Spider-Man Villains I Want in the MCU

Nerds! Our prayers have been answered! Spider-Man is in the capable hands of Marvel Studios, and Tom Holland is killing it!

Coming off of a successful star performance in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), the young actor has a bright future ahead of him, and we Spidey fans cannot wait!

Surely this means that aside from his imminent adventures alongside The Avengers, including his stellar performance in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), standalone movies are definitely a must, and no good superhero movie is complete without a good villain!

Sadly, we know that Venom is out of the question in the MCU due to Sony getting their films ready with Tom Hardy, and this also more than likely means that we won’t be seeing Carnage in the MCU either since his history is tied to Venom’s! That’s disappointing, but if Sony makes both of these characters happen on the big screen, I’m not complaining!

Luckily, Spider-Man fans are blessed with a robust rogues gallery for our favorite wall-crawler to take on! In film, we’ve already seen Doc Ock, Vulture, Lizard, Electro, Rhino, and Green Goblin… twice, but we’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg! I have a handful of Spidey villains I definitely want to see Marvel Studios tackle, and I’m gonna share them with you…

RIGHT NOW!!!

My name is Action, and I shall fan cast for you my Top 10 Spidey Villains I Want to See in the MCU!

#10: Cody Scott as Dmitri Smerdyakov/The Chameleon

Let’s start off with a simple, yet entertaining villain: the Chameleon!

Russian immigrant turned criminal mastermind, Dmitri Smerdyakov is a master of disguise! Some incarnations portray him as the ultimate impressionist, able to become any character he wanted, even impersonating Spider-Man after rolling in to the U.S.! Other incarnations, like his appearance in the 1990’s Spider-Man animated series, tied his mimicry abilities to technology! Regardless of which direction the MCU would take him, the Chameleon is a force to be reckoned with, as he will always become the character he’s trying to impersonate!

To cast this role, I would like to introduce you to a new face in the acting world: Cody Scott!

Call this a shameless plug if you will, but Cody is actually a buddy of mine from Memphis, TN! We hung out at comic book and gaming shops regularly, a segue to his inclusion on this list!

As for his resumé, he’s been working for about a year now, but most recognize him for his role as Gundersen on CMT’s Sun Records (2017), but is branching out to do more! He’s trained in all styles of method acting and has studied all types of actors throughout history to perfect his craft, making him very well-rounded for an actor just coming onto the scene! In addition, it’s his own personal dream to one day be featured in a superhero movie, so I know he’s ready for a role like this!

This works in Marvel Studios’ favor! They get a young new actor who’s knowledgeable about comic books, he can play literally any type of character they want, and he has the drive to be in a superhero film! That’s perfect for The Chameleon! Marvel will have another breakout star on their hands right out the gate like Tom Holland did! Cody Scott would not disappoint!

Best of luck in your career, Cody, and I hope someone considers you for this or other superhero film roles! You deserve it!

#9: Hayden Christensen as Alistair Smythe

There is no shortage of adversaries with personal grudges against Spider-Man!

The son of Spencer Smythe, innovator of the Spider-Slayers, Alistair Smythe gained a hatred towards Spider-Man after his father died! He took his place in producing and evolving the Spider-Slayers, and even went as far as creating a bioorganic carapace called The Ultimate Spider Slayer, which not only served as full body armor, but increased his strength and gave him the ability to walk! He became one of Spider-Man’s most obsessed villains!

Do you know who else was an angry child prodigy that enhanced his body to be able to walk and destroy his enemies?! Anakin Skywalker, played by one Hayden Christensen!

This is the man who gained nerdy fame worldwide as the young padawan who would eventually become Darth Vader in the Star Wars prequel trilogy! Say what you will about the movies themselves, but Hayden Christensen’s performance shows potential to fill the role of Alistair Smythe!

Anakin’s ascension into darkness and hatred aligns in a way with Alistair Smythe’s metamorphosis into The Ultimate Spider Slayer, plus Christensen has headlined quite a few action movies since Star Wars: Jumper (2008), Takers (2010), Outcast (2014), American Heist (2015), and First Kill (2017)!

He’s still young, he has the credentials, and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind playing another ticked off child with augmentations! It’s a good fit for him!

#8: Rhyno as Aleksei Sytsevich/Rhino

Let’s be honest! After the closing moments of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), Rhino deserves a do-over!

