7 Great Avengers Villains the MCU Has Ignored

In 2026, the Marvel Cinematic Universe will have been around for 18 years, making it the biggest and most ambitious franchise ever attempted in Hollywood. Over those years, it’s featured some truly memorable villains. Thanos, played by Josh Brolin, was carefully developed over a decade of films before achieving a shocking victory in Avengers: Infinity War. Helmut Zemo, portrayed by Daniel Brühl, managed to break apart the Avengers from within, all without any superpowers. Currently, Ultron, voiced by James Spader, is being brought back in the VisionQuest series, which will explore the implications of his continued existence. And the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday will focus on Robert Downey Jr. as Victor von Doom, who Marvel Studios intends to be their most intricate villain yet.

As a huge cinema fan, I have to say the villains they‘ve brought over from the comics to the big screen are pretty great! But honestly, it’s just a small slice of the amazing rogues gallery the Avengers have faced over the last sixty years. There are so many iconic bad guys with incredibly complex backstories and strong connections to the team that would make for incredible movies. Some were just ignored, while others were introduced in ways that really didn’t do them justice. But with Avengers: Secret Wars promising a universe reset in 2027, I’m hoping they’ll get another chance to bring these overlooked villains to life properly – and really do them justice!

7) Annihilus

Annihilus, the ruler of the Negative Zone, is one of Marvel’s oldest and most powerful villains. He first appeared in 1968 and proved his ability to challenge even the Avengers in the 2006 storyline Annihilation, where he led a massive army, destroyed countless worlds, and nearly wiped out the Nova Corps before being defeated by a team of Marvel’s cosmic heroes. Now that the Fantastic Four have officially joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Negative Zone is open for exploration in future films. Given the MCU’s tendency to combine cosmic adventures with Earth-based stories in its big crossover events, Annihilus makes sense as a natural progression for a major Avengers threat.

6) Super-Adaptoid

As a huge MCU fan, I’ve always been fascinated by the potential of AIM, the organization we first saw in Iron Man 3. They’ve got a really cool backstory in the comics, and their creation, the Super-Adaptoid, is seriously terrifying. Basically, it’s a synthetic being built to copy anyone it fights – their powers, skills, everything. Imagine it facing Captain America and instantly gaining the super-soldier serum, or standing near Thor and getting Asgardian strength! Against a team like the Avengers, where everyone brings something different to the table, a villain who can adapt and combine all their abilities is a nightmare. Honestly, I always felt the MCU didn’t fully utilize AIM with the Extremis plot; the comics show they’re capable of much more, and the Super-Adaptoid is proof of that – it’s their most dangerous invention, hands down.

5) Korvac

Considered one of the greatest stories ever told about the Avengers, the Korvac Saga originally appeared in the Avengers and Thor comics from 1977-1978. Its main villain, Michael Korvac, has never been adapted into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Korvac was a computer technician from the 31st century who gained immense cosmic power from Galactus’s ship and essentially became a god. He then surprisingly lived a quiet life in a suburban home while the Avengers desperately searched for him. The story culminates with the Avengers confronting Korvac, which ultimately leads to his destruction – leaving readers to question if the Avengers were truly the heroes. Given the MCU’s current focus on the repercussions of powerful cosmic forces, a Korvac storyline that makes the Avengers question their own motivations would be a fresh and compelling addition to the franchise’s villains.

5) The Beyonder

Marvel’s Secret Wars has been used as the title for two different comic book storylines, and the first one, from 1984, featured a remarkably powerful character called The Beyonder. This being, with virtually unlimited power and existing outside of our universe, brought together a group of heroes and villains, placing them on an artificial planet simply to watch them fight and learn about human behavior. He later returned in Secret Wars II, taking human form to try and understand what it means to be mortal. The upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars movie appears to be based more on the 2015 storyline than the original, but The Beyonder’s core concept – a being of immense power – could fit into any story. It’s surprising he hasn’t appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s multiverse stories so far, considering the franchise often relies on powerful cosmic beings to drive its major conflicts.

3) Onslaught

Onslaught is the newest villain on this list to potentially appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This powerful psychic being formed from the combined dark sides of Charles Xavier and Magneto first appeared in 1996 and was so formidable he temporarily defeated both the Avengers and the Fantastic Four – it even took the reality-warping powers of Franklin Richards to bring them back! For years, Onslaught was off-limits because the characters of Xavier and Magneto were owned by 20th Century Fox. Now, with the confirmation that the X-Men are officially joining the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday – and with Patrick Stewart reprising his role as Xavier alongside the Avengers and Fantastic Four – Onslaught is a natural fit. He’s a villain tied to a beloved leader in the mutant community, and defeating him would require a combined effort from all of Earth’s mightiest heroes.

2) Norman Osborn

When discussing Norman Osborn in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s important to focus on the version who rose to political power after the Secret Invasion storyline, not just the Spider-Man villain. Writer Brian Michael Bendis crafted a story arc called “Dark Reign” where Osborn became incredibly powerful, heading HAMMER – the agency that took over from the damaged SHIELD – and created the Dark Avengers. This team pretended to be heroes, but were actually villains in disguise, including someone imitating Wolverine, a fake Captain Marvel, and Osborn himself using stolen Iron Man armor. This storyline spanned many comic books and led to the Siege event, where Osborn illegally attacked Asgard before ultimately being defeated. While Willem Dafoe played a version of Osborn in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the MCU hasn’t yet fully introduced this character. Considering the MCU’s current interest in government control over superheroes, a version of Osborn focused on corruption and creating fake heroes would be a timely and relevant addition.

1) Kang the Conqueror

The way Marvel handled the Kang storyline is arguably its biggest misstep so far. Jonathan Majors introduced the character both as the mysterious He Who Remains in Loki and as the villainous Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and he was intended to be the next major villain after Thanos. However, after Majors’ dismissal following a conviction, Marvel quickly shifted its focus to Doctor Doom for upcoming films like Doomsday and Secret Wars, effectively abandoning a complex and well-established villain storyline. Kang, in the comics, is a powerful warlord from the 31st century with a complicated history – he’s connected to characters like Reed Richards and is constantly battling different versions of himself from across time. Many felt Kang’s appearance in Quantumania wasn’t substantial enough for such an important character, and the sudden change to focus on Doom left that potential unexplored.

Okay, so I’m really curious – of all the villains Marvel’s teased or hinted at in the MCU, which one are you most hoping they nail? Seriously, which bad guy or bad girl do you want to see get the full, proper treatment? Head over to the ComicBook Forum and let’s chat about it – I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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2026-04-27 23:19