I’ve been a Marvel fan for as long as I can remember, but I’ll admit, not every storyline has hit the mark.
Some characters and plots feel like they had so much potential, but they didn’t quite deliver. It’s like when you’re waiting for something amazing to happen, and then… it doesn’t.
For me, the biggest waste in the MCU has to be Tom Hardy’s Venom. And honestly, Hulk and Gorr the God Butcher aren’t far behind.
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1. Tom Hardy’s Venom – All Tease, No Payoff
Let’s talk about Venom first. He’s one of Spider-Man’s most iconic villains, and seeing Tom Hardy’s version in the post-credits scene of Spider-Man: No Way Home felt like a huge deal.
It set the stage for something big—maybe Venom and Spider-Man would finally meet, right? But nope.
Marvel brought Venom into the MCU for about two minutes, only to send him right back to his universe. What was the point?
To be fair, they left a piece of Venom’s symbiote behind, which might lead to Spider-Man’s black suit storyline in the future. But fans, including me, wanted more.
Imagine the clash between Tom Hardy’s intense, chaotic Venom and Tom Holland’s earnest, youthful Spider-Man. The dynamic could’ve been electric, but it never happened.
The whole situation seems to boil down to the rocky relationship between Marvel and Sony.
Some think Sony was trying to ride on Marvel’s success, while Marvel didn’t want to give too much spotlight to a character from a “rival” franchise.
Whatever the reason, Venom’s potential was wasted, leaving fans (and me) wondering what could’ve been.
2. Hulk – A Core Avenger Without His Moment
Hulk is a character I’ve always rooted for, but let’s be honest—he’s never gotten the attention he deserves in the MCU.
Sure, The Incredible Hulk (2008) gave us a solid start. Edward Norton played a tortured, intense Bruce Banner, and the Hulk was genuinely scary.
The fight against Abomination was thrilling, and Tim Roth nailed it as Emil Blonsky. But after that? Hulk’s story felt sidelined.
Part of the problem is the rights issue with Universal, which prevents Marvel from making solo Hulk films.
Instead, we’ve only seen him as a supporting character in other movies. While Mark Ruffalo’s portrayal brought a lot of humor and charm, I miss the darker, more complex Hulk.
Remember when Hulk was an unstoppable force with a deep inner struggle? That’s what made him fascinating.
By the time we got to Endgame, Hulk had turned into “Smart Hulk,” combining Banner’s brains with Hulk’s strength.
While it was a cool idea, it felt rushed and took away the tension between the two sides of his personality.
Where was the raw power and uncontrollable rage? There’s so much potential for storylines, like “Planet Hulk” or fights against villains like The Leader. But instead, Hulk’s arc feels incomplete.
3. Gorr the God Butcher – Christian Bale Deserved More
When I heard Christian Bale was cast as Gorr the God Butcher in Thor: Love and Thunder, I couldn’t wait to see it.
Bale is an incredible actor, and Gorr is one of Thor’s most chilling villains in the comics.
His backstory is tragic and powerful—he loses his family and becomes consumed by vengeance, slaughtering gods who fail their followers.
That’s the kind of intensity I expected from the movie.
But instead, Gorr’s storyline felt overshadowed by everything else happening in the film.
The movie tried to juggle too many things—Jane Foster becoming Mighty Thor, Thor’s personal journey, and Gorr’s quest. None of these plots got enough time to shine.
And the movie’s comedic tone just didn’t fit Gorr’s dark, serious character.
Even Gorr’s design didn’t live up to the source material. Fans pointed out that simple changes, like removing his nose, could’ve made him more menacing.
Christian Bale delivered a strong performance, but it was clear the movie didn’t give him enough room to fully explore Gorr’s potential.
He could’ve been one of the MCU’s greatest villains, but he ended up feeling like an afterthought.