Some of the most exciting characters in theMarvel Cinematic Universewill be introduced to live-action in 2025. Since 2008’sIron Man, Marvel Studios has adapted dozens of Marvel Comics' most powerful, notable and complex characters, heroes and villains alike, into the live-action MCU, fleshing out the almost-two-decade-long franchise. This is only set to continue in 2025, with both theMCU’s theatrical releases and Disney+ showsintroducing some of the franchise’s most significant and exciting characters yet, who will change the shape of the MCU forever.
Wonder Man
December 2025
With six live-action projects expected to release in theMCU in 2025, dozens of new and exciting characters will be introduced to the franchise alongside mainstays, including Sam Wilson’s Captain America, Bucky Barnes' Winter Soldier and Matt Murdock’s Daredevil.This includes some of Marvel Comics' most iconic and popular characters, such as the Silver Surfer, the Sentry and the Fantastic Four. Introducingnotable Marvel heroes and villainsalike will establish new storylines, setting up the MCU’s next chapters and allowing the franchise to grow for years to come.
10Seth Voelker, A.K.A. Sidewinder
Captain America: Brave New World (February 2025)
2025’s first MCU project,Captain America: Brave New World, is set to pit Sam Wilson’s Captain America against a number of powerful villains, including the Red Hulk, the Leader and the Serpent Society, a group led bySeth Voelker’s Sidewinder.Giancarlo Esposito will be making his MCU debut as Sidewinder inBrave New World, dubbed the King of the Serpent Society, though it’s unclear whether he will share superpowers with his snake-themed Marvel Comics counterpart. Sidewinder’s teleportation ability may be too fantastical forBrave New World, though the villain’s inclusion is still very exciting.
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Seth Voelker made his Marvel Comics debut in 1980’sMarvel Two-in-One #64, which introduced as the steadfast leader of the Serpent Society, whose ability meant that his followers seldom remained imprisoned after committing their crimes.Captain America: Brave New Worldis expected to debut a more grounded and realistic version of Sidewinder, rather than introducing the most snake-like iteration of the character from Marvel Comics. TheSerpent Society have been long-rumored for the MCU, so it’s exciting to finally see the group debut opposite Sam Wilson’s Captain America, introducing a new prevailing threat.
9Muse
Daredevil: Born Again (March 2025)
Continuing on from the finale of Netflix’sDaredevilseason 3, 2025’sDaredevil: Born Againseries will pick up several years after Matt Murdock, Foggy Nelson and Karen Page agreed to open their own law firm and Daredevil entered into a tenuous truce with Wilson Fisk’s Kingpin. The series will mirror the grounded and gritty textures of the original Defenders Saga series, and the debut ofMuse inDaredevil: Born Againis proof of these themes being included.Muse is one of Marvel’s most brutal, disturbing and haunting villains, so his inclusion inBorn Againis incredibly exciting.
It’s unclear who will play Muse inDaredevil: Born Again, but he has been seen in trailers for the series. In Marvel Comics, Muse is a deranged serial killer who creates art from the innards of his various victims, which include police officers, Inhumans and many more. Muse’s graffiti of Daredevil and other street-level heroes duringKingpin’s time as Mayor of New Yorkwas a huge plot point during theDevil’s Reignevent, so will likely play a role inDaredevil: Born Again, too, making Muse one of the MCU’s most mysterious and intriguing new characters.
8Parker Robbins, A.K.A. The Hood
Ironheart (June 2025)
WhileCaptain America: Brave New WorldandDaredevil: Born Againare expected to introduce new and exciting villains, so is 2025’s upcomingIronheartseries. Riri Williams' new armored superhero will be pitted againstAnthony Ramos' Parker Robbins inIronheart, an ally of Williams who dabbles in dark magic after donning a mysterious red hood. In Marvel Comics,Parker Robbins became the Hood after meeting with a demon, and speculation of Mephisto’s official MCU debut inIronhearthas raised hopes that he will be the demon entering into this deal.
Mephisto received his first MCU name-drop in 2024’sAgatha All Alongseries.
