Marvel fans think they may have spotted some major heartbreak coming down the pike with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. The two films will be the culminating events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s current “Multiverse Saga” storyline, and a lot of fans thought they already knew that the two-part story would play out a lot like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, but suddenly that expectation is not so certain. Because if this long-running fan theory is right, Marvel Studios has already put a coded foreshadowing in front of us that Secret Wars will have a dark ending.

Here’s how the theory about Avengers: Secret Wars‘ ominous ending breaks down:

Do Avengers Movie Logos Hide A Secret?

This Reddit thread from “EntertainmentEast729” breaks down how Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Avengers: Endgame all had title logos where the “A” in “Avengers” was flanked by a full circular curve. However, the logo for Avengers: Infinity War only had a half-circle around it, which some interpreted as a secret hint that the Avengers squad wouldn’t make it out of the film alive.

[RELATED: Marvel Comics Moments We Need to See in Doomsday & Secret Wars]

Well, if you look at the official logos for Doomsday and Secret Wars that Marvel Studios has previously displayed, it’s clear that it is the Secret Wars logo that only has a half-circle, while Doomsday‘s logo is flanked by a full circle. Ergo, in keeping with the line of Marvel fan theory, Marvel Studios is allegedly letting us know that Avengers: Secret Wars will end in tragedy for the superhero team… which fans should kind of expect.

It must be said: this entire theory could arguably get debunked based on font and formatting. “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Secret Wars” are the longest titles in the franchise: the size of the circle flanking the “A” may depend on how much space there is between the “A” in “Avengers” and wherever the subtitle is positioned. For instance, single-word subtitles like “Endgame” and “Doomsday” get centered, leaving much more design space for that larger circle; “Infinity War” and “Secret Wars” stretch longer across that bottom row, perhaps cutting the circle down in size. It really depends on how you interpret the design of the “Age of Ultron” subtitle: if it was reduced in size to accommodate the circle, or if it was done to keep this coded messaging alive.

How Will Avengers: Secret Wars End?

Avengers: Secret Wars is expected pick up the fragments left over (literally and figuratively) from Avengers: Doomsday, with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom presumably following the villain’s comic storyline and pulling together his own “Battleword” reality from the destroyed fragments of the Marvel Multiversal, after mass incursions wipe out all realities. In the 2010s “Secret Wars” event, the surviving Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men and other Marvel heroes (and villains) fought God-Emperor Doom and his forces to ultimately recreate a new Big Bang that birthed a new prime Marvel Universe, with various alternate universe elements (like Miles Morales, or Reed Richard’s villainous variant, “The Maker”) mixed into the main Marvel Universe.

Assuming the MCU follows a similar arc with its version of Secret Wars, the reboot of the “Sacred Timeline” will be a death of sorts of the MCU as we’ve known it. Narratively, the entire reality the characters of the MCU knew will shift, change, and expand in different ways to accommodate characters like the Fantastic Four, X-Men, and more (Miles Morales?) now existing alongside the Avengers. Behind the scenes, it’s also clear that veteran stars of the franchise could move on, while newer actors who may have expected big arcs in the franchise have to also say goodbye to those hopes, as bigger franchise characters like the X-Men step into the spotlight. In that sense, the Avengers’ “winning” at the end of Secret Wars is a hard concept to envision in the traditional sense, as defeating Doom (or whomever else is in the way) means also saying goodbye to the universe they (and we) knew.

So, maybe this Avengers logo theory isn’t so crazy after all – what do you think?

Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars have been delayed. Their respective new release dates are December 18, 2026, and December 17, 2027

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It’s about time. Marvel fans were thrilled when it was announced that Tom Hiddleston — whose trickster God of Mischief, Loki, died in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, only for his past self to escape into a branched timeline in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame — would be looped back into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Avengers: Doomsday. The last time we saw this time-slipping alt-2012 Loki in his self-titled Disney+ series, he sacrificed himself to destroy the Time Variance Authority’s Temporal Loom, saving the branched realities of the multiverse that he then presided over from his throne at the End of Time.

Loki’s glorious purpose also meant saving his friends, including the Loki variant turned TVA fugitive Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino), TVA agent and best friend Mobius (Owen Wilson), TVA repair guy O.B. (Ke Huy Quan), and B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku). The latter reappeared in last summer’s Deadpool & Wolverine, and it seems that Di Martino’s Sylvie will be making the jump to the Sacred Timeline as part of the ever-expanding Avengers: Doomsday cast.

“Playgrounds,” Di Martino captioned a since-deleted Instagram post (below) that fans have taken to mean Sylvie is in Doomsday. Di Martino’s Sylvie stunt double, Sarah Irwin, has also reportedly been spotted in the UK, fueling speculation that the character is set to return (presumably to reunite with the long-lost Loki).

RELATED: New Avengers: Doomsday Set Photo Shows Two Returning Characters

“I think, at this point, if anything comes back to threaten freewill in general, I feel like Sylvie will be there to fight the good fight. It kind of depends where the story goes, where the bigger picture goes,” the Loki star previously told ScreenRant about her role in the MCU moving forward.

“No one knows but Kevin Feige,” Di Martino continued of the Marvel Studios president and producer. “I mean, she could go anywhere. Again, the possibilities are limitless. That’s what’s so exciting about it. You just never know.”

The Anthony and Joe Russo-directed Avengers: Doomsday started principal photography last month at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, England. Perhaps not coincidentally, Buckinghamshire’s Pitstone Quarry doubled as the Void, a “metaphysical junkyard” at the End of Time that first appeared as a location on Loki, when Marvel Studios shot Deadpool & Wolverine there in 2023.

Along with Hiddleston, the Doomsday cast includes Robert Downey Jr. (Doctor Doom), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Captain America), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier), Letitia Wright (Shuri/Black Panther), Paul Rudd (Scott Lang/Ant-Man), Wyatt Russell (John Walker/U.S. Agent), Tenoch Huerta Mejia (Namor), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova/Black Widow), Kelsey Grammer (Beast), Lewis Pullman (Bob Reynolds/Sentry), Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres/the Falcon), David Harbour (Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian), Winston Duke (M’Baku), Hannah John-Kamen (Ava Starr/Ghost), and Channing Tatum (Gambit).

The Fantastic Four: First Steps cast members Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Susan Richards/Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm/Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm/the Thing) are all set to return, as will Fox’s X-Men movie alums Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), and James Marsden (Cyclops).

Marvel Studios has dated Avengers: Doomsday to open December 18, 2026 in theaters (previously May 1), followed by Avengers: Secret Wars (also delayed from May 7 to Dec. 17, 2027).

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A new photo from Marvel Cinematic Universe star Olga Kurylenko has fans believing her character Taskmaster could be returning in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. As seen on the Instagram account update_mcu, the actress shared a picture of herself in Bahrain, captioning the image “Working on a Sunday” with a flexing arm emoji. This has led to speculation that Kurylenko could be filming scenes for Doomsday, which is currently in production and seemingly has already shot some sequences in Bahrain. Recent set images detailed an on-location shoot taking place in the country.

It is important to keep in mind that this is just theorizing from MCU fans right now. Kurylenko did not detail what kind of work she was doing in her post. Check out the image in the space below:

Kurylenko made her MCU debut in 2020’s Black Widow before reprising Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster in this month’s Thunderbolts*. As many viewers suspected — due to Kurylenko’s absence from several marketing materials — Taskmaster is killed early on in Thunderbolts*. Though director Jake Schreier offered an explanation for the decision, killing Taskmaster proved to be controversial. Many fans felt Marvel missed an opportunity to further develop Antonia after her harrowing experiences in Black Widow.

[RELATED – Thunderbolts* Really Messed Up Taskmaster’s Death]

In late March, Marvel Studios confirmed 27 actors set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday. Several of Kurylenko’s Thunderbolts* co-stars were among the names revealed, but she was not announced during Marvel’s record-breaking livestream. Still, Kevin Feige has stated there are more Doomsday casting announcements to come in the future, fueling speculation about the rest of the massive ensemble.

Kurylenko has a handful of projects in pre-production listed on her IMDb page, so her trip to Bahrain may not be connected to Doomsday. Still, it feels more than coincidental that she’s in the same location where Marvel is shooting a massive blockbuster. If Kurylenko is back in action as Taskmaster, it’s unclear how she’ll be brought into the fold. The Sacred Timeline version from Thunderbolts* is clearly dead, so perhaps Kurylenko could play a Multiverse variant this time around. One possibility is that Bahrain is being used for the Void, so a version of Antonia might have been banished from her timeline for unknown reasons.

Bringing Taskmaster back for Avengers: Doomsday has potential to be a nice twist from a storytelling perspective. It would be fun to see the New Avengers’ reactions to Antonia’s mysterious return. Additionally, Marvel would get a mulligan for a character who deserved much better the first time around. After so many fans were disappointed by how the character was portrayed in her previous MCU appearances, Doomsday could be an outlet for redemption, tapping into what made Taskmaster such a fan-favorite character from the comics. It’ll be interesting to see if Kurylenko is among the other actors in Doomsday. The film has so much on its plate that fixing the franchise’s handling of Taskmaster may not be on Joe and Anthony Russo’s checklist, but for now, there’s reason to have hope.

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M’Baku is back. Marvel Studios already announced that Winston Duke — who played M’Baku, leader of Wakanda’s Jabari tribe in Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame before succeeding Chadwick Boseman’s late T’Challa as King of Wakanda in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — is among the 27 MCU stars (and counting) assembling for Avengers: Doomsday. While the Us actor has been spotted in behind-the-scenes photos with co-stars like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth, we’ve yet to see Duke’s M’Baku on set.

Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel shared a photo from Doomsday‘s on-location shoot in Bahrain, and it appears to show Duke in costume and wielding M’Baku’s club (a knobkerrie). It also appears that Letitia Wright’s Shuri, who assumed the mantle of Black Panther in Wakanda Forever, is standing next to King M’Baku.

RELATED: Hugh Jackman Has Surprising Answer About Wolverine Return With Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool in Avengers: Doomsday

Duke and Wright are among the Doomsday cast members currently on location in Bahrain. Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Captain America), Danny Ramirez (Joaquín Torres/Falcon), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Hannah John-Kamen (Ava Starr/Ghost), Mabel Cadena (Namora), Alex Livinalli (Attuma), and Tenoch Huerta Mejía (Namor) recently attended an event at Cipriani Bahrain with director Joe Russo, suggesting the worlds of Wakanda and Talokan will meet again. (Cadena, Livinalli, and Mejía made their debuts alongside the undersea kingdom in Wakanda Forever.)

If the Bahrain desert isn’t doubling as the kingdoms of Wakanda or Talokan, there may be another possibility: the Void. The barren landscape resembles the “metaphysical junkyard” at the End of Time (as seen in Loki and Deadpool & Wolverine), although the latter filmed its wasteland scenes in Buckinghamshire, UK.

Sigel, who collaborated with directors Joe and Anthony Russo on the Tom Holland-fronted Cherry and AGBO productions Extraction and Citadel, also shot 2003’s X2 and 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past. Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler), and Kelsey Grammer (Beast) are all confirmed to be reprising their roles from Fox’s X-Men movies, as part of an ensemble that includes the casts of Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Downey (Doctor Doom), Hemsworth (Thor), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier), and Tom Hiddleston (Loki) are among the MCU veterans reprising their roles, with Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova/Black Widow), Wyatt Russell (John Walker/U.S. Agent), David Harbour (Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian), Lewis Pullman (Bob/Sentry), Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Richards/the Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm/Human Torch), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm/the Thing), and Channing Tatum (Gambit) rounding out the cast.

Marvel Studios has slated Avengers: Doomsday to open December 18, 2026 in theaters (previously May 1), followed by Avengers: Secret Wars (also delayed from May 7 to Dec. 17, 2027).

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A compelling new fan theory leverages Jonathan Hickman’s revolutionary House of X and Powers of X saga to explain the absence of mutants in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Shared by redditor u/rOkBad7175 on the /marvelstudios subreddit, the theory also provides a seamless way to introduce the X-Men to the Sacred Timeline. The theory, gaining traction among MCU enthusiasts, centers on Hickman’s radically reimagined character of Moira MacTaggert, suggesting her unique abilities and desperate quest to save mutantkind could be the key to understanding why mutants are only now emerging in the MCU’s main timeline. This concept provides a lore-rich foundation that not only accounts for the mutants’ delayed arrival but also sets the stage for complex future narratives, echoing the intricate storytelling that defined Hickman’s celebrated X-Men tenure.

Hickman’s tenure on the X-Men titles initiated a bold new era known as the Krakoan Age, fundamentally altering the status quo for Marvel’s mutants. At the very center of this seismic shift was a profound retcon of Moira MacTaggert, a character traditionally known as a human geneticist and a staunch ally of Charles Xavier. Hickman revealed Moira to be a mutant herself, possessing the power of reincarnation. Upon each death, Moira returns to the moment of her conception, retaining all memories from her previous lives.

[RELATED: 10 X-Men Characters Who Would Be Perfect for the Thunderbolts* Director’s MCU Reboot]

House of X #2 detailed that Moira was living her tenth life, having experienced a myriad of timelines she helped shape by influencing the world events with her knowledge of the future. Unfortunately, she learned a grim, immutable truth through these nine previous lives: mutants always lose. Regardless of the strategies employed, whether it was through heroic sacrifice, aggressive dominance, or attempted integration, every path inevitably led to the persecution, subjugation, or outright extinction of mutantkind, often at the hands of humanity, advanced Sentinels, or other powerful cosmic or artificial intelligences.

Armed with this devastating knowledge from centuries of lived experience across her past lives, Moira X, in her tenth incarnation, resolved to break this catastrophic cycle. She approached Charles Xavier much earlier in his life than in previous timelines, revealing her mutant nature and the cyclical doom awaiting their kind. This revelation shattered Xavier’s initial dream of peaceful coexistence and pushed him toward a more radical strategy for mutant survival. Later, Magneto was also brought into this secret counsel. Together, this triumvirate, guided by Moira’s unprecedented understanding of future failures, orchestrated the establishment of a sovereign nation for all mutants, Krakoa, and, most crucially, the Resurrection Protocols. Through a group of five key mutants (The Five), deceased mutants could be reliably brought back to life, effectively neutralizing death as a significant threat to their species. This bold initiative united former X-Men, their allies, and even many of their long-standing adversaries under a single banner, all driven by Moira’s unseen hand and the desperate hope that this tenth life would finally be the one where mutants would survive and prevail.

MCU Fan Theory: Could Moira’s Cycles Explain Mutant Absence and Emergence?

Drawing inspiration from the complex legacy of Moira MacTaggert established in Hickman’s X-Men run, u/rOkBad7175 offers a fresh perspective on why mutants might have remained hidden in the MCU and how they could eventually emerge. As the user proposes, “We haven’t seen them because of Moira Mactaggert. This is her 9th life, maybe. She tried several times for the mutants to survive. Maybe the fox timeline was one of those lives? She orchestrated the major events there?” This line of thought speculates that the MCU’s Sacred Timeline could be another of Moira’s attempts to navigate the perilous path of mutant existence, potentially even trying to learn from events in other realities like the Fox X-Men cinematic universe.

A core element of this theory is how Moira might have adapted her strategy in this current MCU timeline. According to u/rOkBad7175, “Eventually she realised the key to mutants surviving is shutting up and not going public. It is working so far.” This suggests a deliberate decision by Moira to keep mutants entirely covert. The theorist also attempts to tie in the fate of another superpowered group, suggesting Moira might have actively worked to neutralize threats: “She also maybe got the Inhumans killed off, or just took away the terrigen mist (in the comics, terrigen mist gives mutants a deadly sickness). That is why we haven’t seen the Inhumans in the Sacred Timeline.”

Another commenter, u/rCaciulacdlac, provided a detailed integration of the TVA into u/rOkBad7175’s framework: “I can integrate the TVA in your story. Maybe for the sacred timeline to work, Moira needs to experience all those timelines that eventually lead to the doom of the mutants, so that she can eventually decide to go down the path of the Sacred Timeline. And those timelines in which she dies, they are immediately pruned after.” This suggestion reframes Moira’s multiple lives as a necessary, albeit harsh, process, perhaps even tolerated or managed by the TVA, with failed timelines being pruned, thus aligning with the “mutants always lose” theme until a stable path is achieved.

The mutants will be a key MCU element in the upcoming crossover movie Avengers: Doomsday, which is scheduled for release on December 18, 2026.

What are your thoughts on this Moira-centric fan theory for introducing mutants to the MCU? Let us know in the comments!

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The Fantastic Four: First Steps will introduce Marvel’s first family of superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but their highly anticipated debut carries much more significance than most fans realize. Phase 6’s first movie centers on Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they fight to protect their world against Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). The Fantastic Four: First Steps takes place in a timeline separate from the MCU’s main universe, though the heroes will eventually arrive in Earth-616, as confirmed by the post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* and the Fantastic Four members’ involvement in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday.

Avengers: Doomsday is the real make-or-break movie in the MCU’s near future, yet The Fantastic Four: First Steps remains almost as important. Several factors relating to the Fantastic Four’s revival, the film’s release in proximity to Doomsday, and the coinciding debut of the DC Universe with Superman two weeks earlier, cement The Fantastic Four: First Steps as the MCU’s most important movie since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. A lot is riding on its success, and the MCU cannot afford to miss.

[RELATED: Marvel Fan Finds Surprising Trend About MCU Movie Ratings (But Fantastic Four Might Break It)]

The Significance of The Fantastic Four: First Steps Cannot Be Understated

As the third live-action film iteration of the titular team, The Fantastic Four: First Steps will face endless comparisons to the previous versions put forth in Fox’s 2005 and 2015 Fantastic Four movies — the former of which was followed by 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Neither of the aforementioned titles garnered much critical or fan praise – thus, the bar is set fairly low for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Undeniably iconic comic book heroes, the Fantastic Four have frustratingly never reached their full potential in movies. If the MCU’s Fantastic Four emerges as the best rendition of the characters, comic book fans will be delighted, and faith in the MCU’s ability to reboot beloved heroes ahead of casting its new X-Men could be restored.

Fantastic Four: First Steps is the second-to-last MCU movie to hit theaters before Doomsday, adding another pivotal layer of expectations and stakes. Charged with providing an adequate setup for the first Avengers film in seven years, First Steps needs to thoroughly develop its characters before their high-stakes showdown with Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) while providing enough context for Doomsday’s overarching plot. A good portion of fan hype for Doomsday will rely on the audience’s reception of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

DC Is Starting Its Own New Universe

Lastly, factoring into the immense importance of The Fantastic Four: First Steps is its release date, just two weeks after the new DC Universe’s first movie, Superman, opens in theaters. Directed by James Gunn, Superman will introduce David Corenswet as the newest portrayal of the legendary hero, beginning a long-awaited new era of interconnected DC movies. It feels like forever since Marvel and DC films had an equal impact on the box office or on the superhero zeitgeist. Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy of the 2000s and early 2010s remains DC’s only model of consistent quality, while 2017’s Wonder Woman and 2018’s Aquaman prevailed as aberrations amid the DC Extended Universe’s messy and underwhelming slate. Meanwhile, the MCU has taken advantage of DC’s failures, captivating moviegoers with the Infinity Saga from 2008 to 2019, and has mostly maintained its cultural relevancy despite some hiccups in the years following Avengers: Endgame.

