The Marvel Cinematic Universe is setting up several superhero teams for the future, and they’ll have new supervillain teams to contend with.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is moving toward more superhero teams in forthcoming phases of the franchise, but there may also be several groups of supervillains poised to make their debut in the near future. Throughout Phase 4, the MCU has kept its emerging superhero teams like the Fantastic Four and Young Avengers at the forefront of discourse while keeping plans for potential supervillain teams in the shadows. And, while the antiheroes of the Thunderbolts may seem like the main dark replacement for the Avengers in the MCU, there are several far more sinister factions of bonafide villains who may emerge during Phases 5 and 6.
The Multiverse Saga propels the MCU timeline toward interdimensional war in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, but much of the most interesting storytelling so far has been done on Earth-616, where the status quo is rapidly changing. In the midst of Phase 4’s movies and series, as well as Marvel Studios’ teases for Phases 5 and 6, a new order of sorts is beginning in the MCU, as many comic book elements are injected into the franchise. One of the most exciting of these elements is the potential for several supervillain teams, many of which have already been referenced or even introduced in the MCU’s recent titles.
6. The Intelligencia
The Intelligencia isn’t finished after She-Hulk, though the show’s trope-subverting finale would have its viewers believe otherwise. Originally introduced as a forum for toxic men to target the newly emerged superhero lawyer She-Hulk, the Intelligencia borrows its name from a comic book organization comprised of the greatest supervillain geniuses in the Marvel Universe. This nefarious group of masterminds was gathered by Dr. Samuel Sterns, a.k.a. the Leader. Appropriately, the Leader’s long-awaited return in Captain America: New World Order after over a decade of truancy within the MCU only lends credence to the theory that the Intelligencia is far from finished in the franchise.
After its debut, the Intelligencia foreshadows several Marvel villains who may be on the cusp of joining the MCU. Iconic characters like the Mad Thinker, Mr. Sinister, the Wizard, and more would be perfectly at home in this supervillain organization. Even MODOK, appears in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, has been a major part of the Intelligencia in the comics. By adding these supervillains and more, the Intelligencia can adhere closer to its comic book counterpart, which was far more dangerous than She-Hulk suggested. In fact, if handled correctly, the Intelligencia could become an Avengers-level threat in the near future of the MCU.
5. The Dark Avengers
The MCU’s Thunderbolts may secretly set up a Dark Avengers lineup down the road, perfectly resembling both teams’ comic book counterparts. The Multiverse Saga has invested plenty of its time and energy into the Thunderbolts in recent years, with Phase 4 going to great lengths to set up the team in multiple films and Disney+ series. Phase 5, accordingly, will use Thunderbolts as its finale, finally bringing the MCU’s latest super-team to fruition. This particular team itself may be a misdirection on the part of Marvel Studios, however, used to mask a far more sinister movement meant to replace the Avengers with supervillains known as the Dark Avengers.
Although the Thunderbolts seem to cancel out the Dark Avengers in the MCU, this doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. In fact, the Dark Avengers began as an offshoot of the Thunderbolts in the comics following the 2008 Secret Invasion event. Using the Skrull invasion as a premise for the necessity of his new team, Norman Osborn converted his Thunderbolts into a new team known as the Avengers, who became the dominant group of “superheroes” in the world for a period of time. Seeing that the current trajectory of the MCU has several similarities to the Dark Avengers’ origins, the team may be making its live-action debut very soon.
4. The Gamma Corps
Hulks are the MCU’s new super soldier replacement after the events of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, hinting that the somewhat obscure Gamma Corps could be on its way to the franchise. In She-Hulk, the Intelligencia manages to steal a sample of Jennifer Walters’s radioactive blood, turning it into a serum capable of turning regular humans into Hulks. This plotline is left unresolved, suggesting that malevolent entities could sponsor human trials with this new serum, creating new Hulks throughout the MCU. This could heavily hint at the introduction of the Marvel Comics team known as the Gamma Corps, a government-sanctioned group of Gamma-mutated soldiers designed to rival the Hulk’s immense strength.
