As the beginning of the end, Infinity War will bring together a whopping 76 characters in an all-out battle for the fate of the universe.
When the number 76 was revealed, fans immediately started theorizing about which of their favorite superheroes would make the cut. However, MCU followers seem to have forgotten all about the villains. Where’s the love for the MCU’s biggest and baddest?
Joe and Anthony Russo said that in Infinity War, “there’s going to be a lot of unexpected characters. There are more surprises packed into this film than any of the others. Part of that is character interactions, new interesting characters, characters that have made small appearances that are really getting fleshed out in this film.”
Based on this description, no villain is off limits. We could see baddies we’ve never seen before, those that we completely forgot about, or even see villains rise from the dead. The possibilities are endless, but we’ve narrowed down the list to the biggest bandits that will most likely appear, and those that we absolutely know will feature in the film.
So, get ready to show the villains some love. Here are the 13 Villains Rumored To Appear In Infinity War (And 8 Who Are Confirmed).
Confirmed: Thanos
If you don’t know by now that Thanos will be the main antagonist in Infinity War, then you definitely need to get out more.
For the past six years, we’ve all been waiting for the Mad Titan to get out of his comfy chair and now that epic moment is finally here. Portrayed by Josh Brolin, Thanos is “doing it himself” as he hunts for the six Infinity Stones and attempts to destroy the entire universe.
Apparently, we won’t even have to wait very long to see his destruction.
According to Kevin Feige, “Within the first five minutes of Infinity War, people will understand why Thanos is the biggest and baddest villain in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.”
He told fans that when you’ve been teasing someone for years, you definitely have to deliver. So hopefully it will all be worth the wait.
Rumored: Lady Death
A man will do anything for the woman he loves, and Lady Death is at the center of Thanos’ heart. In the comics, the Mad Titan’s entire motivation for death and destruction is to simply catch the eye of his true love.
As this love sometimes goes unrequited, Thanos has made it his mission to obtain the Infinity Stones and wipe out the universe as a romantic gesture for Lady Death.
Therefore, as he sets his sights on the galaxy’s destruction in Infinity War, there’s no wonder why there are rumors that Death will make an appearance.
Just like in the comics, she could be the catalyst for the movie.
However, there’s another theory that suggests that Death has already been introduced in the MCU. As the Goddess of Death, Hela has many similar characteristics to Lady Death and some fans believe she could be the object of Thanos’ affection.
Rumored: Adam Warlock
There’s no end to the number of rumors that surround Adam Warlock. Ever since his cocoon’s debut in Guardians of the Galaxy, fans have been eagerly waiting for him to hatch and enter the MCU.
Specifically, with his connection to the Soul Stone, many people believed that Infinity War would be the perfect time to reveal the artificial human. In the comics, Warlock played a big role in the Infinity storyline and has even gone head to head against Thanos, thus making him a prime candidate for the upcoming movie.
However, it looks like these rumors are just that, and fans will have to wait a little longer for Adam Warlock.
On the topic of Adam Warlock, James Gunn said, “He will have a future in the MCU. But will it be Infinity War? It will not.”
Confirmed: Black Dwarf Under the Name “Cull Obsidian”
During the end-credits of Age of Ultron, we see Thanos putting on the Infinity Gauntlet and saying “Fine, I’ll do it myself.” However, he’s apparently given up on that mantra in Infinity War.
At the D23 Disney expo, Marvel unveiled the outfits of the Children of Thanos, otherwise known as the Black Order. The Black Order is expected to fight alongside Thanos in Infinity War and help him reach his goal of mass destruction.
Black Dwarf is one of the strongest and most powerful members of the Black Order and we can expect to see him in the movie under the name “Cull Obsidian.”
Portrayed by Terry Notary, Cull Obsidian is a giant, fierce fighter with impenetrable skin and superhuman strength. In the comics, he was sent to invade Wakanda and secure an Infinity Gem. Could we see him doing the same in Infinity War?
Rumored: Warbringer
A Marvel promotional mug has started a whole new boatload of fan theories months before the release of Infinity War. The mug, which showcases new concept art for the upcoming Avengers movie, shows the Infinity War logo on the front and the film’s villains on the back.
If you flip over to the back of the mug, you’ll see depictions of the Black Order at the top. However, at the bottom of the mug, there’s a mysterious villain that has yet to be identified.
Most fans believe that this brand-new villain is a Chitauri leader known as Warbringer.
Since the Chitauri have already been tied to Thanos in the MCU, it wouldn’t be odd to see their leader surface in Infinity War.
Another favorite for this mystery character is Ex Nihilo. He has large, sharp horns much like the mystery character on the mug and was also part of the Infinity event series that inspired Infinity War.
Confirmed: The Outriders
In the first Infinity War trailer, Black Panther and Captain America are in hand-to-hand combat with four-armed alien beasts. These creatures are known as the Outriders – genetically modified beings that serve to uphold their maker’s mission until they are granted the gift of death.
As their maker, Thanos uses the Outriders to find new planets inhabited by weak species. Once they find these planets, the Outriders then report to Corvus Glaive of Thanos’ Black Order so that the rest of the group can take over the inhabited land.
