10 Worst MCU Villains, Ranked (MODOK at #3)

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, spanning 36 movies and 11 live-action Disney+ series, a multitude of villains have been presented to viewers. Some are merely less impressive than others, but there are some truly terrible ones that fall well below the rest. This list includes antagonists from sequels dating back to 2008’s Iron Man, which featured an outstanding villain, as well as those who whimpered rather than roared. Both big screen and small series characters were considered for inclusion, so don’t be surprised to see villains from Disney+ series alongside those from Avengers movies. However, none of the Avengers movie villains made it onto this list, not even Ultron, despite coming very close.

We’re limiting potential candidates to either primary antagonists or their immediate underlings in the villain hierarchy. To clarify, characters like M.O.D.O.K. from “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” are eligible because they have a significant role, but lesser characters such as Aldrich Killian’s minions from “Iron Man 3”, who don’t have much impact or screen time, aren’t suitable. In simpler terms, M.O.D.O.K., despite his failure to make a lasting impression, is a notable antagonist, whereas the minor characters like Aldrich Killian’s minions are just there to be defeated in action scenes.

10) Aldrich Killian in Iron Man 3

Initially, the Mandarin twist in “Iron Man 3” left many viewers feeling let down. Indeed, such a disappointment was warranted because trilogy endings usually feature a significant major villain, and that’s what the promotional material suggested Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery would be. However, over time, even those who initially criticized Shane Black’s Marvel Cinematic Universe adventure have discovered aspects to appreciate about it.

Even now, I find Guy Pearce’s portrayal of Aldrich Killian to be quite over-the-top. The twist involving the frequently inebriated Trevor Slattery was amusingly excessive, but it managed to be so effectively. However, Aldrich Killian spewing fire from his mouth? That’s a bit too much for my taste.

9) Samuel Sterns/The Leader in Captain America: Brave New World

The movie “Captain America: New World Order” brought about some alterations within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), leaving us curious about which changes might endure. For example, Tim Blake Nelson’s character Samuel Sterns, also known as the Leader, manages to survive until the credits and even appears in a post-credit scene where he hints at a significant danger ahead. However, considering the mixed response to the character design and overall film reception, there’s uncertainty about whether we’ll see him again in the future.

Similar to numerous other entries on this list, the shortcoming of the Leader character in Brave New World isn’t attributable to the actor who played him. Instead, it primarily stems from insufficiently developed characterization in the script and, as has been observed in some later phase MCU films, below-par CGI effects. Unfortunately, this marked a rather disappointing comeback for Samuel Sterns, who hadn’t appeared on screen for 17 years, and also provided an unimpressive debut of one of Marvel’s most renowned villains that had yet to be explored within the cinematic universe.

8) Whiplash in Iron Man 2

The movies comprising MCU Phase One generally had a solid reputation, with both their film quality and the villains they featured scoring high marks. However, it was mostly just Whiplash from Iron Man 2 who failed to impress among the villains presented, and there were various factors contributing to this.

Mickey Rourke, having recently starred in “The Wrestler” that marked his brief return to prominence, is a versatile actor. However, some of his deliveries in this Marvel Cinematic Universe film are unintentionally humorous. The main issue, though, lies in the fact that many scenes featuring Whiplash were apparently cut. As a result, he doesn’t evolve beyond being a character with a thick accent and a vendetta, who occasionally appears to discuss his bird and blood in the water.

7) Dreykov in Black Widow

It can be argued that Olga Kurylenko’s character Antonia Dreykov (Taskmaster) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was severely underused considering her potential. Although her role was relatively small in Black Widow, she made a significant impact, particularly during the action scenes. Following the Thunderbolts events, it appears that she might have had more to offer if given a larger platform.

While Black Widow‘s main antagonist, General Dreykov, appears intriguing on paper, the screen portrayal falls short. His daughter was disfigured by the protagonist, sparking his rage. He runs an operation that brainwashes women into becoming assassins and, unfortunately, his own daughter is among them. However, despite these compelling aspects of his character, there’s limited screen time dedicated to him, leaving many viewers yearning for a deeper understanding of who he truly is. Instead, the focus is more on the actions perpetrated by or against him rather than on his personality and motivations.

