The MCU’s Phases 5 and 6 will introduce several new Marvel villains and bring a few established antagonists back in 2025. Due to Marvel Studios’ decrease in output, Deadpool & Wolverine stood alone as the only MCU movie released in 2024. Fortunately for the MCU, Deadpool & Wolverine became a massive hit at the box office, and it was accompanied by four similarly popular Disney+ shows: Echo, X-Men ’97, Agatha All Along, and What If…? season 3. While Marvel won’t reach the same output as previous years anytime soon, 2025 will see the release of more MCU projects, both on the big and the small screen.
In 2025, Marvel Studios’ upcoming MCU projects include the theatrical movies Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, as well as the animated Disney+ shows Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Daredevil: Born Again, Ironheart, Eyes of Wakanda, and Marvel Zombies, plus the live-action series Wonder Man. Phases 5 and 6 will introduce a few new heroes in 2025, such as Wonder Man‘s Simon Williams, Your Friendly Nieghborhood‘s Nico Minoru, and of course, the MCU’s Fantastic Four team. However, 2025 will see the introduction and return of a larger number of MCU villains.
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President Ross A.K.A. Red Hulk
Harrison Ford’s President Ross Will Transform Into The Red Hulk In Captain America: Brave New World
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Thaddeus Ross was one of the first MCU antagonists, introduced in Phase 1’s The Incredible Hulk as the mastermind behind Emil Blonsky’s transformation into the Abomination. After he tried to implement the Sokovia Accords in Captain America: Civil War and persecuted Natasha Romanoff in Black Widow, Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross is set to return in Captain America: Brave New World. As President of the United States, Ross makes amends with Captain America, but things are bound to take a dark turn when Ross transforms into the powerful Red Hulk.
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In the source material, Thaddeus Ross joins forces with The Leader and MODOK to absorb Bruce Banner’s Gamma energy and inject it into his own body, gaining the ability to transform into the Red Hulk. However, the MCU’s Red Hulk seems to have a different origin. Instead of seeking the original Hulk’s power, Harrison Ford’s President Ross may transform into the Red Hulk involuntarily after the Leader apparently injects him with Gamma radiation and turns him into his pawn.
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Samuel Sterns A.K.A. The Leader
Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns Returns In His Leader Form In Captain America: Brave New World
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Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns also made his MCU debut in Phase 1’s The Incredible Hulk, where he helped Bruce Banner find a (temporary) way to get rid of his Hulk alter ego before the Abomination knocked him into a set of Bruce Banner’s blood vials. The Incredible Hulk suggested that Samuel Sterns acquired enhanced abilities from Banner’s blood, but Sterns remained completely absent from the MCU for over sixteen years. Now, Samuel Sterns returns in Captain America: Brave New World as a shadowy figure who may be the villain responsible for President Ross’ transformation into Red Hulk in the Phase 5 movie.
The Leader is usually considered the Hulk’s archnemesis in Marvel Comics
Whereas Samuel Sterns’ head injury and blood contamination might be what transformed him into the Leader in the MCU, Sterns’ origin story in the comics sees him get bathed with radioactive material in an accidental explosion at a research facility. The Gamma radiation in this waste material corrupted his desire for knowledge and turned him into an ultra-intelligent Gamma mutate. Similarly to his MCU counterpart, the Leader’s first villainous plans involve stealing classified information and destabilizing governments, among other ambitious and highly secretive goals.
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Seth Voelker A.K.A. Sidewinder
Giancarlo Esposito’s Sidewinder Appears As A Secondary Antagonist In Captain America: Brave New World
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Giancarlo Esposito’s casting in Captain America: Brave New World initially sparked a lot of fan speculation, with theories postulating character such as Moon Knight’s archnemesis Bushman and the X-Men’s mutant-hating villain Henry Gyrich. However, Marvel Studios eventually confirmed that Giancarlo Esposito is playing Serpent Society mercenary Sidewinder in Captain America: Brave New World. According to the Captain America: Brave New World trailers, Esposit’s Sidewinder will be a terrorist that Captain America will have to stop, presumably under President Ross’ orders, before facing Red Hulk and the Leader.
