Dr Doom is finally about to arrive in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, setting up some ideal future villains along the way. The MCU timeline is building towards the arrival of Doctor Doom, and if the trailers for Avengers: Doomsday are anything to go by, he will be every bit as formidable as hoped. With Robert Downey Jr. taking on the role and the Multiverse Saga embracing alternate realities, incursions, and variants, Marvel has finally reached the point where almost any comic-book storyline is possible.
That also raises an interesting question about where the MCU’s future lies. Doom is one of Marvel’s greatest villains, and following him is no easy task. Fortunately, decades of comics provide plenty of antagonists capable of filling that void, particularly now that the franchise has embraced concepts that once seemed impossible to adapt.
Several major villains have already been subtly set up by recent projects. The return of legacy X-Men characters, the expanding cosmic side of the MCU, and the introduction of multiversal storytelling have quietly laid the foundations for threats that would have seemed far too ambitious during the Infinity Saga.
Rather than simply trying to create another Thanos-level conqueror, Marvel could lean into those existing threads and introduce villains whose stories naturally evolve from the events of Avengers: Doomsday. These comic-book heavyweights all feel like logical next steps.
Maestro
If Marvel wants to surprise audiences after RDJ’s Doctor Doom, making an evil Hulk the next Avengers villain would certainly do it. Maestro is one of Bruce Banner’s darkest possible futures: an older Hulk who survives a nuclear apocalypse, retains Banner’s intelligence, and rules the world as a ruthless dictator.
The Multiverse Saga has already established that alternate versions of familiar heroes can become major antagonists, making Maestro a perfect fit. Rather than introducing an entirely new villain, the MCU could force the Avengers to confront another evil version of one of their oldest heroes.
It would also finally give Hulk another leading role after years spent largely supporting other heroes due to a frustrating rights issue. Watching Mark Ruffalo face a twisted future version of himself would provide emotional stakes that extend beyond another world-ending battle. Thanks to the multiverse, Maestro no longer feels impossible.
Onslaught
The return of Professor X and Magneto in Avengers: Doomsday opens the door for one of the X-Men’s most terrifying villains. In the comics, Onslaught is born when Professor Xavier suppresses the darkest aspects of Magneto’s mind after ripping away his memories.
That psychic act leaves Xavier unknowingly absorbing Magneto’s rage, eventually creating an immensely powerful psionic entity that possesses the strengths of both men. With Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen returning, the MCU has already assembled the essential ingredients.
Marvel could allow the consequences of Xavier and Magneto’s complicated relationship to create the next threat. Onslaught combines telepathy, telekinesis, reality-warping abilities, and overwhelming physical power. More importantly, defeating him requires a whole team of heroes to confront the failures of two legendary mutants rather than simply punching another cosmic conqueror.
Annihilus
Marvel’s cosmic corner still has one enormous villain waiting in the wings. Annihilus, the insectoid ruler of the Negative Zone, has long been one of the Fantastic Four’s greatest enemies, commanding vast armies through the devastating Annihilation Wave.
Unlike Thanos, who relied on the Infinity Stones, Annihilus wins through sheer numbers and relentless military force. With the Fantastic Four now firmly established in the MCU, introducing the Negative Zone feels like a natural next step. It would expand Marvel’s cosmic mythology beyond planets and alternate universes into an entirely different dimension.
Annihilus could provide something audiences have not yet seen in the MCU, with a full-scale intergalactic war. Comic readers still regard Annihilation as one of Marvel’s greatest cosmic events, and adapting even part of that storyline would give the post-Doom era a completely different flavour.
Diablo
Not every villain after Doctor Doom needs to threaten reality itself, and Diablo would offer something refreshingly different. One of the Fantastic Four’s oldest enemies, Esteban Corazón de Ablo is an immortal alchemist obsessed with creating potions that grant incredible powers, prolonged life, and monstrous transformations.
