Marvel Cinematic Universe: 10 New Villains To Watch Out For In 2017

With each new year that arrives, it feels like it can easily be labeled the Marvel Cinematic Universe's biggest one yet, and 2017 is no exception. Aside from the ongoing adventures of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., MCU fans get to look forward to the arrival of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Thor: Ragnarok on the big screen, Iron Fist, The Defenders, and The Punisher on the small screen, and the IMAX/television hybrid Inhumans throughout the year.

It's a lot to soak in, but aside from being able to catch up with characters we've already gotten to know, it also means we'll be able to meet a ton of new faces, including a number of villains.

Thanks to established villains ranging from Loki and Kilgrave to Grant Ward and Wilson Fisk, the bar has been set pretty high for any new evildoer entering the scene, and with so many film and TV projects this year further expanding the MCU, hopefully many of the new antagonists we'll soon be meeting can live up to their predecessors.

If they can, we're in for a red letter year for Marvel's bad guys...

Appearing in: Iron Fist

This three-for-one deal will be turning up later this month when Iron Fist arrives, and though we know little about the full extent of their roles in the narrative, the Meachums' long history with and animosity towards Danny Rand in the comics gives us a pretty clear idea that not everything will be sunshine and rainbows when Danny returns to New York to reclaim his company from them.

From the family patriarch, Harold, to his son, Ward, and daughter, Joy - played by David Wenham, Tom Pelphrey, and Jessica Stroup, respectively - no one's going to be too thrilled to have Danny strolling back into their lives after being missing for years only to try and undermine all the work they've put in.

On top of that, with Daredevil vet Madame Gao figuring into the narrative as well, it wouldn't come as a surprise if the Meachums' evil roots end up deeper than they would seem as a way to introduce another longtime Iron Fist villain: Steel Serpent.

However the Meachums' individual roles play out is anyone's guess until we find out on March 17th, but considering the Netflix track record so far of gifting the MCU with some of its best antagonists - like Fisk, Kilgrave, Cottonmouth, and Mariah - they've got quite a lot of expectation on their shoulders.