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In the comics, Seth Voelker is a talented economist who takes a liking for illegal activities when he starts working for Roxxon, gaining a cloak that allows him to teleport and adopting the name “Sidewinder.” Sidewinder then teams up with other snake-themed villains to form the Serpent Squad — a criminal group that soon grows into a more serious coalition named the Serpent Society. While Sidewinder is the most powerful member of the Serpent Society, he’s also the first one to abandon his criminal life, though Sidewinder’s change of mind is short-lived.
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Muse
Hunter Doohan’s Muse Will Be Matt Murdock’s Next Main Villain In Daredevil: Born Again
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Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock makes his third MCU appearance in Daredevil: Born Again following his appearance in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law and his brief cameo in Spider-Man. No Way Home. But while Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk also returns as Matt’s archnemesis after his MCU appearance in Hawkeye and Echo, Kingpin doesn’t seem to be Matt Murdock’s principal antagonist in Daredevil’s first MCU solo series. Instead, the street artist Muse is set to be the next big threat to Hell’s Kitchen in Daredevil: Born Again.
Muse is a serial killer who creates art installations made with the bodies of his victims
Muse is a relatively recent addition to Marvel Comics lore, having made his comic book debut in 2016. In the source material, Muse is a serial killer who creates art installations made with the bodies of his victims. Daredevil starts to track him down when the hero Blindspot and some Inhumans fall victim to Muse’s attacks, and NYC Mayor Wilson Fisk takes advantage of Muse’s seemingly random murders in order to turn the public against vigilantes. Daredevil: Born Again appears to be adapting this storyline very closely, but with White Tiger replacing Blindspot.
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Wilson Fisk A.K.A. Kingpin
Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin Will Play A Major Role In Daredevil: Born Again
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Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk has been Matt Murdock’s archnemesis in all three seasons of Netflix’s Daredevil series, which Marvel Studios incorporated into the MCU. Daredevil has thwarted Kingpin’s plans to amass power multiple times, but Kingpin has also made Daredevil’s life a living hell for years. In Daredevil season 3’s final battle, Daredevil and Kingpin agree to respect each other’s private lives and avoid hurting each other’s loved ones. However, Kingpin continues to do shady business in Hawkeye and Echo, and Echo‘s post-credits scene suggests that Kingpin will run for Mayor in Daredevil: Born Again.
Wilson Fisk’s rise to power might be split into various MCU projects
In the comics, Wilson Fisk runs for NYC mayor to outlaw vigilantism. Fisk persecutes heroes such as Spider-Man, Luke Cage, and of course, Daredevil. However, Matt Murdock brings down Fisk and uncovers his illegal methods, allowing Luke Cage to replace Wilson Fisk as NYC mayor. As usual, Wilson Fisk manages to escape legal repercussions, and he retires to the island of Krakoa. Wilson Fisk’s rise to power might be split into various MCU projects, including Daredevil: Born Again and Spider-Man 4.
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Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra De Fontaine Will Assemble Her Own Anti-Hero Team In Thunderbolts*
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine appeared as a government agent in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, where she confessed her wish to obtain a weapon as powerful as vibranium. To achieve it, Val recruited her own team, starting with Yelena Belova in Black Widow‘s post-credits scene. Unlike Nick Fury, Val doesn’t intend to use her superhero team to defend the Earth. Instead, Val manipulates the Thunderbolts into doing the dirty work she requires in order to acquire wealth and influence in 2025’s Thunderbolts*.
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In the comics, Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is a lifelong agent of SHIELD and a close ally to Nick Fury. Val fought Hydra and worked for the secret organization Leviathan while fulfilling her duties with SHIELD. While the Thunderbolts have gone through several iterations and leaders in the comics, Val has never been part of the team. Val’s MCU Thunderbolts are drastically different from their comic book counterparts, which were originally assembled by Baron Zemo.
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Robert Reynolds A.K.A. Sentry
Lewis Pullman’s Robert Reynolds Will Reveal His Sentry Transformation In Thunderbolts*
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Phase 5 will introduce one of the most powerful characters in the whole MCU, Lewis Pullman’s Bob a.k.a. Sentry, who has a mystery role in Thunderbolts*. The Thunderbolts* trailers only show Pullman’s “Bob” as a regular human, but it’s safe to say that he will eventually transform into his nearly invincible Sentry form. Considering how Valentina Allegra de Fontaine assembles her anti-hero team against their will, it’s possible that some of Thunderbolts* titular anti-heroes will die trying to contain Sentry.
