It's been a year since Avengers: Endgame held its world premiere in Hollywood and, well, an awful lot has changed since then. As of right now, we don't know when theaters will be able to re-open their doors, and there's a lot of uncertainty surrounding everything from release dates to production delays.
Talking to Deadline to promote the release of Extraction on Netflix (you can read our review by clicking HERE), directors Joe and Anthony Russo reflected on what it was like to be able to sneak into a theater and watch the reaction from fans who were getting to experience it for the first time.
"My most treasured memory is when Ant and I, Kevin Feige, Markus & McFeely and Lou D’Esposito snuck into the Westwood Theater on opening night to watch it with an audience," Joe said. "I’ve never had an experience like that in a movie theater, where an audience was that viscerally and emotionally connected to what was going on, vocalizing and emoting the way they were.
"We had chills all around and were brought to tears once or twice, realizing you told a story that had such binding communal impact. It was something we’ll never forget."
Anthony adds, "To be in a movie theater that feels like a rock arena, I never imagined it and to be part of that energy and see the crowds experience the movie in that way with that fervor, sharing it together and feeding one another. That was something I never anticipated and to see it happen on that movie."
"It keeps you humbled because you don’t know where art is going to take you or where movies take us," the filmmaker continued. "It was nice to be part of that moment."
Avengers: Endgame went on to become the highest-grossing movie of all-time, so it clearly resonated with people. Getting to see those reactions must have been really special for the directors, and there's a lot of excitement surrounding the possibility of them returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
They've expressed interest in Secret Wars, so we now just have to keep our fingers crossed...
Which villains should debut during Phase 4? Click on the
"Next" button below to check out some of our top picks!
10. Sin
Baron Zemo is set to be the lead villain in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, but it would be no bad thing for him to get some company. There are rumours about the Thunderbolts showing up, of course, while John Walker will almost certainly lose his mind as the new "Captain America" at some point.
Sin would make for a great secondary villain, though, as she could be re-imagined as the Red Skull's grandaughter and possibly even someone who had history with Crossbones.
Who knows, perhaps what Johann Schmidt did to himself all those years ago was passed down through his bloodline, and Sin could boast a similarly deformed appearance. That would certainly help ensure that she stands out from the crowd, while giving the MCU a formidable and memorable new villain.
9. Green Goblin
Norman Osborn played a key role in both Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy and The Amazing Spdier-Man movies, so Marvel Studios might be understandably reluctant to bring him back.
However, there's still a lot that could be done with the character on the big screen, especially if those rumours about him one day leading the Dark Avengers are correct. More importantly, we just want a comic accurate version of the Green Goblin to grace the silver screen, as you just know that Marvel Studios would redesign him in an exciting and visually impressive way.
Yes, there are other villains Spider-Man 3 could make good use of, but Norman taking on a supporting role and the Green Goblin being used as some sort of shadowy figure would be no bad thing, especially if we learn that he's been pulling the strings from the very start.
8. Mephisto
With Marvel Studios seemingly embracing the supernatural as we head into Phase 4 and beyond, the big screen debut of Mephisto is definitely overdue at this point. Looking at the movies and TV shows on the way, there are any number of MCU adventures he could make his debut in, including Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Loki, and Thor: Love and Thunder.
A sadistic and dangerous villain, Mephisto is a powerful demon who resides in a Hell-like dimension where he often manipulates what's happening elsewhere for his own gain. He also steals souls, and in the comics, is responsible for Peter Parker and Mary Jane's marriage coming to an end.
We're not necessarily saying we want to see that, of course, but it gives you an idea of just how powerful he is! With the right actor, Mephisto is a bad guy who could steal the show across any number of franchises, and he even has the potential to be this shared world's new big bad one day.
7. Apocalypse
We don't know when the X-Men will return to the big screen, but there already signs that Marvel Studios is making good use of the new characters and locations they acquired from Fox (Madripoor in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, for example).
With that in mind, Phase 4 could definitely lay the groundwork for En Sabah Nur's arrival, and while it wasn't that long ago we saw him in X-Men: Apocalypse, a Thanos-style CGI take on him would eliminate any concerns about fans being reminded of the cringe-worthy version from 2016.
