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With Black Panther: Wakanda Forever set to conclude Phase Four on November 11, Phase 5 will delve deeper into the multiverse and set up the major conflicts in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. Though Phase Four gave a glimpse of where the story may go before the grand finale, so much story needs to be told before reaching the endpoint.
While little is yet known about the next two Avengers projects, fans expect the latter to take inspiration from Spider-Man: No Way Home and its comic book counterpart by introducing villains to wage war against the heroes summoned to Battleworld. Though some of these villains may hail from Earth-616, there are plenty of multiversal antagonists that could also appear in the film.
Magneto
Sir Ian McKellan’s Magneto is one of the greatest comic book villains of all time. The magnet-wielding leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants has become a fan favorite character over the decades for his tragic backstory, genius schemes, and the true danger he poses to the members of the X-Men.
With the indication that certain mutants could appear as early as Deadpool 3, fans are eager to see certain fan favorites return to the big screen one last time. Now that Patrick Stewart has returned in Multiverse of Madness and Hugh Jackman is set to reprise his role as Wolverine in Deadpool 3, Magneto remains the last of the three major mutants that has not yet appeared in the MCU, with Secret Wars beginning to feel like the last opportunity to amend this mistake.
Green Goblin
Norman Osborn, also known as the Green Goblin, is one of Spider-Man’s greatest villains of all time. First appearing in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, Willem Dafoe portrayed this iconic villain to perfection, reprising his role once more in Spider-Man: No Way Home and proving himself to be a threat in any universe.
Although Norman was seemingly cured of his darker half at the end of No Way Home, different variants of his character have not had the same treatment. This would allow for any number of variations on Dafoe’s Green Goblin to appear one last time in Secret Wars, following the 1984 comic book series’ storyline involving the world’s greatest villains being transported to Battleworld to fight the world’s greatest heroes.
Baron Mordo (Earth-838)
Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Baron Mordo appears to be a villain in every universe, as his Earth-838 counterpart proved to hate Doctor Strange just as much as the Earth-616 Mordo. The new Sorcerer Supreme took his place on the Illuminati following Earth-838 Strange’s death and was present for the Scarlet Witch’s rampage.
Mordo was the only surviving member of the Illuminati following the events of Multiverse of Madness, perhaps hinting that he could yet return. Though he may also appear in the as-yet-unannounced Doctor Strange 3, he is more likely to show up in Secret Wars, wherein the incursions that the Illuminati so desperately tried to avoid will finally transpire.
Wanda Maximoff (Earth-838)
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness saw Wanda Maximoff prove herself to be one of the MCU’s strongest villains, using an arcane method known as Dreamwalking to possess the body of her Earth-838 variant to pursue Doctor Strange and America Chavez. This variant killed the Illuminati and was left alive by the end of the film.
If Earth-616 Wanda is truly dead, it would make sense for this alternate version of the character, who is admittedly far more heroic in nature, to carry on in her stead. Fans are certainly ready for more Scarlet Witch in the MCU, and Secret Wars seems like the perfect place to re-introduce the character for future projects.
Doctor Octopus
Alfred Molina’s Doctor Otto Octavius, otherwise known as Doctor Octopus, is one of the all-time classic supervillains in cinema. First appearing in Spider-Man 2, the villain left a lasting impression that would portend his return in Spider-Man: No Way Home alongside several other classic Spider-Man antagonists.
Though the villains of No Way Home were cured by the end of the film, Doctor Octopus remained the sole member of the group to retain his superpowers, given that they were attained technologically rather than physiologically. As such, he could still return in future projects, though his alignment therein would remain up for debate.
The Vulture
Michael Keaton’s Vulture made his debut in Spider-Man: Homecoming but has recently been the subject of confused conversation, as the post-credit scenes of Morbius confirmed that, somehow, he had been transferred to an alternate reality following the events of No Way Home.
Sony is clearly setting up Keaton’s villain for something in the near future, and though many suspect that he will appear in a Sinister Six lineup, it may be more satisfying to see the villain reunite with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in Secret Wars. Given that Sony’s universe is still very much in flux, hedging their bets with a Secret Wars crossover may be the best choice for the future of the character.
Morbius
Morbius introduced audiences to Jared Leto’s eponymous antihero, who has become a frequent topic of discussion for fans following the catastrophic box office failure of his first solo outing (via Box Office Mojo). Nevertheless, the film’s post-credits scene indicates that he may yet have a future in Sony’s cinematic universe, though that future remains unclear.
While Sony struggles to uphold its cinematic universe of Marvel characters, they will certainly take any opportunity to gain from the success of the MCU. If given the chance, the company would undoubtedly be thrilled to have their most recent antihero join the Avengers in what is sure to be the biggest MCU film yet.
Bullseye
Colin Farrell’s Bullseye was anything but the best part of the already abysmal 2003 Daredevil film, starring Ben Affleck as the titular vigilante superhero. The villain was mocked for his over-the-top nature and strange characterization, causing many fans to discount Farrell as a comic book movie actor.
Despite his early struggles in the genre, Farrell has certainly won many fans back over to his side with his recent portrayal of the Penguin in Matt Reeves’s The Batman. As such, Marvel would be wise to capitalize on their opportunity to simultaneously cash in on Farrell’s recent success and redeem one of their biggest failures.
Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom is one of the most highly-anticipated villains set to join the MCU within the next few years, with many wondering who might play the villainous dictator. As the most recognizable villain of the Fantastic Four, many suspect that he could be introduced in the team’s upcoming reboot, if not even sooner.
Doctor Doom is an incredibly important character in both the 1984 and 2015 Secret Wars stories in Marvel Comics. Given that the MCU seems primed to adapt the latter of these two renditions, it would be nearly impossible to do so without the presence of Doom. Nevertheless, it remains unclear how the villain will be introduced in the MCU, with some suggesting that introducing an alternate-reality version might be the easiest way to explain his absence thus far in the franchise.
Classic Loki
Classic Loki is a Loki variant portrayed by Richard E. Grant who is introduced in the first season of Loki. This alternate-reality god of mischief lived his life precisely as the MCU’s Loki, except that he survived Thanos’s raid on the Statesman during the events of Infinity War. He seemingly died in the fifth episode of Loki, distracting Alioth while his two variants penetrate the Fortress at the End of Time.
Classic Loki quickly proved to be a favorite among fans following his introduction, leaving many viewers to wonder if they would ever see him again. The variant, known for his ability to fake his own death, could certainly appear in future multiversal MCU projects, with Secret Wars seeming like the most plausible option. Ultimately, it would be a shame to see a talented actor like Grant wasted in a one-off appearance, making the return of Classic Loki essential, whether it be in Secret Wars, Loki season 2, or some other adventure in the near future.
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