TheHood’s introduction inIronheartstresses the fact that the series will explore the dichotomy between magic and technology, which has been an ever-present theme in the MCU since the introduction of characters such as the Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange.Parker Robbins could have a bright future as a villain and antihero in the MCU’s future, particularly as a member of the Thunderbolts, the Cabal or the Initiative, following in the footsteps of his Marvel Comics counterpart. Anthony Ramos is a brilliant up-and-coming actor, so his debut in the MCU is incredibly exciting.
7Eric Williams, A.K.A. Grim Reaper
Wonder Man (December 2025)
Another intriguing villain set to appear in the MCU for the first time in 2025 is the Grim Reaper, who will be portrayed by Demetrius Grosse inWonder Man.Eric Williams is the brother of Simon Williams, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Wonder Man, so he will likely have a major role in theupcoming Marvel Spotlight series. Eric Williams was always the black sheep of the family, and he helped convince his more put-together brother to seek enhancements from Baron Heinrich Zemo in Marvel Comics, transforming him into the villain Wonder Man, though he joined the Avengers instead of destroying them.
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When Simon Williams sacrifices himself to save the Avengers, Eric Williams' grief transforms him into the Grim Reaper. His techno-scythe has the power to absorb life energy from others, andhe more recently gained more mystical abilities, giving him a command over life and death that better fits his supervillain moniker. TheGrim Reaper is a very powerful villain, and Demetrius Grosse is a commanding and captivating actor, making Eric Williams' introduction in 2025’sWonder Manseries a very exciting prospect.
6Hector Ayala, A.K.A. White Tiger
Kamar de los Reyes' role inDaredevil: Born Againwas thankfully filmed prior to the actor’s tragic passing in 2023, allowing Hector Ayala to make his MCU debut as the White Tiger in the upcoming street-level series. Hector Ayala made his first Marvel Comics appearance in 1975’sDeadly Hands of Kung Fu #19, introduced as a character who becomes enhanced with superhuman abilities when he sports three mystical tiger amulets.He fought alongside other street-level heroes, including Shang-Chi, Iron Fist, Daredevil and Spider-Man, so his MCU debut inDaredevil: Born Againmakes a lot of sense.
Daredevil: Born Againhas been speculated to include several street-level heroes, given its focus on Wilson Fisk’s election to Mayor of New York, which hints at an adaptation of Marvel Comics’Devil’s Reignstoryline.
While Hector Ayala’s White Tiger is unlikely to continue on afterDaredevil: Born Again, given the tragic loss of Kamar de los Reyes,the superhero moniker can be passed down through the Ayala family, similarly to the title of Black Panther. In Marvel Comics, Angela Del Toro, Hector’s niece, inherited the tiger amulets after Hector’s demise, while this honor was later bestowed upon Hector’s teenage sister, Ava Ayala. TheWhite Tiger’s debut inDaredevil: Born Againcould kick-start a new superhero dynasty, which could change the landscape of the MCU’s street-level stories for good.
5Silver Surfer
The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 2025)
The Fantastic Four: First Stepsis perhaps the most highly-anticipated project set to release in the MCU’s 2025 slate.Matt Shakman’s reboot is set to introduce characters acquired by Disney from 20th Century Fox to the MCU for the first time, though it will initially take place in an alternate reality across the multiverse. This means that some characters will be twists of the versions audiences expect, which creates the opportunity forShalla-Bal’s Silver Surferto appear, rather than the more well-known Norrin Radd, though both herald the coming of an even greater threat.
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Matt Shakman
The metallic-skinned cosmic being, the Silver Surfer, is one of Marvel Comics' most iconic characters, so it will be very exciting to finally see this formidable character appear in the MCU.Ozarkstar Julia Garner will portray Shalla-Bal inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, arousing hopes that Marvel Studios will do the character justiceafter 2007’sFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surferdelivered a somewhat-lackluster interpretation. TheSilver Surfer’s MCU debutwill change the cosmic side of the MCU significantly, and will expand on the exploration of the MCU’s multiverse brilliantly.
4Simon Williams, A.K.A. Wonder Man
While Demetrius Grosse’s debut as Eric Williams' Grim Reaper is an exciting prospect, the debut of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’sSimon Williams in 2025’sWonder Manis perhaps more highly-anticipated. Imbued with ionic energy,Wonder Man is one of Marvel’s most powerful characters, who uses his gifts to become a Hollywood actor, so introducing this hilarious and formidable character to the MCU will be game-changing. Wonder Man has become a member and leader of superhero teams such as the Avengers, the West Coast Avengers, the Defenders and more, meaning he could weave into every corner of the MCU.
