The Marvel Cinematic Universe is reaching the end of the Multiverse Saga, with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars depicting the epic battle between the Avengers and Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. The future beyond Secret Wars remains a mystery, with Kevin Feige dropping hints at a multiversal reset that will give the MCU a fresh start ahead of its next saga.
If the Infinity Saga had Thanos and the Multiverse Saga has Doctor Doom, the MCU’s next three phases will need a big bad of their own. Countless villains from Marvel Comics could fill this role as the next saga begins, from dangerous eldritch beings to unknown entities from the Negative Zone. Some could even rival Thanos and Doctor Doom as the MCU’s most powerful villain yet.
Galactus Is Already Making Moves in the MCU
Close up of Galactus with his eyes aglow in The Fantastic Four First Steps official artwork (1)Image via Marvel Studios
Galactus is one of Marvel’s strongest characters and has now finally made his first appearance in the MCU. The Fantastic Four: First Steps features the titular team’s battle with the Devourer of Worlds, who wields the Power Cosmic and is always aided by a herald. While First Steps itself takes place in the alternate reality of Earth-838, Galactus has been confirmed as an absolute being, meaning that he has no variants. Any version of Galactus seen across universes is the same, even if he may take a slightly different form in each.
Galactus is too important to be a one-off character in the MCU. The cosmic space-being will appear again, and next time, he may come to Earth-616. The next MCU saga could take things to a cosmic level as the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men team up to save their world from the Devourer. This would also give the Fantastic Four a chance to take a leading role in the next major crossover, as Galactus has traditionally been one of their opponents over the years.
Apocalypse Is Rumored to Be the MCU’s Next Main Antagonist
Apocalypse is one of the most dangerous enemies of the X-Men in Marvel Comics. An ancient mutant with godlike powers and four Horsemen at his disposal, Apocalypse has been the center of several major crossover events in the comics over the years. The X-Men franchise attempted to adapt the villain in 2016 with Oscar Isaac playing him, but this version of the character was widely disliked by longtime fans of the comics.
After Fox’s abysmal version of Apocalypse, the character deserves a proper adaptation in the MCU. Some rumors maintain that he could even be the MCU’s next big bad, taking Doctor Doom’s place as the main antagonist of the so-called “Mutant Saga.” As one of the X-Men’s most powerful villains, Apocalypse is the perfect choice for their main enemy in the MCU, which could usher in a live-action “Age of Apocalypse” adaptation.
Ultron Deserves to Return as a Bigger Threat
Ultron is one of the most disappointing villains in the MCU. An artificial intelligence designed by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner with the express purpose of protecting the world against existential threats, Ultron concluded that humanity was its own worst enemy and opted to wipe out the entire Earth’s population. He was defeated during the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, leaving many longtime fans of the comics disappointed with Ultron’s relatively short run in the MCU. However, recent events could set up an even bigger arc for Ultron moving forward.
Ultron is confirmed to return in the upcoming Vision Quest Disney+ series, suggesting that he wasn’t completely destroyed in his previous appearance. Vision Quest could set up Ultron’s next attempt to take over the world, which could continue to play out in Phases 7 through 9. In the comics, Ultron is known to continually reinvent himself, coming back stronger each time he is defeated. The next MCU saga could follow his continued upgrades, as he grows stronger and stronger ahead of his final battle with the Avengers.
Magneto Would Give the X-Men a Central Place in the MCU
Magneto is finally coming to the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday, with Sir Ian McKellen reprising his iconic villain role from Fox’s X-Men franchise. However, the role will likely be recast in upcoming MCU projects as the franchise reboots the X-Men for a new generation. Magento will certainly be a big part of this new version of the X-Men, but could also turn out to be an Avengers-level threat.
Marvel undoubtedly wants to make the X-Men the focal point of the MCU’s next saga. The best way to do so would be to make one of the team’s most iconic villains the new big bad. Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants could be the major threat of the “Mutant Saga,” forcing the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four to team up to stop them.
Kang the Conqueror’s Story Isn’t Finished Yet
Kang the Conqueror in QuantumaniaImage via Marvel Studios/Everett Collection
Jonathan Majors’s Kang the Conqueror was the original villain of the Multiverse Saga. The initial plans for Phases 4, 5, and 6 of the MCU were to have different Avengers fight Kang variants from all across the multiverse, culminating in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. However, Marvel was forced to adjust these plans when Majors was accused of domestic violence in late 2023, switching the focus of the Multiverse Saga to Doctor Doom.