But, with Superman arriving right before The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Gunn’s DCU has the chance to generate genuine competition with the MCU for years to come. There will be a box office battle between The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Superman, and the two movies will also compete for the approval of critics and audiences. Twin revivals of iconic superheroes should make for a fun duel this summer. Even though Superman is only one movie, it’s likely the start of a new era in which Marvel and DC vie for supremacy in the genre.

The MCU Could Be in Trouble if The Fantastic Four: First Steps Fails

A ton is at stake for the MCU with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Although Thunderbolts* helped breathe new life into the franchise, The Fantastic Four: First Steps must carry the momentum into Avengers: Doomsday. The MCU can neither afford a box-office bomb nor a critical reception failure here, as the countdown to its all-important next Avengers outing wanes. With Superman setting the bar for success a couple of weeks earlier, The Fantastic Four: First Steps needs to match or exceed the response to the DCU’s flagship film. If The Fantastic Four: First Steps falls short, the MCU’s will be limping into Doomsday, which already lacks sufficient buildup. The MCU has to get The Fantastic Four: First Steps right to bring the best version of the Fantastic Four to the big screen, to establish a proper preface for Avengers: Doomsday, and to prove that it still dominates the superhero genre. 

The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens in theaters on July 25th.

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Following recent speculation that more MCU veterans will be returning in Avengers: Doomsday, new fan art imagines Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson as terrifying villains. At the end of March, Marvel confirmed the first 27 actors confirmed to be cast in Avengers: Doomsday, the Russo brothers’ much-anticipated next Avengers movie. This included several returning MCU and X-Men franchise stars, spurring discussion about who could join them next. With the likes of Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, and even Robert Downey Jr. returning, the question remains as to who else will show their face.

Inevitably, there’s been significant interest in seeing the MCU’s original Avengers cast members reunite in Avengers: Doomsday. New fan art shared by welove_marvel puts a dark twist on this wish, however, as Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson are depicted as villainous versions of their former Marvel heroes. Evans suits up as the dark Captain Hydra, an evil Captain America, while Johansson is depicted as Madame Hydra – a shocking reunion, indeed.

Currently, neither Chris Evans nor Scarlett Johansson have been confirmed to be returning in Avengers: Doomsday. Evans seems to have denied rumors of his involvement in the upcoming Phase 6 crossover event, while Johansson’s sour experience in the wake of 2021’s Black Widow may make her reluctant to return. Even so, the multiverse-focused storyline of Doomsday and its 2027 sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, mean these movies are the perfect opportunity to bring Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson back into the fray.

RELATED: Avengers Delays Could Mean Big Changes for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, MCU Fans Speculate

Only a handful of the cast of 2012’s The Avengers have been confirmed to be coming back for Doomsday, including Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, and Robert Downey Jr. himself. The latter will be debuting as iconic Marvel villain Doctor Doom, set to face the Avengers, the X-Men, the Thunderbolts, and the Fantastic Four. There has been speculation that Doom will be leading his own evil Avengers team, which creates a fantastic chance to put dark spins on some of the MCU’s most notable heroes, including Evans and Johansson’s past characters.

Chris Evans previously played Steve Rogers’ Captain America, while Scarlett Johansson took on the role of Natasha Romanoff’s Black Widow, with both departing the MCU in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. It would be shocking yet thrilling to see Evans and Johansson return to the MCU as villains, especially if they’re joined by darker versions of Hawkeye, Iron Man, Thor and the Hulk. Avengers: Doomsday is already gearing up to be the MCU’s most exciting movie yet, and confirming this wild casting choice would only raise anticipation even more.

Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for release on December 18, 2026, as part of the MCU’s Phase 6. Directing duo the Russo brothers will be returning to direct its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, which is set for release on December 17, 2027.

Would you like to see the original Avengers cast return as villains in the MCU? Let us know in the comments!

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The recently announced delays for Marvel Studios’ crossover movies Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars are sending ripples across the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s release slate, prompting speculation about the narrative trajectory of upcoming films, particularly Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Initially, the fourth solo outing for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man was anticipated to slot neatly between the two colossal Avengers installments, a positioning that fueled theories of a deeply multiversal storyline, perhaps even involving the chaotic landscape of Battleworld. However, with Avengers: Doomsday now shifted from May 2026 to December 2026, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day holding onto its July 2026 release, the movie will now precede Doomsday. This significant alteration suggests that Peter Parker’s next adventure will pivot to a more street-level focus, exploring his dramatically altered life post-Spider-Man: No Way Home before he is inevitably drawn into the universe-shattering events of the Avengers sequels.

At the conclusion of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker asks Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast a spell that makes the entire world forget he ever existed, sacrificing his identity to save the world from a multiversal collapse. This act left him utterly alone, stripped of his relationships with MJ (Zendaya), Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon), Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), and the Avengers. With no personal history or support system, Peter was last seen embracing his solitary path, having crafted a new, comic-accurate suit and starting over from scratch in a dingy apartment, ready to continue his mission as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

[RELATED: After Daredevil: Born Again, the Next Spider-Man Movie Has Some Explaining to Do]

Spider-Man’s new operational environment has been further altered by the events of Daredevil: Born Again. In the TV show, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio), as the Mayor of New York City, officially outlawed all vigilante activities in the city, even explicitly referencing Spider-Man as one of the “troublesome” costumed figures he intended to stop. This anti-vigilante stance confirms Spider-Man is currently operating as a street-level hero within an openly hostile New York. With Spider-Man: Brand New Day now releasing before Avengers: Doomsday, the film is logically positioned to delve into Peter’s struggles navigating this dangerous new status quo, rather than immediately thrusting him into the multiversal events that its original placement between the Avengers films had suggested.

Everything We Know About Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, known for his work on Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The film’s title, Brand New Day, is taken from a major 2008 Marvel Comics storyline where Peter Parker’s marriage was erased, his secret identity was globally forgotten due to a deal with Mephisto, and he returned to more classic, street-level adventures with a new supporting cast and challenges. This comic narrative of restored anonymity and altered personal relationships mirrors Peter’s current MCU circumstances post-Spider-Man: No Way Home.

In addition to Holland, Brand New Day will star Sadie Sink, of Stranger Things fame. While details of her role remain under wraps, prominent rumors suggest Sink will portray May “Mayday” Parker. In the comics, Mayday is the daughter of an alternate universe Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson, who inherits her father’s abilities as Spider-Girl. If this rumor proves true, her inclusion could subtly weave multiversal threads into Peter’s primarily street-level ordeal. Another key new cast member is Liza Colón-Zayas from The Bear, whose role has also yet to be confirmed. Speculation heavily points to her playing Rio Morales, the mother of Miles Morales, as both the actress and the character are of Puerto Rican descent, and the MCU already alluded to Miles with Aaron Davis’ (Donald Glover) cameo in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Finally, leaks from a Disney Blockbuster Consumer Products presentation reportedly revealed three villains: Tombstone, Boomerang, and the Scorpion. The MCU has already laid the groundwork for the Scorpion, with Mac Gargan (Michael Mando) being established in Spider-Man: Homecoming on a path towards becoming the venom-tailed villain. Plus, Tombstone is a significant character in the Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man animated series, which could mean Marvel Studios is giving the character more awareness before his live-action debut.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to swing into theaters on July 31, 2026.

Would you prefer the next Spider-Man movie to tie into Avengers: Doomsday or remain a street–level adventure? Let us know in the comments!

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Angela Bassett wants to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Queen Ramonda in the upcoming Black Panther 3. Speaking on Good Morning America, the acclaimed actress not only expressed strong enthusiasm for reprising her role but also suggested a viable pathway for her character’s reappearance despite Ramonda’s fate in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, mentioning Wakanda’s Ancestral Plane. It would certainly be a treat to see the powerful Queen Mother grace the screen once more, and given the mystical elements already established within Wakandan lore, it wouldn’t be too hard to tap into Basset’s incredible star power for the threequel. Plus, considering how Black Panther 3 is a long way from release, Marvel Studios has plenty of time to figure out the best way to bring her back.

“That would be wonderful,” Bassett stated directly about returning for Black Panther 3. She elaborated on the how, saying, “Listen, the Ancestral Plane? I could be there. You know? It could happen. I would, absolutely.” Finishing her thoughts on the matter, Bassett added, “Everyone wants it to happen,” which sounds like an accurate statement.

[RELATED: Marvel Wanted a Different Director for X-Men (But They’re Making Another MCU Movie)]

Queen Ramonda tragically died during Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, sacrificing herself to save Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) when Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejía) flooded the throne room. Her death was a pivotal moment in the film, deeply impacting Shuri (Letitia Wright) and fueling her initial desire for vengeance before she ultimately chose a different path as the new Black Panther. Fortunately, the very same film laid the groundwork for how deceased characters can still play a significant role. Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), who died at the end of the first Black Panther, made an emotional appearance in Wakanda Forever when Shuri journeyed to the Ancestral Plane after ingesting the synthetic heart-shaped herb. This established precedent is precisely what Bassett alluded to, offering a perfect narrative opportunity for Queen Ramonda to continue offering guidance to Shuri from beyond the mortal coil.

Everything We Know About Black Panther 3

Development for Black Panther 3 is underway, though fans may need to exercise patience before returning to Wakanda. Before tackling the Marvel threequel, director Ryan Coogler prioritized his original vampire horror film, Sinners, indicating a desire to create a personally driven story rather than primarily serving existing narratives or universes. The strategy paid off, as Coogler’s Sinners keeps winning big at the international box office.

While there’s little information on the plot of Black Panther 3, Denzel Washington has been cast in an undisclosed role. Coogler openly talked about his strong desire to collaborate with the legendary actor, provided Washington remains interested in participating despite the project’s long gestation period. Washington had previously mentioned that Coogler wrote a role for him, though details remain scarce.

