All through the Marvel Cinematic Universe and different Marvel motion pictures, there have been a choose few villains who stand out as singularly historical. It’s no secret that the movies of the MCU have constructed the largest and most profitable shared universe within the historical past of cinema. This not solely requires rigorously adapting the supply materials from the tales of Marvel Comics, however discovering the fitting steadiness of characters to populate such a universe.
Each hero wants a villain, and Marvel motion pictures have delivered some unforgettable antagonists over time. In actual fact, a few of the strongest Marvel film villains from the MCU’s movie timeline and past boast spectacular longevity and even immortality, making them markedly historical. These villains not solely get pleasure from their unnaturally lengthy lifespans, however use them to trigger main issues for the Marvel heroes they encounter. With that in thoughts, listed here are the ten oldest Marvel film villains, ranked by age.
10
The Excessive Evolutionary, 300+ Years Outdated
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
The cast of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 launched quite a lot of characters to the MCU, however one of the unforgettable was the film’s villain, the Excessive Evolutionary. The founding father of OrgoCorp is established as being famend for his unorthodox and unethical genetic experiments, in addition to his disagreeable therapy of his topics. Hailed as one thing of a dwelling god, the Excessive Evolutionary’s age could be positioned definitively as simply over 300 years outdated on the very least.
The film states each that the Excessive Evolutionary based OrgoCorp, and that it has been in operation for over 300 years. Even when he had based the corporate as a younger man, this may place his age at roughly 330 years, at a minimal. This confirms him as one of many oldest villains within the MCU, along with being one of the nefarious.
9
Thanos, 1000 Years Outdated
Avengers: Infinity Conflict (2018)
Thanos is, unquestionably, the MCU’s largest and most iconic villain. Having served because the over-arching antagonist of the Infinity Saga, Thanos’ position from behind the scenes set him up as a formidable foe for the Avengers, with the Mad Titan additionally proving to be one of many MCU’s oldest villains. Although Thanos’ particular age isn’t said inside the franchise, real-world context was provided to surmise an affordable approximation.
In an interview, Joe Russo, considered one of Avengers: Endgame’s administrators, confirmed Thanos’ age in the MCU. Russo defined that Thanos was round 1000 years outdated throughout the occasions of 2012’s The Avengers, giving a tough concept of how outdated he’s in one another MCU film. This cements Thanos as one of many franchise’s oldest villains, along with being maybe its most noteworthy.
8
Xu Wenwu, 1000+ Years Outdated
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Among the many cast of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the MCU’s actual reply to the Mandarin was launched, righting Iron Man 3’s controversial twist concerning the character. The highly effective Marvel villain was established with a revised backstory that straight related him to Shang-Chi, and it was one which noticed him established as one of many MCU’s oldest antagonists. The film briefly units up the Mandarin’s backstory, confirming that he’s somewhat over 1000 years outdated.
The film explains that Xu Wenwu, the Mandarin, discovered the Ten Rings roughly 1000 years in the past, and that they stopped him from getting older. This locations his official MCU age at round 1040, contemplating the most probably age he discovered the Rings and factoring in a margin of error. Despite the fact that the film doesn’t give a particular quantity, Shang-Chi‘s villain is confirmed as one of many MCU’s oldest villains.
7
Loki, 1050+ Years Outdated
Thor (2011)
The age of the MCU’s Asgardians is an fascinating phenomenon, as their lifespans are confirmed as being totally different from these of people. The longevity of Asgardians implies that they’re a few of the franchise’s oldest characters, with Loki, who is definitely Jotun by beginning, counted amongst them. The MCU’s dealing with of Loki’s age is inconsistent, however even the bottom numbers thrown round nonetheless make him one of many franchise’s older villains.
There’s proof to counsel that Loki’s age in the MCU is both roughly 1050 or round 1500. The latter was confirmed by Marvel as Thor’s MCU age, and there are strains of dialogue that closely suggest that the brothers are the identical age. Nonetheless, the 12 months that Odin finds Loki is said to be 965 AD, which might place his age at round 1050. Regardless, Loki is certainly one of many MCU’s oldest villains – not less than, earlier than he turned considered one of its hottest antiheroes.
6
Hela, 5000+ Years Outdated
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
As soon as once more, the MCU’s unfastened definition of Asgardian ages creates a posh and inconsistent image, however it’s thought that Hela can be one of many MCU’s oldest confirmed villains. When she is launched in Thor: Ragnarok, it’s defined that Odin imprisoned Hela for being too bloodthirsty earlier than Thor or Loki had been born. It’s not the franchise, however fairly the official Marvel web site that offers further context to allow an approximation of Hela’s age.
