The Marvel Cinematic Universe has already adapted many of the comic book company's most exciting, intense, and horrific villains. Some are far more important than others in the makeup of the entire superhero landscape. But despite their importance, those vital foes might not have gotten the screen time they deserved.
These antagonists are brilliant at making the most of their limited time and are still threatening despite audiences barely getting to know them. No scenes are wasted, with each on-screen moment dedicated to giving the villain a sense of motivation and realism. Ultimately, they prove that the important thing isn't how much time they have, but what they do with it.
10 Zeus
Zeus first debuted in Thor: Love & Thunder. The Olympian leader has already been established as a significant threat leading into the next phase of the MCU. Not only does he have a vast empire of gods at his command, but now he has his son, Hercules, on Thor's tail.
Charismatic, enigmatic, and all-powerful, Zeus is sure to reappear down the line and is vital for the cosmic side of the MCU. However, he is featured on screen for around six minutes in total, with a few more minutes spent in the background of Thor's battle. If anything, Zeus is an extended cameo.
9 Crossbones
Crossbones quickly proves himself to be one of Marvel's deadliest villains. Brock Rumlow's screen time isn't particularly impressive, with the character appearing across the MCU for around 5 minutes. Yet, he is instantly memorable, with a number of compelling action sequences to his name, including the elevator scene in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
However, what's particularly criminal is that Crossbones is integral to the start of the Civil War. Without his explosive vest, the destruction in Lagos would never have occurred, and the superhuman community wouldn't have been forced to act. Rumlow's role is so crucial in the film, but he is on the screen for mere minutes before he is killed off.
8 Dormammu
Dormammu is the big bad of the first Doctor Strange movie. He's the dark deity that so many twisted sorcerers worship and as the most powerful force within the Dark Dimension, it's obvious that Strange will one day have to cross paths with the demonic entity again.
Dormammu is very capable of defeating Earth's Sorcerer Supreme and indeed kills him many times. Even though he's the villain that leads to the climax of the film though, Dormammu is on-screen for less than two minutes in total. That's absurd considering even Thanos would likely be beaten by this monster.
7 Thanos
No one is denying that Thanos' screen time in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame isn't impressive. But, the character was the major villain in the early phases of the MCU ever since the first Avengers movie. Despite this, Thanos was given a tiny amount of time to get established.
Thanos might boast some of the best monologues in the MCU, but he certainly wasn't getting to share them in his early appearances. A few seconds in Avengers, another few in Avengers: Age of Ultron, and a mere few minutes in Guardians of the Galaxy, were somehow enough to ensure audiences were prepared for the Mad Titan.
6 Gorr
Gorr the God Butcher's power extends past many of the villains audiences have already encountered. He tears down countless gods, something the likes of Zemo or Killmonger could only dream of. His strength is beyond comprehension and the corrupt blade he wields is the stuff of legend.
Such an iconic foe as Gorr should surely be given plenty of screen time in Thor: Love & Thunder to cement himself further. Yet, the universe-altering antagonist has less than ten minutes in the totality of the run time. The performance and range of Gorr deserve so much better.
5 The Dweller-In-Darkness
The Dweller-In-Darkness is the ultimate villain in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The character has been manipulating Shang-Chi's father from afar and is the beastly demon that the people of Ta Lo have spent their lives defending against. It threatens to be the end of all things.
Such an integral antagonist would surely have a long period of time on-screen, to indicate his importance and the danger that he poses. But the Dweller-In-Darkness spends most of the movie trapped in a cave and is only unleashed for under five minutes before he is defeated by a dragon.
4 Ayesha
Ayesha is surprisingly one of Marvel's most important villains but isn't given the credit that she should be. She has a tight grip on the galaxy and looks to be a major threat to the Guardians of the Galaxy in Vol. 3 of their adventure. She's even responsible for the creation of Adam Warlock.
The Sovereign are wealthy, powerful, and corrupt, but they aren't very present in Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2. The characters have a five-minute action sequence, with Ayesha getting a few moments of dialogue throughout the scene. A single post-credits sequence caps off her appearance, but hopefully, she'll gain more screen time in the sequel.
3 Arishem
There are so many powerful characters from the comics that are yet to be adapted to the MCU. That includes many of the Celestials that haven't managed to join their brethren in the cosmos. However, Eternals firmly established the judge Arishem, who is about to pass judgment on Earth itself.
Arishem is controlling and omniscient, pushing the Eternals in whatever direction the deity sees fit. The character is a force so powerful that many of Marvel's gods would tremble in its presence. However, Arishem's screen time is so small that audiences barely get a look at the sheer scale of the figure before it disappears again.
2 Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is firmly established outside the MCU in the first Spider-Man film. His screen time as both Norman Osborn and his villain's alter ego is extensive. Within the context of the MCU though, Green Goblin becomes one of Spidey's greatest antagonists with only a couple of minutes.
The Green Goblin is a threat for about fifteen minutes in total, which isn't all that long considering the film itself runs for two-and-a-half hours. During that time, he kills Aunt May, tricks Peter Parker, stabs a different Peter Parker, and goes full goblin mode with the rest of the Sinister Five.
1 Alexander Pierce
In the context of the whole MCU, no one was more important to tearing down the status quo than Alexander Pierce. The character was key to Hydra's infiltration of S.H.I.E.L.D. and ensured that Earth's security forces would be damaged to such an extent that it paved the way for forces like Thanos to take control.
With a quick cameo in Avengers: Endgame indicating his significance, Pierce is ultimately on-screen for just under ten minutes throughout all the MCU. For Hydra's most successful agent—besides the Red Skull—that's a very small amount of screen time. However, he still achieved something that no one else had before: the destruction of Nick Fury's empire.