Credit: Marvel StudiosAs most people on the internet will tell you, a hero is only as good as their villain. Fortunately, the MCU has plenty of epic villains to battle with their squad of superheroes.
While the world’s most recognized supervillains belong to DC, and most of those belong to Batman, there are still many great heroes within the world of Marvel that have more than held their own for decades, including Red Skull, Doctor Doom, and even Alexander Pierce if you like your bad guys to be more political.
For this particular list, we will only include villains who have made at least one appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This means they have to be featured in a movie or television series under the Marvel Studios banner. That means while Sony Pictures and Columbia have made some great Marvel movies with awesome villains, they technically don’t count for this list.
Related: The Creepiest Villains In the Marvel Cinematic Universe
On top of this rule, not every television series that has been released since the original Iron Man (2008) counts as part of the MCU. For example, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013-2020) would count, but Jessica Jones (2015-2019), The Punisher (2017-2019), and Marvel’s Luke Cage (2016-2018) do not.
And that’s all there is to it! So without further ado, let’s take a look at the best MCU villains.
11. Marvel Zombies – ‘What If…?’ (2021-present)
This one may seem like a bit of a cop-out since Zombies are considered particularly cliched, especially after The Walking Dead franchise lasted for well over a decade. Nevertheless, these particular zombies are far scarier than your everyday brain-eater since they retain the intelligence and powers of the superheroes they consume.
After Hank Pym brings an infected Janet van Dyne back from the Quantum Realm, they proceed to infect multiple Marvel heroes, including Tony Stark/Iron Man, Steve Rogers/Captain America, and Doctor Strange. The Marvel Zombies continue to kill and infect every living human in America. It serves as a loving and terrifying tribute to one of the best and most gruesome limited series in Marvel Comics.
Some may argue that zombies shouldn’t count since they’re only in a single episode of a spinoff animated series that doesn’t even affect MCU canon. However, you cannot deny the effectiveness and sheer terror that comes with a superpowered zombie.
10. Kingpin – ‘Hawkeye’ (2021)
One of the characters audiences have seen the most in Marvel productions is William Fisk, AKA Kingpin. A powerful crime lord, Kingpin has been featured in the Daredevil movie (2003) starring Ben Affleck, the Daredevil TV show (2015-2018) starring Charlie Cox, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018).
However, his only performance that was technically in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was in Hawkeye, where he was portrayed again by Vincent D’Onofrio. While he wasn’t in the series for very long, he still made a massive impact with his ruthless tactics and willingness to kill anyone who got in his way, whether they were friends or foes.
Kingpin may seem pretty low on this list since he is such an important villain in many heroes’ lives, but this is only temporary. He is set to appear in the Hawkeye spinoff Echo (2023) as well as the new Daredevil series Daredevil: Born Again (2024). After that, he’ll likely move up even higher on this list.
9. Gorr the God Butcher – ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ (2022)
Look, Thor: Love and Thunder was disappointing. Nothing lived up to the expectations set by the surprising quirkiness of Thor: Ragnarok (2017). Still, there were some great moments and characters, and none of them stood out nearly as much as Gorr the God Butcher.
Gorr the God Butcher’s whole deal is right there in his name: he butchers gods, and it’s pretty gory. He is also the scariest villain in all of Marvel. Gorr pulls all the stops from appearing primarily in black and white, commanding darkness, controlling vines, and killing a cat-like creature in front of a group of children.
Christian Bale is clearly having a great time in the role and is precisely the type of actor you want as a villain. In everything he does, Christian Bale commits 100%. And his performance as Gorr the God Butcher is no different.
8. Adrian Toomes/Vulture – ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ (2017)
Related: Top 10 Easter Eggs In ‘Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse’
In a world filled with gods, geniuses, and magic users, some guy who works in scrap metal shouldn’t be so interesting. But with Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton), we get a look at the everyman most affected by Tony Stark and the Avengers. And the results aren’t always positive.