In Sony’s defense, I cannot in good conscience fault them for the concept of having the character sport a suit of armor! After all, that is the Ultimate Marvel incarnation; however, what we got in the movie was… a bit much!

Whether we see the artificial skin or the military tank suit, Rhino is like an unstoppable force! He can tank tons of damage and run though practically anything in his way! Not only is he more than a challenge for Spider-Man on a regular basis, he has even given the Hulk a run for his money, and that is no easy task!

There is an individual who has literally done this in World Wrestling Entertainment, ironically named Rhyno!

The near-300-lb Terrance Gerin has been a professional wrestling veteran for over 20 years! As Rhyno, he has barreled through his opponents with powerful grapples and his trademark finisher, The Gore! He is so much of an intimidating force that even Tom Holland himself suggested he portray the character while promoting Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), and a fun endorsement from Spider-Man himself goes a long way!

Rhyno has the charisma and intensity to pull it off! I know Rhyno will have a great time running through cars and people as… essentially himself!

#7: Russell Brand as Morbius, the Living Vampire

An underrated villain, but nonetheless a great villain that can create bridges within the MCU! I’ll get to that shortly!

Dr. Michael Morbius was a biochemist afflicted with a rare blood disease! He attempted to cure himself by experimenting with vampire bats and electroshocks, and if we Marvel fans know one thing, most scientific experiments go horribly wrong! In a nutshell, the experiments had “side effects,” resulting in Morbius gaining vampire-like characteristics such as flight, enhanced strength, accelerated healing, vulnerability to sunlight, fangs, pale skin, and an insatiable thirst for blood! He became a Living Vampire, and his bite would also transform others into living vampires as well! He first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #101, but has also had run-ins with the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and, most notably, Blade, hence the potential bridging of characters in the MCU!

As for my view of a movie prospect, Marvel and Disney may integrate a version of Morbius with a sense of charisma and a more likeable personality, much like they did with Michael Keaton’s portrayal of The Vulture! This is partly what inspires my picking of Russell Brand to portray the Living Vampire!

The British comedian is a well-known name at this point! His roles in films like Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), Get Him to the Greek (2010),the Despicable Me series (2010-2013), and Arthur (2011) are a testament to his range in both comedy and drama! This seems like the right combination for a modern day Morbius!

In addition to all of his credentials, if you give Russell Brand pale skin, he will literally look like a blood-sucking vampire! I’m just saying… he fits the part!

#6: Penn Jillette as Quentin Beck/Mysterio

If Hollywood went on a villainous rampage, you’d end up with Mysterio!

Special effects, illusions, hypnotism, and even chemistry! Mysterio has a laundry list of tricks he can pull off that will keep any and all of his foes on their toes, especially Spider-Man! Sadly, his vast knowledge and skills couldn’t quite land him the fame and fortune he sought after in the entertainment industry! However, like many comic book villains, he took a look at the then-inexperienced Spider-Man and thought to himself “I can get famous by committing some villainy and challenging a superhero!” It was at that moment that Mysterio was born!

Now, I'm aware that Jake Gyllenhaal is in talks to play Mysterio, and I take nothing away from him with the caliber of talent he would bring; however, I believe it would be a perfect casting to bring in an individual who, like Mysterio, is an expert on special effects and hypnotism, with charisma and skills in magic being huge bonuses!

Such a man is the legendary Penn Jillette of the famous magician duo Penn and Teller!

Penn Jillette is a magician, illusionist, actor, comedian, musician, and inventor! He’s been in the game for over 40 years and hasn’t lost a step, remaining entertaining and innovative with his acts while also breaking out a few classics once in a while! He and his partner Teller keep a consistent appearance on television with a plethora of series’ and specials, one of which is Penn & Teller: Fool Us (2011, 2015 – present), where they invite other magicians, new and experienced, to present their tricks to Penn and Teller to try and stump them! Often times, the duo sees right through their tricks!

This is a man who personifies Mysterio to a tee! He’s always charismatic and entertaining, and his vast knowledge of illusions makes him the perfect candidate to rock the fishbowl!

Physically, Penn Jillette is looking better these days, so he's at a good size now to fill out the role! The only thing working against him is his age; however, as we have seen in the past, that rarely ever stops a stellar comic book movie performance! Either way, Marvel will no-doubt want someone like Penn Jillette for the role of Mysterio! The studio wouldn’t have to spend much money to make the character convincing since Penn can do it all himself! More than likely, he’ll be putting on his own show for the production crew while filming Mysterio’s scenes, making it even more authentic! That’s a win for everybody!

