Who will replace Thanos as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next big bad? All signs seem to point to Kang the Conqueror, a time-traveling warlord already confirmed for Ant-Man 3 and rumored to appear even sooner in Loki, but the latest MCU series may be setting up an even scarier supervillain.
Is Marvel getting ready to introduce Count Vladimir Dracula? It may sound ridiculous, but here’s why the Prince of Darkness could be coming to the MCU very soon — and why the Avengers should be terrified.
Vampires in the MCU?
In Loki Episode 4, Mobius drops a bombshell: Vampires exist. This might not be the first time we’ve heard the word “vampires” before in the MCU, but it’s the first time anyone’s suggested they actually exist.
If you’ve been paying attention, though, you know it was only a matter of time before this happened. Marvel is making a Blade movie, which will bring the vampire-hunting dhampir into the MCU. But we could see vampires even sooner in the Disney+ series Moon Knight.
The Oscar Isaac-led series is currently filming, and thanks to some leaked set photos we know it also stars Ethan Hawke in an unrevealed role. Who does Hawke play? Rumor has it that role will be none other than... Dracula!
Dracula and Marvel
Dracula first appeared in the pages of Marvel comics in Suspense #7 (1951), roughly 10 years before the Marvel era truly began with the creation of the Fantastic Four in 1961. In the years since, Vlad has become a much more prominent figure in the Marvel universe.
In 1982's Uncanny X-Men #159, Dracula even squares off against the X-Men. With Storm under his control, the vampire proves to be a formidable foe, though the mutants eventually defeat him and save their teammate.
Interestingly, in more recent comics, Dracula has become a bit of a hero. As the leader of the vampires, he’s a political figurehead and a protector of his people. Vlad’s even compared vampires to mutants, equating the two as oppressed minorities who are misunderstood by the general population.
But if Marvel plans to bring Count Dracula into its cinematic universe, it’s probably going to be the cunning, manipulative, and bloodthirsty version that horror fans know and love. He might not have an Infinity Gauntlet like Thanos, but if Dracula does show up in the MCU, he could be the scariest supervillain we’ve seen so far.
Loki is streaming now on Disney+.
