Killed-off MCU star wants to return as Marvel’s biggest villain

Jessica Cullen
Emilia Clarke as G'iah and Ben Mendelsohn as Talos in Marvel's Secret Invasion

One MCU star who previously hit the chopping block wants to come back to the cinematic universe — and as Marvel’s biggest villain, no less.

If you’re a Marvel star, your chances of being killed off at any point are always pretty high. From major big-screen deaths in the Marvel movies to the small-screen axes, nobody’s safe from the MCU’s Grim Reaper.

One of the most recent Marvel series, Secret Invasion, featured a few deaths of faces old and new. But that’s not stopping one of the cast from throwing their hat into the ring for another, massive role. (Warning: Spoilers ahead for Secret Invasion!)

Ben Mendelsohn, who played Talos in the show, met an early end when he was murdered by Gravik in the battle for Earth. But you can’t keep a good man down, and Mendelsohn has expressed interest in playing one of the biggest Marvel villains around.

Ben Mendelsohn wants to return as Marvel’s biggest villain

In an interview with GQ, Mendelsohn made a point of saying how much he wanted to play Doctor Doom.

“I would almost give my eyes and teeth to play Doctor Doom,” he said. “I think Doctor Doom is the great unread Marvel character that could and should be done. But it is what it is.”

Ben Mendelsohn as Talos in a dark hallway in Marvel's Secret Invasion

Mendelsohn might consider Doom to be “unread”, but the supervillain has certainly seen his fair share of the Marvel spotlight. As the archenemy of the Fantastic Four, Doom has come head-to-head with plenty of heroes. Spider-Man, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Black Panther are all characters he’s butted heads with, and it’s not likely to stop there.

Frequently appearing at the top of villain rankings throughout the years, he’s considered to be one of the most iconic Marvel villains. He eventually appeared in the 2005 Fantastic Four movie, as well as its questionable 2015 reboot.

But with reports suggesting that Galactus will be the villain of choice in the approaching MCU Fantastic Four movie, it looks like Doom will be taking a backseat for now. However…

With Marvel Phase 6 previously geared towards a major Kang conflict, there’s always the possibility that the studio could now make a switch to Doom as the main antagonist, following Jonathan Majors’ firing back in December 2023.

Whether Doom gets a starring role in the upcoming Marvel movies or not, there’s one actor who’s definitely up for stepping into his evil shoes.

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