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Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is a remarkable actor who has a great deal of superhero franchise experience, having portrayed Black Manta in the DCEU’sAquamanfranchise and Doctor Manhattan in HBO’sWatchmenseries.His role in the MCU will be more comedic, and being introduced in a Marvel Spotlight series gives him more freedom to make Wonder Man his own, rather than connecting too much to the MCU’s wider narrative. There’s no doubt Simon Williams will become one of the MCU’s most important heroes, however, so his 2025 debut is much anticipated.
3Galactus
The Silver Surfer’s debut inThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsis exciting, but this only sets the stage for a far more terrifying threat to appear. The Silver Surfer is notoriously the herald of theplanet-eating cosmic being Galactus, who has opposed the Fantastic Four and a great many other Marvel heroes since his first Marvel Comics appearance in 1966’sFantastic Four #48. Formerly a mortal man from before the current universe,Galactus consumes entire worlds to sustain his life force, serving a crucial role in the maintenance of the universe and its many cosmic entities.
Galactus was depicted as a cosmic cloud of gas inFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, which received a huge amount of critcism.
Galactus was completely butchered in 2007’sFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, so there is a lot of pressure on Marvel Studios to get the looming cosmic being right inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps.Casting English actor Ralph Ineson, who has a noticeable deep and rough Yorkshire accent, as Galactus in the MCU was a fantastic choice, while there is speculation that Galactus' power will be put on full display as he could destroyFirst Steps’retro-futuristic, 1960s-themed version of Earth. Galactus will likely become a long-running threat in the MCU, which is very exciting indeed.
2Bob
Thunderbolts* (May 2025)
Lewis Pullman replaced Steven Yeun inThunderbolts*in January 2024, seemingly taking over the mysterious role of Bob. While Marvel Studios has made attempts to keep Bob’s true identity hidden, there has been huge speculation, and it has been all but confirmed, that Bob is in factRobert Reynolds, otherwise known as the Sentry.The Sentry is one of Marvel’s most powerful characters, harboring the power of a million exploding suns, so his debut in the MCU may have a serious impact on the power status of the franchise, but could also introduce another terrifying threat.
The Walking Deadcreator Robert Kirkman seemed to confirm that Steven Yeun was set to portray the Sentry, whileThunderbolts*star David Harbour recently accidentally revealed that Lewis Pullman will now portray Bob as the Sentry, spoiling the major MCU secret.
While the Sentry is a steadfast hero, he has a darker alter ego living inside him known as the Void. It’s unclear whether Marvel Studios will adapt theSentry’s memory-wipe storylinesfrom Marvel Comics, which revealed he had played a pivotal role in Marvel’s history upon his debut in Marvel Comics’The Sentrystoryline in 2000. Since his debut, theSentry became one of the most central figures in several different Avengers teams, so he’ll likely become a permanent fixture in the MCU, rivaling the power of the likes of Captain Marvel, the Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange.
1The Fantastic Four
Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige quickly confirmed that the Fantastic Four would be reinvented for the MCU following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019. However, it wasn’t until February 2024 when theofficial cast ofThe Fantastic Four: First Stepswas confirmed, withPedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach being introduced to the MCU as Marvel’s new First Family. Several different versions of the Fantastic Four have been adapted into live-action before, but Marvel Studios' iteration is expected to be the strongest and most comic-accurate incarnation yet.
Ben Grimm’s Thing
Ebon Moss-Bachrach
The MCU’s Fantastic Four team will be introduced inhabiting an alternate 1960s-themed universe, explaining why they’ve been missing from the MCU until now.The introduction of Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm will set up some crucial events for the MCU’s future, with the Fantastic Four team expected to lead the franchise for years to come alongside other superhero teams such as theAvengers and the X-Men. The Fantastic Four is the team that led Marvel Comics into a new era in 1961, and it’s very likely they’ll do the same for theMarvel Cinematic Universe.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
