10 Powerful MCU Villains We Want To See Return After Ultron

After Ultron, there are several other powerful villains that would be great to see return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Every good superhero story needs a formidable and terrifying supervillain, and Marvel Studios has delivered some of the most memorable and powerful antagonists over the course of the MCU’s 16-year history. One of these villains, Avengers: Age of Ultron’s titular Ultron, will be returning in 2026’s upcoming Vision series. This could open the door for even more classic foes to come back to the MCU.

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Unfortunately, some of Marvel Comics’ most notable villains have been wasted in the MCU, with many relegated to one-and-done antagonists, where they perhaps should have been persistent threats. Bringing some of these villains back in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga would create the perfect opportunity for them to receive more development. This could benefit the likes of Mac Gargan, Baron Mordo and Malekith, while prominent villains such as the Red Skull, Hela and Thanos could also return to wreak havoc on the MCU.

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A hero is usually only as compelling as their villains, and the MCU has delivered a wide range of antagonists of varying power levels.

10 Johann Schmidt’s Red Skull

Red Skull First Appeared In Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Despite being one of Captain America’s most prominent and long-lasting enemies in Marvel Comics, Johann Schmidt’s Red Skull only battled the Star-Spangled-Man in one MCU movie, Captain America: The First Avenger. Ross Marquand portrayed the ghostly Red Skull in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, but he was transformed into a simple guardian of the Soul Stone, rather than a real threat. Original Red Skull actor Hugo Weaving revealed to Yahoo! Entertainment in 2020 that he didn’t reprise the villainous role due to contract disputes with Marvel Studios, though he “loved playing that character,” and “would have done it.”

I loved playing that character, Red Skull – it was a lot of fun. We were all obliged to sign up for three pictures: I was thinking [Red Skull] probably wouldn’t come back in Captain America, but he may well come back as a villain in The Avengers. By then, they’d pushed back on the contracts that we agreed on and so the money they offered me for The Avengers was much less than I got for the very first one, and this was for two films. And the promise when we first signed the contracts was that the money would grow each time. They said: ‘It’s just a voice job, it’s not a big deal.’ I actually found negotiating with them through my agent impossible. And I didn’t really wanna do it that much. But I would have done it.

Ross Marquand did a great job at embodying the Red Skull in Infinity War and Endgame. Even so, just as James Spader is returning as Ultron, a character Marquand also voiced in What If…?, Weaving could change his mind and bring the Red Skull back to the MCU. It would be fantastic to see the Red Skull return in full force, perhaps to take on Sam Wilson’s new Captain America, especially since there are over eight decades of Red Skull stories that haven’t been explored in live-action.

9 Brock Rumlow’s Crossbones

Brock Rumlow First Appeared In Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Frank Grillo’s debut as Brock Rumlow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier was game-changing for the MCU. Not only was he at the forefront of the big reveal that HYDRA had been growing within SHIELD, but The Winter Soldier also teased him being a significant threat in future MCU projects, as he survived the collapse of the Triskelion and became the armored villain Crossbones. Unfortunately, Rumlow’s Crossbones was killed in the opening moments of 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, immediately ridding the MCU of this promising villain.

Speaking to Comicbook.com in 2023, Frank Grillo expressed his disappointment with Crossbones’ treatment in the MCU, citing this as the reason he made the move to James Gunn’s new DC Universe, in which he’ll portray Rick Flag Sr. Grillo’s resentment towards Marvel Studios perhaps means he won’t return as Crossbones, though the fact that he loves the character and sees more potential in him could convince him to rejoin the MCU to do Crossbones justice. As a prominent Captain America villain and eventual Thunderbolts member, Crossbones could have a bright future in the MCU, should he return.

[Marvel] never told a story [about Crossbones]. The mythology of the MCU and just what Marvel has in its pool of characters, it’s so deep. Crossbones was there for a minute, but he was supposed to be there longer, then they went the direction they did. I think Crossbones serves a purpose, but I think the interesting thing is that if you see how many people around the world have responded to Crossbones, and again, he’s on the screen for a very f–king short amount of time, I think there’s more there. I think there was more meat on the bone. I was disappointed, which is why I went over to DC.

8 Mac Gargan’s Scorpion

Mac Gargan First Appeared In Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Spider-Man: Homecoming’s tease of Mac Gargan’s evolution into the Scorpion has become one of the MCU’s most annoying loose ends. Michael Mando’s debut in Homecoming was very exciting, and his connection to Michael Keaton’s Vulture could have teased the MCU’s Sinister Six team, but Marvel Studios has done nothing with Gargan in the years since. With a new Spider-Man trilogy in development for the MCU, however, now might be the perfect time for Mac Gargan to return, and complete his transformation into the Scorpion.

