8 Most Likely Villains Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, And Iron Fist Will Face In THE DEFENDERS

The Defenders starts shooting later this year, but who will the heroes be squaring off against? We count down the eight most likely candidates, though these may not be the names you're expecting...

By JoshWilding - Jul 01, 2016 08:07 AM EST

Filed Under: Defenders

2017 looks set to be a huge year for comic book movies with the release of everything from Spider-Man: Homecoming to Justice League, but it would be wrong to forget that there's a lot going on on the small screen too. The year will likely kick off with Iron Fist, while The Defenders - a series teaming that hero up with Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage - looks set to follow sometime in the Fall.

As of right now, we obviously know next to nothing about what we should expect from the highly anticipated event series, but that just makes speculating all the more enjoyable. For starters, who will be the villain? Either way, bringing all of these characters together requires a great bad guy.

What you'll find here then is a look at the eight most likely and deserving candidates for who The Defenders will be teaming up against next year. While there may be one or two who you might be expecting, I think it's fair to say that there are a fair few you'll be surprised to see make the cut. After all, Marvel has a lot of options open to them, and this team has faced all sorts of foes over the years.

8. The Wrecking Crew

For all we know, The Defenders is going to be a Netflix exclusive movie or six episode minseries rather than the thirteen part type of story we've grown used to after seeing Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Assuming that's the case, these characters assembling to take on a group like The Wrecking Crew could work perfectly, especially if they end up putting the whole of Hell's Kitchen at risk (the heroes could then go back to their own shows for their stories to continue playing out there).

This incredibly powerful foursome actually debuted in the pages of Defenders #17, and them assembling to take back New York City from the vigilantes who have started emerging could make for a compelling story if handled the right way. The villainous team deserves the live-action treatment anyway, and this feels like a good place for them to make their debut, even if it's ultimately revealed that they're just working for a bigger name bad guy.

After Sony dropped the ball on Ghost Rider on two separate occasions, Marvel Studios quietly regained the rights to the supernatural hero. The character getting another movie seems highly unlikely, but just like Netflix successfully rebooted The Punisher, so too could Johnny Blaze get another chance to shine in The Defenders. Of course, right about now, you're probably wondering why he's in a list of villains.

Well, depending on the host and who's manipulating him, the character has gone down a dark path at times, so him being pitted against the Man Without Fear and his team would make at least some sense. Even if it's just a one off battle at an early point on the show, Ghost Rider could learn the error of his ways and end up joining them (because, let's face it, four superheroes doesn't make much of a team). Then, the door would be open for the Spirit of Vengeance to get his own spinoff somewhere down the line!

Back Next

6. Mysterio

Mysterio is classically a Spider-Man villain, but one of his most memorable moments came when he implemented a plan to destroy Daredevil's life. Using his powers of illusion to fool the superhero, Quentin Beck very nearly destroyed Matt Murdock's life before blowing his brains out, and while it would in some ways be nice to see him take centre stage in a Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel, he could just as easily be made to fit into the world of The Defenders.

It's admittedly a little hard to say what could lead to him crossing paths with the heroes, but the guy is insane, so something as simple as him getting a kick out of manipulating them into fighting each other could be enough to kick this story off when you think about it. Marvel would obviously need Sony's permission to use Mysterio here, and while a Spider-Man cameo is probably unlikely, The Defenders seeking the wall-crawler's help would be ridiculously cool...

Back Next

5. Steel Serpent

Steel Serpent was teased in the first season of Daredevil, but other than some rumours, there's nothing which indicates that he'll be part of Iron Fist's TV series. Assuming the latter introduces us to the complicated mythology of K'un-Lun, him stepping up as a major new big bad in Hell's Kitchen who plans to take over New York could be just what's needed for Danny Rand to seek out the help of his fellow vigilantes.

In fact, Iron Fist could lead directly into The Defenders by setting up this story, and it would only take a few tweaks to take this bad guy and make him a foremidable enough threat that an entire team of heroes has to assemble to stop him. As well as wanting to steal Danny's powers, Steel Serpent has always had big plans, so he could easily be used here rather than in Iron Fist even if that show seems like a more feasible place for him to step up. Ultimately, it would boil down to how Marvel decided to handle the character.

