A Total Ranking of Every Surprise Cinematic Universe Villain

There are quite a lot of motion photos within the Surprise Cinematic Universe. Most of them are proper. Some are less so. Nonetheless while you occur to bear gotten a franchise of motion photos centered spherical spherical enormous-powered (in one skill or but every other) folk attempting to accomplish the pleasing thing, the pure balance of storytelling is progressively going to pray to bear any individual doing the unfriendly thing—any individual doing something they’re going to pray to waste. And that is the explanation why the MCU has, for higher or for worse, made villains that progressively are mighty of matching up with our heroes. Whether or no longer MCU progressively performed what they space out to, successfully, is something we’ll earn to in precisely a exiguous bit bit.

The characteristic of a villain in an MCU movie is quite progressively the juiciest. Particular, it is cool to be the hero; they earn all of the glory and the fandom. If any individual wants to play a superhero movie villain? Successfully, more steadily than no longer, that’s going to be one amongst the most fun roles—it is fun to be imperfect—and easiest going to closing the duration of 1 shoot. The MCU has pulled for these roles from the ranks of Hollywood royalty (Robert Redford, Kurt Russell), legit megastars (Michael B. Jordan), and Academy Award Winners ( Cate Blanchett and, soon, Christian Bale). And that is the explanation appropriate a taste.

It’s by no plot a imperfect time to chat about our current and least current villains within the MCU’s decade-plus historical past of cranking out blockbusters, but it absolutely feels in particular pleasing to accomplish so within the wake of The Falcon and the Wintry weather Soldier airing on Disney+, where it appears admire issues are leading up toward Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, John Walker, and even perhaps Zemo starting up a brand new age of villains within the MCU. Per chance an age where we even search for a are residing-action create of a villain crew up, be it the Thunderbolts, the Darkish Avengers, or some in-between hybrid model made appropriate for the mountainous display screen. Either skill: it feels admire the pleasing time to take into tale a pair of of our current, and least current, imperfect guys.

A pair qualifiers earlier than we dive aid in. First: appropriate admire with our Surprise Cinematic Universe movie rankings, we’re no longer going to be along with characters incorporated appropriate in The Unbelievable Hulk (2008) right here. Sure, it is technically canon. Nonetheless with lack of both reference in varied areas in this universe and availability on Disney+, the resolution used to be made no longer to encompass. We’re additionally no longer along with the villains from both WandaVision or The Falcon and the Wintry weather Soldier. Those characters also can come what would possibly perhaps manufacture this listing, or perhaps a Disney+ model of this listing, but for now we’re keeping this different to the mountainous display screen baddies.

But but every other qualifier: this listing is kind of subjectively chosen, but we tended to pray to relieve it to villains who felt well-known all around the context of their movie. That plot basically: no henchmen. It is a tricky line to draw, but it absolutely needed to be accomplished somewhere. Some motion photos accomplish bear loads of villains, but they all are inclined to be characters with a distinctly outlined agenda.

OK! That is that. So, without extra ado, right here’s your complete rating of the villains within the Surprise Cinematic Universe motion photos.

29. Malekith (Christopher Eccleston, Thor: The Darkish World)

All respect to Christopher Eccleston, who’s a enormous actor—in particular as Matt Jamison in HBO’s The Leftovers, one amongst TV’s all-time soft shows—but my oh my is Malekith no longer a piquant villain. We’re in most cases urged through exposition that he’s obtained an frail gripe with Odin’s father, and then he’s appropriate vaguely contemptible with none accurate outlined conception all around the remainder of the movie (which is no longer one amongst Surprise’s easiest). It is a disgrace, since the Malekith character is one amongst the most renowned amongst fans within the frail Thor comics written by Walt Simonson, but it absolutely simply did no longer translate to this model of the character on the mountainous display screen.

28. Raza/The 10 Rings (Faran Tahir, Iron Man)

Raza is not any one’s henchman—for now; we’ll search for more of the 10 Rings within the upcoming Shang-Chi and the Account of the 10 Rings—but he’s appropriate no longer that extensive. He’s relevant due to he’s our first staunch villain within the MCU, but basically he’s appropriate a runway to earn Jeff Bridges’ a ways supreior Obadiah Stane into the air.