Recently, Captain America: Brave New World introduced adamantium as a metal surpassing vibranium in strength, with President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) presenting it as a resource not controlled by an “isolationist nation”. This sets up a potential conflict where Wakanda’s technological supremacy and its most precious resource are directly threatened, possibly leading to an adamantium versus vibranium war, a theme that would naturally evolve the franchise’s exploration of Wakanda’s place in a rapidly changing world. Namor even predicted at the end of Wakanda Forever that nations would turn against Wakanda, positioning Talokan as a key ally when that happens, a plot thread that Black Panther 3 could follow.

Black Panther 3 is not expected to hit theaters until after the upcoming Avengers films, likely placing its debut sometime in 2028 or beyond.

Would you like to see Angela Bassett return as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther 3 via the Ancestral Plane? Let us know in the comments below!

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Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are probably disappointed that Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars have been delayed, but both films should benefit as a result. According to Deadline, Disney/Marvel Studios decided it would be best to push the films back considering their massive scope and scale. As directors Joe and Anthony Russo look to bring the Multiverse Saga to a satisfying conclusion, it was determined they need more time to complete work on the movies. In addition, the two Avengers films are now set to bow in a rather lucrative window that Marvel Studios has benefited greatly from before.

“Insiders noted that these two films are among the biggest ever made, and the delays simply allow more time to execute on a gargantuan vision,” reads a report from Deadline. “Disney/Marvel elected for December dates, given the success they’ve had in the holiday corridor with titles like Spider-Man: No Way Home. Avengers: Doomsday is in production now.”

Earlier this week, Disney officially announced the delays for Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Previously, the films were scheduled to premiere in May 2026 and May 2027, respectively. They will now debut in December 2026 and December 2027 over the pre-Christmas weekend that’s housed blockbuster properties like Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Avatar over the years.

[RELATED – Top 8 Marvel Comics Moments We Want to See in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars]

Avengers: Doomsday is going to be a monumental undertaking for Marvel. In late March, the studio announced 27 actors who will appear in the film, bringing together multiple Avengers teams, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men. Shortly after, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed there are additional Doomsday casting announcements to come at a later date. Secret Wars will be equally as sprawling, as the films pit the heroes of the Multiverse against Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom.

It’s no secret that the Multiverse Saga has been uneven, a stark contrast from the consistent quality that was on display during the Infinity Saga. Over the past handful of years, there have been multiple Marvel projects that underwhelmed critically and commercially. With that in mind, it’s easy to understand why the studio is giving the Russo brothers extra time to make these two Avengers movies. The idea here is to end the Multiverse Saga on a high note. Some have questioned whether or not that’s possible given all the ups and downs and lack of cohesion in the overarching narrative, but the Russos have a better chance to accomplish their goal if the movies aren’t rushed. Every movie requires the proper amount of time and care to get things right — these two even more so.

Delaying the upcoming Avengers movies is another sign of Marvel Studios dedicating itself to getting back on track. Feige is well aware the MCU has had its struggles in the post-Endgame era and he’s making strides to course correct. It isn’t a coincidence the Avengers delays were announced in conjunction with multiple Marvel movies being pulled from the release schedule. Rather than overdoing things and flooding the big and small screens with more Marvel projects than casual viewers can keep up with, the studio is going to be patient and slow its output down to a more palatable rate.

The post Why Marvel Delayed Avengers: Doomsday & Secret Wars Revealed (& It’s a Good Thing) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Sam Wilson is reportedly recruiting a lineup of heavy-hitters for Avengers: Doomsday. Anticipation continues to build for the next big Avengers flick, especially after the success of Thunderbolts*. The knowledge that the Thunderbolts are actually the New Avengers, and that they’re feuding with Sam Wilson’s Captain America over the “Avengers” name, adds some extra spice to the drama in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Knowing that Cap has an Avengers team behind him raises the larger question of who the members are. We know many of the cast members in Avengers: Doomsday, and now a scooper is dishing out possible names for the roster of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Alex Perez of TheCosmicCircus recently held a Q&A where fans could ask questions about the MCU. A couple of fans asked who was on Sam Wilson’s Avengers team. “Right now, Joaquin Torres, Captain Marvel, Bruce Banner, Wong, and Shang-Chi are the ones officially on his team. I’ve heard they may recruit She-Hulk as well,” Perez said.

The actors who play these characters were included during the five-plus-hour casting announcement for Avengers: Doomsday, so it’s not too much of a surprise to see them rumored for one of the two Avengers lineups. Thunderbolts* stars Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen, and Lewis Pullman are returning as the New Avengers, after Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine officially announced them to the world at the end of the Marvel film. They’ll be joined by the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps and many of the original X-Men actors.

[RELATED: One MCU Character Could Change Everything in the Avengers vs. New Avengers Fight]

Photos and videos captured on the set of Avengers: Doomsday have offered a sneak peek at the returning X-Men and their iconic villains. Fans captured what appears to be pieces of giant Sentinels scattered across the set. Photos and a video compiling everything show what looks to be the torso and leg of a Sentinel, with portions of the body parts covered by a blue tarp, possibly to allow for visual effects to be added later on. It’s unknown if this takes place at the X-Men Mansion or some other location. None of the X-Men cast members can be seen in the photos, so all fans are left with is endless speculation.

We’ve also seen James Marsden and Ian McKellen reprising their roles as Cyclops and Magneto, respectively. McKellen was wearing part of his Magneto costume in the set photo, while Marsden was in plain clothes wearing Cyclops’ ruby quartz sunglasses. It’s not clear what they were discussing in the photo, and the backdrop doesn’t give anything away either. However, it is good to see the two stars back in their iconic roles.

Earlier this week, Marvel Studios pushed back the release dates of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Avengers: Doomsday was moved from May 1, 2026, to December 18, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars moving from May 7, 2027, to December 17, 2027. Multiple outlets reported that the seven-month delay for both films is due to the scope and scale of what insiders describe as the biggest movies Marvel has ever made. The last MCU movie to premiere in December was 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, which grossed $1.92 billion at the global box office to become Sony’s highest-grossing film and the third highest-grossing Marvel movie behind only Avengers: Infinity War ($2.05 billion) and Avengers: Endgame ($2.79 billion), released a year apart in April 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Who do you think will be on the Avengers with Sam Wilson’s Captain America? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

The post MCU Rumor Reveals Sam Wilson’s Avengers Lineup (& the New Avengers Don’t Stand a Chance) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Doomsday is delayed. Marvel Studios on Thursday pushed back the release dates of the next two Avengers movies, moving Avengers: Doomsday from May 1, 2026, to December 18, 2026, and sequel Avengers: Secret Wars from May 7, 2027 to Dec. 17, 2027. Multiple outlets reported that the seven-month delay for both films is due to the scope and scale of what insiders describe as the biggest movies Marvel has ever made.

Disney shifted 20th Century’s The Devil Wears Prada 2 onto the Doomsday date, and the fifth Avengers movie will now open opposite Disney’s own Ice Age 6 (also currently slotted for Dec. 18). That’s one week after the Dwayne Johnson-fronted Jumanji 3 from Sony, and another week before Universal and Illumination’s Shrek 5 in the Christmas corridor of Dec. 23. Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures previously staked out the Dec. 18 release date for the Denis Villeneuve-directed Dune 3.

RELATED: Hugh Jackman Has Surprising Answer About Wolverine Return With Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool in Avengers: Doomsday

2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home was the first Marvel Studios movie to release in December (Disney typically slots its superhero blockbusters in the summer months of May-July). The Sony Pictures-Marvel Studios co-production swung into theaters on Dec. 17, 2021, and grossed $1.92 billion at the global box office to become Sony’s highest-grossing film and the third highest-biggest Marvel movie behind only Avengers: Infinity War ($2.05 billion) and Avengers: Endgame ($2.79 billion), released a year apart in April 2018 and 2019.

The new Avengers: Doomsday release date comes a month after principal photography got underway in the UK.

In March, during a five-and-a-half-hour livestream, Marvel announced the 27 actors so far confirmed to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In addition to former Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. donning the metal mask of Doctor Doom in the lead role, Doomsday will reunite Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Tom Hiddleston (Loki), and will feature franchise regulars like Anthony Mackie (Captain America) and Paul Rudd (Ant-Man). Letitia Wright (Black Panther), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Danny Ramirez (the Falcon), Tenoch Huerta Mejía (Namor the Sub-Mariner), and Winston Duke (M’Baku) are also confirmed to return.

The Thunderbolts* cast — which includes New Avengers Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes), David Harbour (Red Guardian), Hannah John-Kamen (Ghost), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), and Lewis Pullman (Bob Reynolds/Sentry) — will also be assembling alongside the stars of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, who make their MCU debuts this summer: Pedro Pascal (Mister Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (the Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (the Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (the Thing).

Channing Tatum (Gambit) will reprise his fan-favorite Deadpool & Wolverine role with cast members from the Fox X-Men movies, including franchise vets Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler), and Kelsey Grammer (Beast).

Marvel Studios president and producer Kevin Feige confirmed that the entire cast list has yet to be announced and that more actors are still to come (likely at Marvel Studios’ Hall H takeover at San Diego Comic-Con in July). Notable names missing from the initial roll call include Tom Holland (Spider-Man), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), Brie Larson (Captain Marvel), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Don Cheadle (War Machine), Benedict Wong (Wong), Iman Vellani (Ms. Marvel), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), and Chris Pratt (Star-Lord). Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter) and Chris Evans (Steve Rogers) are also reportedly set to return.