Especially as the MCU sets up a World War Hulk crossover, the Gamma Corps could have an integral place in the future of the franchise. In the comics, this group of Gamma-mutated characters, all of whom have tragic connections to the Hulk, makes its debut during the 2007 World War Hulk storyline, being called into action once the Hulk declares war on the Earth. While they don’t prove particularly successful in their mission to stop the invasion of Earth, the Gamma Corps could serve as minor antagonists in an MCU adaptation of the beloved storyline, standing in the Hulk’s way to revenge against those who he deems have wronged him.
3. HAMMER
Although SWORD has replaced SHIELD in the MCU, the seeds for a far more sinister organization known as HAMMER have also been sown. In the comics, HAMMER was formed after the Skrull Invasion, acting as a complete redesign of SHIELD, which had become increasingly unpopular after Tony Stark took over as director following the superhero civil war. Thanks to his heroics during Secret Invasion, Norman Osborn is able to convince the United States government to make him the director of this new intelligence organization, only to immediately abuse his power in order to consolidate control over the country, especially with the aid of his newly formed Dark Avengers.
Phase 4 depicts multiple failures on SWORD’s behalf, including the complete mishandling of the Westview incident and a failure to prevent a secret Skrull invasion, proving that the SHIELD replacement may not be living up to its predecessor, which itself was deeply flawed. However, with the Thunderbolts on their way with Norman Osborn rumored to be behind their formation, HAMMER may very well be preparing for its big MCU debut. This would undoubtedly trigger a Dark Reign storyline in the MCU, following Norman Osborn’s maniacal power trip which, in the comics, leads him to make his last stand by leading a siege on the city of New Asgard.
2. The Sinister Six
Spider-Man: No Way Home brought five supervillains to the MCU, falling just one character short of forming the first-ever live-action Sinister Six. However, while No Way Home did not prove to be the Sinister Six team-up that it could have been, Spider-Man’s deadliest team of supervillains could still have a role to play in the future of the MCU. Not only does Spider-Man still have several enemies, including Mac Gargan and Mysterio, lurking in the shadows of the MCU, but other universes appear to have it out for him too, with several supervillains forming interdimensional alliances that may come back to bite the wallcrawler as the Multiverse continues to unfurl.
Sony is clearly setting up a Sinister Six film in its own universe, especially after Morbius and the Vulture’s alliance during Morbius the Living Vampire‘s post-credits scene. While Sony’s burgeoning Sinister Six may end up fighting an alternate-reality version of Spider-Man set within the Venomverse, Earth-616’s Spider-Man variant may not be off the hook just yet. The upcoming Secret Wars crossover film will undoubtedly wreak havoc throughout the Multiverse, making it possible for alternate-reality characters, like the members of Sony’s Sinister Six, to wind up in the MCU. This would suggest that Tom Holland’s Spider-Man may yet go toe-to-toe with six dangerous supervillains who want him dead.
1. Serpent Society
Phase 5 will see Sam Wilson tested as the new Captain America in New World Order, which may also mark the debut of a major supervillain team from Marvel Comics: the Serpent Society. The Serpent Society is an organization of criminals and supervillains, all of whom are themed after various snakes, who act as mercenaries for other malevolent entities in the Marvel Universe like the Kingpin, Hydra, and AIM. The team gains a reputation for being successful in their jobs, even with interference from the Avengers, making them one of the most fearsome criminal organizations in the entirety of the Marvel Universe.
Recent rumors have emerged that Xosha Ruquemore’s mystery New World Order character may be the supervillain Diamondback, a member of the Serpent Society in the comics. These rumors suggest that Kevin Feige’s Serpent Society joke from 2014 may actually come to fruition in New World Order, creating a far more fearsome group of supervillains than the MCU has ever seen before. The Serpent Society would almost certainly be more than a one-off feature but could easily spin off into a series of confrontations with various Avengers that could comprise a major portion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s future in Phase 5 and beyond.
source: screenrant.com
