Phase 6 of Marvel Studios' Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is about to kick off with the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and there are nine main villains that have already been confirmed for the upcoming phase. Six films and eight Disney+ shows comprised Phase 5 of the MCU, and many iconic villains were featured in those projects.
At the beginning of Phase 5, Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror was being primed to become the next big bad of the franchise, but after his arrest, Majors was fired by Marvel Studios and Disney, causing Marvel Studios to go in a different direction. If Majors had stayed on, the list of Phase 6 villains may have looked a bit different. However, even though some things had to change, there are still nine villains for Phase 6 that have been confirmed.
All 9 MCU Villains Confirmed for Phase 6
Mole Man
Mole Man will make his MCU debut in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. While Galactus and Silver Surfer will serve as the main antagonists of the film, Mole Man will also make his presence felt.
The actor portraying Mole Man in The Fantastic Four has not been revealed yet, but many assume that he will be played by Paul Walter Hauser.
Marvel Studios hasn't officially commented on Mole Man's role within the film, but Johnny Storm actor Joseph Quinn did let slip at CCXP Mexico that Mole Man "is wonderful in" the film:
"It's certainly a very stacked cast. We've got a lot of fantastic characters in there. There's also Mole Man, who is wonderful in it. But Galactus is the big bad."
Mole Man's inclusion in The Fantastic Four only seems fitting, seeing as how he was present in the very first issue of The Fantastic Four comic that was released in 1961.
Doctor Doom
After Jonathan Majors was fired, Marvel Studios pivoted in a totally different direction. Instead of recasting Kang the Conqueror, Marvel Studios decided to make Doctor Doom the main villain of the Multiverse Saga. To shock fans even more, Robert Downey Jr. was announced to be the actor portraying Doctor Doom.
Doom's entrance into the MCU has not been confirmed yet. Some believe that he will appear at some point in The Fantastic Four: First Steps since Doom is such an iconic Fantastic Four villain, but others feel as though he may not show up until Avengers: Doomsday.
Whatever happens, fans will get to see Robert Downey Jr. back in the MCU as the big bad of Phase 6. Doom will at least be present during Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, but it is possible that he could show up in other projects as well.
Kingpin
After debuting in Netflix's Daredevil series, Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk (aka Kingpin) reprised his role in the MCU. Kingpin's first appearance in the franchise came in Disney+'s Hawkeye series, but since then, the character has also played a major role in Echo and Disney+'s Daredevil.
Moving forward, Kingpin is expected to continue to be a force to be reckoned with in Phase 6. He will definitely be returning for Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, and could potentially make an appearance in the Special Presentation centered around Punisher.
Unfortunately, Kingpin can't appear in feature films within the MCU due to rights issues, so fans will not be seeing him in Doomsday or Secret Wars.
Vanessa Fisk
One of the biggest moments of Daredevil: Born Again came in Episode 8 when it was revealed that Vanessa Fisk was the one who orchestrated the death of Foggy Nelson.
Daredevil: Born Again also proved that Vanessa is just as dangerous as her husband, and could surpass him if she hasn't already. Vanessa will continue to be a major MCU villain in Phase 6 when Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is released.
Magneto
March 26, 2025 was a massive day for longtime Marvel fans, as it was on that day that Marvel Studios announced that Ian McKellen would be reprising his role as Magneto in Avengers: Doomsday.
Magneto's role in Doomsday has not been revealed, but that version of the character was one of the most powerful villains of the 20th Century Fox era, appearing in multiple films.
While it has not been confirmed, many expect McKellen to return as Magneto once again in Avengers: Secret Wars before likely saying goodbye to the character forever after Marvel Studios comes out with its own reboot of the X-Men franchise.
Mystique
On the same day that McKellen was confirmed to be returning as Magneto, Marvel Studios announced that Rebecca Romijn would be reprising her role as Mystique in Avengers: Doomsday.
Romijn portrayed the iconic shapeshifter in Fox's X-Men films before Jennifer Lawrence took over the role, but she will at least be returning for one Phase 6 film.
Like McKellen, many expect Romijn to also appear in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Galactus
Ralph Ineson's Galactus will be the first major villain in Phase 6 of the MCU, as he will be the big bad of The Fantastic Four: First Steps (the project that will kick off Phase 6).
Marvel Studios tried to keep Galactus' character design under wraps for quite some time, but fans were eventually given a full look at the Devourer of Worlds in various ways.
It is unclear if Galactus will be featured in more MCU projects going forward or if he will only be present in The Fantastic Four.
Grim Reaper
Demetrius Grosse will be portraying the MCU's Eric Williams (aka Grim Reaper). In the source material, Grim Reaper is the brother of Simon Williams (aka Wonder Man).
Grim Reaper will be introduced in the Wonder Man Disney+ series, which is expected to be released in December 2025.
Bullseye
Wilson Bethel appeared in Daredevil: Born Again as Bullseye. Notably, he was the one to pull the trigger and kill Foggy Nelson, making him an extremely hated man with fans.
Bullseye is expected to return to the MCU in Phase 6 with the release of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2.
BONUS: Ultron
Ultron's involvement in Phase 6 of the MCU has been reported, but Marvel Studios has not officially confirmed that he will be coming back. According to Vision Quest actor Faran Tahir, James Spader is returning in the Disney+ series as Ultron, a character who first appeared in 2015's Age of Ultron.
If Ultron does return, he will likely only be a part of that one project.
BONUS: Jocasta
Jocasta is another character who has been rumored for Vision Quest. In the comics, she is created by Ultron as his bride. Eventually, she has a rather deep character arc that could be explored in Vision Quest.
According to some reports, T'Nia Miller will portray Jocasta in Vision Quest. However, like with Ultron, Marvel Studios has not officially commented on Jocasta's involvement or confirmed that she will be in the MCU in Phase 6.
BONUS: Paladin
Paladin is yet another Marvel character who will reportedly make his debut in Vision Quest. According to insiders, the villain will be played by Star Trek: Picard actor Todd Stashwick and will be one of the antagonists of the upcoming Disney+ show.
In the source material, Paladin was most closely tied to Daredevil, so it is possible that he could appear in other MCU projects and face off against Matt Murdock.
