered with strong ionic abilities, making him a true force to be reckoned with.
A branch of the Maggia has already been incorporated into the MCU in Agent Carter, but there are some great opportunities coming up to let them and Count Nefaria feature more prominently. This could be in Daredevil season 4 or Spider-Man 4. The best bet currently, however, might actually be the newly announced Wonder Man series, since they have a history together and share ionic powers.
Spymaster
There have been many great spies and assassins already in the MCU, yet there is still room for more. When compared to the likes of Black Widow or Winter Soldier, even Spymaster would be found lacking. Thankfully, he’s never really had to deal with them since he was part of Iron Man’s rogue's gallery.
Although he’s constantly overshadowed or forgotten, he is still extremely capable and he actually has great potential to be introduced into the MCU already. He was instrumental in stealing some of Stark’s tech and handing it over to Justin Hammer, thus sparking the Armor Wars arc, so he could be doing the same in Armor Wars.
Serpent Society
Among Captain America’s greatest allies and adversaries yet to join the MCU, there’s a case to be made for the Serpent Society. As the name implies, they are a group of snake-themed villains, but that’s not the weirdest part. Unlike other villainous teams such as the Masters of Evil, the Serpent Society operates more like a business with a union – mercenaries hired by various villains or other organizations who would then share the profits.
There are many members, but some prominent ones include the founder, Sidewinder; Diamondback, who made a turn into becoming a hero at times; and Viper, who becomes Madame Hydra. The Serpent Society would make for an intriguing and exciting antagonist in Captain America 4, giving new Captain America, Sam Wilson, a strange run for his money.
Sauron
One of the unexpected Easter eggs in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness showed Strange and America Chavez falling through a series of various universes and new locations, including Savage Land. This is the area mysteriously hidden beneath Antarctica where dinosaurs and lost beasts still roam and is home to a peculiar villain, Sauron.
He is actually a therapist named Karl Lykos who was transformed into an energy vampire. When Karl drains the life-energy of a mutant this further transforms him into his more recognized state as an anthropomorphic Pternadon. Using this power, he conquered Savage Land and made himself an enemy of inhabitants like Ka-Zar and outsiders like the X-Men. It might take some time to say where and when he’s best befits an introduction into the MCU, but he will someday.
Nightmare
Long before the first trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ever dropped, many fans postulated that Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch would work together to fight against Nightmare. He is the ruler of the Dream Dimension – first referenced in Loki – and a Fear Lord like the Dweller-in-Darkness from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
He is a powerful supernatural being, and along with Doctor Strange, he’s caused trouble for Ghost Rider, Hulk, Spider-Man, and more. Mephisto, seems to be the more popular choice for a magical villain, nevertheless, Nightmare is still very much ripe for the taking.