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Marvel: 17 MCU villains ranked from worst to best

By Camila Domingues

(L-R): Will Poulter as Adam Warlock and Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha in Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Photo by Jessica Miglio. © 2023 MARVEL.
(L-R): Will Poulter as Adam Warlock and Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha in Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Photo by Jessica Miglio. © 2023 MARVEL. /
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Captain America: The First Avenger… Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) ©Marvel 2011
Captain America: The First Avenger… Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) ©Marvel 2011 /

14. The Red Skull (Captain America: The First Avenger)

Let’s take a moment to tip our hats to Hugo Weaving’s portrayal of the eerily composed Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger.

The Red Skull is a Nazi officer consumed by the power of the Tesseract. His over-the-top theatrics, ambition for global domination, and clash with Captain America make him a classic villain figure. A superb antagonist who dropped into the MCU like a bombshell, he made us shiver in our boots with his icy determination and unnerving resolve.

This Nazi scientist, with his terrifying focus and dismissive attitude towards Captain America, truly made our World War II saga an edge-of-your-seat rollercoaster ride. Even though Weaving might not don the crimson mask again, his performance has certainly stayed with us.

We also must give an honorable mention to actor Ross Marquand who took over the role to bring the character to life as the guardian of the Soul Stone in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. It was an unexpected appearance, yet one that was a standout in the already crowded films and a fun nod to the former villain from Captain America: The First Avenger. 

Marvel’s Avengers: Age Of Ultron..Ultron Prime (voiced by James Spader)..Ph: Film Frame..©Marvel 2015
Marvel’s Avengers: Age Of Ultron..Ultron Prime (voiced by James Spader)..Ph: Film Frame..©Marvel 2015 /

13. Ultron (Avengers: Rise of Ultron)

Marvel boldly takes us on a wild, metaphysical ride in Avengers: Age of Ultron. This isn’t just your average sequel – Joss Whedon, the storytelling wizard, delves into hefty existential questions on parenthood and humanity in this MCU installment.

At the heart of it all is Ultron, an evil robotic brainchild of Tony Stark, voiced with delectable malice by nonother than the fantastic James Spader.

Packed with Shakespearean-style dialogue, Ultron emerges as the MCU’s unexpected poster boy for legacy, rebellion, and the philosophical underpinnings of existence. And let’s not forget the exquisite final showdown between Ultron and Vision, a scene that profoundly dissects humanity’s worth.

Sure, the movie is not the best Avengers title and Ultron’s aesthetic might not steal your breath away, but his formidable presence and Spader’s electrifying performance make him one of the MCU’s most memorable villains.

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