Although certain villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have joined forces in the movies, there has yet to be a grand evil team-up akin to the heroes forming the Avengers. However, a new video plugging the home release of Avengers: Age of Ultron has us wondering whether the studio is planning on introducing a certain team of evildoers from the comics for one of their future movies.
In this featurette, titled "Connecting the Universes," it’s noted at the end that Ultron and Ulysses Klaw (spelled ‘Klaue’ in the MCU) were part of the same nefarious team in the comics: the Masters of Evil, who have fought the Avengers many times over the decades.
Ultron (going by the alias Crimson Cowl) led the second iteration of the team in 1968, and Klaw was one of his recruits. Other members of the various Masters of Evil teams have included Baron Zemo, Enchantress, Executioner, Madame Masque, Absorbing Man, Radioactive Man, Mister Hyde, and more. Think of them as the Marvel equivalent of DC’s Legion of Doom. Keep in mind that this is not official confirmation that the Masters of Evil will appear in the MCU, but it would be cool to see the Avengers go toe-to-toe with twisted foils of themselves.
Given that Ultron died at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron, obviously the incarnation of the team Ultron led in the comics can’t be adapted exactly. That said, assuming too many villains aren’t killed off in Phase Three, there may be enough characters to bring together for the film universe’s own interpretation if a few villains manage to stay alive. Klaue is still out there (albeit missing an arm), and if Helmut Zemo doesn’t bite the dust in Captain America: Civil War, he could be the one who brings these villains together, much like his father Heinrich did with the first team in the comics. The MCU heroes are going to have enough to deal with battling Thanos in the Avengers: Infinity War Part I and Part II, but the Masters of Evil would make good overarching villains for the Phase Four slate of films.
Should we see the Masters of Evil (or any team of evildoers) appear in an upcoming MCU film, it wouldn’t be the only comic book project heavily featuring a team of supervillains. There were rumors last month that Marvel is developing a Thunderbolts TV series for Netflix, although this has yet to be confirmed. Meanwhile, their DC Comics competitors have Suicide Squad coming out next year, which, like the Thunderbolts, follows a team of incarcerated criminals sent on missions for the U.S. government. Sony was also planning a Sinister Six movie for release in 2016, but with the scrapping of the Amazing Spider-Man series, and the studio’s new partnership with Marvel, that’s been delayed indefinitely.
If the Masters of Evil eventually do appear in the MCU, which villains would you like to see on the team? Let us know in the comments below!
