10 X-Men Villains Who Deserve to Return in Avengers: Doomsday

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The highly anticipated film is coming soon, scheduled for release in December 2026 – just over a year from now. While fans are eager to see the Avengers battle Doctor Doom, many are especially excited about the return of the X-Men. After the Dark Phoenix film concluded their previous series, beloved mutant characters will join the Avengers and Fantastic Four in what promises to be the epic finale of the Multiverse Saga.

Okay, so the new X-Men film, Doomsday, is bringing back some familiar faces – and that’s great! We’re definitely getting Ian McKellan as Magneto and Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, which is awesome. But honestly, I was hoping to see even more of the villains we’ve loved (or loved to hate!) from past movies. Some of them really deserve another shot, whether it’s to finish what they started or finally get a good storyline. They’ve built up these characters, and it would be a shame to leave them on the sidelines.

Sabretooth Deserves Another Shot at Wolverine

This film is likely the only one in the series that fully aligns with established continuity. A key villain is Tyler Mane as Sabretooth, who serves as Wolverine’s main rival. While Sabretooth is defeated in the first film, he briefly returns in Deadpool & Wolverine before being quickly killed. Though that scene was funny, it would be fantastic to see a more substantial fight between these two mutants in Avengers: Doomsday.

Another possibility is bringing back Liev Schreiber as Sabretooth, the character he played in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. That version had a strong, unresolved emotional connection with Wolverine, which later movies didn’t explore. Although there have been talks about Schreiber returning in other films, it never happened. Now that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is restarting the X-Men franchise, Doomsday might be the final opportunity to give Wolverine and Sabretooth a satisfying conclusion to their complex history.

Toad Is an Iconic Villain (Even If He Isn’t That Powerful)

Toad is a classic villain from the X-Men, appearing in both the comic books and movies. In the film X-Men, he was portrayed by Ray Park as a follower of Magneto and part of the Brotherhood of Mutants. Despite his impressive agility and incredibly long tongue, Toad isn’t a very effective fighter. He’s quickly defeated by Storm, who uses her powers to electrocute him and throw him into New York Harbor.

Toad isn’t the strongest villain in the X-Men universe, but he shows up frequently, usually as one of Magneto’s top helpers. This has unexpectedly made him a very recognizable X-Men enemy. His recent appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine makes it feel like the mutants’ comeback wouldn’t be complete without him.

The Dark Phoenix Would Throw a Wrench in Avengers: Doomsday

A surprising omission from the cast of returning X-Men in Avengers: Doomsday is Jean Grey. The character appears as an X-Man but struggles to control her immense power, eventually transforming into the Dark Phoenix – a force capable of planetary destruction. This storyline has been explored twice in the X-Men films, once in X-Men: The Last Stand and again in Dark Phoenix.

Even though some actors from previous films are returning, it doesn’t seem likely Sophie Turner will be in the new movie, especially since most of the original cast from those earlier films aren’t expected to appear. The character of Dark Phoenix has always been a challenge for the X-Men franchise—they never quite managed to portray her well. Including her in the upcoming film could give Marvel a chance to finally do the character justice, but such a powerful villain might complicate an already busy plot.

Pyro Was a Standout of Deadpool & Wolverine

Aaron Stanford portrays Pyro, a mutant student at Charles Xavier’s school who gradually sides with Magneto and his Brotherhood in the first three X-Men movies. He’s defeated by Iceman in the final showdown, but reappears in Deadpool & Wolverine as one of Cassandra Nova’s soldiers. Pyro is ultimately killed by Cassandra after double-crossing her, though his story might not be over yet.

I was really impressed with Pyro in Deadpool & Wolverine – he’s one of the X-Men villains who really stuck with me. I think he deserves a spot in Avengers: Doomsday. His recent appearance showed there’s so much more to his story than we initially saw in the original X-Men films, and I’d love to see them explore that further. It would also be a cool way to tie things back to Deadpool & Wolverine.

Apocalypse Deserves Better in the MCU

Apocalypse is often considered a weak villain in the X-Men movies. Despite being portrayed by Oscar Isaac as the very first and most powerful mutant, his plan to wipe out humanity and create a new world ruled by mutants falls flat. Ultimately, it takes the combined efforts of the X-Men to defeat him.

Even though this version of Apocalypse wasn’t very well-received, there’s talk that the character might return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a key villain in the new X-Men stories. Having Oscar Isaac reprise his role in Doomsday or Secret Wars could help audiences remember the character before a more significant appearance in future films. While it’s not certain Apocalypse will be back, many fans are hoping Oscar Isaac will be involved in Doomsday somehow.

