Marvel Studios' Phase 7 crossover villain may have been revealed, and it is a perfect choice. Over the years, the MCU has played host to a whole swath of epic crossover villains, whether it be the dangerous Ultron (Avengers: Age of Ultron), the universe-conquering Thanos (Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame), or the upcoming Doctor Doom (Avengers: Doomsday). Wherever there has been a reason for some of the franchise's best and brightest heroes to join forces, so too has a threat worthy of such a team-up been close behind.
That trend of bringing in some epic antagonist to go up against a handful of MCU heroes does not look like it is going anywhere post-Multiverse Saga. The current chapter of Marvel Studios' super-powered story is set to close with the release of Avengers: Secret Wars in December 2027, opening the door for a new era of the interconnected on-screen universe—one that is reported to finally include a Midnight Sons movie.
According to a new report from insider Daniel Richtman, Marvel may have found its first Phase 7 crossover villain.
In a post on his personal Patreon page, Richtman wrote that he has heard Sacha Baron Cohen's Mephisto will be in the upcoming unannounced Midnight Sons team-up film:
"Sacha Baron Cohen's Mephisto 'will be in 'Midnight Sons/Suns.''"
Cohen debuted as the devilish character in Marvel Studios' Ironheart series, appearing as the sinister force behind Anthony Ramos' series villain, The Hood. For years, fans have been clamoring for Mephisto's MCU debut, and now that he is finally here, it should be some relief to hear that Marvel seems to have plans for the iconic comic book big bad.
Since his appearance in the Ironheart streaming series, rumors have been swirling about where the character will next pop up in the franchise. Recent reports suggest Marvel Studios may be setting up an adaptation of the Damnation comics storyline in which the fiendish foe takes over Las Vegas, turning it into a Hell on Earth.
An MCU Midnight Sons movie has long been a hot topic among the Marvel faithful, as fans itch to see the supernatural superhero squad appear on the big screen in some form. Recent rumors suggest that a Midnight Sons project is in the works at Marvel Studios and is being primed for a release sometime during Phase 7. The exact lineup has not been confirmed. However, many assume it would include characters like Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange, Oscar Isaac's Moon Knight, Mahershala Ali's Blade, and potentially a new MCU Ghost Rider.
Mephisto Is The MCU's Perfect Next Villain
It may not seem like it at first glance, but Mephisto could be the perfect next main villain for the MCU, following in the footsteps of characters like Thanos, Kang, and Doctor Doom.
In Phase 7, Marvel Studios will look for its next overarching antagonist. A character that could play off of the franchise's biggest heroes over multiple projects, building to a final confrontation in an epic team-up film (like Midnight Sons). Mephisto fits that bill perfectly.
Thus far, with its big crossover villains, Marvel Studios has explored Earth-based threats (e.g., Ultron) and those from the cosmos (e.g., Thanos, Loki, Doom), but one corner of the franchise that it has not touched for one of these characters is the supernatural.
Mephisto could fill that box perfectly, bringing one of Marvel Comics' biggest supernatural threats to the big screen and offering some of the franchise's spookier heroes a chance to shine in taking down the terrifying demon lord.
This could scale the MCU back down a bit (after getting bigger than ever in the Multiverse Saga) while providing an exciting threat for its characters to take on in this new era of super-powered storytelling for the red brand.
