The Marvel Cinematic Universe's mightiest heroes first assembled in 2012's The Avengers to battle Loki and the Chitauri. Three years later, they squared off with Ultron before coming together again for a universe-saving fight with Thanos and his Black Order.
In Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, we expect new teams of these heroes to square off with Kang the Conqueror and his many Variants. Beyond that, though, there are countless baddies from the comics who have yet to make their big screen debuts.
Some of the characters listed here are relatively obscure and would be best served being supporting players; others, meanwhile, have the potential to serve as a big bad akin to the sinister foes mentioned above.
To find out which Marvel Comics villains we want to see in the Avengers franchise, click on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
8. Count Nefaria
Count Nefaria was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Don Heck and first appeared in Avengers #13 in 1965. The wealthy Italian aristocrat's real name is Luchino Nefaria, and while he initially possessed no innate superhuman abilities, he used his vast wealth, intelligence, and resources to become a formidable threat.
Later, he did gain a host of powers, including superhuman strength, speed, durability, flight, and energy projection. He also possesses the ability to absorb and manipulate ionic energy, making him a worthy opponent to Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
Count Nefaria has been involved in various criminal activities, including extortion, theft, and world domination, and we'd say he's a fitting choice of villain to battle the MCU's Avengers. As well as ruling an international crime syndicate known as the Maggia, his daughter, Madame Masque, is also a force to be reckoned with.
7. Korvac
Michael Korvac, often known simply as Korvac, was created by writer Jim Shooter and artist George Pérez, debuting in the pages of Giant-Size Defenders #3 in 1975. A computer technician from an alternate reality 31st century, Korvac was transformed into a cyborg by the alien race known as the Badoon.
After gaining immense power and knowledge, he became disillusioned with his humanity and sought to ascend to Godhood by travelling back in time to the 20th-century Marvel Universe. Capable of absorbing and manipulating cosmic energy, he pushed The Avengers to their limit.
One of Korvac's most notable storylines was "The Korvac Saga," which unfolded across various Marvel titles, including Avengers and Thor. During this storyline, Korvac's quest for godhood led to a massive confrontation with Earth's Mightiest Heroes, and that's a story we'd love to see play out on screen.
6. U-Foes
These guys could never headline an Avengers movie, but the U-Foes still have the potential to be a great secondary threat which finally pits the MCU's hero team against a group of baddies. Oh, and for those of you wondering, this lot was created by writer Bill Mantlo and artist Sal Buscema for The Incredible Hulk #254 in 1980.
The U-Foes gained their powers through a similar accident to the one that transformed Bruce Banner into the Hulk. They were originally members of the United States Air Force; however, stationed at a missile base in the New Mexico desert, they attempted to sabotage a gamma test for personal gain.
The plan failed and they were transformed into Vector, Vapor, Ironclad, and X-Ray. While they're not exactly good at what they do, a movie opening with The U-Foes taking a beating from Earth's Mightiest Heroes would be a fun way to establish the next iteration of this team.
5. Grey Gargoyle
Another villain perhaps best saved for a secondary threat to the team, Grey Gargoyle has plenty of potential on screen. After debuting in Journey into Mystery #107 from writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, former chemist Paul Pierre Duval inadvertently granted himself the ability to turn anything he touches into stone.
Despite his sinister powers, the Grey Gargoyle is often portrayed as a tragic figure. His transformations are temporary, and he seeks a permanent solution to his condition. Then again, his criminal activities are driven by a desire for wealth, power, and recognition rather than pure malevolence, so he's not that sympathetic.
We'd love to see a villain like this pitted against the likes of Thor and The Hulk, especially as he could turn the table on The Avengers by disabling some of their biggest heavy hitters. He also has an association with the Masters of Evil which we'll get to a little later.
4. Morgan Le Fay
First appearing in the pages of Black Knight #1 way back in 1955, Morgan Le Fay was dreamed up by writer Stan Lee and artist Joe Maneely. A powerful sorceress with ties to ancient Britain and Arthurian legend, the villain seeks power and dominance over both the mystical and Earthly realms.
One of the most prominent magical adversaries faced by The Avengers, she's had multiple origin stories over the years but is typically portrayed as a former apprentice of Merlin whose ambitions and lust for power often lead her down a dark path.
Le Fay is known for her mastery of dark magic, which grants her a wide range of abilities, including spellcasting, teleportation, telekinesis, and reality manipulation. In the MCU, we'd like to see her emerge as a mystical threat to Earth's Mightiest Heroes even more formidable than the Scarlet Witch!
3. Graviton
First brought to life on the page by writer Jim Shooter and artist Sal Buscema in The Avengers #158 in 1977, Franklin Hall was a Canadian physicist who gained his powers through an accident involving an experimental gravity device he created.
Hall's body was infused with graviton particles, granting him the ability to manipulate gravity at will, and he's even capable of manipulating Earth's gravitational field. Is he too similar to Magneto? That will depend on the execution, but he without a doubt deserves better than what we saw in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Typically depicted as a megalomaniacal and highly intelligent antagonist who believes himself to be superior to humanity, he's another baddie we wouldn't necessarily build a movie around and would instead have him join a certain supervillain team that pushes The Avengers to their limits...
2. Masters Of Evil
It's hard to believe we've never seen the MCU's Avengers battle another team, but perhaps Marvel Studios is saving that for the big screen debut of the Masters of Evil. The group first assembled in Avengers #6 in 1964 and have counted some of the Marvel Universe's greatest villains among their ranks.
Perhaps the most well-known iteration of the Masters of Evil was led by Baron Zemo. This version of the team included villains such as the Black Knight, Melter, Radioactive Man, and Enchantress, but Ultron and Doctor Octopus have also led their own versions.
We've seen Earth's Mightiest Heroes fend off aliens and cyborgs, so a battle with some good old-fashioned supervillains from Earth would be welcomed. Marvel Studios could even bring back some familiar foes from the past such as Namor, The Vulture, and Red Skull.
1. The Beyonder
Dreamed up by writer Jim Shooter and artist Mike Zeck, the Beyonder first appeared in Secret Wars #1 in 1984 and we expect him to make his presence felt in Avengers: Secret Wars a few years from now. However, we also think he deserves more than being just a super-powerful Kang the Conqueror Variant.
An enigmatic and virtually omnipotent being who exists outside the conventional Marvel Universe, he's characterized by his vast cosmic power and his curiosity about the nature of existence. Essentially, he's the embodiment of the Beyond Realm, a dimension beyond the known Multiverse.
Whether he transports the MCU's superheroes and supervillains to a distant planet called Battleworld to make them fight each other or simply serves as a cosmic threat, there are lots of directions to take The Beyonder in. And, as noted, we'd hope he's more than just another Kang when he first appears.