The Fantastic Four: First Steps is confirmed for release in July 2025, officially kicking off Marvel's Phase Six, while Avengers: Doomsday is set to conclude the phase in 2026. As fans gear up for some of the most exciting team-ups and long-awaited face-offs, all eyes are on what’s next and who’s next in the MCU. As subtle hints and teaser clips continue to fuel speculation around upcoming MCU movies, it's becoming easier to identify which major Marvel superheroes, such as Captain America and Daredevil, as well as villains like Doctor Doom, may make their debut or relaunch in the upcoming phase.
While there's no shortage of excitement surrounding this, Phase 6 is preparing an impressive lineup of MCU anti-heroes. These unpredictable, morally gray characters deliver justice in twisted ways while keeping fans guessing and Marvel superheroes watching their backs at the same time.
12 MCU Antiheroes Confirmed for Phase 6 Appearances
Loki - Avengers: Doomsday
Tom Hiddleston’s Loki is one of the very few MCU characters to appear in all six phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and has traded allegiances countless times across the franchise's tenure.
Loki and Thor were confirmed to be reuniting in Avengers: Doomsday during the studio's lengthy Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal live stream. Despite Loki's tumultuous relationship with his Asgardian brother, their bond ended on a high note, with Loki ditching his typical selfish ways to stand with Thor against Thanos.
While Loki Season 2 left the god in a more heroic place, his history could indicate that he may cause more mischief when he returns in Doomsday.
Punisher - Spiderman: Brand New Day
Punisher is a fan-favorite anti-hero in the Phase 6 lineup so far. As a spicy addition, Frank Castle is expected to ruffle some feathers and keep the superheroes he appears alongside on their toes.
Frank Castle kicked ass alongside Matt Murdock in the recently completed Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again, and has been confirmed to make an appearance in the show's second season, the upcoming Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and his own Disney+ special.
One of his core rules, shoot first, ask questions later, leaves him as a wild card, conflicting with the more generic superheroes' ethics, which typically favor restraint and considerably fewer casualties.
Jessica Jones- Daredevil: Born Again Season 2
Between dealing with her trauma and drinking, one thing Jessica Jones has made clear is her dislike for heroism. Rather than saving lives and creating a better world, Jessica Jones prefers looking out for her own interests.
This is going to be an interesting sight, as Charlie Cox confirmed that Jessica Jones will be making an appearance in the second season of the Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again. This will be the first time Jessica Jones comes into contact with Matt Murdock since the pair last appeared in The Defenders miniseries, after she died and was resurrected.
With carefree Jessica Jones joining the mix when he’s (Daredevil) already having a hard time laying down his no-kill rules for the Punisher, Matt Murdock babysitting the kids will hopefully be a beautiful chaos that will unfold in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2.
Namor - Avengers: Doomsday
Namor’s unpredictability and his uncanny superpower of switching sides make him a morally ambiguous force to be reckoned with. In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Namor, as played by Tenoch Huerta Mejía, switched up on Shuri and attacked Wakanda after forming an alliance, even though this completely betrayed their budding romance.
Some fans seem to think his actions were justified and are also hoping that a romantic entanglement between Namor and Shuri, (who is also slated to make an appearance in Avengers: Doomsday), could reignite those deleted plots about their budding romance.
Whether the two get together or not, what is clear is that Namor always has Talokan's best interests in mind, no matter which side he finds himself on.
M'Baku - Avengers: Doomsday
Winston Duke’s M’Baku, one of Black Panther’s biggest rivals, is also expected to return to the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday in a big way. His primary goal has always been to return the technologically advanced Wakanda to its roots, which naturally creates tension and something worth fighting over.
M'Baku stood alongside T'Challa in the battles against Killmonger and later with Shu against Namor and the people of Talokan. This alliance has almost made fans forget that, in the 2018 film Black Panther, he challenged and fought T'Challa for the throne.
It’s evident that if the opportunity arises to advance the interests of his people, M'Baku won’t hesitate. Now that M'Baku is the new figurehead of Wakanda, it remains to be seen whether he will grow to become a more equal ruler or continue to fight for causes that directly benefit the Jabari tribe.