Back Next

4. Vampires

Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist differ from the Marvel heroes on the big screen by operating in the shadows, so it makes sense that the threat they end up tackling will also fly under the radar of a team like The Avengers. Vampires invading Hell's Kitchen may sound like something of an out of the blue creative decision considering the fact that there hasn't been so much as a single Easter Egg pointing to their existence, but that doesn't mean this couldn't still work if that's established fairly early on in The Defenders.

Vampires invading Hell's Kitchen would be a refreshing change of pace to what we've seen in these shows so far, and like Ghost Rider, opens the door to Netflix further exploring the supernatural side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Of course, it goes without saying that the biggest advantage of introducing these monsters would be that Blade could end up joining the team...

Back Next

3. The Kingpin

My gut tells me that we won't see Wilson Fisk again until Daredevil season three, especially as it appears as if Marvel is working towards an adaptation of "Born Again." However, it's entirely possible that his plan for revenge could begin here, even if he's just seen pulling the strings behind bars. It's here that I have to circle back to The Wrecking Crew, as The Kingpin deciding to unleash them in order to wipe out the vigilantes in New York City before his release is exactly the kind of thing you might expect him to do.

Hell, The Defenders could even loosely adapt the story arc mentioned above by having Fisk deploy a group like that to take out Matthew Murdock before making things more personal a little further down the line. Regardless of how he ends up factoring into this team-up though, I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised to see the future Kingpin or Crime make his presence felt somehow.

Back Next

2. The Hand

If season three of Daredevil really does adapt "Born Again", then it's extremely likely that The Defenders will deal with The Hand. They have after all been set up as a massive threat over the course of the Man Without Fear's first two seasons, so Matt seeking out the help of his fellow vigilantes to stop this deadly clan of ninjas (especially after what happened to Elektra) is a must. She would no doubt return here in some form, but now that The Hand has her, them implementing their plan - which has remained frustratingly vague to date - in this team-up series would be fun to see.

Chances are that the heroes will end up squaring off with Kirigi as Stone enters the fray and Matt struggles to restore Elektra to her old self, and though that's all very Daredevil-centric, the others wanting to help does make sense due to The Hand posing a threat to the city as a whole. Hopefully their stories could also tie into the villains in some way too though.

Back Next

1. Mephisto

As things stand, Mephisto is the only villain who has actually been rumoured as being the big bad of this series. Had that not been the case, I'm not sure I would have included him here, but his involvement has some potential. For starters, after Iron Fist and Doctor Strange, a literal devil wouldn't exactly be too hard to believe in as a villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and don't forget that he has some history with the Man Without Fear.

Mephisto's story could even be tied into The Hand, while he actually goes together nicely with Ghost Rider, so there are a few different directions Marvel could go in if they choose him as their big bad. Why exactly he would target this team is hard to say, but it could be made to work, and Mephisto is without a doubt a formidable enough threat to justify these heroes deciding to team up and fight for their city in a world where The Avengers have disbanded after a Civil War...

Which of these villains would you most like to see take centre stage in The Defenders? Have we missed any other deserving candidates? As always, share your thoughts in the comments section!

Back

Netflix's Marvel Shows Have Been Officially Added To The MCU Timeline On Disney+

Recommended For You:

DEFENDERS: 6 Characters From The Netflix TV Shows That Need To Be Recast For The MCU

DISCLAIMER: ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and... [MORE]

ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

Do you have what it takes to write for us?

Want to contribute?

145 Comments

1 2 3 4

TheBritAvenger - 7/1/2016, 8:40 AM

Who brought the mobile site back? It's complete shit.

NateBest - 7/1/2016, 10:59 AM

@TheBritAvenger - What are your issues with the mobile site (images too large, etc.)? Does the "Desktop Site" link in the menu not work for you?

"Complete shit" is such a broad phrade, I'm trying to narrow it down a bit 😉.

Kurne - 7/1/2016, 8:44 AM

Wrecker almost dropped to his knees for Spider-Woman.

What a legend.

