MCU Phase 4 villains: Baron Zemo, Taskmaster, Mandarin, Nightmare and more set to terrorize the world
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is all set to enter Phase 4 after the culmination of the 23-movie-long Phase 3's Infinity Saga. The upcoming phase of movies and Disney+ shows will introduce a host of new characters and bring back some old favorites but the real deal everyone is hyped about is to know all the new villains who will attempt to take over the empty throne of Thanos (Josh Brolin).
So without further ado, here is a list of all the villains we can expect to see in Phase 4:
'Black Widow' (May 1, 2020)
The upcoming Scarlett Johansson movie will see Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, going up against the Taskmaster, her ex-husband Red Guardian aka Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour), and her arch-rival from the comics, Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh).
Red Guardian, in the comics, was one of the Soviet Union's most acclaimed test pilots before he is transformed into the Russian version of Captain America. The Taskmaster is a ruthless mercenary with the ability to mimic the skills of his opponents, making him a formidable fighter. Yelena was trained by the same people who turned Natasha into the infamous assassin that she is, making her quite a match for her heroic "sister".
'The Falcon and The Winter Soldier' (Fall 2020)
Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) are going to have their hands full in their upcoming Disney+ series where they will face the criminal mastermind known as Baron Zemo (Daniel Bruhl). Zemo is an old enemy of the duo and Bucky especially has a bone to pick with the Sokovian villain after he attempted to turn Bucky into a weapon against the Avengers in 'Captain America: Civil War'.
'The Eternals' (November 6, 2020)
While the villain for the upcoming 'Eternals' movie has not been revealed yet, Don Lee will be playing the character Gilgamesh, who has been an enemy of his Eternal brethren in the past. Sprite (Lia McHugh) has also been a semi-villainous character at times in the comics. The movie is still adding members to its cast so the movie may also introduce Kro, the leader of the Deviants, one-time boyfriend of Thena (Angelina Jolie), and easily the greatest enemy of the Eternals.
'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' (February 12, 2021)
The Mandarin (not to be confused with the fake one played by Ben Kingsley in 'Iron Man 3') will be portrayed by Tony Leung in the upcoming movie. He is usually portrayed as a genius scientist and superhumanly skilled martial artist who serves as Tony Stark’s arch-rival in the comics. The Mandarin has a variety of powers that he derives from his rings, which are alternately described as either being magical or alien in nature.
'WandaVision' (Spring 2021)
Considering how unstable Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) is in the comics, speculations are rife that she may actually be the villain of the upcoming Disney+ series. Other rumors and theories have suggested that 'WandaVision' may introduce the Fear Lord known as Nightmare, especially considering the show is meant to lead into the upcoming 'Doctor Strange' sequel.
'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' (May 7, 2021)
Nightmare has been rumored to be the villain for the upcoming ‘Doctor Strange’ sequel since before the film was even confirmed. He is the ruler of his own dimension, a Fear Lord with the power to feed off the negative thoughts and emotions of others. Other rumored villains include Galactus and Dormammu.
'Loki' (Spring 2021)
The only villain that we know for a fact to be appearing in the Disney+ series is Tom Hiddleston's Loki himself. Undoubtedly, he will face some enemies during his journey through time and fans have a long list of his rivals from the comics whom they would like to see on the show including Amora the Enchantress, the dark elf Malekith the Accursed (played by Christopher Eccleston in 'Thor: The Dark World') and Loki's less-than-loving father Laufey (voiced by Colm Feore in ‘Thor’).
'Hawkeye' (Fall 2021)
The series is expected to explore the archer's dark past, which could mean we will be seeing more of his time growing up in the Carson Carnival of Travelling Wonders. If we do get to see the origins of Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner), that would be the perfect opportunity to introduce two of Barton’s most important enemies/father-figures: Trick Shot, the evil archer who trained him, and the unimaginatively named Swordsman, who was Barton’s mentor growing up.
'Thor: Love and Thunder' (November 5, 2021)
The movie will reportedly be following Jason Aaron's 'Mighty Thor' comic book series, which offers a wide variety of villains to choose from including Gorr the God Butcher, Malekith, the evil Roxxon corporation, and Mangog. The Butcher, in particular, is one of Thor's most formidable opponents, an immensely powerful being with a burning hatred for all gods and a desire to rid the universe of all its deities.