10 Classic X-Men Villains Perfect For The MCU
Bringing the mutant's villains into the MCU without introducing them in X-Men films.
Marvel's merry mutants are on their way to the MCU. With Thanos snapped away and the next big-bad a few years off, the time is ripe for some of the most iconic X-Men villains to make their introduction. Magneto is a safe bet, and he'll likely have the Brotherhood or Acolytes backing him. But who else will be brought into the fold — and more importantly — how will they debut?
The MCU's incarnation of the X-Men deserve a worthy rogues' gallery to face off against, but let's face reality — there's no way that every fan-favorite villain can fit into a handful of X-Men movies without being relegated to the background.
It would be a crime for the likes of Omega Red or Mr. Sinister to get shoved to the fringes so that the Master of Magnetism can receive the lion's share of screen time. While a new version of Sabertooth, Mystique, and even Dark Phoenix will be welcomed if personified correctly, too many villains in the X-Men films may be hard to balance on screen.
Instead of disappointing cameos, there are droves of primary X-Men baddies who would be perfect adversaries for other MCU heroes.
10. William Stryker/Weapon X Program
William Stryker, a religious fanatic who wants to eradicate all mutants, has already made appearances in Fox’s films with ties to the Weapon X program. Notable, sure, but there are many more layers to his character which may be better suited to an MCU debut — specifically regarding his actions after the House of M storyline.
If MCU Wanda does utter those three words and dramatically reduce the population (especially considering that the universe’s population was just restored following the snap), a character like Stryker would thrive as a fear monger pushing for the destruction of all super-powered individuals. As for the Weapon X program, an MCU Wolverine is inevitable and it’s a sure bet that the Weapon X program won’t be far behind.
Should the Weapon X program already exist in the current MCU universe, it would be a shame not to delve into its past to explore the origins of Canada’s Department K and how the experiments performed by Nathan Essex in WWII influenced the Weapon X program. Effortless ties to the super-soldier program, Mister Sinister, and Wolverine — who wouldn’t love this MCU inclusion?