LEOSTRATOR - 7/1/2016, 8:46 AM

I did not like your list, only the last 3 made sense.

davidcub - 7/1/2016, 8:50 AM

@LEOSTRATOR - you're not supposed to like it. The intention is to bait you with a misleading headline so you click. Then you feel compelled to finish the list because surely the next page will bring some kind of sense. Hint:it doesn't.

LEOSTRATOR - 7/1/2016, 8:54 AM

@davidcub - I know, he seem to get me every time. Especially when I'm bored at work.

davidcub - 7/1/2016, 9:08 AM

@LEOSTRATOR - I know it's tough, but try to resist!

1 2 3 4

Related Headlines

Defenders

Netflix's Marvel Shows Have Been Officially Added To The MCU Timeline On Disney+

MarkCassidy

Jan 10, 2024 11:01 AM

Power Rangers

JESSICA JONES & POWER RANGERS Star Eka Darville Reveals 9-y/o Son's Brain Cancer Diagnosis; Starts GoFundMe

RohanPatel

Mar 13, 2023 09:03 AM

The Punisher

DAREVEVIL Actress Rosario Dawson May Have Confirmed That Jon Bernthal's PUNISHER Is Set To Return

MarkCassidy

Aug 07, 2022 08:08 PM

Related Headlines

Defenders

Netflix's Marvel Shows Have Been Officially Added To The MCU Timeline On Disney+

MarkCassidy

Jan 10, 2024 11:01 AM

Power Rangers

JESSICA JONES & POWER RANGERS Star Eka Darville Reveals 9-y/o Son's Brain Cancer Diagnosis; Starts GoFundMe

RohanPatel

Mar 13, 2023 09:03 AM

The Punisher

DAREVEVIL Actress Rosario Dawson May Have Confirmed That Jon Bernthal's PUNISHER Is Set To Return

MarkCassidy

Aug 07, 2022 08:08 PM

Defenders

DEFENDERS: 6 Characters From The Netflix TV Shows That Need To Be Recast For The MCU

JoshWilding

Mar 28, 2022 12:03 PM

Defenders

Disney+ Gives Netflix's Marvel Shows An Official Title: THE DEFENDERS SAGA

MarkCassidy

Mar 16, 2022 09:03 AM

Disney+ Under Fire From Parents Group For Addition Of TV-MA Marvel Netflix Shows

Defenders

Sci-Fi

REBEL MOON R-Rated Director's Cut Will Include A Graphic Alien Sex Scene

MarkCassidy

2 hours ago

Sci-Fi

Steven Spielberg's Next Project Will Reportedly Be A UFO Movie Based On His Own Original Idea

MarkCassidy

3 hours ago

Latest Headlines

Superman

SUPERMAN Director James Gunn Shares New Behind-The-Scenes Photo With David Corenswet And Rachel Brosnahan

MarkCassidy

53 mins ago

Sci-Fi

REBEL MOON R-Rated Director's Cut Will Include A Graphic Alien Sex Scene

MarkCassidy

2 hours ago

Sci-Fi

Steven Spielberg's Next Project Will Reportedly Be A UFO Movie Based On His Own Original Idea

MarkCassidy

3 hours ago

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE Star Kevin Durand Reveals Plans For The Blob In Scrapped Sequel

JoshWilding

3 hours ago

Justice League

JUSTICE LEAGUE Director Zack Snyder Says He's "Pretty Excited" About James Gunn's DCU Plans

JoshWilding

4 hours ago

Marvel Comics

ULTIMATES Trailer Gives Earth's Mightiest Heroes Only Two Years To Fix Their Broken Universe

JoshWilding

5 hours ago

Hot Headlines

168 comments

SUPERMAN: James Gunn's DCU Reboot Finds Its Martha "Ma" Kent

MarkCassidy

18 hours ago EST

136 comments

Hollywood Producer Slams MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney: "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

MarkCassidy

22 hours ago EST

92 comments

REACHER Star Alan Ritchson Won't Star In "Marvel Movies Regurgitating Stories We've Seen A Thousand Times"

JoshWilding

2 days ago EST

90 comments

James Gunn’s SUPERMAN Casts Pruitt Taylor Vince To Play Pa Kent In The DCU's Inaugural Film

MarkJulian

1 day ago EST

87 comments

More Sci-Fi & Fantasy ►

X-MEN '97 Creative Express Interest In Bringing An X-MEN Animated Movie To Theaters

More Cartoons & Animated ►

Jack Black Seemingly Confirms Who He Will Be Playing In The Upcoming MINECRAFT Movie

More Anime & Manga ►

IMMACULATE Star Sydney Sweeney Has Been Slammed By A Hollywood Producer: She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act

More Horror ►

JAMES BOND: Henry Cavill Isn't Closing The Door On Playing 007; Maybe I'm Too Old Now. Maybe I'm Not...