27. Laufey (Colm Feore, Thor)

Oh, you are peaceable right here? Sorry, I fell asleep even taking into consideration for a second about Laufey, the Frost Big king who Loki betrays within the customary Thor. In actual fact, that sentence is de facto it. There is no longer valuable else taking place right here. Correct a mountainous snooze, sorry.

26. Dreykov (Ray Winstone, Dusky Widow)

Dusky Widow has it is moments that work surely, surely successfully. Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova: soft. David Harbour as Red Guardian: soft. The stunt work, and strive in opposition to scenes, and the actual fact that the movie is surely out, after so many Covid-19 delays: soft. While it is no fault of Ray Winstone himself (enormous actor), Dreyk0v, the leader of The Red Room we bear heard so valuable about, is a predominant snooze of a villain. He’s appropriate… a imperfect guy. There is no longer a ways more to him. And he’s made Taskmaster, one amongst the more provocative Surprise Comics villains, into more or less a secondary weapon with no soul or aim (we won’t even be rating Taskmaster on this listing, for causes which manufacture sense while you occur to’ve viewed the movie). The movie wished to focal level more on Natasha (Scarlett Johansson) and her “family,” which is completely gorgeous. It appropriate supposed we obtained this more or less…meh villain. Oh successfully!

25. Yon-Rogg (Jude Law, Captain Surprise)

Roughly equal to Malekith, the Kree soldier Yon-Rogg finally ends up feeling more or less admire a shatter of a enormous actor. Captain Surprise landed Jude Law—Jude Law!—and gave him a expansive characteristic, appropriate for that characteristic to be…more or less a tiring and telegraphed “twist” villain. Now we bear viewed what Law can accomplish for decades earlier than, and know that he can crush it, so why used to be his character so dry right here? Per chance the character returns for Captain Surprise 2, which would maybe well perhaps perhaps bear a exiguous of attainable to make employ of a enormous actor to his beefy attainable.

24. Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen, Ant-Man and the Wasp)

Ghost is more of an antagonist than a villain in a outmoded sense, but peaceable is the source of the important thing struggle in Ant-Man and the Wasp. She’s obtained an extraordinarily cool character earn, but it absolutely’s no longer reasonably as cool within the movie’s execution. Quiet: it is enormous to bear a villain in a movie who surely has solid motivation for what they’re doing, as Ghost’s tragic backstory petite print.

23. Ivan Vanko/Whiplash (Mickey Rourke, Iron Man 2)

Mickey Rourke’s performance as the vengeful Ivan Vanko in Iron Man 2 is imperfect by appropriate about every metric, but he does no longer plunge ineffective closing within the cellar right here due to no longer lower than it appears admire he’s having fun. He’s obtained a chicken on his shoulder, he’s obtained a toothpick in his mouth, he’s doing a ridiculous accent—there’s fun to be had right here. Survey Iron Man 2 with a pair beverages and bear a blast laughing at a pair of of the selections Mr. Rourke made. It’s surely no longer proper, but it absolutely’s no longer listless both.

22. Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins, Ant-Man and the Wasp)

Sonny Burch’s characteristic in Ant-Man and the Wasp is kind of as a generic palms seller/crime boss more or less guy with a exiguous of droll reduction thrown in, but he will get a push up from the very bottom of the listing due to he’s played by the relentlessly charming Walton Goggins. Goggins is suitable a blast to scramble attempting for on display screen at any time when out (Justified and Righteous Gemstones fans will absolutely agree), and to check him within the MCU as a legit imperfect guy is suitable fun. Also, Sonny claims to work for some mountainous wigs all around the movie—that sounds admire a flee that also can repay a exiguous down the line.

21. Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2)

Elizabeth Debicki is a enormous fun actress—investigate cross-check Steve McQueen’s underrated thriller Widows while you occur to haven’t viewed it—and it is fun to check her right here as Ayesha, the high priestess of the cult-admire and golden Sovereign. She’s obtained enormous vitality on display screen, and likewise you would possibly perhaps well perhaps presumably also exclaim that she is 100 percent sold into the character by the kind of fish-out-of-water second that comes when she meets Yondu and the Ravagers. We also can search for more of her peaceable: the movie’s stinger finds her birthing Adam Warlock, a attainable future MCU mainstay.

20. Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce, Iron Man 3)

The lawful of Iron Man 3, in most cases, is no longer to be a dismissive asshole admire pre-shrapnel Tony Stark repeatedly used to be. The outcomes of that nature, which repeatedly bites Tony within the ass all over your complete MCU, is the maniacally vitality-hungry Aldrich Killian, who went from gawky guy with an conception that Tony skipped over at a Fresh 12 months’s earn collectively to a man literally rising explosive enormous-troopers walking spherical with a ways too valuable uncovered ankle. Pearce is gentle, and plays Killian as a piquant foil to Robert Downey Jr.’s brash Tony, however the inducement has progressively felt appropriate a exiguous bit off right here.

19. Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen, Doctor Strange)

Despite being played by the extensive Mads Mikkelsen, Kaecilius is kind of the poster boy for what’s referred to while you occur to hear about an ‘MCU villain tell.’ He’s completely gorgeous, however the risk by no plot feels to rise as a lot as the mountainous event level that a pair of of the greater performers on this listing accomplish. It nearly feels more admire a coming-of-age residing instrument, any individual to defeat for our hero to earn over the lunge, than a fully-realized character. Now, on condition that Kaecilius is played by Mads Mikkelsen he does peaceable bear some fun moments—one aid and forth with Cumberbatch’s Strange is an all-timer—but appropriate no longer the most standout of MCU villains (or Mikkelsen characters, for that matter). It surely works all around the context of the movie—we bear loads of magic stuff to wrap our heads spherical, so it is easiest to no longer bear the most advanced villain, but for a checklist rating villains, successfully, that’s how the cookie crumbles.

18. Ronan the Accuser (Lee Tempo, Guardians of the Galaxy)

Such as Kaecilius, Ronan is quite kind of bland and traditional by earn. In the principle Guardians of the Galaxy, we bear loads of surely unfamiliar and extraordinary characters to meet, from the kind of listless Peter Quill, to the stubborn and rebellious Gamora, to Drax and all his eccentricities, and, in spite of every thing, the talking tree and raccoon mercenary. So it is loads for us appropriate with the heroes, so it makes sense that the villain is suitable kind of a conventional cosmic contemptible guy. That mentioned, the particular person does bear guts: given all we bear viewed Thanos in a characteristic to accomplish in due course, Ronan defying him is a smooth courageous transfer. Now no longer courageous sufficient to no longer be defeated by a bunch of goofballs, though.

17. Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Dusky Panther)

Klaue—played by franchise grasp Andy Serkis, who’s had key roles in Lord of the Rings, Celebrity Wars, Planet of the Apes, and, right here, the MCU—is fun due to his habitual nature, even supposing he’s by no a ways more than a secondary villain. He’s a character, that’s for definite; an palms seller who’s a sworn enemy of the Wakandans who perhaps used to be as soon as a exiguous too chummy with Tony Stark. Klaue is a proper intro to our accurate villain in Dusky Panther, and additionally brings some cartoonish, chaotic fun to that movie right through his time in it.

16. Darren Damaging/Yellowjacket (Corey Stoll, Ant-Man)

Corey Stoll is progressively a charismatic actor—he’s a enormous partaking presence whether taking part in a hero or a villain—and while he’s proper in Ant-Man as Darren Damaging, valuable of what we mentioned about Mads Mikkelsen as Kaecilius applies right here. He by no plot surely feels admire a bigger risk that we wish to surely feel all that alarmed about; he’s a single-movie villain from begin to attach. Granted, the character of a enormous sinister corporate mountainous wig capitalist guy as the villain to Scott Lang’s Robin Hood-esque petite-time criminal is a piquant parallel to draw. The character works fully as intended—there are appropriate others which will likely be higher.

