‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ Star Iman Vellani Names Her All-Time Favorite Marvel Villains

Iman Vellani has built a reputation as one of the most openly enthusiastic comic book fans working inside the Marvel Cinematic Universe today, someone who talks about the source material with the same excitement as any longtime reader in the audience. That passion has made her commentary on the franchise’s expanding villain roster particularly fun to follow as the MCU heads toward its biggest crossover event yet.

Vellani has previously gushed over Marvel’s cosmic and villainous corners of the comics, including writing her own Ms. Marvel stories that tie directly into Galactus lore. Her genuine love for the character’s mythology has made her one of the more credible voices weighing in on how these figures are finally being brought to life on screen.

That enthusiasm came through clearly when Vellani named Doctor Doom and Galactus as her favorite Marvel villains of all time, praising just how significant it feels to watch both characters realized in live-action at this scale. For a fan who has spent years immersed in Marvel’s comics, seeing two of the publisher’s most towering antagonists finally rendered on screen carries obvious personal weight.

Both characters have recently made their live-action debuts in the current phase of the MCU. Galactus appeared as the planet-devouring main threat in ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps,’ a portrayal that earned strong reviews and marked the first time the character has been depicted as a genuinely intimidating physical presence rather than the widely panned cloud version from 2007’s ‘Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.’

Vellani has been particularly vocal about her approval of that redesign, previously praising the film’s take on Galactus in personal reviews highlighting how the character’s on-screen presence finally matched his comic book reputation. That reaction lines up with the film’s reception more broadly, as ‘First Steps’ became the first entry in the Fantastic Four’s cinematic history to earn positive scores from both critics and audiences.

Doctor Doom, meanwhile, is set to make his own live-action debut as the central antagonist of ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ with Robert Downey Jr. stepping into the role after his years playing Tony Stark. The character has long been considered one of Marvel’s most formidable villains due to his combination of technological genius and mastery of magic, making him a natural choice to anchor the franchise’s next major crossover event.

Vellani’s own connection to the MCU’s future remains a subject of ongoing speculation, with fans and insiders increasingly convinced she’ll appear in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ following her performances in ‘Ms. Marvel,’ ‘The Marvels,’ and the animated ‘Marvel Zombies’ series. That anticipation only adds another layer of interest to her comments about Doom, given how central his character will be to the film’s story.

With Galactus now part of the franchise’s live-action history and Doctor Doom set to make his own debut before the year is out, Marvel fans are getting a rare chance to see two of the publisher’s most iconic villains brought to the screen within the same stretch of the MCU’s timeline. For a fan as devoted as Vellani, watching that unfold clearly means something.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!