Disney’s 2026 slate includes Pixar’s Hoppers (March 13), 20th Century’s The Dog Stars (March 27) and The Devil Wears Prada 2 (May 1), Lucasfilm’s The Mandalorian and Grogu (May 22), Pixar’s Toy Story 5 (June 19), and the live-action Moana (July 10). Sony’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day, also co-produced by Marvel Studios, was previously set for July 31, with Avengers: Doomsday now earmarked for Dec. 18 in the pre-holidays slot reserved for other Disney heavyhitters like Star Wars and Avatar.

The post Marvel Makes Major Update to Avengers: Doomsday Release Date (And Fans Won’t Be Happy) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Avengers are never really on the same page in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When they first assemble in The Avengers, the heroes have plenty of reasons to dislike one another, and things only get better for a time before they are at each other’s throats again. The group officially calls it quits in Captain America: Civil War, and without a united front to protect Earth in Avengers: Infinity War, almost all is lost. Earth’s Mightiest Heroes know they have to assemble one last time in Avengers: Endgame to make up for their mistakes, but once the battle is over, most of them go their separate ways, leaving a massive void.

Without a group of allies to fall back on, many MCU heroes, such as Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, have had to deal with Avengers-level threats on their own. Only at the end of Captain America: Brave New World does someone get their butt into gear and starting getting a team together. However, Sam Wilson doesn’t get all the pieces in place before Valentina Allegra de Fontaine announces to the world that the New Avengers are here. Now, the two sides are at odds, and another character may be waiting in the shadows to take advantage.

Sam Wilson’s Team and the New Avengers May Have Some Competition in the MCU

The end of Thunderbolts* sees the New Avengers accept their role as Earth’s protectors, and for at least a year, they do a pretty good job. They enter the film’s post-credits scene with new suits and look ready to face the threats ahead of them. However, there’s a nasty case of impostor syndrome going around because, as soon as they get word that Sam is looking to trademark the name “Avengers,” they don’t seem as confident. Bucky is especially upset because his conversations with Sam about the subject aren’t going well, so much so that it doesn’t seem like they’re really friends anymore.

Sam, on the other hand, seems really sure of himself as he looks to get the Avengers back on track. He asks his wingman, Joaquin Torres, to be his first recruit, and while the rest of his team is a mystery at this point, he knows enough heavy hitters to fill out an impressive roster. However, no connection can prepare Sam to face off against another MCU character who believes he has what it takes to lead Earth’s Mightiest Heroes: Ikaris.

The leader of the titular group of ancient beings in Eternals, Ikaris has incredible strength and speed, and he’s a lot more durable than a super-soldier. He also talks a big game, such as when he tells Sprite he believes he can lead the Avengers. The rest of the Eternals laugh at Ikaris when he reveals his goal, but underestimating him is what lands them in trouble. He turns on his allies and tries to help a Celestial to destroy the Earth. While Ikaris sees the errors of his ways and flies into the sun, it seems like something he can survive, and if he’s still out there, he’s a massive threat.

[RELATED – Thunderbolts* Shock Ending Changed The MCU In 3 Major Ways]

The Avengers Could Use an Eternal on Their Side in Doomsday

Whether Ikaris puts his own team together or tries to take control of one of the active ones in Avengers: Doomsday, he’s going to be a challenge. Sam’s team and the New Avengers would likely have to squash their beef to avoid being taken out by the Eternal. If someone gets through to him before he does too much damage, though, he could prove to be an invaluable pickup. After all, Sentry is out of commission at the end of the Thunderbolts*, and Ikaris is one of the few characters in the MCU that can even hold a candle to Bob’s alter-ego. Doctor Doom’s unlikely to stand a chance with that kind of firepower available.

The Avengers do run the risk of rubbing Ikaris the wrong way and sending him running to Doom’s side, but it’s not like they have a ton of options. Steve Rogers and Tony Stark aren’t walking through the front door, which means no one can sit out the fight that’s on the way in the next couple of Avengers movies.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1, 2026.

Do you think Ikaris could become a factor in the Avengers vs. New Avengers conflict? Whose side do you think he could be on? Let us know in the comments below!

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Hugh Jackman couldn’t claw his way out of answering whether or not Wolverine will join the star-studded ensemble of Avengers: Doomsday. During a nearly six-hour livestream in March, Marvel Studios announced the 27 actors cast in the followup to 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, including Jackman’s X-Men franchise co-stars Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), Kelsey Grammer (Beast), and Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler).

The stars of the Fox X-Men movies will be appearing alongside such Marvel Cinematic Universe veterans as Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), and Anthony Mackie (Captain America), as well as newcomers like Lewis Pullman (Sentry) and the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Two names that were missing, however, were Jackman’s and his Deadpool & Wolverine co-star Ryan Reynolds, who crossed over from the X-verse to the MCU together in last summer’s $1.3 billion-grossing blockbuster.

RELATED: A Mission: Impossible Star Was Cast as Wolverine in X-Men Before Hugh Jackman

Asked about his rumored appearance as Wolverine in Avengers: Doomsday, Jackman told the hosts of The View, “I really can’t say much. Except, when you say ‘appear,’ more like dominate and destroy every other [character]. I’m kidding,” Jackman joked, quipping that the movie “becomes a one-man show.”

“No, I really have nothing to add,” he added. “And if I did, I would find a really cool way to not say it, but I actually have nothing to add. So that was uncool. But thanks for asking!”

Jackman has so far played Wolverine in 10 films since 2000’s X-Men, including what was intended to be his superhero swan song: 2017’s Logan. Following his 17-year run as the metal-clawed Wolverine, “I really did feel — I know people may not believe me — that I was finished with Wolverine,” Jackman said. “There was something about it, with Logan, I was really proud of it. I thought, ‘I think we’ve done it.’ Pass the torch on to someone else.”

“By the way, Ryan was calling me a lot saying, ‘Come on, do it. Come on, do it. Come on, do it,'” Jackman added. “So maybe he wore me down. But I woke up one morning like, ‘I really want to do it.’ And I’ll be honest, I was scared. The fact it was embraced by fans — even the Logan fans who were like, ‘What are you doing? Don’t do it.’ I felt invigorated by it.”

RELATED: An Avengers: Doomsday Star May Have Spoiled Fantastic Four vs. X-Men Fight

In 2014 — five years before Disney acquired the X-Men movie rights from Fox in a $52.4 billion merger in 2019 — Jackman said in an interview, “I would love to see [Wolverine] as part of The Avengers. Because there’s a great dysfunction among that team, and I think Wolverine would fit right into that. He’d like that.”

Marvel Studios president and producer Kevin Feige, who began his career as an associate producer on X-Men and then a co-producer on 2003’s X2, has teased that there are more Doomsday casting announcements still to come (likely at San Diego Comic-Con in July).

Besides Jackman and Deadpool actor Reynolds — who was uncharacteristically tight-lipped when asked about a potential Avengers crossover during the Deadpool & Wolverine press tour — notable names missing from the roll call included Tom Holland (Spider-Man), Brie Larson (Captain Marvel), and Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), with the latter having confirmed his return earlier this year.

The Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom-fronted Avengers: Doomsday is being directed by Anthony and Joe Russo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Infinity War) and is set to open in theaters on May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.

The post Hugh Jackman Has Surprising Answer About an Avengers: Doomsday Appearance appeared first on ComicBook.com.

What made Phase 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe so exciting was all the build up. After Nick Fury entered Tony Stark’s home at the end of Iron Man, the franchise took off like a rocket ship, picking up another hero at every stop before having them team up in The Avengers. The MCU pulled it off again when Avengers: Infinity War hit theaters and pitted the whole universe against the Mad Titan, Thanos. However, after Avengers: Endgame, Marvel Studios started to lose its way. In fact, Phases 4 and 5 pulled the franchise in so many directions that a collapse felt inevitable. Miraculously, Thunderbolts* pulls off the impossible, putting the MCU back on track after its massive reveal at the end of the film.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*

Thunderbolts* reveals that the MCU’s newest team is actually the “New Avengers.” They operate as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes for a year before Sam Wilson picks a fight by trademarking the name “Avengers.” The move seems a little bit out of left field, especially because his friend Bucky Barnes is on the team, but the MCU has been setting the stage for this conflict since She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

She-Hulk Reveals That the Avengers Are Nothing More Than a Gimmick

After the Avengers defeat Thanos and go their separate ways in Endgame, it leaves a massive hole to fill. Spider-Man: Far From Home touches on this briefly, with the kids at Peter Parker’s high school not understanding where the world’s heroes are. Nick Fury provides answers later on, telling Peter that most of the Avengers are unavailable to help in the fight against the Elementals. While there are plenty of potentially world-ending events after that, things don’t change much, and the public takes notice.

By the time She-Hulk: Attorney at Law rolls around, the Avengers are sort of a joke. Jennifer Walters’ two associates, Pug and Nikki, go on a mission to learn more about a guy in Los Angeles making suits for superheroes. Their journey takes them to a coffee shop where the barista is selling bootleg Avengers merch out of the back, including fake Captain America shields and shirts that read “Avingers.” It’s clearly a joke about how far people in the MCU will go to make a quick buck, but it also speaks to how Earth’s Mightiest Heroes need to earn the world’s respect again.

[RELATED – Thunderbolts* Shock Ending Changed The MCU In 3 Major Ways]

Sam Wilson Wants to Fix the Avengers’ Image in Doomsday

Sam telling Joaquin Torres that he wants to restart the Avengers at the end of Captain America: Brave New World is a monumental moment. It takes him a long time to feel confident enough to pick up the shield, but he realizes he has the support he needs to be the Sentinel of Liberty and lead the Avengers. Unfortunately, because Sam always takes his time making decisions, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine jumps the line and saves her skin by announcing her new team of Avengers. However, the New Avengers don’t deter Sam from taking the necessary steps to make his vision for the Avengers a reality.