Rather than relying on advanced technology, Diablo combines ancient science with mystical experimentation. That makes him an ideal antagonist if Marvel wants to explore the magical side Doom brings, rather than exploring another multiversal catastrophe.
Diablo also has a wonderfully theatrical personality. His elaborate schemes, bizarre creations, and obsession with forbidden knowledge could produce a film that’s equal parts science fiction and gothic fantasy. After Doctor Doom’s larger-than-life presence, another classic Fantastic Four villain would help establish Marvel’s First Family without immediately repeating the same formula.
Molecule Man
Very few Marvel characters possess powers comparable to Molecule Man. Owen Reece began life as an ordinary technician before gaining complete control over matter itself after an accident involving experimental energy. Over time, the comics expanded those abilities until Molecule Man became capable of reshaping entire universes with a thought.
That level of power makes him a natural fit for the Multiverse Saga’s aftermath. He also plays a central role in multiple versions of Secret Wars, often acting as the hidden key to the fate of the multiverse itself.
Even if the MCU adapts those stories differently, introducing Owen after Doctor Doom would allow Marvel to continue exploring the multiversal consequences addressed in Doomsday. Like Doom, Molecule Man is also deeply tragic, creating opportunities for a conflict driven as much by emotion as spectacle.
The Marquis Of Death
If Doctor Doom establishes that the multiverse contains terrifying variants, then the Marquis of Death could demonstrate just how dangerous one individual can become across infinite realities. Originally known as Clyde Wyncham, the Marquis of Death possesses near-limitless reality-warping abilities after spending millions of years traveling through alternate universes.
During that time, he evolves into perhaps the single greatest threat the Fantastic Four have ever faced. One of the character’s most fascinating qualities is his connection to Doctor Doom. In the comics, Doom initially serves as his apprentice before eventually overthrowing his former master.
That relationship could translate beautifully to the MCU. Rather than abandoning Doom’s legacy entirely, Marvel could introduce the being responsible for shaping, or inspiring, an even greater evil. The Marquis of Death would also push the heroes into a conflict unlike anything previously attempted on screen.
The Beyonder
If Marvel eventually wants another crossover on the scale of Avengers: Endgame, few characters are better suited than the Beyonder. The mysterious cosmic being is best known for creating the original Secret Wars by transporting Marvel’s greatest heroes and villains to Battleworld simply to observe what happened.
His motives were never driven by conquest in the traditional sense. Instead, he became fascinated by humanity itself. There has been no indication of whom (if anyone) will create an MCU Battleworld, though many presume if anyone does it would be Doctor Doom. However, the Beyonder could still be introduced as the architect in Avengers: Secret Wars.
The Multiverse Saga has already introduced audiences to concepts such as incursions and collapsing realities. Following Doctor Doom, the Beyonder could take those ideas even further by reshaping existence itself. He would force every surviving MCU hero to participate in a cosmic experiment where the fate of reality depends on understanding a being who barely understands humanity at all.
- Movie(s)
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Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Avengers, Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far from Home, Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever , Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Marvels, Deadpool & Wolverine, Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Avengers: Doomsday, Werewolf by Night , The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, The Punisher: One Last Kill
- TV Show(s)
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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, Inhumans, WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, What If…?, Hawkeye, Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Secret Invasion, Agatha All Along, Ironheart, Daredevil: Born Again, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Wonder Man, Echo, Marvel Zombies, Eyes of Wakanda
- Cast
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Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Edward Norton, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Brie Larson, Chadwick Boseman, Sebastian Stan, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Pom Klementieff, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, Clark Gregg, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Simu Liu, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Barry Keoghan, Gemma Chan, Ma Dong-seok, Brian Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Lia McHugh, Jonathan Majors
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a long-running multimedia franchise drawn from the heroes, villains, and narratives of Marvel Comics. The MCU formally began with 2008’s Iron Man, with other successes forming the basis for the contemporary path from comic page to screen, including over 30 films and 20 TV shows.