The Outriders have telepathic powers and can read people’s mind by sinking their hand into their target’s temple.
They can also make themselves invisible, fly, and control their solidity.
With these powers, they’re a greater threat to the Avengers than the Chitauri and will surely do better to please their master.
Rumored: Red Skull
We last saw Red Skull being disintegrating into the Tesseract’s glowing light and assumed he passed away. However, what if he didn’t? Loki was teleported through the Tesseract in The Avengers, so what if Red Skull was teleported somewhere too?
In the Avengers: Infinity War Prelude comic, there’s a flashback to Red Skull’s demise. In this scene, the art shows Red Skull being teleported into space, leaving the Tesseract behind. So, could he have been hanging out with Thanos this entire time?
During an interview with Hot 97, Samuel L. Jackson also dropped hints about Red Skull’s return. He said that Fury wasn’t in Civil War because he’s “still out there trying to figure out what, you know, The Skull is going to…” Then, he was cut off by the interviewer.
If Thanos found Red Skull in space, Infinity War would be the perfect time to bring him back to Earth for revenge.
Confirmed: Loki
There’s no doubt that Loki will be in Infinity War. We’ve seen him in the trailers offering up the Tesseract and we last saw him in Thor: Ragnarok being approached by Thanos’ ship. However, the real question regarding Loki is which side he will be on – good or evil?
During a remote Q&A session at Comicon Experience 2017 in Sao Paolo, Kevin Feige may have revealed that Loki will in fact side with Thanos in Infinity War.
The moderator asked Feige, “Does [Thanos] have company?” and Feige replies, “He’s got some company. There’s some old faces that you’ll recognize. A certain brother of Thor might show up for a while.”
So, how long will Loki help out Thanos? Has he been working for him all along or will he be an undercover spy for the Avengers as some people expect?
Rumored: MODOK
Back in 2011 when the MCU was discussing plans for Captain America: Winter Soldier, screenwriter Christopher Markus said MODOK was the villain he’d like to see added to the movies and he knew exactly what actor should play him.
Markus said, “I love MODOK and I think you could make a terrifying movie with MODOK but nobody seems to be on my side at the [moment]… I will win you over to Peter Dinklage as MODOK. If he came around the corner and you saw him floating there you would be terrified. It would be amazing.”
Well, as you probably know, Peter Dinklage will appear in Infinity War and Markus is back as one half of the movie’s writing team.
It would be really odd for Markus to finally get the perfect actor for MODOK and have him play another role in the movie.
Rumored: The Chitauri
In 2012, Loki tried to take over Earth with an alien race known as the Chitauri. However, we later found out that the Chitauri didn’t actually answer to Loki, and were instead loyal to the Mad Titan.
The Chitauri were ultimately defeated by the Avengers at the end of the 2012 movie, but who’s to say that that was the entire race?
With Thanos heading to Earth, the Chitauri could be the perfect sidekicks to help him navigate the planet. They also might have a bone to pick with the Avengers and would be more than willing to fulfill their plot for revenge.
The Chitauri are also led by Warbringer, who is rumored to be the mysterious villain behind Marvel’s latest promotions. If he’s in the movie, he would most likely also bring in his army of fellow shapeshifters.
Confirmed: Proxima Midnight
Proxima Midnight is a member of Thanos’ Black Order. As one of the most skilled fighters in Thanos’ command, she has superhuman strength, speed, and durability. However, her most significant power comes from her spear.
Proxima Midnight’s spear was forged by Thanos using a star, supernova, and a black hole.
It is extremely lethal and can destroy almost anything within moments.
We catch a glimpse of Proxima Midnight and her spear as she throws it at Steve Rogers in the Infinity War trailer. Out of all of Thanos’ minions, she has been seen the most in Infinity War promo material.
Interestingly, there is a fan theory that suggests Proxima Midnight is Drax’s deceased daughter, Kamaria. Although Kamaria was destroyed by Ronan, there are speculations that she was actually taken by Thanos and raised as Proxima Midnight.
This isn’t far off from the comics, where Kamaria is alive under the name Moondragon.
Rumored: Ronan the Accuser
With the powers of all the Infinity Stones, Thanos will be capable of almost anything. Therefore, some rumors suggest that Thanos will be successful in his mission and ultimately use his newfound powers to resurrect some of the MCUs’ most dangerous villains.
One of the treacherous baddies that many fans hope to see come back to life is Ronan the Accuser.
Although Ronan ultimately betrayed Thanos in Guardians of the Galaxy, fans believe that Thanos will need the Kree to fight off the Guardians in Infinity War.
Thanos could also use the Time Stone to simply warp time and prevent Ronan from actually passing away. He could then send his servant back to Xandar to retrieve the Power Stone from Nova Corps.
Whatever the reason, a resurrected Ronan could cause trouble for the Guardians, the Nova Corps, and the rest of the galaxy.
Rumored: The Blood Brothers
The Black Order isn’t the only group of villains that helps Thanos in his quest for mass destruction. In the comics, the Mad Titan also uses a pair of loyal goons known as the Blood Brothers.