While it may seem silly, trademarking the Avengers name allows Sam to control the narrative. As great as it is that Bucky and Co. are turning their lives around and want to help, it’s not a good look to have former criminals running the show. The public seems to agree, as they’re quick to turn on the New Avengers and post memes about them after Sam announces his intention to form his own team. Red Guardian even tries to get ahead of the whole thing by donning an outfit with a “New Avengerz” logo. Sure, he’s likely unaware of the bad T-shirts making the rounds in She-Hulk, but it’s impossible to ignore the similarities. It’s time for the Avengers to be taken seriously again, and that means kicking off a conflict that’s been brewing for a number of years.

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is streaming now on Disney+.

Do you remember the bootleg Avengers merch from She-Hulk: Attorney at Law? How do you think it changed the public’s perception of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes? Let us know in the comments below!

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is on the road to Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, leaving fans not only with high expectations but plenty to work with when it comes to trying to guess what will happen. Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU as Doctor Doom has fueled speculation since he stepped onto the stage at Comic-Con in 2024, with fans trying to determine if and how Tony Stark and Iron Man will connect to the MCU’s Victor Von Doom. But while that’s the big question for fans, there are simpler moments and memorable acts from the comic books that fans are wondering about and hoping will make the jump from the page to the big screen.

Secret Wars set the standard for event comics when it was released in May 1984, setting records with sales and leaving a lasting effect on the Marvel Universe that would play out when the heroes returned to their regular titles. Along with DC Comics’ Crisis on Infinite Earths, Marvel’s Secret Wars established the event comic that would dominate for years to come. So, with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars ramping up production and bringing some itereation of the story to movie screens, we wanted to look at some of the more memorable moments from the original Secret Wars and Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 event of the same name that we want to see come to life in the MCU. We also looked outside of Secret Wars to bring in any special comic moments fans have waited for since the X-Men and Fantastic Four returned to the main timeline.

Keep reading to see which moments we hope to see in Doomsday and Secret Wars when they land in theaters.

8) Doom Rips Thanos’ Skeleton From His Body

An obvious moment that many people singled out as soon as Secret Wars was announced, even before Downey was confirmed to play Doctor Doom, fans were hopeful to see this moment play out. At the time, it would’ve put Kang in the Doctor Doom position, and he would show his powers by effortlessly killing Infinity War villain Thanos. But with Doom firmly in the villain role in both upcoming films, getting this moment with a Thanos variant has to happen. It’s a stunning moment that shows the power of Doom and certainly sets a particular tone and even though the Mad Titan has been defeated thanks to Avengers: Endgame, tearing out a version of Thanos’ skeleton would certainly raise the stakes for audiences.

7) Hulk Lifting Mountain

The original Secret Wars has the villains, led by Doctor Doom, drop an entire mountain on top of the assembled heroes and their Battleworld base. It seems like a quick way for the villains to wrap up the war, but they forgot about the Hulk. Not only is it an incredible feat that begs for a big-screen adaptation, but it is also a Hulk moment that has yet to take form in the movies. If we get to see Mark Ruffalo shed the Smart Hulk persona and bring back the Savage Hulk, this needs to be present in the film. It’s an epic display of power (and it would look really cool on the big screen.)

6) Doom Victorious

A victorious Doom could mean many things. In 2015’s Secret Wars, he created an apocalyptic cult full of Black Swans to tackle the incursions and the Beyonders. His eventual victory over the threat and his theft of the Beyonders’ powers led to Battleworld and set the stakes for the event from that point forward.

It could also represent Doom’s successes in the original Secret Wars crossover. Not only does he immediately show his leadership over the other villains selected for the battle, but he also cements that support with an attack on the hero’s base. Read above to see how that played out.

5) A Failed Snap

In 2015’s Secret Wars, the final showdown between Doom and Reed Richards includes a moment that could be a nod to the Infinity Gauntlet and the struggle with Thanos. After Richards and other heroes determine that the Molecule Man is the true power holder, they go to speak with him before Doom interrupts. Still believing he is a god, Doom talks to Richards before snapping his finger and trying to eliminate his rival. But this fails, as the Molecule Man has pulled the powers to even the playing field for Richards and Doom. We want this moment because it’s great mirror to Tony Stark’s sacrifice in Endgame, leaving him on the losing end this time around.

4) Bored With Power

This entry is more of a recurring theme with Doctor Doom, but his post-Secret Wars life features a moment we hope pops up in the post-script. Having Doom find being a god beneath him perfectly fits with the character, mirroring his past successes in taking over the world and eventually boring him and leading to his downfall.

Doom has a similar reaction to being named ruler of the world in Emperor Doom, enacting all sorts of positive changes to the world order despite taking over by force using the Purple Man’s powers of suggestion. By the end, he lets the Avengers defeat him and returns to Latveria to plot.

3) Black Panther With Gauntlet

A short moment that should happen is Black Panther battling Doctor Doom using the Infinity Gauntlet. God Emperor Doom is under attack at this point in the story, and T’Challa is acting as a diversion for Reed Richards to free the Molecule Man. It’s a visual delight and one of those moments that should resonate more with theatergoers, given how Downey bowed out at the end of Avengers: Endgame.

2) Fastball Hulk Special

In 2015’s Secret Wars, the final incursion takes place in the opening issue of the event. Here, the main 616 timeline is invaded by the Ultimate Universe, sparking mayhem between the opposing sides and officially marking an end to the Ultimate line. While the Ultimate side has invaded with a slew of flying Helicarriers, they also forgot about the Hulk.

Seeing how we’re getting X-Men in Avengers: Doomsday, including Colossus and Wolverine in some form, we need to see the Hulk being turned into a missile that’s launched into the Triskelion before changing him to the more savage Hulk. The only thing that would be better is Wolverine performing the fastball special instead of Colossus. Let Wolverine throw your Hulk, Marvel!

1) Maybe the Black Costume?

This is highly doubtful to happen given the difficulty in confirming Spider-Man’s whereabouts in both movies. Brand New Day is set to release before Secret Wars, so we will be watching the reactions. At this point, the notion of a symbiote wasn’t established in comics, so Spidey was literally just given a new black costume to take the place of his torn and tattered version. Would it be too much to attempt to fit into the film version? We certainly hope not because seeing it on screen would be cool.

Are there any specific moments you’re hoping to see play out on the big screen? Do you disagree with our assessment? Let us know in the comments.

The post Top 8 Marvel Comics Moments We Want to See in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The X-Men‘s most iconic villains are spotted in new set photos for Avengers: Doomsday. Filming on the next big Avengers flick is currently underway, which means fans are taking every opportunity to sneak photos and glean Easter eggs from the set. Avengers: Doomsday has a massive all-star cast, with possibly the biggest additions being the original X-Men from the FOX movies. Earth’s Mightiest Heroes battle with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom will somehow include the X-Men. But what fans may not have expected is for their most formidable foes, mutant-hunting Sentinels, to get involved in the coming conflict.

Avengers: Doomsday set photos have made their way online, revealing what appears to be pieces of giant Sentinels scattered across the set. Photos and a video compiling everything show what looks to be the torso and leg of a Sentinel, with portions of the body parts covered by a blue tarp, possibly to allow for visual effects to be added later on. It’s unknown if this takes place at the X-Men Mansion or some other location. None of the X-Men cast members can be seen in the photos, so all fans are left with is endless speculation.

You can take a look at the photos and video from the set of Avengers: Doomsday below.

Sentinels are giant robots programmed to hunt, capture, and sometimes terminate mutants. They’ve appeared in X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: Apocalypse, as well as countless cartoons like X-Men: The Animated Series, and most recently in X-Men ’97. The Sentinels we got in X-Men: Days of Future Past were a prototype version in the past, while the future scenes showed how the Sentinels had evolved.

[RELATED: The MCU’s Thunderbolts vs. Avengers Conflict Is So Good, It Deserves Its Own Movie]

The X-Men confirmed to reprise their roles in Avengers: Doomsday include Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), and Channing Tatum (Gambit). Tatum’s first appearance as Gambit took place in last year’s Deadpool & Wolverine, and he quickly became such a fan-favorite that Marvel wasted no time in bringing him back.

Cast members from Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps are also set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday. Fans learned that the asterisk in the Thunderbolts* title was secretly a red herring for The New Avengers, meaning that Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will be represented in the film. Other current — and perhaps future Avengers — set to appear are Anthony Mackie (Captain America), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Letitia Wright (Black Panther), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Danny Ramirez (Falcon), Winston Duke (M’Baku), and Tenoch Huerta Mejia (Namor).

A former Avenger who isn’t returning for Doomsday is Scarlett Johansson. The Black Widow star is constantly asked about bringing Natasha Romanoff back to life, but has remained consistent with her belief that Black Widow should remain dead. “It would be very hard for me to understand in what capacity [returning] would make sense for me, for the character that I play,” Johansson told Vanity Fair. “I miss my buddies and really would love to be with them forever, but what works about the character is that her story is complete. I don’t want to mess with that. For fans too—it’s important for them.”

What do you think about Sentinels possibly appearing in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments below!

The post These Avengers: Doomsday Set Photos May Show the X-Men’s Most Iconic Villains appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is nothing if not a consistent confluence of numerous, ever-running threads. In other words, it’s a bunch of different franchises that end up converging into a money-printing Avengers event film. What follows is a look at each of those franchises as they stand now and whether or not it feels as though they need to continue. “As they stand now,” means current, so Iron Man’s out. And, considering The Incredible Hulk was and remains the title character’s only film, so too is the big green guy. We’re also factoring in franchises with another installment on the way, but since The Avengers has two more en route and serves as a team-up extravaganza as opposed to a solo adventure, that series was excluded as well.

So, with those parameters in mind, let’s take a look at the MCU’s current active franchises. Which one do you think deserves a follow-up the most?