#5: Joshua Rush as Malcolm McBride/Carrion

I know! This is an outside-the-box casting for the walking plague known as Carrion, but... hear me out!

First of all, who are we talking about here? Well, Carrion has the ability to disintegrate any organic matter via physical contact! Essentially, he can rot away his victims with a simple touch! He also has the power of flight, telepathy, teleportation, and a “death sense,” to name a few!

Granted, there have been quite a few characters that were inflicted with the virus to become Carrion, and Marvel Studios can choose whichever one they want to run; however, given the high school environment established in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), I feel that Malcolm McBride would make a suitable choice for the MCU considering he is a former rival student of Peter Parker’s! That being said, Malcolm McBride should be portrayed by a young actor around Tom Holland’s age to plug into the high school setting!

My choice for such a casting is Mr. Joshua Rush!

The 16-year-old has had a considerably impressive career! His recent work includes Bunga in Disney Junior’s The Lion Guard (2015-present), Toby in Netflix’s The Adventures of Puss in Boots (2015-2018), and Cyrus Goodman in Disney Channel’s Andi Mack (2017-present)! He’s no stranger to the action genre either, as he has portrayed the young versions of two television action characters: young Sylar in Heroes (2009-2010), and young Chuck in Chuck (2010)!

Joshua Rush has come a long way, and he seems like he’s at the right point to transition into the superhero genre! Since Spider-Man’s MCU story revolves around high school right now, Joshua Rush would be a good pick as Tom Holland's high school rival that would become Carrion!

#4: Gerard Butler as Sergei Kravinoff/Kraven the Hunter

I’ve figured out why the mice in An American Tail (1986) thought there were no cats in America: it’s because they thought Kraven the Hunter probably killed them all!

Yes, we have another Russian immigrant bringing his unique set of skills to the U.S.! Before America, though, Sergei Kravinoff spent time in Africa honing his hunting and survival skills, becoming a world-renowned big game hunter always looking for the ultimate challenge! That challenge came when his half-brother Chameleon provided him with information on a hunt he wanted Kraven to take on — hunting the Spider-Man! Needless to say, challenge accepted!

The sort of methodical tenacity and action prowess of Kraven the Hunter can be captured effectively by Gerard Butler!

Much like Kraven himself, Gerard Butler’s legacy is world-renowned! He has a laundry list of action films under his belt that credit his ability to play Kraven! Arguably his most famous role is as King Leonidas in 300 (2006)! Overall, if Gerard Butler’s not actually hunting someone down, he’s standing tall ready to take on all comers in his many roles! It also helps that when he’s rocking the beard, he looks just like Kraven the Hunter, physique and all!

There are plenty of action stars out there who may be able to pull off this character; however, Gerard Butler can definitely make the role memorable, and with his ties to Chameleon, that could potentially be a double villain presence in a Spider-Man film! If my boy Cody Scott gets to share the screen with both Tom Holland and Gerard Butler, I myself would pay a lot of money to see that!

#3: Frank Welker as Doppleganger (Voiceover)

Imagine the kind of action Doppleganger could give us on the big screen! I’m excited about this prospect!

Doppleganger’s story begins in the Infinity War comic book storyline! He was created as a monstrous duplicate of Spider-Man, possessing all of his skills and powers, in addition to having eight limbs, claws, fangs, hardened talons, and razor-edge webbing! With his comic book background linked to the Infinity War, it's plausible that Doppleganger can adapt into a fantastic villain for a solo Spider-Man movie after Avengers: Endgame (2019)!

Doppleganger doesn’t speak except for a few simple words like “mother!” Other than this, his speech is limited to monstrous growls and hisses, so the voice is everything! The best voice here would be arguably America’s most legendary voice actor — Frank Welker!

This is a man with too many voice acting credits to list! With 50 years of voice acting experience, he has lent his voice to over 800 different roles in film, television, and video games, including, but most certainly not limited to: the Transformers franchise (as Megatron, Galvatron, Shockwave, Soundwave, Devastator, to name a few), Inspector Gadget (1983-1985, as Dr. Claw), and most popularly, the Scooby-Doo franchise (as Fred Jones and Scooby-Doo)! If you’re an aspiring voice actor, you’ve more than likely studied Frank Welker’s work, IF you’re not already familiar with him!

