7 Most Wasted Villains in the MCU’s History Who Deserve Another Shot

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In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are numerous formidable supervillains that haven’t had their due recognition yet and could benefit from a chance at redemption. A compelling superhero tale requires an impressive adversary, and Marvel Studios has created some remarkable, powerful, exhilarating, and fear-inducing villains during the past 17 years. While popular characters like Thanos, the High Evolutionary, Loki, and the Void have been portrayed effectively in live-action, other antagonists haven’t received the attention they deserve. It would be wonderful to see some of these lesser-known villains given another chance to shine.

For over eight decades, Marvel Comics has brought forth numerous legendary supervillains. Since 2008’s Iron Man marked the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), many of these iconic villains have been translated into live-action. Regrettably, some of the finest villains from the comics haven’t been fully utilized in live-action adaptations. Fortunately, the upcoming reset of the MCU after Avengers: Secret Wars provides an opportunity for these underdeveloped and overlooked antagonists to make a comeback, with some possibly appearing even before the reboot.

7) Ultron

James Spader initially brought to life the merciless AI character Ultron in the 2015 film “Avengers: Age of Ultron”, yet this Phase 2 crossover movie failed to fully utilize one of Marvel’s most renowned and fearsome villains. Since then, Ultron has taken on various forms, typically voiced by Ross Marquand from “The Walking Dead”. However, Spader will resume his role in the upcoming 2026 series “Vision”, offering a much-anticipated opportunity for Ultron to make a comeback in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Here’s hoping that this second chance allows Ultron to be portrayed as the unrivaled and intimidating villain he should have been a decade ago.

6) Obadiah Stane’s Iron Monger

After Alden Ehrenreich’s character, Ezekiel Stane, debuted in the series Ironheart, there’s renewed interest in the MCU’s original antagonist, Obadiah Stane’s Iron Monger. Portrayed by Jeff Bridges, who has expressed optimism about his character’s potential return, Stane served as a compelling foil to Tony Stark’s Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) in his initial live-action outing. Stane was killed by Stark, and his remains were shown in Ironheart, but the reboot of the MCU presents an opportunity for this seemingly one-time, underdeveloped villain to receive a more fleshed-out storyline.

5) Brock Rumlow’s Crossbones

Frank Grillo frequently expresses his dissatisfaction with how Brock Rumlow was handled in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) during Phases 2 and 3. In “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” Rumlow served as a HYDRA agent within SHIELD, transforming into Crossbones after sustaining injuries during the Triskelion’s collapse. He reappeared briefly as a minor adversary at the start of “Captain America: Civil War” before meeting an early demise. Grillo has since moved to DC Studios and plays Rick Flag Sr. in their revamped universe, but Crossbones deserves more than just a few skirmishes with Captain America.

4) Ivan Vanko’s Whiplash

Mickey Rourke, who’s known for being controversial, can’t recall working on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it’s understandable if you forgot too, since his performance as Whiplash in 2010’s “Iron Man 2” didn’t leave a lasting impression. We expected an intellectually stimulating clash between Tony Stark and Whiplash, revisiting their past grudges and intergenerational feuds due to Howard Stark’s betrayal of Anton Vanko. Unfortunately, “Iron Man 2” delivered nothing more than a predictable, action-heavy fight scene that felt repetitive. It seems Whiplash could benefit from a more dynamic actor in a future portrayal.

3) Malekith

In 2013’s “Thor: The Dark World,” often criticized as one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s less successful installments, Christopher Eccleston’s debut as the villainous Dark Elf, Malekith, didn’t quite live up to expectations. With his talents, Eccleston could have brought a captivating and dramatic portrayal of Malekith, making him more menacing and eerie than shown in the movie. Unfortunately, the storyline of “The Dark World” didn’t fully support Eccleston’s performance. Given another chance, Malekith deserves to be better represented on screen, and a reboot of the franchise provides the ideal opportunity for the Dark Elves to finally receive their due justice.

2) Antonia Dreykov’s Taskmaster

In the 2021 film “Black Widow,” Antonia Dreykov, portrayed by Olga Kurylenko, emerged as a skilled Black Widow assassin who could copy anyone’s fighting style. However, despite this impressive skillset, she didn’t get much screen time to fully develop her character. After working for Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and OXE, Antonia was supposed to appear alongside Valentina’s other recruits in “Thunderbolts.” Unfortunately, she was killed by Ava Starr’s Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), denying her the opportunity to join the New Avengers and leaving fans wanting more of her story.

1) Johann Schmidt’s Red Skull

Among the oldest antagonists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is Johann Schmidt, portrayed by Hugo Weaving, who was transformed into the world’s first super-soldier during WWII due to an unfinished serum created by Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci). This serum granted Schmidt extraordinary abilities, but also inflicted severe burns that metamorphosed him into the Red Skull and pushed him towards madness. The Red Skull is a significant and enduring villain in Marvel Comics, which makes it regrettable that he was confined to a single appearance in Captain America: The First Avenger. However, with the arrival of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, there has been an opportunity for his return, and now, given the MCU’s impending reset, this could finally materialize.

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2025-07-23 15:11