10) Thor

Ranking dead last is Thor. By this point, Chris Hemsworth’s God of Thunder has been the most consistent presence in the MCU, and while Hemsworth has charm to spare, there’s not enough of an arc to explore that would warrant another full movie devoted to him. Not to mention, as it stands, he’s the only character who has received four solo films.

Hemsworth will be in Avengers: Doomsday, so we haven’t seen the last of him. And, if anything good came of Thor: Love and Thunder, it’s him becoming a dad. That’s a nice place to leave the character when it comes to solo adventures. If he still pops up in team-up movies, great, but the well is running dry. Furthermore, as implied, Love and Thunder was fairly weak as a film. Taika Waititi knocked it out of the park the first time out with Thor: Ragnarok, but Love and Thunder was a chore that found itself far funnier than it actually was. The tag scene of that film introduced Brett Goldstein as Hercules, but given how Russell Crowe’s Zeus elicited more eye rolls than cheers, perhaps it’s best if that’s a credits scene that doesn’t go anywhere.

9) Guardians of the Galaxy

It’s genuinely hard to say whether Guardians of the Galaxy warrants another “solo” adventure. As of right now, they’re not even in Avengers: Doomsday. Not even Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill, who was at one point assumed to be a part of it.

There are certainly other adventures they could go on, especially as the line-up shown in the final moments of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The issue is that there really is no imagining a Guardians of the Galaxy movie without James Gunn at the helm. And he’s a little busy for the foreseeable future (not to mention he’s told the over-arching story he wanted to tell with the characters).

8) Captain America

Here we are in “maybe should get a sequel” territory. We’re out of “probably best not to” territory. “Maybe” for Captain America because, while Captain America: Brave New World turned a profit, it still showed that the MCU’s financial viability was in decline, even with the promise of a Red Hulk Harrison Ford.

Should there be more of Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson and Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres in the MCU? Their chemistry was the best part of Brave New World. But does it necessarily have to be in a solo Cap movie? Not really. Brave New World as a whole wasn’t beloved enough to get people clamoring for more. But, who knows, maybe with a production that isn’t so prone to setbacks like Brave New World‘s was, perhaps there could be a Sam Wilson Cap movie that lives up to the three superb Steve Rogers Cap movies.

7) Captain Marvel

The Marvels wasn’t the MCU’s first major financial failure. Eternals only generated $402 million against $235.2 million, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania only netted $476.1 million against a staggering budget of at least $330.1 million. But with $206.1 million against a similarly staggering price tag of at least $307.3 million, it was the franchise’s first bonafide flop. It’s the type of return that kills a franchise.

Yet, The Marvels is at least fun, which can’t be said of Eternals or Quantumania. And, given how Captain Marvel was a billion-dollar movie, it’s not as if there was never any draw in seeing Carol Danvers fly across the screen. By this point, The Marvels has been accepted as a middling but overall enjoyable entry in the MCU canon, so there is reason to make a Captain Marvel 3 (or The Marvels 2, depending on how you look at it). Perhaps a Disney+ series with a heavily monitored budget.

6) Deadpool

To a degree, Deadpool & Wolverine function as a one-off. There are other franchises listed here that require follow-ups more than Deadpool. But, at the same time, it would be a shame to bring Wade Wilson into the fold and give him just a single movie where he’s really allowed to let loose. After all, he without a doubt will be restrained should he end up being in Avengers: Secret Wars.

As of now, neither Ryan Reynolds nor Hugh Jackman is confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday, even when several X-Men who’ve never been a part of the MCU have been. It feels as though their announcement would have happened by now. It remains to be seen when we’ll see the duo in action again, but given just how much money Deadpool & Wolverine made, it’s undeniable that we will, in fact, see them fight side by side again.

[RELATED: The 7 Worst Marvel Cinematic Universe Trailers]

5) Black Panther

Given how Denzel Washington let it slip a while back that Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever director Ryan Coogler is writing a part for him in a third film, which seems to be very much on the way, even if Marvel Studios itself hasn’t announced it.

It would, of course, be very silly not to make a third Black Panther film. The first film is a cultural touchstone and netted superhero cinema as a whole its first Academy Award for Best Picture nomination. The second film did the best it could with the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman and managed to stand as a remarkably solid and moving film. Plus, if Coogler’s on board, a third Black Panther is a must. Who knows when it would hit theaters, but at least we only have to wait until Avengers: Doomsday to see Letitia Wright’s Black Panther, Winston Duke’s M’Baku, and Tenoch Huerta Mejía’s Namor again.

4) Doctor Strange

Back in January, Benedict Cumberbatch said he would not be in Avengers: Doomsday, but would have a major role in Avengers: Secret Wars. He’s since backpeddled on that, and it seems he will be in both (but it seems fair to expect his role in Secret Wars will still be larger than the one in Doomsday).

Even if he’s a presence in both of those big movies, he’s still too important a character not to receive a full trilogy. And, while we’re on the topic of Doctor Strange, Sam Raimi needs another movie in the MCU, one where he’s an integral part of its construction from the very beginning. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a Doctor Strange movie, but it seemed to be a world the Evil Dead creator was comfortable playing in. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness also ends with the reveal that Strange now has a third eye, so whether it’s in an Avengers movie or a direct sequel, the next chapter of Strange’s story needs to be explored.

3) Shang-Chi

Destin Daniel Cretton directing Spider-Man: Brand New Day raises a big question mark over his helming a Shang-Chi sequel, but the fact remains that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was one of the best entries in MCU Phase Four. It very much deserves to receive a sequel.

Perhaps a hypothetical Shang-Chi 2 doesn’t even need Daniel Cretton. For instance, considering Lulu Wang directed Shang-Chi star Awkwafina in 2019’s The Farewell, and hasn’t directed a feature film since, perhaps she could be brought into the MCU fold. Whoever helms it, it would be very interesting to see where Shang-Chi and Katy are after taking down the former’s father. As of now, Simu Liu is scheduled to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, but Awkwafina is not.

2) Ant-Man

2015’s Ant-Man is a fun origin story. It brings some new stuff to the table (e.g. serving as a heist film) while also sticking to the elements that had made the MCU a considerable moneymaker up to that point. Ant-Man and the Wasp was even better, improving upon every aspect of the original film and ultimately serving as one of the unsung best films to come out of the MCU.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, however, is pretty much a disaster. And, because it was, like the first two films, directed by Peyton Reed, one really can’t chalk its failure up to him. Reed deserves a chance to make a true Ant-Man 3, one that isn’t beholden to setting up an Avengers movie that, in the end, wasn’t even going to come to fruition. Evangeline Lilly would likely need to be recast, but that’s really the only hiccup to making another Ant-Man flick. Paul Rudd will be in Avengers: Doomsday, but Lily will seemingly not be, so perhaps they’ll find a way to move forward without her and her parents there.

1) Spider-Man

As of now, the only MCU Phase 6 movies officially scheduled are The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Avengers: Doomsday, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Avengers: Secret Wars. In short, the two Avengers movies are going to allow us to catch up with most if not all of the aforementioned IPs’ protagonists, but the only individual hero’s franchise that is getting a direct follow-up is Spidey.

Good, because the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home is a full-on, well-orchestrated lead-up to a sequel. Tom Holland is such a hit as the title character that one could imagine him staying in the role for as long as he’s willing and able to do it.

MCU films can be streamed on Disney+.

The post MCU Franchises Ranked by How Much They Need Another Sequel appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Robert Downey Jr. shares another set photo from Avengers: Doomsday, and this one teases a possible showdown between Doctor Doom and Galactus. On his official Instagram account, the actor posted a behind-the-scenes look at his “workstation” on set, which is stocked what he calls the “essentials.” Amidst tissues, drinks, glasses, and other personal items is a copy of Doom #1, a special one-shot comic by Sanford Greene, Jonathan Hickman, and Rachelle Rosenberg. Marvel Comics readers may know that issue sees Doom team up with Valeria Richards to try and stop Galactus from destroying the universe.

Doom #1 was released in May 2024. The plot follows Doom’s quest to accumulate substantial amounts of power so he can put an end to Galactus. Check out Downey’s post in the space below:

Galactus is set to make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in this summer’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, portrayed by Ralph Ineson. The Devourer of Worlds is the film’s main antagonist, marking the Fantastic Four’s 1960s retro-futuristic home for death. The character’s presence in the film has only been hinted at in the trailers, teasing his massive scale and comics-accurate appearance. While some First Steps stars are returning for Avengers: Doomsday, Ineson is (so far) not part of that movie’s cast.

[RELATED – The MCU’s Thunderbolts vs. Avengers Conflict Is So Good, It Deserves Its Own Movie]

As production on Avengers: Doomsday starts up, Downey has made a habit of giving fans some intriguing behind-the-scenes looks. Earlier this week, he shared another set photo that suggested Doctor Doom’s mask could be created with CGI. The actor was sporting small dots on his face, seemingly reference markers for visual effects to be added later.

Not much is known about the Avengers: Doomsday plot, so fans might be inclined to believe the film could use Doom #1 as a source of inspiration. While the movie obviously wouldn’t be a straight adaptation, it might pull some elements to inform its story. In the wake of the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene, one MCU theory suggests Galactus is successful in destroying the Fantastic Four’s world, leading the team to traverse the Multiverse in search of a new home (Earth-616). If that theory pans out, Doom could see himself as the Multiverse’s only chance to stop Galactus and embark on a mission to gain immense amounts of power, becoming a dangerous threat to everyone in the process.

That would be a tantalizing set up for a film, but fans probably shouldn’t read too much into Downey’s reading choices. For starters, it hasn’t been confirmed if Galactus has some kind of role in Doomsday, so the MCU’s Doctor Doom could be motivated by something else. Also, Downey is smart enough to not spoil anything about the movie on social media a year before it comes out. Marvel Studios will share plot details about Doomsday when it’s time (most likely after Fantastic Four premieres and introduces those characters). Downey could be reading Doom #1 out of interest to consume as much material about the character as possible, not because it ties into the movie. Even if Doomsday doesn’t adapt any story elements from Doom #1, the comic still provides valuable insight into what makes Doctor Doom tick as a character. This might be a way for Downey to get into the headspace of a villain marked by hubris.