Both Eternals and Moon Knight will presumably take a deep dive into the MCU's history, so even just a mention of this ancient mutant could set the stage for a lot of very exciting stories.
6. M.O.D.O.K.
M.O.D.O.K. was a normal A.I.M. scientist before undergoing a procedure which transformed him into, well, the hideous villain you see above! With such a bizarre appearance, he could be used comedically or as a horribly deformed threat, but M.O.D.O.K. has a lot of potential either way.
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier teaser seemingly included the return of A.I.M., so it's possible the stage is already being set for this villain's big or small screen debut.
However, with rumours swirling that we'll see him in Ant-Man 3, chances are he will be comic relief (to some extent) and another character with the potential to make an impact across multiple franchises. We just have to hope that director Peyton Reed does a better job with M.O.D.O.K. than he did Yellowjacket and Ghost, two mostly underwhelming foes for Scott Lang in the MCU.
5. Trickshot
There have been rumblings that plans are in place for Hawkeye to introduce Trickshot, and it honestly makes perfect sense. After all, we've never really had the opportunity to delve into what makes Clint Barton tick outside of the love he has for his family, and exploring his past here is a must.
Barney Barton is Clint's older brother, and after serving in the Army and FBI, he fell into the hands of Baron Zemo after being badly injured in battle. After he was manipulated into going after Hawkeye, their relationship was never the same, and he's been a thorn in Clint's side ever since.
We already know that Hawkeye will be about exploring the ramifications of the Avenger's time as Ronin and a passing of the torch to Kate Bishop, and Trickshot might be the perfect catalyst for that.
4. Galactus
It's no secret that Kevin Feige is a big fan of Galactus (he even offered Fox the chance to keep Daredevil in exchange for him and the Silver Surfer once upon a time), so it's now inevitable that the planet eating baddie will make his presence felt at some point in Phase 4.
We're not expecting him to be a lead villain quite yet, but the seeds could very easily be planted over the next few years thanks to after-credits scenes and other references to his existence.
The Silver Surfer could show up before then, of course, but if anyone should deal with Galactus, it's the Fantastic Four. Their arrival in the MCU can't be too far off, but there are still ways the villain can make his presence felt in this shared world, If you thought Thanos was bad, it's fair to say that when Galactus arrives, he'll make the Mad Titan look like no sort of threat at all.
3. Kraven The Hunter
When it comes to Spider-Man 3's lead villain, it's hard to think of anyone better than Kraven the Hunter. Following the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home, the web-slinger is a wanted murderer, so why wouldn't someone like Kraven step up to track him down and make a name for himself?
Marvel Studios could even make it so that he's been hired by J. Jonah Jameson, and if J.K. Simmons does play a larger role in proceedings, then perhaps TheDailyBugle.net's Editor-in-Chief could also pay for Mac Gargan to undergo that transformation into the Scorpion?
Either way, Kraven the Hunter is a character with unlimited potential, and definitely a fitting choice for Spidey's next foe (especially if Kevin Feige wants to continue bringing in new villains who haven't graced the silver screen before now). It would also be fun seeing how they reimagine him!
2. Fin Fang Foom
Originally introduced in the pages of Strange Tales, this massive alien dragon hails from the planet Kakaranathara, and has frequently clashed with Iron Man over the years. Now, rumour has it that we'll see him in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, something which makes perfect sense.
In the comics, Fin Fang Foom arrives on Earth in the same ship that contains the Ten Rings which ultimately fall into The Mandarin's hands, so he's bound to factor into this movie somehow.
We're not sure how Shang-Chi would go about fighting a massive dragon like this, but Marvel Studios now has the perfect opportunity to bring him to the big screen, and would be crazy to miss it.
1. Dario Agger
We may have heard rumblings about Christian Bale playing an "intergalactic villain" in Thor: Love and Thunder, but Dario Agger is arguably a much better choice of villain for the former Batman.
The CEO of the Roxxon Energy Corporation, he runs afoul of Thor and Jane Foster after attempting to mine the Nine Realms for fossil fuels and even aligns himself with Malekith the Accursed (someone we're betting we won't see here based on what happened in Thor: The Dark World).
Bale playing this slimy businessman would be awesome, but even more exciting would be watching him transform into a Minotaur. You just know Taika Waititi would have fun with that...