Despite the controversy surrounding his actor, Kang the Conqueror could still return. Marvel never officially wrapped up the Kang storyline and could have plans to continue his arc after the Multiverse Saga. Some reports claim that Marvel was planning to shift focus to Doctor Doom before Majors’s firing, which could mean that his story simply didn’t fit in the Multiverse Saga and needed to be delayed until Phase 7 and beyond. Whether recast or with Majors returning, Kang’s story still needs to be told.
Annihilus Is a Powerful Tyrant From the Negative Zone
Annihilus is a dangerous enemy of the Fantastic Four in Marvel Comics. The villainous tyrant hails from the Negative Zone, where he rules with an iron fist thanks to the powers he attained from the Cosmic Control Rod. On many occasions, he has attempted to take over the Marvel Universe, but has always been beaten back by the Fantastic Four and their allies.
Annihilus would make for an interesting villain for the next saga of the MCU. His introduction would give the franchise a chance to explore the Negative Zone, which has yet to make an appearance. This saga could take the form of a loose adaptation of the “Annihilation” storyline from the comics.
The Celestials Are Returning to Judge the Earth
Eternals set up a major cliffhanger that has yet to be resolved in the MCU. At the end of the film, Sersi and several of her fellow Eternals are abducted by the Celestials, who vow to return and impose judgment on the Earth. The poor reception and box office for Eternals left the future of this franchise unclear, but Marvel could still return to this storyline in a major way.
A recent comics storyline titled “Judgment Day” depicted the Celestials’ judgment of humanity, with each individual person assessed and deemed worthy or unworthy of survival. The next MCU saga could pick up Eternals’ major cliffhanger with an adaptation of “Judgment Day,” which would force the Avengers and their fellow heroes to join forces against the Celestials to save Earth from certain death. This would be an excellent way to tie up some loose ends from the Multiverse Saga, while taking the MCU to new cosmic levels.
Kingpin is the Street-Level Villain Marvel Deserves
Historically, Marvel has favored powerful cosmic villains like Thanos and God Emperor Doom to act as the main villain of a saga. However, the MCU could surprise everyone by going street-level with its next saga. If this is the case, there is no better villain to use as the big bad than Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin. As seen in Daredevil: Born Again, Wilson Fisk is the new mayor of New York and has already caused irreparable damage to the city–and he shows no sign of stopping.
While Kingpin could be viewed as a step down for the MCU in terms of powerful villains, the franchise could use a street-level saga. Many of the MCU’s cosmic characters have failed to land with viewers during the events of the Multiverse Saga. Street-level heroes like Daredevil and Spider-Man, on the other hand, continue to be just as popular as ever. The next saga should see street-level heroes and villains take the spotlight, culminating in the final battle against the Kingpin.
Mephisto Will Be a Major Player in the MCU
At long last, Mephisto has made his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. During the events of Ironheart, Mephisto made a deal with Riri Williams, rewriting reality itself to restore her loved ones to life. The series ends on a massive cliffhanger, with Mephisto seemingly getting exactly what he wanted from Ironheart. While the devil’s next appearance has yet to be confirmed, Marvel fans can rest assured that he will have a major presence in the next saga.
Mephisto could be the main villain of the supernatural side of the MCU. Rumors have long speculated that the Midnight Sons are coming to the MCU, with supernatural heroes like Blade, Black Knight, Moon Knight, Man-Thing, and Doctor Strange coming together to fight threats far beyond the Avengers’ pay grade. If this team-up ever comes to fruition, Mephisto would be a powerful enough villain for an entire saga’s worth of projects.
Knull Could Unite the Marvel Multiverse
Knull (Andy Serkis) sits on his throne in Venom The Last DanceImage via Sony Pictures
Venom: The Last Dance introduced the powerful eldritch being known as Knull to live-action, hinting that he could be the overarching villain of the Sony Spider-Man Universe. Although the SSU is now officially defunct, this doesn’t have to be the end of Knull’s story. With Sony’s permission, Marvel Studios could take over Knull’s future by pitting him against the Avengers of Earth-616.
In the “King in Black” comic book storyline, Knull wages war on the heroes of Earth with an army of symbiotes at his disposal. This is widely regarded as one of Marvel’s best comic book crossovers of the decade and would be incredible to see play out in the MCU. A “Symbiote Saga” pitting Knull against the MCU’s heroes would not only be epic, but it would also give characters like Spider-Man and Venom to take the lead of the franchise in Phases 7, 8, and 9.