In 2025, Marvel Studios brought a new wave of powerful and frightening villains into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though the year’s releases—eight projects including three movies and five Disney+ shows—mainly highlighted the MCU’s heroes, each hero faced off against some of the franchise’s strongest villains to date, including a few surprises.
From the very beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios has brought iconic and powerful villains from the comics to life on screen. Characters like Thanos, Killmonger, and Loki have become well-known, but 2025 proved to be a particularly important year for MCU villains. We saw long-awaited villains finally appear, some getting a fresh start after previous attempts, and others surprising audiences with unexpected introductions. These new threats could impact the MCU for years to come.
5) The Leader
Tim Blake Nelson first played Samuel Sterns in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, where he helped Bruce Banner (played by Edward Norton, and later Mark Ruffalo). During that movie, Sterns was injured and exposed to Banner’s gamma-radiated blood, setting in motion a change that we fully saw in 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World. Though already part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, 2025 marked the official debut of the Leader. The gamma blood drastically increased Sterns’ intelligence and gave him the power to predict and influence events, ultimately allowing him to maneuver Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) into the presidency and then transform him into the Red Hulk.
4) The Horde
We didn’t see this coming! The animated series Eyes of Wakanda was the first project to take place in the main Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline (Earth-616), and it introduced the Horde as potential future enemies. The Horde are an alien insect race who invade Earth and battle the Black Panther (voiced by Anika Noni Rose) in the series finale, “The Last Panther.” The Black Panther went back in time to try and prevent the Horde’s invasion. Interestingly, in the Marvel comics, the Horde are incredibly powerful – they’ve even been known to defeat Celestials.
3) Galactus
Marvel’s reboot of The Fantastic Four: First Steps didn’t just update the heroes with a fresh, 1960s-inspired look—it also gave a major overhaul to one of their most famous enemies, Galactus. After a disappointing portrayal in the 2007 film Rise of the Silver Surfer, First Steps finally delivered a Galactus that stayed true to the comic books. Ralph Ineson’s voice work brought the powerful villain to life, alongside Julia Garner as the Silver Surfer and Galactus’s massive, planet-eating ship and armor. Fans are excited to see how Galactus will be used in future Marvel Cinematic Universe stories.
2) Mephisto
For years, fans speculated about when the MCU would introduce Mephisto, the powerful demonic ruler of Hell. The Disney+ series Ironheart finally answered that question in 2025. Sacha Baron Cohen played Mephisto as the hidden force manipulating Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos), and he eventually made a deal with Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne). This sets up Mephisto as a significant villain for future Marvel stories. While Mephisto possesses incredible magical power, Ironheart only hinted at the full extent of his terrifying abilities, leaving audiences eager to see more of him.
1) The Void
The Thunderbolts series introduced a hugely powerful new hero to the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Robert Reynolds, also known as the Sentry—a super-soldier with immense power. It also revealed his darker side, the Void. The Void isn’t just a villain; it’s a physical representation of Reynolds’ inner struggles and past trauma, capable of trapping people in terrifying recreations of their own worst memories. While the Void was subdued in Thunderbolts, it wasn’t truly defeated, leaving the door open for its return. With Lewis Pullman set to reprise his role as Reynolds in Avengers: Doomsday, the Void could resurface sooner rather than later.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Read More
- Ashes of Creation Rogue Guide for Beginners
- Best Controller Settings for ARC Raiders
- Meet the cast of Mighty Nein: Every Critical Role character explained
- How To Watch Call The Midwife 2025 Christmas Special Online And Stream Both Episodes Free From Anywhere
- Emily in Paris soundtrack: Every song from season 5 of the Hit Netflix show
- Tougen Anki Episode 24 Release Date, Time, Where to Watch
- Arc Raiders Guide – All Workbenches And How To Upgrade Them
- Avatar: Fire and Ash’s Biggest Disappointment Is an Insult to the Na’vi
- Avatar 3’s Final Battle Proves James Cameron Is The Master Of Visual Storytelling
- Hoda Kotb & Ex Joel Schiffman Reunite for Christmas with Daughters
2025-12-30 00:14