Just as with beloved superheroes, fans are always excited to see how some of their favorite comic book villains are adapted in the movies. In some cases, the movies find an interesting new take on an iconic villain, such as Joker in The Dark Knight. Other times, the results can be disappointing, like Venom in Spider-Man 3.
However, there are also rare instances in which the movies improve on the villain, offering the definitive version. Whether it is the actor inhabiting the role or more depth being given to a one-dimensional bad guy, these villains are even better than their comic book counterparts.
Sandman - Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Few fans could have guessed that in a Spider-Man movie that featured Sandman and Venom as the villains, Sandman would be the more interesting character. Though he is mostly seen as a goon with an ittedly interesting power in the comics, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3 turned Sandman into a sympathetic villain.
While the retconning of Uncle Ben's death was unnecessary, the storyline involving Sandman's sick daughter was touching. Apart from that, Sandman's powers allowed for some wonderful action set pieces that helped make him one of the best villains of the Raimi trilogy.
William Stryker (X2: X-Men United)
William Stryker is actually quite an interesting villain in the X-Men comics, but not one who would work very well in the movies. He is a hateful preacher who sees mutants as abominations that need to be destroyed.
That take on the character might have been too over-the-top for the Wolverine has scarier villains he's faced, Stryker was made his most personal adversary.
Scarecrow (Batman Begins)
Jonathan Crane aka Scarecrow is a classic Batman villain and one who fits well into the Caped Crusader's rogues gallery. Just as Batman uses fear to intimidate the criminals of Gotham, fear is also the main weapon of Scarecrow.
Scarecrow's first big-screen appearance was in Batman Begins and has the distinction of being the only villain to appear in all of Nolan's Batman movies. What really made the character work so well was Cillian Murphy's chilling performance which could switch between calm and collected to a deranged monster in seconds.
Vulture (Spider-Man: Homecoming)
Vulture has a long history in the comics as he was the second villain Spider-Man ever faced. Adrian Toomes has had a number of interesting arcs in the comics, from a vengeful inventor to an old man attempting to harness the power of youth.
For the first Spider-Man villain in the MCU, Vulture is given a clever blue-collar approach. Toomes is a businessman who turns to crime after being cheated out of a deal by Tony Stark. There is also a great twist in the movie that gives him an unexpected link to Peter Parker.
Nebula (Guardians Of The Galaxy)
Nebula is introduced in the comics as the granddaughter of Thanos who is terribly mistreated and tortured by the Mad Titan. She continues to share a long history with Thanos and other cosmic beings in the Marvel universe as she operates as a space pirate.
The Nebula has become a hero, forming a relationship with her sister Gamora, ing the Guardians of the Galaxy, and even becoming an Avenger.
The Mandarin (Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings)
The Mandarin was actually a villain of Iron Man in the comics who has a controversial history. He is an ancient and powerful figure who draws from the power of ten magic rings each with its own abilities.
While Mandarin has become a top-tier MCU villain.
Ego (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2)
Ego the Living Planet is a character from the comics that most fans likely saw as too bizarre to ever make it into the movies. He is quite literally a living planet that can travel through space. Ego is one of the most powerful cosmic villains but was never very interesting as a character.
James Gunn was the perfect filmmaker to embrace the strangeness of Ego from the comics while also making him a fleshed-out villain. After being revealed as the true father of Peter Quill, Ego becomes a truly formidable bad guy with Kurt Russell delivering a stellar performance.
Black Manta (Aquaman)
Black Manta is Aquaman's most famous adversary in the comics while also having one of the coolest villain designs. His most popular origin story reimagines him as a mercenary and treasure hunter who kills Arthur Curry's father.
The theme of revenge was used in Aquaman as Black Manta made his big-screen debut. However, in this version, Black Manta seeks revenge on Aquaman after he leaves his mercenary father to die at sea. Along with this sympathetic take, the movie perfectly brings his iconic look to life.
Loki (Thor)
Loki is another villain who has achieved iconic status in the comics as Thor's mischievous and envious brother. And while the source material has provided some standout moments for Loki, he has become one of the best cinematic villains of the 21st century thanks to the MCU.
Tom Hiddleston's charismatic performance helped make audiences invested in Loki and they were thrilled to follow his journey from the villain who sought to conquer Earth to someone who could perhaps find redemption.
Killmonger (Black Panther)
Erik Killmonger is actually not a character who has appeared in the comics a great deal. His origins explain he is a Wakandan native who was taken from his home and blames King T'Chaka, thus seeking to overthrow him and become king.
Aspects of this origin story were included in Black Panther, but Killmonger is made a much more complex character. He is a young boy who was abandoned by his people and believes Wakanda's superiority in the world could free their people. Michael B. Jordan's powerful performance adds to what many consider one of the best comic book villains of all time.
