5 MCU Hero-Villain Match-Ups We Desperately Need to See (Including 1 That Will Probably Never Happen)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is stronger than ever, with each new release adding more exciting characters into the mix. From its very beginning back in 2008, the MCU has consistently delivered excellent adaptations of the characters and stories of Marvel Comics, with many heroes and villains being established in the franchise during that time. The heroes of the MCU have come up against some pretty powerful threats, but most have also contended with villains alone in solo movies over their tenure in the franchise. That iconic struggle between good and evil is what drives the superhero genre, meaning that solid hero-villain match-ups are essential to the MCU’s continued success.
There are several characters established or teased within the MCU that have yet to deliver on their most promising pairing. Certain heroes and villains have yet to replicate their stories from Marvel Comics in the MCU, leading to match-ups that we as fans just can’t wait to see. The following pairings all deserve to be the focal point of an MCU movie or TV show, as while fleeting battles often make for great moments, there are much richer and more interesting stories that deserve to be explored between the following heroes and villains.
5) Hulk Vs Red Hulk
There are many things the MCU forgot about Hulk, but one of the franchise’s worst oversights is perhaps its most obvious missing match-up. The Hulk himself is one of the longest-serving characters in the franchise, and his ongoing feud with Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross has been a part of his character since his first MCU moments. 2025 saw Ross finally transform into the Red Hulk, paying off years of teasing at his eventual Hulk turn.
The fact that Red Hulk debuted in Captain America: Brave New World isn’t an issue, but it means that he still hasn’t faced off against his most obvious opponent. The Jade Giant has long been one of the most popular MCU heroes, so seeing him fight against a being with comparable abilities would be truly exceptional. Despite the years of teasing the pair’s fight, it’s unclear when the MCU will actually deliver a story that pits the two Hulks against one another.
4) Spider-Man Vs Kingpin
There aren’t many Marvel heroes as beloved or iconic as Spider-Man. His popularity might predate the MCU, but the franchise has helped usher him into a new cinematic era, with Tom Holland’s Peter Parker swiftly becoming the definitive version of the hero. He has already faced a number of notable villains, but one of the most exciting MCU pairings has so far eluded him. The MCU villain Spider-Man must face soon is already well-established in the franchise, as Kingpin has featured as the main antagonist of Daredevil’s stories.
Kingpin has often served as a major antagonist in Spider-Man stories in the comics, making their match-up a much-anticipated affair for the MCU. Not only is there a huge amount of source material to draw from, but the pair are perfectly suited to one another, and a Spider-Man-Kingpin story could also facilitate a crossover with Daredevil for the hero. It’s one of the most obvious pairings of an active MCU hero and villain, and hopefully we won’t have to wait too much longer to see Spider-Man face off against Kingpin.
3) Wolverine Vs Sabretooth
Wolverine made his triumphant MCU debut in Deadpool & Wolverine, with Hugh Jackman reprising his iconic role from Fox’s X-Men franchise. Whether a new actor will play the MCU’s Wolverine in the future or not, the fact that Wolverine has now appeared in the franchise has opened the door to much speculation about who we will see him fight next. While Deadpool & Wolverine offered us a very brief showdown between Logan and Sabretooth, the pairing ultimately deserves much more attention in the future.
The long-standing rivalry between Wolverine and Sabretooth has seen the pair established as half-brothers, adding an emotional edge to their battles. We haven’t seen this explored since the disappointing X-Men Origins: Wolverine, so the MCU will hopefully better deliver on the idea in the near future. With several of the X-Men now officially cast in the MCU, hopefully it’s only a matter of time before we get to see a proper showdown between Wolverine and Sabretooth in the franchise.
2) Spider-Man Vs Venom
Spider-Man might already be one of the MCU’s prolific heroes, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still several exciting match-ups we need to see. One that has been teased but not yet delivered upon is Spider-Man versus Venom, with Tom Hardy’s version of the character from Sony’s Spider-Man Universe briefly crossing over into the MCU via Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s post-credits scene. Venom is one of the most interesting Spider-Man villains, but fans are still waiting for a satisfying movie battle between the two.
Following the major success of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it seems that there’s no better time for the MCU to finally deliver on its long-held promise. Venom’s own relative success in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe proved that Tom Hardy’s take on the character is more than popular enough with fans, meaning that putting the pair in a movie together is, in theory, relatively straightforward. Whether or not we’ll ever see the pair is currently unknown, but even so, it remains one of the most anticipated match-ups among MCU fans.
1) The Winter Soldier Vs The Punisher
While this particular match-up isn’t backed by the same comic book history as the others on this list, it’s still one of the most existing hypothetical MCU pairings. Bucky Barnes, also known as the Winter Soldier, has had one of the most tragic MCU origin stories, and it has seen him become a fan-favorite over the course of his sidekick-to-villain-to-hero arc. Similarly, the Punisher is a pretty tragic figure, and his combat prowess perfectly matches him against Bucky.
Unfortunately, it seems as though this pairing will never happen in the MCU. Both Bucky and the Punisher have been established as anti-heroes within the franchise, and pitting them against one another would therefore be tricky to pull off in a tonal sense. While it’s easy to imagine the breathtakingly brutal action scenes that would take place if they faced off, this particular pairing doesn’t seem to be on the cards, no matter how exciting it might be.
