(Photo Credit: Marvel Studios)
Avengers: Doomsday is set to feature some major returns from past MCU characters. While Doctor Doom may be the big villain of the movie, several MCU villains are rumored to return as well.

Avengers: Doomsday is rumored to feature a ton of villains

So far, little is known about Avengers: Doomsday. However, the film is set to feature a huge cast, and will include the return of several major figures in the Marvel movie canon. This includes the like Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, a majority of the FOX’s X-Men cast, and much more. Headlining the film, of course, is the return of Robert Downey Jr., this time playing the role of Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom.

While Downey’s Doom will be the “big bad” villain of Doomsday and its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, he might not be the only villain appearing in Doomsday. Several rumors have been floating around for some time that tons of other villains will from past MCU entries will be appearing. To make things easier, we’ve collected some of the biggest, and broke down the rumors surrounding them:

Mystique, Magneto, Namor

First, we’ll start with three characters we know will 100% be appearing in Doomsday. Mystique (played by Rebecca Romijn) may not have always been portrayed as a villain throughout her time in Marvel movies. Make no mistake, though, she is a villain to most. It’s unclear whether or not she’ll be playing a villainous version of Mystique in Doomsday, but expect her shapeshifting shenanigans to continue.

Likewise, Magneto (Ian McKellen) will also be returning. Although a villain by most measures, Magneto does often play the role of antihero from time to time, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see him appearing alongside his longtime friend Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) in the fight against Doom. Namor (Tenoch Huerta) also fits this role, as he was the “villain” of the Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever, but looks to be more of an antihero in the upcoming Doomsday.

Thanos

What would an Avengers movie be without Thanos? A rumor from earlier this year from insider MyTimeToShine suggested that Thanos (played by Josh Brolin in the MCU) could actually be returning…but maybe not for Doomsday. While rumors suggested that Thanos could return in Doomsday as part of a multiversal collision, the insider said that it’s more likely Thanos will come back in Doomsday’s sequel, Secret Wars.

Given the nature of what Secret Wars could be about, this makes the most sense. The Marvel Comics arc of the same name deals with Marvel’s heroes fighting it out with a litany of villains on a planet filled with multiversal messiness, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see the movie do this as well. Not only would it be an easy way to bring back Thanos for a quick cameo, but it could also give fans a live-action look at one of the most iconic panels in comics, which sees Doom killing Thanos with ease.

Doc Ock

Another iconic villain in the world of Marvel, Doc Ock (played by Alfred Molina in every film the character’s been in) is usually associated with the world of Spider-Man. However, an interview Molina did with Variety has people wondering what the future could hold. Earlier this year, Molina told Variety that he considered Doc Ock put away for now, but if Marvel asked him to do it again, he would “no doubt” be up for it.

This quote led insider MyTimeToShine to once again pop up. In a cryptic post on social media, the insider asked fans if Doc Ock would be appearing in Doomsday. It’s hard to tell just how playful the post was meant to be, as it’s entirely possible this could happen. Many rumors surrounding Doomsday suggests that Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man could appear in the movie, and if he does, it would only be right that one of his most iconic villains follows him.

Kilgrave

Chalk this one up to “would be absolutely wild if it happens,” but an unidentified rumor has been floating around that David Tennant’s Kilgrave could be up for a return to the MCU. While it seems crazy at face value, there is actually some comic book history to back this rumor up. In the graphic novel Emperor Doom, Doctor Doom actually enlists the help of Kilgrave (also known as the Purple Man) to power a device called the “psycho-prism,” which allows Doom to influence and control the minds of everyone on Earth at once. While this would be a wild plotline to explore in Doomsday, it’s not impossible the Purple Man is used for something of the sort.

In the world of the MCU, the Purple Man was played by David Tennant in the first season of Netflix’s Jessica Jones. The character is known for his ability to control people’s minds and actions thanks to special pheromones he produces. Although his appearance in the MCU was brief, critics and fans praised Tennant’s performance as Kilgrave, so he would most certainly be welcomed back. Daredevil: Born Again’s Charlie Cox even said he’d love to see it happen in an interview with TheWrap earlier this month.

Scarlet Witch

Last month, Alex Perez of The Cosmic Circus was asked if he could see Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch returning. Perez said that there is evidence that points to her being in Doomsday, but that actress Elizabeth Olsen wouldn’t be the one playing her. Perez noted that many character cameos that appear in Doomsday were done so with stunt doubles, with their characters wearing masks similar to that of Doom to hide their appearances.

As a result, while Wanda is a strong bet to be in the movie, don’t expect to see Olsen return just yet. However, Perez all but confirmed Scarlet Witch would factor into Doomsday’s plot in some way, noting “there is something plotwise that Doom does in the movie that has only ever been done in the MCU by two other people up until now, and it points to Wanda being the one who grants him this ability.”

Kang

Our final rumored villain is none other than Kang the Conqueror, the villain that was meant to be the next “big bad” of the MCU before things fell apart. Originally played by Jonathan Majors, Kang was meant to usher in a new era of the MCU. Instead, it wasn’t meant to be, and Majors was subsequently fired from future films, with Marvel Studios pivoting to the Doom-focused movies coming out instead.

Despite the seemingly concrete nature of Kang’s departure, rumors of his return have been around for years. In a recent Q&A with The Cosmic Circus, insider Alex Perez hinted that Kang’s presence might actually be felt, but definitely not seen. Perez noted that “even though he’s not in either movie, He Who Remains won. And we’ll leave it at that,” a nod to one of Kang’s different variant personas, who briefly appeared in the Disney+ series Loki. Judging by the sounds of it, Kang’s goals of multiversal dominance may have been successful, but don’t expect to see Majors back as Kang anytime soon.