15. Hela (Cate Blanchett, Thor: Ragnarok)

Correct to announce it up entrance: Cate Blanchett, a two-time Academy Award winner, appropriate being in Thor: Ragnarok is a mountainous deal. And she’s an extraordinarily, very formidable foe as Hela, the contemptible sister of both Thor and Loki. She’s no longer the splendid Surprise villain, but she’s a uncommon one who proves nearly about very no longer likely to defeat. Nonetheless she works right here as kind of the most practical likely model of Ronan and Kaecilius; she’s a smooth uncomplicated villain that we know is a risk, and who does no longer need valuable exploring. Thor: Ragnarok is one amongst the most practical likely motion photos within the MCU due to it permits its heroes in Thor, Valkyrie, the Hulk, and many others., to celebrate. And this villain matches in successfully with that.

14. Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford, Captain The US: The Wintry weather Soldier)

From one memoir to but every other. Robert Redford’s characteristic in Captain The US: The Wintry weather Soldier is surely inspired casting, and no longer easiest due to he’s Robert Freaking Redford. The Wintry weather Soldier feels admire one amongst the MCU’s earliest experiments with genre, this time making a superhero movie that’s surely an espionage/uncover about thriller. Redford, in spite of every thing, has a pair of of those below his belt, with classics admire Your complete President’s Males and Three Days of a Condor. He does no longer accomplish a ton right here, but his display screen presence is as magnetic as ever, and his indicate as the leader of this movie’s salvage expansive conspiracy is earned—if no longer a exiguous bit predictable.

13. Brock Rumlow/Crossbones (Frank Grillo, Captain The US: The Wintry weather Soldier, Captain The US: Civil War)

Rumlow is by no plot a well-known villain within the MCU, but he’s about as proper of a secondary villain as they advance. From appropriate being a sinister SHIELD strike crew leader to his all-too-brief time in Civil War as Crossbones, he’s appropriate obtained a menacing, surgical air to him. Frank Grillo has this kind of disinterested vitality within the characteristic that makes the events when he does care—admire when he’s appropriate about to take Captain The US out with a grenade—surely feel surely intense.

12. Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell, Iron Man 2)

Sam Rockwell is fun in every thing he’s in, and he plays the don’t-take-this-fool-severely villain to absolute perfection in Iron Man 2. Justin Hammer is Tony Stark’s no longer-nearly about-as-proper competition within the movie, and he’s accountable for releasing Vanko from penal advanced, and giving him the resources to manufacture his mountainous attack on the waste. Hammer is fully naive, and played nearly fully for droll discontinue with appropriate a exiguous bit pinch of contemptible and corruption sprinkled in. The extensive thing about Justin Hammer, thought? He’s left alive. And because it has been more than a decade since Iron Man 2 used to be even in theaters (and, thus, took residing), he also would maybe well even be out of penal advanced. Per chance he’ll level to up alongside Rhodey within the upcoming Disney+ series Armor Wars? That would possibly perhaps be fun.

11. Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum, Thor: Ragnarok)

If you occur to had been staring at Thor: Ragnarok and easiest, admire, half paying attention, you won’t even realize that the Grandmaster, played by Jeff Goldblum, used to be a villain. Nonetheless manufacture no mistake: this sadistic weirdo is extensive contemptible. That being mentioned: it is peaceable Jeff Goldblum, and this character is an absolute pleasure to scramble attempting for on display screen, from his queer dance events and music, to palling spherical with Loki, to turning folk into goo. It’s the suitable MCU characteristic for an actor as eccentric as Goldblum.

10. Red Cranium (Hugo Weaving, Captain The US: The First Avenger)

We soar from perhaps the most comedic villain within the MCU to perhaps the most joyless, with Hugo Weaving’s portrayal of Johann Schmidt/Red Cranium. Weaving has loads of skills taking part in villains (in particular within the Matrix franchise), but he also can high even himself with the maniacal scientist who becomes a monster in Red Cranium. I mean, no longer the most as a lot as date of takes, concerned with he’s a Nazi with enormous strength and no face, but he is suitable wildly contemptible, and a ideal match for the ray of mild that is Chris Evans as Steve Rogers.