More Action Movies & TV ►

AEW EVPs Matt And Nick Jackson, The Young Bucks, Have No Regrets After Airing ALL IN Footage

More Pro Wrestling ►

REBEL MOON Director Zack Snyder Suggests He Has A Six-Movie Plan For Netflix's Sci-Fi Franchise

More Sci-Fi & Fantasy ►

More Cartoons & Animated ►

More Anime & Manga ►

More Horror ►

More Action Movies & TV ►

More Pro Wrestling ►

8 Most Likely Villains Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, And Iron Fist Will Face In THE DEFENDERS

The Defenders starts shooting later this year, but who will the heroes be squaring off against? We count down the eight most likely candidates, though these may not be the names you're expecting...

8. The Wrecking Crew

7. Ghost Rider

6. Mysterio

5. Steel Serpent

4. Vampires

3. The Kingpin

2. The Hand

1. Mephisto

Netflix's Marvel Shows Have Been Officially Added To The MCU Timeline On Disney+

DEFENDERS: 6 Characters From The Netflix TV Shows That Need To Be Recast For The MCU

Netflix's Marvel Shows Have Been Officially Added To The MCU Timeline On Disney+

JESSICA JONES & POWER RANGERS Star Eka Darville Reveals 9-y/o Son's Brain Cancer Diagnosis; Starts GoFundMe

DAREVEVIL Actress Rosario Dawson May Have Confirmed That Jon Bernthal's PUNISHER Is Set To Return

Netflix's Marvel Shows Have Been Officially Added To The MCU Timeline On Disney+

JESSICA JONES & POWER RANGERS Star Eka Darville Reveals 9-y/o Son's Brain Cancer Diagnosis; Starts GoFundMe

DAREVEVIL Actress Rosario Dawson May Have Confirmed That Jon Bernthal's PUNISHER Is Set To Return

DEFENDERS: 6 Characters From The Netflix TV Shows That Need To Be Recast For The MCU

Disney+ Gives Netflix's Marvel Shows An Official Title: THE DEFENDERS SAGA

Disney+ Under Fire From Parents Group For Addition Of TV-MA Marvel Netflix Shows

Popular Headlines

SUPERMAN: James Gunn's DCU Reboot Finds Its Martha "Ma" Kent

Hollywood Producer Slams MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney: "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

MCU Rumor Roundup: Sydney Sweeney Joins The MCU, Thanos' Return, THE FANTASTIC FOUR's Setting, And More

JUSTICE LEAGUE Star Henry Cavill Takes A Shot At His Superman Return In BLACK ADAM's Post-Credits Scene

SPIDER-MAN Swings To Impressive Box Office Haul For Re-Release As Crowd Reaction To Final Swing Goes Viral

SUPERMAN Director James Gunn Shares New Behind-The-Scenes Photo With David Corenswet And Rachel Brosnahan

REBEL MOON R-Rated Director's Cut Will Include A Graphic Alien Sex Scene

Steven Spielberg's Next Project Will Reportedly Be A UFO Movie Based On His Own Original Idea

SUPERMAN Director James Gunn Shares New Behind-The-Scenes Photo With David Corenswet And Rachel Brosnahan

REBEL MOON R-Rated Director's Cut Will Include A Graphic Alien Sex Scene

Steven Spielberg's Next Project Will Reportedly Be A UFO Movie Based On His Own Original Idea

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE Star Kevin Durand Reveals Plans For The Blob In Scrapped Sequel

JUSTICE LEAGUE Director Zack Snyder Says He's "Pretty Excited" About James Gunn's DCU Plans