Lady Deathstrike Is One of the X-Men Franchise’s Most Underrated Villains

Kelly Hu portrays Yuriko Oyama, also known as Lady Deathstrike, in X2: X-Men United, a film often considered the strongest in the X-Men series. Initially presented as General Stryker’s aide, Oyama is later revealed to be a mutant under mind control, possessing claws much like Wolverine’s. She ultimately dies in a battle with Wolverine, who delivers a fatal blow by injecting liquid Adamantium into her bloodstream.

Lady Deathstrike is a significant villain in Marvel comics, frequently battling Wolverine. However, the movies haven’t fully explored her history or reasons for being a villain. While she appears in Deadpool & Wolverine as part of Cassandra Nova’s forces, the impact of her return is reduced because a different actress is playing her. Kelly Hu originally played the role in X2 and has had a thriving acting career since then, making a potential return to the character decades later particularly exciting.

The Blob Deserves a Better Live-Action Iteration

The Blob is a classic villain from Marvel Comics known for his massive size and weight. Once he plants his feet, he’s virtually immovable. He appeared on screen once, in the movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine, played by Kevin Durand. He’s best remembered for a memorable—and somewhat infamous—boxing match with Wolverine in the film.

The Blob’s appearance in X-Men Origins was so poorly received that Fox avoided using the character in films for ten years. But the issue wasn’t really with the Blob himself – the movie just didn’t do him justice. The Blob deserves a better portrayal, and Kevin Durand wasn’t a weak choice for the role. Hopefully, the Marvel Cinematic Universe will give Durand’s version of the Blob a chance to shine, maybe even with a surprise appearance in Avengers: Doomsday.

The Juggernaut Deserves More Attention

The Juggernaut has had a complicated portrayal within the X-Men stories. He first appeared in X-Men: The Last Stand as part of Magneto’s forces, played by Vinnie Jones. Later, Deadpool 2 featured a different version, with Ryan Reynolds voicing the character. Most recently, Deadpool & Wolverine introduced yet another Juggernaut as a member of Cassandra Nova’s army, and this version actually resembles the one seen in X-Men: The Last Stand more than the Deadpool 2 iteration.

Even though Juggernaut is a complex character, he remains one of the most recognizable villains from the X-Men universe. It would be a huge event to see him appear in Avengers: Doomsday, allowing audiences to finally see him battle Spider-Man and the Hulk – matchups that are popular in the comics. Whether or not he’s in Doomsday, Juggernaut should be among the first villains introduced when the X-Men are rebooted into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Psylocke Never Got Her Chance to Shine in the X-Men Franchise

Although Psylocke is a well-known mutant in the comics, she hasn’t had a significant role in the X-Men movies. She first appeared briefly as a villain in X-Men: The Last Stand, fighting with Magneto’s forces. Later, Olivia Munn played Psylocke in X-Men: Apocalypse, where she was one of Apocalypse’s powerful followers. However, she wasn’t seen in any subsequent films after that final battle.

Psylocke has a lot of potential in the X-Men universe, but her appearances in the movies haven’t really done her justice. In the comics, she’s a complex and fascinating character, whether she’s a good guy or a bad one. Because the films haven’t shown what ultimately happens to her, there’s still a chance Olivia Munn could return as Psylocke in a future Marvel movie, perhaps even something like Avengers: Doomsday.

Cassandra Nova Is One of Marvel’s Most Powerful Villains

The most formidable villain in the X-Men comics hasn’t been seen in any of the movies – until now. Cassandra Nova, twin sister to Charles Xavier, shares his powerful telepathic abilities. She’s appearing in the new MCU film Deadpool & Wolverine, where she leads a mutant army in a place called the Void, at the very end of time. During the movie, Nova almost manages to wipe out the entire multiverse, but ultimately, she’s defeated and destroyed.

Even though Cassandra Nova seemingly died in Deadpool & Wolverine, there’s still a possibility a version of her could reappear in a future movie, like Avengers: Doomsday. As an incredibly powerful mutant, Nova would be a major villain, potentially forcing heroes to team up. However, her presence might overshadow Doctor Doom. Cassandra Nova is a complex character, and a single movie hasn’t been enough to fully develop her, but a return in an Avengers film could finally give her the spotlight she deserves.

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2025-11-23 01:40