After losing a job cleaning up the Battle of New York to Tony Stark’s company, Toomes and his employees turned to trafficking weapons. He needed the money to take care of his family, and that seemed like the only option left. Once Spider-Man began to interfere, Toomes did the only thing he could do: create a bird-like exoskeleton and go by Vulture.
This is all already enough for a good MCU villain, but things really kick into high gear near the end when it’s revealed that he’s the father of the girl Peter Parker is taking to Homecoming. Naturally, Adrian Toomes figures out his identity and proceeds to give him the scariest talk a parent of a potential significant other could possibly give. Unlike every other villain on this list, Vulture is driven by empathy and love for his family. It’s just that he thinks he has to hurt other people to take care of them.
7. Agatha Harkness – WandaVision (2021)
WandaVision is still the best show to come out of Marvel Studios. It’s boldly stylistic, funny, and heartbreaking. You find yourself caring about every character, whether it’s Wanda, Monica Rambeau, or Dennis the Mailman. However, the biggest breakout performance is easily Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness.
Known initially as Wanda’s friend Agnes, Agatha Harkness is revealed to be a powerful witch who secretly aids Wanda with her magical takeover of Westview, New Jersey. While Wanda never knew who she was, Agatha kidnapped her children and manipulated her to absorb her powers. And she killed Sparky, too!
A big reason that Agatha Harkness is on this list is because of Kathryn Hahn’s performance. A witch hasn’t been this likable since the Sanderson Sisters in Hocus Pocus (1993). Whenever she’s onscreen, it’s hard to look away. Fortunately, we’re going to get an entire show about her on Disney+: Agatha: Coven of Chaos (2023).
6. Norman Osborn/Green Goblin – ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (2021)
One of the biggest highlights from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films was the villains. All of them are memorable, with wonderful performances from Alfred Molina as Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus, Thomas Haden Church as Flint Marko/Sandman, and Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin. However, it was Dafoe that made the most significant impact in the MCU.
Spider-Man: No Way Home brings back villains from all three modern versions of Spider-Man. Of them all, Norman Osborne has the saddest story. He is in a constant battle with his second evil personality, Green Goblin, resulting in multiple attacks against Peter Parker and the death of Aunt May. Despite these heinous acts, you can’t help but feel sorry for the guy.
No one can chew scenery like Willem Dafoe, and he is in prime form here. However, you also get to see his more vulnerable side when he’s playing Norman Osborn. Basically, you get The Boondock Saints (1999) Dafoe and The Florida Project (2017) Dafoe. What’s not to love?
5. Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch – ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ (2014), ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ (2015), ‘Captain America: Civil War’ (2016), ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018), ‘Avengers: Endgame (2019), ‘WandaVision’ (2021), ‘Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness’ (2022)
Related: 10 Female Superheroes In the MCU Ranked From Worst to Best
No one has flopped back and forth between villain and hero more than Wanda Maximoff. This goes hand in hand with all the loss she’s experienced throughout her life. Throughout her time in the MCU, Wanda loses her brother, her home country, her lover, her children, and her lover again. While some may not be real, the emotional toll is still the same.
That being said, Wanda’s hands aren’t clean in this situation. She has augmented the minds of a whole town, killed the Avengers of another universe, and even used the literal Book of the Damned to lay siege on Kamar-Taj. She became ruthless, obliterating anyone who got in the way of what she wanted: a family. It was at this moment she truly became the Scarlet Witch.
Even in her own show, WandaVision, it’s hard to argue that Wanda Maximoff is a hero. She has literally taken control of an entire town. Sure, you feel bad for her, but that is not the action of a hero. Wanda has lost so much that she is now willing to do anything to get the family and affection she has always wanted. And even though she sacrificed herself and died at the end of Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, it would surprise no one if she returned.
