As the Marvel Cinematic Universe expands, the need for strong villains and anti-heroes is getting stronger. After the stupendous success of Venom and Venom 2, many fans have been wanting to see more Marvel villains get their own movies, much like what DC did with Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker.
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Marvel already has a lot of nuanced villains that do not fall into the binary of good and evil. No matter how evil their intentions are, it is hard for the audience not to empathize with them to some extent or at least understand their journey. Sometimes these “villains” stand out more than the heroes. Be it Thanos or Killmonger, here are 5 Marvel villains who deserve their solo movies already.

1) Erik Killmonger

Killmonger
Killmonger is one of the greatest and most well-done Marvel villains of all time. Michael B. Jordan stole the show in a movie that was already among Marvel’s finest works. The character was so well-crafted that the audience was torn between who to root for. He may be misguided and his views are quite extreme, but one cannot help but see his point, especially about how T’Challa and his father lived in royalty and hid Wakanda away while the rest of the world suffered.

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It would be great to see a prequel movie on Killmonger where we see his military background and his history of ruthless kills (hence the name). The movie can also explore what led him down the wrong path. All in all, it would be a project with great gravitas.

2) Thanos

Thanos
Thanos as a villain is the magnum opus project of Marvel. He is one of the most compelling villains of the MCU, and he even makes one teary-eyed at certain junctures. At times, given his reasons and sacrifices, it is even hard to think of him as a villain. In terms of antagonists the MCU has had, Thanos is the biggest name out there.

Thanos was almost the narrator of Infinity War, which means Marvel intended to explore the whole thing through Thanos’ eyes. That is how important a villain Thanos was in the MCU. He has appeared in What If…? since then, where he was convinced to drop his harmful universe-dominating goal and become a hero. A film solely focusing on Thanos’ journey, his relationship with Gamora, and why he did what he did, would pull in a larger audience than Marvel can hope for.

3) Magneto

Magneto
Magneto is not just the greatest villain of X-Men but one of the most notable villains of Marvel. Max Eisenhardt, later known as Erik Lehnsherr, is a Holocaust survivor whose desire to save the mutants is fueled by his tragic past. He constantly oscillates between being a villain and an anti-hero so it is really hard to put him in a box.

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A movie focused on Magneto would be a great piece of art and could be a ride through history where Magneto learns his powers in the most challenging circumstances possible. The movie can also explore his desire to protect the mutants from a world that is hostile towards anything different. After all, what is the fun in characters that are either black or white? Where the lines between good and evil, hero and villain, do not get blurry from time to time.

4) Norman Osborn

Norman Osborn
Norman Osborn, the tormented but genius businessman, is one Marvel villain who truly deserves his own movie. Osborn’s complex personality and his fascinating duality were of great interest to the Marvel audience.

Norman Osborn is not just a villain. He is a father who is trying to win the world for his son, albeit while putting everyone in danger. His manic personality and eerie laugh, his feverish chase for power, his internal clash, and how it all spirals down are a perfect recipe for a movie that the audience would give an arm and a leg to see.

5) Xu Wenwu

Xu Wenwu
Wenwu from Shang Chi is a much-layered character. While he was a cold-blooded criminal and a terrible father, he was also a passionate husband and a grieving widower. His ultimate goal is not about power or world dominance but rather about love and grief. He is prepared to do everything, including destroy the world, to reunite with his wife.

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There is a lot to see of Wenwu if Marvel decides to expand on Shang Chi and one can hope that he will get his solo movie where all the shades of his character will be explored.

Although The Joker is in a league of his own, these Marvel villains definitely deserve their moment in the spotlight. Their fascinating backstory, moral complexity, and motivations deserve to be placed in their solo movies in the MCU.