6) Ronan the Accuser in Guardians of the Galaxy

In a different interpretation, Ronan the Accuser might have had potential for greatness. Regrettably, he turned out to be the most feeble aspect in James Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” series. Fortunately, it appears that Gunn understood this flaw and introduced complex and engaging villains in the subsequent films instead.

Fundamentally, Ronan gives off an unfriendly vibe, pursuing a valuable item. However, it’s important to note that the main characters also have this trait. The distinction lies in the charming nature of these protagonists, many of whom possess motivations beyond just acquiring the item for personal use.

5) Gravik in Secret Invasion

Despite the fact that Gravik played a significant role in one of the most intense scenes from an MCU TV series, overall he falls short and misses the mark. Similar to many aspects of Secret Invasion, the character development for Gravik seems hurried, moving at breakneck speed.

Kingsley Ben-Adir delivers an excellent performance, yet the script for the series portrays him as either a persistent, uninteresting political activist with shallow motivations or a large, monstrous green character. Neither depiction is successful. It’s worth mentioning that the show Secret Invasion itself faces similar issues.

4) Kro in Eternals

As a film enthusiast, I must admit that in Marvel’s Eternals, it’s Richard Madden’s Ikaris who ultimately emerges as the main antagonist. However, for a significant portion of the movie, it seems like one of the Deviants, particularly Kro voiced brilliantly by Bill Skarsgård, is the villain. Despite Skarsgård’s exceptional talent, the character fails to leave a lasting impression, whether positive or negative.

In simpler terms, the character Kro appears sporadically and looks like other computer-generated characters in the movie. Despite his actions, such as killing a beloved character, we don’t harbor hate or anger towards him because he’s just a digital creation. Being a CGI character doesn’t automatically make them weak, but it requires the script to put extra effort into developing their personalities. Unfortunately, in the movie “Eternals”, this isn’t effectively done.

3) M.O.D.O.K. in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Overreliance on Kang the Conqueror’s future was arguably one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s biggest blunders in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, but it wasn’t the most egregious. That title goes to its depiction of M.O.D.O.K.

Quantumania, but it wasn’t the worst; that would be how they portrayed M.O.D.O.K.

On paper, M.O.D.O.K., short for Mechanized Organism Designed Only for Killing, appears as an imposing antagonist. However, when translated into live-action, he becomes more of a laughing stock. What makes this worse is that his character seems to be intentionally crafted as a giant joke. To add insult to injury, the CGI used in portraying him in the MCU is arguably the worst ever seen, resulting in an overall catastrophe for M.O.D.O.K. And much like the following entries, he is a strong contender for the top spot in the list of disappointments.

2) Malekith in Thor: The Dark World

In simpler terms, the villains presented in the MCU’s Phase One were generally outstanding, with Iron Monger and Abomination being particularly notable, albeit with Iron Monger being more of an enhanced version of the main character. Loki and Red Skull also made impressive antagonists, while Whiplash was less successful in his role.

As a movie enthusiast, let me share my perspective: The second chapter began with not one, but two underwhelming antagonists. Malekith from “Thor: The Dark World” was more of a damp squib compared to Aldrich Killian. Unlike the fiery villain, Malekith lacked any significant impact, offering nothing more than a generic big bad. It’s not that Christopher Eccleston, a skilled actor known for his commitment to his roles, failed; rather, it was the script that fell short. Malekith is essentially an elf driven by power, vengeance, and a desire to bring destruction upon a city.

1) Todd Phelps / HulkKing in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

From my perspective as a fan, in the world of comics, HulkKing was an advanced, power-packed version of the iconic Hulk. However, in the series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, he transforms into Todd Phelps, a 20-something, somewhat misogynistic character portrayed by the actor from Baywatch. In this series, Jennifer Walters goes on a date with him and recognizes his rude behavior, leading to no second encounter. This rejection seems to have left him disgruntled.

Overall, She-Hulk isn’t typically an MCU project that’s easy to take seriously, and Phelps is particularly grating. When he transforms into Hulkling, thanks to Walters’ blood, he falls short of portraying a menacing big bad and instead feels like a poorly executed CGI version of a familiar character. It remains to be seen if Walters will have more significant roles in the MCU, but it’s been three years since her Disney+ series and Tatiana Maslany hasn’t been confirmed for future projects such as Avengers: Doomsday. Here’s to hoping she’ll return, as Maslany was undeniably the best part of the show.

2025-06-05 23:16