Individually known as Gary and Ross Blood, the Blood Brothers were Thanos’ servants sent to guard his first base on Earth.
They both had symbiotic powers which affected their abilities. Therefore, the closer they were together, the stronger their abilities became. These abilities included superhuman strength, intense speed, and enhanced reflexes.
In the comics, the Blood Brothers failed to stop Iron Man and The Thing from interfering with Thanos’ plan and the Mad Titan ultimately teleported them away.
However, this hasn’t stopped fans from theorizing about whether they will make an appearance in Infinity War.
Confirmed: Corvus Glaive
Corvus Glaive, another member of Thanos’ Black Order, was confirmed to feature in Infinity War at the D23 Expo.
He serves as Thanos’ right-hand man and is known to lead the Mad Titan’s armies into battle. Therefore, we can expect him to be extremely significant in Infinity War.
Just like his wife, Proxima Midnight, Corvus Glaive has superhuman strength, speed, and durability yet relies on his weapon for most of his powers.
His glaive is capable of splitting atoms and can, therefore, cut into absolutely anything. As long as the blade remains intact, the weapon also allows Corvus Glaive’s body to heal from any affliction and can even allow him to return from death.
From the trailers, we can see that Glaive and his wife will come up against Vision and Scarlet Witch in Infinity War.
Rumored: Abomination
The Russo Brothers said that we could potentially see the return of some characters in Infinity War who didn’t necessarily have the best stories in the past. One character that fans place high on this list of potential returnees is Abomination.
Since we have little to no chance of seeing Abomination in another Hulk movie, some fans believe Infinity War could be the perfect time to reintroduce the villain.
Abomination was taken into custody in The Incredible Hulk and is currently incarcerated. Based on the theories, Thanos could potentially take out a government facility allowing Abomination to escape, or seek out the villain on his own.
Because of Abomination’s previous history with the Hulk, he would be a great asset to Thanos in his fight against the Avengers.
Rumored: Kang the Conqueror
After Thanos is ultimately defeated, there will be another villain who plagues the heroes of the MCU. Many fans are guessing and hoping that this new bandit will be Kang the Conqueror.
Kang the Conqueror is one of the few villains who can take on the Avengers. Using only his mind and experience with time travel, he’s constantly a threat to the superhero team.
His time-traveling abilities would also tie in very easily into Infinity War as Thanos attempts to take the Time Stone.
Some fans even believe that Kang will steal the Time Stone from the Mad Titan and set himself up as the new villain in town.
Furthermore, back in August 2017, Joe and Anthony Russo posted an image of a glove with four fingers extended and the caption “Beginning the End”. This references Avengers 4 and many fans have speculated that the glove could belong to Kang.
Confirmed: Ebony Maw
Ebony Maw is the last member of Thanos’ Black Order. Although he is small in stature, don’t underestimate his powers.
Maw is a psychological mastermind with the powerful ability to persuade people into doing anything he wants.
He can also teleport and has super genius intelligence that can override the greatest brains.
Actor Tom Vaughan-Lawlor plays Ebony Maw in Infinity War and leaked images of him on top of Doctor Strange, reaching for the Time Stone that have sparked many rumors. Could he give Thanos the stone, or will he betray the Mad Titan and keep it for himself?
In the Infinity War trailer, we also catch a glimpse of Strange being tortured and Ebony Maw smirking at his pain.
This could be the playout of Jonathan Hickman’s 2013 Infinity storyline, where Thanos sends Ebony Maw to manipulate Doctor Strange into revealing the location of the Infinity Stones.
Rumored: Ultron
At the end of Age of Ultron, Thanos delivers his infamous “fine, I’ll do it myself” line. From this mid-credit scene, it seems as though someone in the movie failed him and the most likely culprit is Ultron.
Fan theories suggest that Ultron was actually a part of Thanos’ ultimate plan and that the Mad Titan manipulated the events of the movie to ensure Ultron was built.
This explains why Bruce Banner and Tony Stark say that they didn’t create a bot because they were nowhere close to an interface and why Ultron tries to destroy the people that essentially brought him to life – maybe Thanos is his true master.
Because of this theory, some fans believe that Thanos will come back for Ultron and bring him back to life in Infinity War so that he can take the Mind Stone.
Confirmed: The Collector
Back in 2017, Josh Brolin revealed in an Instagram live video that he was working with Benicio Del Toro, the actor who plays the Collector, on the Infinity War set.
This doesn’t come as a surprise to most fans, as the Collector is in possession of one of the coveted Infinity Stones.
During the end credits of Thor: The Dark World, we see Lady Sif and Vostagg giving the Collector the Aether, or Reality Stone, for safe keeping. When the Collector asks why they were giving it to him, they reveal that the Tesseract is in Odin’s vault and that it would not be wise to keep two Infinity Stones together.
There’s no doubt that Thanos will eventually come for the Reality Stone and have to take it from the Collector to complete his mission. Fans have even found leaked footage online depicting a confrontation between the two.