9. Ultron (James Spader, Avengers: Age of Ultron)

Avengers: Age of Ultron is no longer a enormous MCU movie, but Ultron himself is a enormous MCU villain. Why? Successfully, we are able to give valuable of the credit ranking to James Spader’s enormous motion have interaction performance. His exclaim work, too, is severely higher than this enormous developed robotic/AI gadget surely has any enterprise being. There’s humor, there’s risk; it is appropriate the most partaking and easiest thing about this movie, by and neat.

8. Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges, Iron Man)

Now we’re entering the accurate heavy hitters. Jeff Bridges—a bonafide memoir—is a provocative first antagonist for the MCU as Tony Stark’s mentor (?) turned undercutting contemptible villain. Bridges is a superbly charming surrogate father form for quite a lot of the movie, but you don’t cast Jeff Bridges to accomplish appropriate that; his heel flip and indicate as orchestrator of Stark’s kidnapping propel the movie into high-equipment, and he has a enormous showdown within the movie’s third act. The largest mistake with Stane? Now no longer keeping him alive to level to up agains in future MCU installments.

7. Ego (Kurt Russell, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2)

Heavy. Hitters. In a technique, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. has became a exiguous underrated amongst the motion photos of the MCU, and Kurt Russell’s performance as Peter Quill’s father, Ego the Living Planet, is a mountainous causes why. He comes with that in model Kurt Russell cool guy enchantment, but is, in spite of every thing, hiding a casual sinisterness beneath the outside. The character of Ego is this kind of extensive toughen within the villain department that it makes Guardians 2, to me, a exiguous more appetizing than he customary (along with Michael Rooker’s enormous performance).

6. Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal, Spider-Man: Far From Home)

While it didn’t reasonably work to perfection for a pair of of the entries decrease on our listing, in most cases the important thing to rising an unbelievable MCU villain is as uncomplicated as casting an unbelievable actor. That is by no plot been more the case than in Spider-Man: Far From Home, where Jake Gyllenhaal plays a multi-faceted character—and grasp of illusions—with varied energies all around the movie. If you occur to are a exiguous bit skeptical of Mysterio at the start, successfully, that makes sense due to his corny sincerity come what would possibly perhaps makes skill for a fully untethered madness. Gyllenhaal has been improbable in novel years at taking part in manic weirdo characters in motion photos admire Nightcrawler and Velvet Buzzsaw, and he surely, surely goes for it in Spider-Man: Far From Home. And, hell, it surely works.

5. Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan, Dusky Panther)

The very fact that Michael B. Jordan is on occasion within the principle act of Dusky Panther is a testament to how proper this character is. Now no longer easiest does he level to up in that museum early on taking a look very cool within the denim jacket with glasses on, but he represents the most practical likely more or less MCU villain: the one who more or less has a level. Killmonger is a trained weapon as a worn member of the U.S. protection force, but what he surely wants is a altering of philosophies; he wants Wakanda to piece its technological advancements with the remainder of the arena, where it ought to also additionally be of employ. And his stance outcomes in a world-altering resolution on the waste of the movie. The one mistake comes on the terminate of his character’s arc; we are able to also’ve outmoded some more Killmonger in future motion photos or shows.

4. Zemo (Daniel Brühl, Captain The US: Civil War, The Falcon and the Wintry weather Soldier)

Zemo is a excellent character. He’s no longer a robotic. He’s no longer an alien. He’s no longer even a enormous soldier. He’s, in most cases, appropriate a man—a motivated, grasp planner of a man. Zemo has, rather then perhaps arguably Thanos, the most practical likely conception of any villain in any MCU movie—and that is the explanation why he succeeds. His splendid ability, surely, is self-consciousness; he knows he alone can not peril the Avengrers, but that they are able to peril one but every other. He appropriate knows, and he succeeds, and Daniel Brühl plays these ideal, Machiavellian orchestrations completely. We’re no longer concerned with his appearance inThe Falcon and the Wintry weather Soldier too valuable right here (as promised), but that does scramble to level to the worth in keeping a solid villain alive and intelligent within the sandbox. This is hoping for more Zemo in due course.