Her official Marvel bio as soon as said that Hela was imprisoned by Odin for “over 5000 years”. Nonetheless, this was calculated to create a plot gap, as Odin himself was considered round 5000 on the time of his demise. Hela’s official bio was revised to state that she was imprisoned for “a number of millennia”, which nonetheless cements her as one of many oldest MCU villains even with out a particular quantity.
5
Malekith, 5000+ Years Outdated
Thor: The Darkish World (2013)
Malekith may be one of many MCU’s most forgettable villains, however that doesn’t change the truth that he’s one of many oldest within the franchise. The Darkish Elf antagonist was featured in Thor: The Darkish World, along with his seek for the Aether pitting him in opposition to Thor. His backstory entails a cosmic phenomenon often known as the Convergence, which is defined to happen as soon as each 5000 years.
It’s by way of this that Malekith’s age could be calculated. He’s proven preventing Bor, Odin’s father, throughout the earlier Convergence, which occurred precisely 5000 years earlier than the occasions of The Darkish World. Subsequently, it may be surmised that Malekith is over 5000 years on the very least, if not significantly older, as he doesn’t seem to age in any respect within the intervening years, hinting that the character might have possessed outstanding longevity.
4
Apocalypse, 9983 Years Outdated
X-Males: Apocalypse (2016)
Although he was one of many largest antagonists of Fox’s X-Men movie franchise, Oscar Isaac’s Apocalypse earned a repute as one of many extra disappointing Marvel film villains. Within the comics, Apocalypse is taken into account the “first mutant”, making it unsurprising that his cinematic age locations him among the many oldest villains within the historical past of Marvel motion pictures. Pinning down a particular age isn’t straightforward, because the film affords solely a obscure indication of how outdated he could also be.
Within the comics, Apocalypse is born in 8000 BC, putting his age throughout the occasions of X-Males: Apocalypse at precisely 9983. Nonetheless, he could be confirmed as not less than 6000 or so, because the opening scene takes place in 3600 BC, and he’s proven to be on the top of his powers. No matter whether or not his comedian e-book beginning date is canon to the flicks, it’s clear that Apocalypse is without doubt one of the oldest villains to be established in any Marvel film.
3
Arishem, Billions Of Years Outdated
Eternals (2021)
The cast of Eternals launched many characters into the MCU, however few had been as thrilling for the franchise’s future as Arishem. The Celestial served because the film’s most important antagonist in a way, current largely as a looming menace over the individuals of Earth. Although the film doesn’t go so far as to state Arishem’s particular age, it may be estimated utilizing context provided within the pages of Marvel Comics.
Within the comics, Arishem is alleged to have been created alongside the universe, making him as outdated as time itself. There’s nothing in Eternals that contradicts this in any method, and Arishem’s close to god-like standing is sufficient to seemingly verify simply how historical he’s. Contemplating the cosmic scope of Eternals’ story, it actually implies that the MCU’s Arishem is each bit as outdated as his comedian e-book counterpart, making him one of many franchise’s oldest villains.
2
Galactus, Older Than Time
Unbelievable 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)
Galactus is without doubt one of the strongest and historical entities within the wider Marvel Universe, and the Devourer of Worlds made his live-action debut within the a lot maligned Unbelievable 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer. The 2007 sequel launched Galactus in decidedly underwhelming style, giving him the looks of a colossal area cloud and failing to determine a lot of his conventional comedian e-book backstory. Even so, his age could be calculated utilizing comedian e-book context.
Within the comics, Galactus was initially a mortal being who existed within the sixth incarnation of the universe, earlier than the present actuality started. Which means that Galactus technically predates time because it presently exists, making him one of many oldest villains within the historical past of the Marvel Universe. Although Unbelievable 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer doesn’t straight verify this, it additionally doesn’t contradict it, and presumably the film’s cloud-based Galactus shares an origin along with his comedian e-book counterpart.
1
Dormammu, Older Than Time
Physician Unusual (2016)
Inserting a particular age for Dormammu within the Marvel Universe is basically unattainable, because it has been said that nobody truly is aware of simply how historical he’s. An inhabitant of the Darkish Dimenson, Dormammu resides in an existence separate from the Marvel Universe that doesn’t obey the legal guidelines of physics. Subsequently, establishing an precise timeline for Dormammu isn’t technically potential, although he’s thought-about to be among the many most historical of all Marvel villains.
Dormammu’s MCU debut got here in Physician Unusual, with the Sorcerer Supreme briefly dealing with and outsmarting the highly effective entity. The film doesn’t even try to delve into Dormammu’s backstory, so it may be assumed that the MCU’s model of the character is each bit as steeped in unknowable context as his comedian e-book counterpart. This could make him the oldest villain within the historical past of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and past, because it’s unattainable to measure any precise age for the traditional entity.