Winter Soldier - Avengers: Doomsday
Bucky Barnes' Winter Soldier has come a long way from the brainwashed assassin seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and is now set to join the New Avengers in Doomsday.
As shown from his brief tenure as a sitting member of the United States Congress in Thunderbolts, Bucky isn't afraid to get down and dirty and break a few rules to ultimately do the right thing. This rough-and-tumble approach may create a little chaos in the Avengers film when he sees his more by-the-books friend Sam Wilson again.
Regardless of where the two will stand in Doomsday, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes is a fan-favourite Marvel anti-hero that is highly anticipated just because fans want a little more for him, perhaps even a love interest.
Scarlet Witch - Marvel Zombies
With great power comes great responsibility, and with the Scarlet Witch, it's been quite a struggle to deal with grief and her volatile mental health. Her story took a dark and scary turn in the sitcom-turned-horror-fantasy, WandaVision.
With a similar pattern emerging in Multiverse of Madness, grief and loss always seem to push the Scarlet Witch into a villainous character arc. Wanda is set to make her Phase 6 return in Marvel Zombies, so her darker edge may spell trouble for the other heroes of the piece.
However, Elisabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff remains a hero with a strong moral compass and empathy, which means there's always a possibility that she pulls herself out of the darkness and does the right thing.
Yelena - Avengers: Doomsday
Yelena Belova took the Black Widow title over from Natasha Romanoff, and with her background as a spy and assassin, the character’s complex personality was a clear marker of an anti-hero.
As shown in Black Widow, Yelena isn't fully about the superhero life, as she basically mocked Natasha's superhero lifestyle and made it clear how unimpressed she was with the idea. This continued through to Hawkeye and Thunderbolts, where Yelena worked as a contract killer for Val.
With Yelena set to play a key role among the New Avengers in Doomsday, her and her team's more blasé approach to superhero work may cause some conflict with the other Avengers heroes.
Blade (Moon Knight Variant) - Marvel Zombies
Who better to enlist against zombies in the upcoming Marvel animated series Marvel Zombies than a mashup between two of Marvel’s most dangerous anti-heroes, known for their extreme methods?
Besides the excitement and build-up for the animated series, this might be an opportunity for Marvel to redeem both characters in the MCU in one bold swoop. With the recently completed Moon Knight TV series, many believe Moon Knight was misrepresented, and as for Blade, some fans may have even forgotten that he's a part of the MCU.
Ghost - Avengers: Doomsday
Ghost was first brought to life by Hannah John-Kamen in the 2018 film Ant-Man and the Wasp. Her connection to SHIELD's shady experiments and her survival instincts make her one of the most loved gray characters in the Thunderbolts lineup, and fans are eager to see what she brings to Avengers: Doomsday.
Besides being an elusive career assassin, being a member of the Thunderbolts is an easy indicator of a questionable past. As for Ava Starr, her stance is questionable because when it comes to topics of survival, there is usually almost no choice but to do whatever it takes.
Red Guardian - Avengers: Doomsday
The Red Guardian is notoriously Thunderbolts' comic relief, portraying a washed-up super soldier pining for something to fight for. David Harbour’s Alexei Shostakov, introduced in Black Widow, carries the weight of the Cold War, Soviet patriotism, and personal failure, which he concealed in humor.
As the USSR’s answer to Captain America, it’s no surprise he’s obsessed with Steve Rogers, something fans found both sad and a little cute since he had a lot of stories to tell about his battles with the former Cap.
In Avengers: Doomsday, or subsequent Thunderbolts movies, fans are also hoping to see more of the touching bond between him and Yelena as he steps up as a father.
U.S. Agent (John Walker) Doomsday
Wyatt Russell’s John Walker (aka U.S. Agent) debuted in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as the government’s best pick replacement for Captain America, until he publicly executed an innocent person, of course.
While his decisions were often questionable, that’s what made the character an interesting, twisted Captain America. As with U.S. Agent, fans either really love him or cannot stand him. With Doomsday marking his third MCU appearance, Russell has teased that fans could see a completely new side of the a-hole Cap.