ULTIMATES Trailer Gives Earth's Mightiest Heroes Only Two Years To Fix Their Broken Universe

Hot Headlines

SUPERMAN: James Gunn's DCU Reboot Finds Its Martha "Ma" Kent

Hollywood Producer Slams MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney: "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

REACHER Star Alan Ritchson Won't Star In "Marvel Movies Regurgitating Stories We've Seen A Thousand Times"

James Gunn’s SUPERMAN Casts Pruitt Taylor Vince To Play Pa Kent In The DCU's Inaugural Film

ANT-MAN: Michael Douglas Pushed For Hank Pym's Death In QUANTUMANIA; Suggests He's Now Done With The Role

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

REBEL MOON Director Zack Snyder Suggests He Has A Six-Movie Plan For Netflix's Sci-Fi Franchise

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Director Steven Spielberg Reportedly Planning To Return To Sci-Fi Genre For His Next Movie

REBEL MOON Star Ed Skrein Has A Graphic Alien Sex Scene In R-Rated Extended Cut

Cartoons & Animated Features

X-MEN '97 Creative Express Interest In Bringing An X-MEN Animated Movie To Theaters

X-MEN '97 Makes A Big Change To Opening Credits; Showrunner Reveals MAN OF STEEL Inspiration For [SPOILER]

X-MEN '97 Reveals The Fate Of Professor X, The Villain Behind Genosha Attack, And Storm's Future - SPOILERS

Gaming

Jack Black Seemingly Confirms Who He Will Be Playing In The Upcoming MINECRAFT Movie

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: SPLINTERED FATE Headed To Nintendo Switch This July

Ubisoft Responds To Backlash Over STAR WARS OUTLAWS Exclusive Season Pass "Jabba's Gambit" Mission

Anime & Manga

MY HERO ACADEMIA Season 7 Countdown Kicks Off With Class 1-A Character Visuals

GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE Returning To Theaters With New 4K Restoration

Crunchyroll Announces Release Date For ONE PIECE Season 14 Voyage 15 English Dub

Horror

IMMACULATE Star Sydney Sweeney Has Been Slammed By A Hollywood Producer: "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

SCREAM VII: Rumored Details On Sidney And Gale's Roles And Ghostface's Targets - SPOILERS

DEAD BOY DETECTIVES Showrunner Confirms Other SANDMAN Characters - Aside From Death - Will Appear

Action Movies & TV

JAMES BOND: Henry Cavill Isn't Closing The Door On Playing 007; "Maybe I'm Too Old Now. Maybe I'm Not..."

Alex Garland's CIVIL WAR Is The #1 Movie In North America- Opens To $25.7M

THE ACCOUNTANT 2 Adds Four More Actors Including JURASSIC WORLD Star Daniella Pineda

Pro Wrestling & MMA News

AEW EVPs Matt And Nick Jackson, The Young Bucks, Have "No Regrets" After Airing ALL IN Footage

Kurt Angle Reflects On What Went Wrong During Final WWE Run: "Fans Could Tell I Was Not The Same Wrestler"

AEW President Tony Khan Believes It "Made A Lot Of Sense" To Air ALL IN Backstage Footage On DYNAMITE

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

REBEL MOON Director Zack Snyder Suggests He Has A Six-Movie Plan For Netflix's Sci-Fi Franchise

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Director Steven Spielberg Reportedly Planning To Return To Sci-Fi Genre For His Next Movie

REBEL MOON Star Ed Skrein Has A Graphic Alien Sex Scene In R-Rated Extended Cut

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES Star Kevin Durand Reveals New Details About "Narcissistic" Proximus Caesar

DOCTOR WHO Showrunner Russell T Davies Confirms "Timeless Child" Link And Explains Impact Of Bigger Budget

ANT-MAN Star Michael Douglas Doesn't Expect To Return To MCU; Wanted Hank Pym To Die In QUANTUMANIA

Cartoons & Animated Features

X-MEN '97 Creative Express Interest In Bringing An X-MEN Animated Movie To Theaters

X-MEN '97 Makes A Big Change To Opening Credits; Showrunner Reveals MAN OF STEEL Inspiration For [SPOILER]