He’s got the uncanny ability to adjust to any type of voice, including animalistic voices! A voice actor with his caliber of range can provide the right touch to Doppleganger, even without intelligent dialogue! Plus, given his history with Disney and Marvel, they’ll likely jump at the chance to work with him again! After all, he’s no stranger to Marvel roles either (Iceman in Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends [1981-1983], Toad and Lockheed in X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men [1989], Odin in Disney XD’s Guardians of the Galaxy [2017])!

He’s been animals! He’s been gods! He’s been heroes! He’s been villains! You name it, he’s done it! Frank Welker is your Doppleganger!

#2: Joey King as Felicia Hardy/Black Cat

Tom Holland needs to have a female rival to pull him into the wild side in the MCU! Black Cat can be his catalyst for that!

At one time, the playful Felicia Hardy was a cat burglar until she crossed paths with Spider-Man! The two would fight on various occasions until she gained an attraction to him, becoming an ally/love interest over time! Essentially, Black Cat is Marvel’s answer to DC’s Catwoman!

Maintaining the high school theme, I envision an attractive actress around Tom Holland’s age to pull off a high schooler moonlighting as Black Cat! Look no further than Joey King!

For being an 18-year-old actress, Joey King has done it all! She’s starred in family films like Horton Hears a Who (2008), Ramona and Beezus (2010), Oz: the Great and Powerful (2013), and The Boxcar Children (2014)! She’s starred in horror films like Quarantine (2008), The Conjuring (2013), Wish Upon (2017), and Slender Man (2018)! Her resumé even includes action films like Battle: Los Angeles (2011), White House Down (2013), and Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)! She also gained superhero movie exposure as a young Talia al Ghul in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)!Her resumé speaks for itself!

In addition to all of her experience, she’s also a gorgeous young lady that can pull off high school Felicia Hardy with ease! I’d imagine Tom Holland would have to do a few takes to keep from getting flustered when Joey King flirts with him in costume!

Before I get to #1, here are some HONORABLE MENTIONS!

Honorable Mention: Simon Helberg as Arcade

HOWARD WOLOWITZ – THE BIG BANG THEORY (2007-PRESENT)

MOIST – DR. HORRIBLE’S SING-ALONG BLOG (2008)

COSMÉ MCMOON – FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS (2016)

Honorable Mention: David Zyas as Hammerhead

ENRIQUE MORALES – OZ (2000-2003)

ANGEL BATISTA – DEXTER (2006-2013)

DON SALVATORE MARONI – GOTHAM (2014-2015)

Honorable Mention: Angus T. Jones as Morris Bench/Hydro-Man

JAMES – SEE SPOT RUN (2001)

HUNTER MORRIS – THE ROOKIE (2002)

JAKE HARPER – TWO AND A HALF MEN (2003-2015)

#1: Lakeith Stanfield as Roderick Kingsley/The Hobgoblin

When I first started reading Spider-Man comic books as a child, this was the first Spidey villain I got to experience! The Hobgoblin is near and dear to my heart; therefore, he makes the top cut on my list!

Roderick Kingsley is the original Hobgoblin! A former billionaire and fashion designer tied to the criminal underground, he sought to grow his empire by gaining more power and abolishing his enemies! To do this, he ransacks a secret lair of Norman Osborn, steals his equipment, and takes on the identity of The Hobgoblin! With time, he discovers Osborn’s Goblin Formula to gain even more strength than the original Green Goblin, becoming one of Spider-Man’s most powerful enemies!

I know readers will say “But Rod Kingsley is an old white man in the comics!”, but hear me out! There’s a reason I really want to see Lakeith Stanfield take on this role!

First of all, he’s got range! He’s a method actor who can, and has, performed any type of character: Marquis in Dope (2015), Snoop Dogg in Straight Outta Compton (2015), Logan King in Get Out (2017), and L in Netflix’s Death Note (2017), to name a few! Say what you will about the Netflix adaptation of Death Note, but nothing can be taken away from Lakeith Stanfield’s dark and gritty acting chops! He really poured himself into that role in order to literally become the character!

That is the type of character transformation I want to see for The Hobgoblin! I don’t care what color his skin is; I care that he has the skills to bring life to my favorite Spider-Man villain of all time (after Venom)! Lakeith Stanfield as The Hobgoblin! Sign me up!

So there you have it! Would you like to see any of these folks across Tom Holland in the MCU? Who would you like to see as a Spider-Man villain?

That's My Story, and I'm Stickin' to It!

Action