These Marvel Monsters are Perfect for the MCU

Last year, Marvel released the Disney+ special Werewolf by Night; introducing not only the eponymous character but also the swamp monster Man-Thing, to the MCU.

While some may be surprised to see monsters appear in a Marvel production, more seasoned comic book fans know that many monsters fill the pages of Marvel comics. In fact, the precursor to Marvel was Atlas Comics, a brand that largely focused on spooky tall tales.

So we decided to put together a list of some of our favorite Marvel monsters that we’d love to see appear in the MCU.

Count Dracula

Fans may be surprised to learn that Morbius is not the only vampire in the pages of Marvel comics. We can always count (see what I did there?) on seeing different takes on vampires in the media; and in the comics, Count Dracula — with some similarities and differences from Bram Stoker’s source material — has been around for centuries.

With the coming addition of Marvel’s best-known vampire hunter, Blade, to the MCU, it seems only a matter of time before we take a trip to Transylvania and see the iconic vampire. Although, the potential downside to introducing the blood-sucker to the MCU would be the poor reception that Sony’s Morbius had with audiences and critics; hopefully, the MCU will remove that bitter taste.

Fin Fang Foom

Prior to the release of Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings, many fans speculated that the dragon creature present in the marketing, which turned out to be The Great Protector, was going to be Fin Fang Foom.

Foom was actually created before the vast majority of Marvel heroes, debuting in Strange Tales #89 in 1961. An alien largely resembling a dragon, Foom is a massive threat and has had many clashes with the likes of the Hulk and Thor. We’ve recently seen Foom in 2021’s MCU-adjacent video game, Guardians of the Galaxy, where his size and presence are unquestionably daunting.

With the potential of Thor 5 out there, Fin Fang Foom could face off against the God of Thunder on-screen.

Gorgolla the Living Gargoyle

Gorgolla is a member of the race of Stonians who, as his name suggests, resemble gargoyles. Gorgolla is eventually taken into custody by S.H.I.E.L.D. and held in captivity on Monster Island — which was used as a base by the Fantastic Four’s foe, Mole Man.

With Mole Man potentially being introduced in the upcoming Fantastic Four movie, there’s also a chance to introduce both Gorgolla and Monster Island.

N’Kantu the Living Mummy

Like vampires, mummies have become a staple in Western horror over the last 100 years. Marvel has its own mummy, N’Kantu; though he is rarely used.

A tragic character, N’Kantu initially emerges from his slumber as a threat to the streets of Cairo. Given the beautifully authentic portrayal of modern Egypt in Moon Knight, Oscar Isaac’s eponymous hero could go toe-to-toe with the Living Mummy in spectacular fashion. Especially because N’Kantu is a character with marked moral ambiguity, and poses a significant threat while also not being simplistically evil.

A clash between N’Kantu’s lore and complexity, and Moon Knight’s multiple personalities, would create an interesting dynamic.

The Griffin

The Griffin is a villain who largely resembles the mythical creature he’s named after. A frightening villain, The Griffin seemingly grows more powerful as he fights. He often clashes with the likes of Spider-Man and the X-Men; and with the latter’s soon-to-come addition to the MCU, we could see this villain on-screen very shortly.

A battle I would personally love to see would be between The Griffin and Namor the Submariner, who recently made his debut as an antagonist in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Introducing more of the Submariner’s heroic side would be great to see, and watching a more water-based (though he can fly) hero battle the winged Griffin would be an awesome showdown.

Infernal Hulk

The MCU has embraced the multiverse over the past few years, so appearances from alternate versions of Earth-616 characters can be expected. The Infernal Hulk hails from Earth-11638, an Earth where Bruce Banner became the Sorcerer Supreme (crazy, I know) and separated himself from the Hulk, casting that version of Hulk to Hell.

The result: a very, very angry creature created from the merger of Hulk, and demons.

In the comics, this version has battled Spider-Man and Deadpool, and with the latter’s recent addition to the MCU, such a battle could show up on the big screen. It could also be interesting to see Earth-616’s Bruce Banner, who has battled his inner conflict with the Hulk in past films, battle the demonic personification of that conflict.

Honorable Mentions:

As I said, there are a lot of monsters at Marvel’s disposal. Just a few of the others that merit attention:

Mole Man’s Army of Monsters
Mephisto
Godzilla (Yes, he was in Marvel comics for a brief run)
Manphibian
Gorgilla (not to be confused with Gorgolla)

Monstrous Potential:

As you can see, the MCU has dipped its toes into the world of Marvel comics monsters, and its time to take the full dive. Whether the huge destructive might of Infernal Hulk and Fin Fang Foom; or the more horror-based tales of Dracula and N’Kantu the Living Mummy; to the more bizarre exploits of The Griffin and Gorgolla — the potential for the MCU to introduce more monstrous villains to battle our beloved heroes is there.

For more on the MCU, check out our guide on How to Watch the MCU in Chronological Order.

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Caleb Weaver