Bob Reynolds also spawns a second alter ego called the Void, which could destroy the whole world if not controlled
In the comics, Robert Reynolds breaks into a research laboratory and tries the Golden Sentry Serum — a compound that attempts to recreate and improve the Super Soldier serum that turned the physically weak Steve Rogers into the peak-human Captain America. Instead of developing a Super Soldier physique, Robert Reynolds develops a superhuman alter ego called the Sentry, who possesses a long list of superpowers such as super strength, flight, energy manipulation, and immortality through resurrection. Bob Reynolds also spawns a second alter ego called the Void, which could destroy the whole world if not controlled.
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Parker Robbins A.K.A. The Hood
Anthony Ramos’ The Hood Will Be Ironheart’s Magical Villain
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After proving her worth as a hero in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams will star in her own solo adventure for the first time in 2025’s Ironheart, where the titular tech-based hero will face the magical supervillain The Hood. According to the Ironheart teaser, Riri Williams will steal parts for her new Ironheart armors, which will get her expelled from MIT. Since Parker Robbins steals his powerful Hood from a demon in the comics, that may be how Riri and Parker will cross paths in the MCU.
The Hood is rumored to serve Mephisto, who was heavily theorized to make his MCU debut since Phase 4’s WandaVision
In the comics, The Hood serves Dormammu, who created the hood and boots that grant Parker Robbins his magical powers. While Dormammu has already tried to invade Earth-616 through mortal servants like Kaecilius, Anthony Ramos’ Parker Robbins may not work for the lord of the Dark Dimension. Instead, the Hood is rumored to serve Mephisto, who was heavily theorized to make his MCU debut since Phase 4’s WandaVision. Mephisto’s potential introduction in Ironheart also suits The Hood’s recent transformation into Ghost Rider in the comics.
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Alternate-Universe Marvel Zombies
An Entire Universe Filled With The Undead Will Star In The MCU’s Marvel Zombies Series
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What If…? season 1 episode 5 introduced a timeline where Janet van Dyne brings a virus from the Quantum Realm to her Earth. In this universe, some of the survivors eliminate zombified heroes like Iron Man, Captain America, and the Scarlet Witch, but a few of them perish in the process, including Hope van Dyne, Vision, and the Hulk. Nevertheless, they acquire the Mind Stone and head to Wakanda in order to use the gem’s power to cure the world. Unfortunately for them, an infected Thanos is waiting for them there, wielding all the other five Infinity Stones. Marvel Zombies will continue the story left unfinished in What If…? episode 5.
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In Marvel Comics’ Marvel Zombies comics, a variant of Sentry infected by “the Hunger” lands on Earth and starts spreading the virus by attacking superhumans. Despite the efforts of Earth’s heroes and villains, the virus spreads all across the world. Earth-2149’s entire population succumbs to the Hunger, and some of its zombies even manage to travel to other realities and attempt to spread the virus multiversally. In the MCU, Marvel Zombies‘ quantum virus is on track to cover the whole world. If the heroes fail to contain it, the virus could theoretically spread to other timelines if Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars break the boundaries between universes.
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Spider-Man’s Rogue Gallery
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Will Introduce A Brand-New Version Of Spider-Man’s Enemies
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The animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man originally appeared to be a prequel to Spider-Man’s main MCU story, but Marvel later confirmed that it would take place in an entirely new universe. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man follows a young Peter Parker who finds a mentor figure in Norman Osborn instead of Tony Stark. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will feature several villains, including Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Scorpion, Chameleon, Rhino, and Speed Demon.
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Marvel Studios will debut a new version of Spider-Man in 2025, and the hero can finally lead to a whole new chapter for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker.
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Since all Spidey-related characters are available for Marvel when it comes to animation, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man‘s Peter Parker will be able to fight all of his comic book villains without the need for the multiverse. The 2025 MCU Disney+ animated series will also spend more time building Spider-Man’s relationships with other heroes such as Doctor Strange, Daredevil, and Iron Man himself — all of whom have been too busy starring in their own stories to spend a significant amount of time with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man.
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