This year kicks off Phase VI of the MCU. Fantastic Four: Inception, Avengers: Doomsday, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Avengers: Secret Wars—a big Phase that could restore the MCU's reputation, thanks in particular to the return of Robert Downey Jr. as Dr. Doom. But what about what's next? Well, the first villain has reportedly been revealed by Marvel.
Marvel's MCU losing momentum
After disappointing Phases IV and V, Marvel and its MCU must offer us an iconic Phase V. At least, that's on paper. The reviews are coming thick and fast, and have been for years. Marvel is struggling to convince its longtime fans to return to movie theaters, while consumption methods have been turned upside down. Cinemas aren't as attractive as they used to be, even if some films manage to make history, like Ne Zha 2, released in 2025 and the 5th biggest box office success worldwide.
Besides, Inside Out 2 and Deadpool and Wolverine were also big hits, grossing $1.7 billion and $1.3 billion each in theaters, respectively. It's hard to find the magic formula, even if quality seems to be a determining factor. And Kevin Feige's Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn't announced anything after its Phase VI. Its game plan ends in 2027 with the end of its Phase VI and Avengers: Secret Wars, it's hard to know what Marvel Studios has planned next. It's possible that Phase VI will be decisive, and that Marvel is waiting to see if the MCU still deserves to exist in its current format.
After all, if the audiences aren't responding anymore, what's the point of throwing money out the window. But we know, or at least we suspect, that Marvel must offer us a reboot of its X-Men after Phase VI. A Phase VII that would therefore introduce the long-awaited mutants, which the MCU has been dispatching here and there for several films. It remains to imagine Phase VII of the MCU then. And according to Daniel Richtman, a well-known movie insider, Mr. Sinister would be the first villain introduced in Phase VII of the MCU.
Mr. Sinister as the first villain of Phase VII of the MCU?
He's the one who would serve as the villain of the next X-Men film from Marvel Studios, which is practically confirmed to be directed by Jake Schreier, the director of Thunderbolts. Renowned geneticist Nathaniel Essex, aka Mr. Sinister, was transformed by the mutant Apocalypse, who granted him immortality, telepathy, telekinesis, superhuman strength, and even the ability to shapeshift. Recently, Disney+ subscribers were able to rediscover him as the main antagonist of the series X-Men '97.
But now that Kang has said his goodbyes, and Doctor Doom and Galactus are joining the MCU, the question remains who will make up the ranks of the villains. Who will support Mister Sinister in his quest for destruction? We tried to answer this question when Kang the Conqueror was introduced by proposing 10 characters who could be the next big villain of Phase 7 of the MCU.
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