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The Scorpion is considered to be one of Spider-Man’s greatest enemies in Marvel Comics, so it would be fantastic to see the relationship between Tom Holland’s Peter Parker and Michael Mando’s Mac Gargan develop in the MCU. There is speculation that the MCU’s first Thunderbolts team could actually be outed as the Dark Avengers, or could battle this more brutal team, and Gargan is an essential piece of the Dark Avengers puzzle. After the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, bringing Gargan back could pit Peter Parker against a familiar face, though one who wouldn’t remember him.

7 Hela

Hela First Appeared In Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Introduced as the older sister of Thor and Loki in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, Cate Blanchett’s Hela presented the God of Thunder with his most terrifying villain yet, but she was seemingly killed off in the same movie. However, Marvel Studios could use the “no body, no death” rule to bring Hela back to the MCU, as her demise wasn’t actually seen on-screen, but was simply implied. Hela debuted in Marvel Comics in 1964, making her one of Thor’s longest-running villains, and this should be translated into the MCU.

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While Hela could certainly return to the MCU as a villain, Marvel Animation’s What If…? season 2 introduced a very different version of the Goddess of Death. After training with Xu Wenwu, Hela transformed into a bona fide hero in What If…? season 2, fighting her father, Odin, to free herself from his control. She then set out to free others across the universe, and this could potentially lead her across the multiverse. This creates the opportunity for Cate Blanchett to return as the heroic iteration of Hela in live-action, which would be an incredible development for the character.

6 Ulysses Klaue

Ulysses Klaus First Appeared In Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)

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Andy Serkis is one of the biggest examples of a stellar actor who has been wasted in the MCU. Serkis debuted as Ulysses Klaue in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but had a bigger role as a minor antagonist in 2018’s Black Panther, and that’s it. In Marvel Comics, Ulysses Klaue’s Klaw is an antagonist to the likes of the Fantastic Four, the Black Panther, Ka-Zar and the Avengers, but he was seriously underutilized in the MCU, but this could still be rectified in the franchise’s future if Andy Serkis reprises the role.

Ulysses Klaue is very different in Marvel Comics, as while he has a sonic arm in the MCU, his comic counterpart has been transformed into a being composed of solid sound.

While Black Panther saw Killmonger kill Ulysses Klaue, flashbacks in upcoming projects or historical MCU installments could detail the villain’s invasion of Wakanda in the 1990s to steal vibranium. This was a milestone moment in Wakanda’s history, so it could perhaps be explored in Marvel Animation’s upcoming Eyes of Wakanda series, which will be canon to the MCU’s main continuity. This would provide the best chance for Serkis to return as Ulysses Klaue, making him an even greater threat in the MCU’s history.

5 Malekith

Malekith First Appeared In Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Malekith, the King of the Dark Elves, is another notable villain from Marvel Comics who was completely fumbled in the MCU. 2013’s Thor: The Dark World is widely regarded as one of the franchise’s weakest projects, which meant that Christopher Eccleston’s talents could be put on full display as Malekith. Similarly to Hela, the “no body, no death” rule could be used to bring Malekith back to the MCU, as while he was last seen seemingly being crushed by his own ship on Svartalfheim, it’s very possible this powerful being could have survived.

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Malekith’s return could be very exciting for the MCU, especially if Marvel Studios decides to adapt Marvel Comics’ expansive War of the Realms event from 2019. This could pit Malekith against a huge number of heroes in the MCU, as this story sees him invade Midgard, a.k.a. Earth. Since Chris Hemsworth wants a darker tone for Thor 5, which hasn’t yet been confirmed by Marvel Studios, reintroducing a more comic-accurate version of Malekith could be the perfect way to accomplish this, while redeeming the villain from his disappointing stint in Thor: The Dark World.

4 Baron Mordo

Baron Mordo First Appeared In Doctor Strange (2016)

Baron Karl Mordo originally began his relationship with Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange as a staunch ally and protector of Kamar-Taj and the Mystic Arts. However, through Strange’s repetitive breaking of the natural laws, most notably by using the Time Stone, Mordo became embittered and eventually turned his back on Strange. Doctor Strange’s post-credits scene saw Mordo vow to rid the world of sorcerers, but this loose end hasn’t been addressed in the eight years since, which has spurred calls for Mordo to return to the MCU.

