Marvel Studios has been using Phase Four of the MCU to diversify and extend the reach and tone of its content, with a hard push seemingly being into the supernatural and horror side of it. With the recent release of the fantastic Werewolf by Nighf, it is clear that not only can the MCU be home to something less family friendly, but that Marvel are willing to take the chance on some of their huge roster of weird and wonderful horror characters.
For a long time the darker more adult side of the MCU has been incredibly sparse, especially the horror side of things, but things seem to be changing, and as such Marvel may well be bringing some more horror characters to the big screen, so here’s our five picks.
Dracula
Marvel adapted a fair few of popular public domain characters and Dracula is one of their most popular horror character additions. Based heavily on the backstory we all know and love, Dracula is exactly what you’d expect, a super-strength, centuries old vampire.
With Blade coming (at some point) to the MCU, despite all the postponements, Dracula should be a given to be introduced soon. Whether that happens is still yet to be seen, but the benefits of introducing an audience we feel familiar with from classic literature would save screentime, amongst other things.
Mephisto
Mephisto is a constant conversation for Marvel fans, with many expecting him to arrive in Wandavision, then Loki and most recently Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Despite various hints and nods towards the character, nothing substantive has materialised, beyond fan theories anyway.
Mephisto is the Marvel universe’s version of the devil and he doesn’t disappoint with the comparison, with his constant scheming and dealing having some really bad consequences for our favorite heroes.
Recent rumors seem to point at Sacha Baron Cohen playing the devilish character in the upcoming Ironheart show, which means we may not have to wait to long to see one of the most anticipated horror characters in the MCU.
Nightmare
Nightmare has drawn the short straw twice in recent MCU history, with both the first and second Doctor Strange films originally due to feature the character before rewrites and changes in the direction of the films.
One of the Fear Lords of the Marvel Universe, Nightmare embodies the concept of fear, and has had many run-ins with different Marvel heroes throughout the years, with his most prominent being Doctor Strange.
There’s been subtle nods to the character, the first being in the collectibles room of Dr. Strange, the second and more recent being a throwaway line in the first season of Loki.
Sleepwalker
A long forgotten character from the 90s, Sleepwalker is a guardian of the Mindscape, a dimension that borders on the minds of every intelligent being. Effectively, he’s a policeman of dreams, and spends his time defending the minds and dreams of others from nefarious villains determined to wreak havoc.
Marvel have spent a lot of Phase Four introducing us to various different dimensions, plains and afterlifes, and have leaned heavily into the supernatural side of things with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Werewolf by Night, it isn’t out of the realms of possibility to see Sleepwalker soon.
Terror
Mercenary and leader of his own kill-for-hire company Terror Inc, Terror is one of the weirdest, tragic and terrifying horror characters Marvel could possibly show us on screen. Centuries, maybe even millenia old, Terror is a man/being that can’t die. Not only that, but his body parts decay as anyone else’s do, and as such he needs to replace them when they’re damaged or ‘out of date’.
As such he’ll pull them from his body and attach the replacement, which thanks to his unique anatomy automatically becomes his own. Body Horror wouldn’t quite cover seeing that on the big screen, especially if Marvel went all out with it. In the comics he’s had run-ins both for and against Deadpool, who just so happens to have a big movie coming out…
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