4. The High Evolutionary – ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ (2023)
There are many reasons for a villain to stand out. Sometimes it’s their sympathetic backstory. Sometimes they’re unbelievably powerful. But in the case of The High Evolutionary, Rocket Raccoon’s creator, he’s the most purely evil character in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The High Evolutionary’s list of offenses is long. It includes running genetic tests on animals, kidnapping, torture, child abuse, and the genocide of an entire planet full of creatures he created. All of this is in the pursuit of creating the perfect society, a goal he’ll most likely never achieve because of his ridiculously high standards.
This works mainly because of Chukwudi Iwuji’s fantastic performance, bringing a Shakespearean gravitas to the character. He’s done so well that fans are suggesting that he should replace Jonathan Majors as Kang. And best of all, you can see him being saved by Drax at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, so Marvel Studios can bring him back whenever they want.
3. Thanos – ‘Avengers’ (2012), ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron’ (2015), ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018), ‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019)
Related: ‘Avatar’ Director James Cameron Says He Can “Relate to Thanos” – Claims Villain Had “Viable Answer”
When it comes to storytelling in superhero movies, a villain’s job is simple. Come up with a maniacal plan, defeat the heroes early on, and then lose to the heroes at the end. It’s simple. Apparently, Thanos didn’t get that memo because he is the only Marvel villain to actually succeed in their mission.
Thanos (Josh Brolin) went into Avengers: Infinity War with one goal: retrieve each Infinity Stone and create balance in the universe by destroying half of every living creature. Due to his brilliant strategic mind, sheer power, and assistance from the likes of Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian, he was able to do so. With a single snap, he completed his goal. Audiences can still hear Peter Parker saying, “Mr. Stark, I don’t feel so good.”
Afterward, he destroyed the stones so The Avengers could never reverse what he had done. While they eventually killed him, found a way to bring everyone back, and defeated a different Thanos from an alternate universe, the effects of that initial snap are felt in the Marvel universe to this day and will be for several Marvel Studio movies to come.
2. Erik “Killmonger” Stevens/N’Jadaka – Black Panther
To this day, no other movie from Marvel Studios feels as significant or substantial as Black Panther. The themes, the costumes, the world-building, the acting, everything just felt better. And this definitely applies to Killmonger, played incredibly by Michael B. Jordan.
N’Jadaka, more recognized by Erik Stevens, was banished from Wakanda alongside his father. After his father died, Stevens became a US Navy Seal with an unbelievably high body count, earning himself the nickname “Killmonger.” However, his long-term goal was to return to Wakanda, kill T’Challa to become king of Wakanda, and use its army and technology to conquer the world.
While Killmonger’s end goal is extreme, his motivations make sense. This is a man who has faced oppression and rejection his entire life, especially after being made an orphan by T’Challa’s father. It gets to the point that when T’Challa defeats him in their epic Black Panther mirror match, he’d rather die than be healed and spend the rest of his life imprisoned. And when he says, “Bury me in the ocean, with my ancestors that jumped from the ships, because they knew death was better than bondage,” you genuinely feel it. No other MCU villain has achieved that.
1. Loki – Thor (2011), Avengers (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Loki (2022-present)
Thor’s brother and arch-nemesis, Loki, has been the most charismatic villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It only made sense when he served as the main villain of the first Avengers movie. He’s devious, crafty, and manipulative, more so than anyone else on this list.
Loki goes on a journey through his time in the MCU, transitioning from passed-over son to adopted frost giant to a member of the Time Variance Authority, and the entire time he is a joy to watch. While some would argue that he’s transitioned into more of a hero role with his most recent ventures, remember that Loki is almost always looking out for one thing: himself. And there’s nothing that defines evil more than being selfish.
Tom Hiddleston’s Loki is a highlight in every Marvel movie he’s in and his chemistry with Chris Hemsworth is hilarious. He may not have snapped away half of the people in the universe or even been the most sympathetic bad guy. Still, no other character has been as consistently entertaining. And that’s why he’s the best MCU villain yet.
Who is your favorite MCU villain? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!