An alternate version of Baron Mordo from Earth-838 was played by Chiwetel Ejiofor in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but this iteration had no connection to his Earth-616 counterpart. Some theories have suggested that Ejiofor’s role in Sony’s upcoming Venom: The Last Dance may somehow connect to Mordo in the MCU, but this is yet to be confirmed. It would be brilliant to see Mordo return to continue his conquest against the world’s sorcerers, but it’s also possible Marvel Studios may have simply moved on from this story.

3 Dormammu

Dormammu First Appeared In Doctor Strange (2016)

Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Mordo wasn’t the only villain featured in 2016’s Doctor Strange, and perhaps the fact that there were so many meant that none really got the development they deserved. Dormammu, the otherworldly ruler of the Dark Dimension, only appeared briefly towards the end of Doctor Strange, and was easily bested thanks to Strange’s use of the Time Stone, trapping them both in a never-ending loop. Dormammu has been a recurring antagonist to Marvel Comics’ Doctor Strange since 1964, so his return to the MCU must be inevitable.

Taking power from the Dark Dimension and Dormammu gave Kaecilius and his zealots incredible gifts, and also allowed the Ancient One to sustain her long life, controversially.

This is especially true after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ mid-credits scene. After ending the Scarlet Witch’s rampage across the multiverse, Doctor Strange was met in the street by Charlize Theron’s Clea, who is Dormammu’s niece in Marvel Comics. Together, they seemed to jump into the Dark Dimension to stop an incursion event, which may set up Dormammu to have a bigger role in the as-yet-unconfirmed Doctor Strange 3. Dormammu has an incomprehensible level of power, so it will be great to see him return as a formidable MCU villain.

2 Justin Hammer

Justin Hammer First Appeared In Iron Man 2 (2010)

Sam Rockwell’s charismatic Justin Hammer hasn’t been seen in live-action since 2010’s Iron Man 2 and the following All Hail the King One-Shot. This is one of the biggest travesties of the MCU, as Rockwell is a remarkable actor who has time-and-again expressed interest in reprising the role, most recently on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Noting that he’s “waiting for the phone call,” and stating, “I’m in,” Rockwell seems to be open to coming back as Justin Hammer, and this could now be more likely than ever.

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Sam Rockwell recently returned to voice a variant of Justin Hammer in What If…? season 2, and has been the subject of heavy speculation suggesting he could reprise the role in live-action in the MCU’s Armor Wars movie. Justin Hammer plays a role in Marvel Comics’ Armor Wars event, and, as a notable villain to Tony Stark’s Iron Man, it would make sense for him to return in an Iron Man-esque movie, focused on Don Cheadle’s War Machine. Armor Wars doesn’t yet have a release date, but this could bring Justin Hammer back to the MCU very soon.

1 Thanos

Thanos First Appeared In The Avengers (2012)

The Mad Titan, Thanos, was the most significant villain in the MCU’s Infinity Saga, and since he made appearances in five feature films before being defeated by Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, some may suggest he doesn’t need to return. However, back in February, Thanos actor Josh Brolin revealed to Comicbook.com that he had heard “through the grapevine” that Thanos would be brought back. There are many opportunities for Thanos to return in Marvel Studios’ upcoming projects, specifically in Phase 6’s much anticipated Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Thanos’ Live-Action MCU Movie	Year	Actor
The Avengers	2012	Damion Poitier
Guardians of the Galaxy	2014	Josh Brolin
Avengers: Age of Ultron	2015	Josh Brolin
Avengers: Infinity War	2018	Josh Brolin
Avengers: Endgame	2019	Josh Brolin

Thanos plays a huge role in Marvel Comics’ Secret Wars event from 2015 as a member of the Cabal, a group hoping to stop the multiverse’s destruction by eliminating alternate worlds before they can collide with Earth-616. This brutality is certainly something the MCU’s Thanos would take part in, but this could lead to the iconic showdown between Thanos and Doctor Doom, who will be played by the returning Robert Downey Jr.. Bringing Thanos back to the MCU would be a brilliant way to bridge the gap between the Infinity Saga and Multiverse Saga.

We’re Still Waiting For Many Multiverse Saga Villains To Return, Too

While it would be amazing to see any number of powerful Infinity Saga villains return to the MCU, there are also many newly-introduced Multiverse Saga villains that are yet to make reappearances. Among them, the likes of the High Evolutionary, Namor, Xu Xialing, Kingpin and Kang the Conqueror haven’t yet fully made their mark on the MCU. Vincent D’Onforio will return as Kingpin in Daredevil: Born Again, and Kang the Conqueror is still expected to be recast in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though the futures of many other villains are less certain.

Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.

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