Marvel has confirmed the identity of its next villain and the final baddie within Phase 5 of the MCU.
This particular chapter of the Multiverse Saga kicked off with 2023's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and who fans anticipated was the MCU's next big bad.
Now, more than two years later, Phase 5 is coming to a close with Thunderbolts*, and thanks to some early merch, fans now know exactly who he is.
Marvel's Final Phase 5 Villain Revealed
A new Funko Pop! just spoiled the identity of Thunderbolts* supervillain.
As comic book fans speculated, Sentry is part of the cast of the MCU's antihero team coming to theaters on May 2.
For the first time, Funko not only confirmed the character's name but offered a close-up look at his yellow and blue suit and the "S" emblem on his belt, matching the quick live-action glimpse from the Thunderbolts* trailer.
In the comics, Sentry is akin to DC's Superman in terms of his powers; but the twist is his dangerous alter ego: The Void.
He's expected to be played by Lewis Pullman since his character, Bob, is likely Sentry's Robert "Bob" Reynolds, and that dark, hovering figure deleting people from existence is The Void (check out other important and terrifying details about The Void here).
The question heading into Thunderbolts* is how Marvel Studios will approach this complex character and how he will compare Phase 5's other villains.
The following is a refresher of the Marvel Studios' Phase 5 antagonists and how varied the lineup has been:
Kang the Conqueror
Following Jonathan Major's performance as Loki's He Who Remains, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was hyped as Kang the Conqueror's entry into the MCU ahead of his (now canceled and replaced?) Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Kang's Ant-Man 3 defeat undercut Majors' performance ahead of his own legal troubles bringing his Marvel presence to a close post-Loki Season 2.
MODOK
Corey Stoll's Ant-Man malefactor Darren Cross returned in Quantumania as MODOK, Marvel Comics' cybernetically enhanced supervillain with a massive head both literally and figuratively. Despite fan appreciation for the character in print, the MCU's MODOK and his CGI design were largely panned by fans and played more for laughs than stakes.
The High Evolutionary
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's High Evolutionary, played by Chukwudi Iwuji, was a sociopathic scientist obsessed with perfection who attempted to "evolve" animals and beings for his Counter-Earth. His brutality and experiments on animals, including Rocket Racoon, made him not only dangerous but detestable.
Find out how the High Evolutionary survived Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 here.
Dar-Benn
Fueled by vengeance and a special hatred of Captain Marvel, this Kree leader (Zawe Ashton) ripped apart jump points to restore her homeworld while wielding the Ronan the Accuser's hammer. Unfortunately, The Marvels failed to live up to fan expectations, taking Dar-Benn's MCU impact down with it.
Cassandra Nova
As the twin sister of Charles Xavier and ruler of the Void, Emma Corrin's Cassandra Nova in 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine had Marvel fans' attention from the start, especially given her mutant status and connections to Marvel characters in the past and ahead of the MCU's plan for mutants in the future.
Red Hulk
Dominating the marketing for Captain America: Brave New World was Harrison Ford's President Thaddeus Ross as the Red Hulk. Not only did Sam Wilson square off against Red Hulk but Ford's smashing red monster was also a representation of his long-running MCU's character reckless side.
The Leader
Continuing his story from 2008's The Incredible Hulk, Tim Blake Nelson's Samuel Sterns or The Leader was Captain America: Brave New World's villainous puppetmaster who manipulated soldiers to do his bidding, including Isaiah Bradley. The grotesque, gamma-deformed genius was also responsible for turning President Ross into the Red Hulk after Ross opted to keep Sterns a prisoner.
Find out if Captain America 4 merchandise misled fans about the Leader's design.
Thunderbolts* arrives in theaters on Friday, May 2.