3. Vulture (Michael Keaton, Spider-Man: Homecoming)

Better than any other franchise, Spider-Man—every model, along with the Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield motion photos—progressively has a sense that feels kind of smaller and warmth, in spite of being a predominant blockbuster. A mountainous section of that doubtlessly comes down to what’s became a Spider-Man movie tradition: a villain who has an nearly oddly-terminate feeling and relationship to our hero. Tobey Maguire’s biggest enemies had been his easiest pal’s father and his professional mentor, and Tom Holland finds an identical terminate foe in Adrian Toomes as the Vulture (we’ll spare the specifics on the off-probability you’ve not viewed it but.)

Nonetheless for correct a second let’s focus on the Keaton of it all. On high of appropriate being a enormous actor in a enormous performance—he more or less offers a blue collar, working class peep at how some folk within the MCU also can additionally be affected, and adapt, after the Avengers assign the arena and scramble away rubble within the aid of—his chronicle entering this movie is this kind of enormous one. Support in thoughts Keaton’s “starting up,” of styles, in this genre: he played Batman within the late ’80s and early ’90s. Then he did other issues for reasonably a while, earlier than starring in Birdman, where he ought to bear won the Oscar for taking part in an actor easiest recognized for a superhero characteristic (hmmm…). Then he landed Spider-Man: Homecoming, where he played a supervillain, and soon he’ll play an older model of Batman again for the DCEU. It is loads, and, frankly, it is enormous stuff. Toomes will likely seem again all over; he used to be within the trailer for the Sony Morbius movie, so as that’s opening up a complete can of worms that we don’t even know where initially over there.

2. Thanos (Josh Brolin, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame)

You know what’s enormous? When something is teased for a prolonged-ass time and finally ends up fully delivering. That’s what Josh Brolin’s closing two performances as Thanos the Angry Titan in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame surely feel admire—utterly satisfying. Surprise fans had been teased since 2012 on the probability of the heroes getting the universe’s biggest risk but in Thanos, and through teases right here (in Guardians of the Galaxy) and there (in Avengers: Age of Ultron) successfully built up the conception that of appropriate how highly efficient and perilous this guy used to be. And due to some unbelievable acti0n sequences, elevating the stakes, and an incredibly understated performance from Josh Brolin, Thanos proved to be the villain all americans anticipated him to be. Completely Surprise will attach that approach again—propping a predominant “mountainous imperfect” up for reasonably a pair of years, over the course of many projects—but it absolutely’ll be laborious to earn anybody as successfully as they performed Thanos.

1. Loki (Tom Hiddleston, Thor, The Avengers, Thor: The Darkish World, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Loki)

Who else? While one also can absolutely manufacture the argument that Loki veered closer to anti-hero and a ways from villain in his latter appearances (in Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and, presumably, the upcoming Loki), uh, we’re no longer going to manufacture that argument. This is a villain who’s so unbelievable, chuffed, and, as Paul Bettany places it, “palatable,” in his scheming, that even in all his villainy—and he is de facto so contemptible—that we are able to no longer abet but like him. This man killed Coulson! He nearly killed a random frail guy standing as a lot as him! And but…when he rips one amongst those one-liners, or stands up cheering when Hulk smashes Thor, we’re all on board and laughing.

Per chance even more than the character himself, we are commending the excellence and consistency with which Tom Hiddleston plays him. Loki is a villain, but we search for through skills how he adjustments, exiguous by exiguous, over time. And it is progressively fun to check the relationships between hero and villain after their mountainous attacks. When Loki and Bruce Banner meet again in Thor: Ragnarok…it is appropriate enormous stuff. We won’t look ahead to Loki, and we hope it finally ends up which plot heaps of more of this positively deranged character.

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