The post Robert Downey Jr.’s Latest Avengers: Doomday Photo Teases Doom vs. Galactus appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel Studios is making some big moves on the small screen, pivoting towards a “less is more” approach that aims to produce fewer series but with a stronger emphasis on multi-season narratives. This shift also means changing how we’ll see some of the MCU’s heaviest hitters. Brad Winderbaum, Marvel’s Head of Streaming, Television and Animation, clarified that while major Avengers characters won’t be headlining their own shows moving forward, the door remains wide open for them to make significant appearances in other characters’ series. This strategic adjustment looks to ease audience “homework” fatigue while still allowing for exciting crossovers and a deeply interconnected universe, focusing on character-driven stories that can hold on their own.

The Avengers have certainly made their presence felt on Disney+ already. We saw Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo, play a pivotal role in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and Don Cheadle’s War Machine was central to the intrigue of Secret Invasion. Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) even got their own titular series with WandaVision and Hawkeye, respectively. And with Thunderbolts* rebranding the team as the New Avengers, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) have cemented their status, retroactively making their substantial roles in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Hawkeye even more integral to the broader Avengers narrative. Still, with this new framework for TV, there’s a whole roster of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes who could lend their star power and unique abilities to the expanding television corner of the MCU.

Here are five Avengers we’d be thrilled to see pop up in MCU TV shows.

1) Spider-Man

Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, with his intrinsic ties to New York City, presents a compelling candidate for integration into the MCU’s street-level television narratives. The MCU’s increasing development of grounded storytelling, notably with the ongoing Daredevil: Born Again series starring Charlie Cox, creates a logical context for a potential crossover. Even a brief team-up could effectively explore the dynamic between Spider-Man’s characteristic youthful energy and Daredevil’s more hardened approach to justice, thereby enriching this specific corner of the MCU.

The primary hurdle for such an appearance is the complex rights agreement between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures regarding the live-action Spider-Man. While Marvel Studios can develop animated series like Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, integrating Holland’s iteration into a Disney+ live-action series would require Sony’s legal approval. Still, if Sony allowed, a one or two-episode arc in Daredevil: Born Again, or a similar NYC-based show, it could be a perfect way to leverage Spider-Man’s immense popularity and street-level relatability, providing a thrilling treat for fans.

2) Red Guardian

With the New Avengers, including David Harbour’s Alexei Shostakov, now officially operating from their New York City headquarters following the events of Thunderbolts*, the stage is set for some of these team members to get entangled in local issues. Red Guardian, with his booming personality, tragicomic backstory, and scene-stealing sense of humor, is an ideal candidate for a memorable cameo appearance in one of the MCU’s New York-set television series. His particular brand of misguided bravado and surprising heart could inject a unique energy into virtually any street-level storyline.

[RELATED: Marvel Fan Finds Surprising Trend About MCU Movie Ratings (But Fantastic Four Might Break It)]

The Red Guardian, perhaps on a day off or a minor mission, blundering into a situation being handled by characters like Daredevil, offers the perfect setup for a uniquely entertaining interaction. His appearance does not need to be central to the season’s overarching plot, but would provide a self-contained comedic and action-packed sequence. Such a cameo aligns perfectly with Marvel’s new TV strategy, allowing an Avenger to make a significant impact without the need for a dedicated series, further weaving the New Avengers into the fabric of the MCU and giving fans more of a beloved character.

3) Thor

Chris Hemsworth’s Thor remains one of the MCU’s premier powerhouses, a factor that naturally makes any appearance expensive for Marvel Studios. Following Thor: Love and Thunder, the God of Thunder embarked on a more personal journey, embracing cosmic fatherhood with Love (India Rose Hemsworth) and operating in a relatively isolated corner of the universe. This current path contrasts with his deep-seated integration throughout the Infinity Saga and presents a Thor who, while confirmed for the universe-shaking Avengers: Doomsday, has been somewhat decoupled from the central narrative threads of the Multiverse Saga.

A brief TV appearance offers an excellent avenue to bridge this gap and reintegrate Thor more visibly into the active MCU moving forward. Whether it’s a compelling cameo in a cosmic-centric Disney+ series or even a justified drop-in on an Earth-based show, such a spot would powerfully reinforce his enduring presence and importance to the MCU. It would also be something of a redemption for Hemsworth, whose Thor character was once shamelessly spliced into an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

4) Falcon (Joaquin Torres)

Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres officially took flight as the new Falcon in Captain America: Brave New World, and he’s quickly become a fan-favorite addition to the MCU. However, despite strong showings in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as Sam Wilson’s (Anthony Mackie) ally and his recent cinematic debut as a winged Avenger, Torres has primarily served in a supporting capacity. Giving him opportunities to appear in other MCU television series could be a fantastic way to build out his character, offer him more chances to shine independently of Sam, and strengthen the connective tissue between the Avengers and the TV landscape.

Sam Wilson had his own standout moments in other heroes’ projects that helped solidify his place, like that memorable clash with Ant-Man (Paul Rudd). Joaquin Torres deserves similar opportunities to spread his wings, offering his perspective as a newer hero and showcasing his skills as the new Falcon.

5) Rocket Raccoon

As one of the galaxy’s most brilliant minds and now the leader of the current iteration of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) is a key player on the cosmic side of the MCU. He’s also an honorary Avenger, having fought alongside Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and played a crucial role in keeping hope alive during the Blip, operating under the command of Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson). This established connection to the Avengers makes him an excellent candidate for weaving cosmic threads into the MCU television shows.

Given Marvel’s new TV strategy, a full Rocket-centric series is off the table. Still, a guest spot where his skills are needed, consulting on alien tech for S.W.O.R.D., for instance, would reinforce his MCU importance. Such a cameo would underline his connection to Earth’s heroes while reminding fans of the vast galaxy beyond and the vital role the Guardians, and specifically Rocket, play within it.

Which Avenger, not headlining their own show, would you most like to see make an appearance on an MCU Disney+ series? Let us know in the comments!

The post 5 Avengers Characters We Would Love to See on MCU TV Shows appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The ending of Thunderbolts* sets up an epic Avengers conflict in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though this rivalry would be best explored in its own movie. Comprised of notorious MCU anti-heroes Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and newcomer Bob Reynolds/the Sentry (Lewis Pullman), the Thunderbolts are publicly introduced as the New Avengers by CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) in the film’s closing moments. Thunderbolts*‘s post-credits scene reveals that Sam Wilson/Captain America (Anthony Mackie) has filed to copyright the Avengers’ name, foreshadowing what’s to come in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday.

This intriguing conflict between the Thunderbolts/New Avengers and Sam’s yet-to-be-assembled Avengers could easily serve as the main plot of a movie, but Avengers: Doomsday seemingly has other plans. In addition to the Thunderbolts, Sam, and several Avengers like Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) , and Shuri/Black Panther (Letitia Wright), the movie’s cast features numerous Fox X-Men, the MCU’s Fantastic Four, and of course, Doomsday‘s villain, Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.). As a result of the upcoming film’s enormous cast and high-stakes storyline incorporating the multiverse, it appears unlikely that the Thunderbolts and Avengers’ dispute will get the attention it deserves.

[RELATED: The MCU Is Making This Major Mistake With Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars]

Thunderbolts vs. Avengers Is a Great, But Avengers: Doomsday Doesn’t Have Room for It.

Following Thunderbolts*, the MCU has the opportunity to do something exciting and different with the Thunderbolts and Avengers. The question of which team serves as the real Avengers needs to be fleshed-out thoroughly, and much about the conflict could act as a springboard for engrossing character examinations. Yelena’s place among the New Avengers in the context of her sister’s legacy as one of the Avengers’ original members makes for an superb continuation to her arc, while Walker’s position as a discarded Captain America now belonging to a team and Bucky’s switch from the Avengers to the Thunderbolts are also interesting.

Furthermore, the Thunderbolts and Avengers exhibit such different qualities in their backstories and identities. The Thunderbolts came together under improbable circumstances, converging in a death trap and bonding over their shared hardships. To one another, the Thunderbolts are the support they never wanted, but desperately needed. On the other hand, the Avengers have always functioned as a collective aimed at defending the universe from major threats. The compatibility of their personalities matters little because they are professionals doing a job before anything else. Put simply, the Avengers exist out of necessity rather than out of a genuine desire to work together.

As Doomsday approaches, the Avengers have been on a hiatus in the MCU for years now, and this unexpected replacement team presents an identity crisis for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. The deaths of Tony Stark/Iron Man (Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), and Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) have left the Avengers in need of new leadership. As Sam takes up the mantle as the head of the team, he must also put together a group of heroes that can defeat any enemy, whether from Earth-616 or another reality. Thus, contending with both the logistics of building a formidable squad and the emergence of a government-led team of rogue agents presents a significant dilemma for Sam and the Avengers.

Avengers: Doomsday will undoubtedly address this clash of superhero squads, but it’s hard to imagine the movie will explore such a fascinating and exciting conflict with adequate depth. It’s plausible that the Thunderbolts vs. Avengers will serve as an exposition point in Doomsday as Sam assembles his team, only to hastily wrap itself up to make room for Doctor Doom, the Fantastic Four, X-Men, and whatever or whoever else the multiverse throws into the mix.

The MCU Famously Explored a Conflict Between Superhero Teams Before

Although it’s too late for the MCU to remedy its disjointed buildup to Avengers: Doomsday, a Thunderbolts vs. Avengers movie ahead of the franchise’s next big event could have been the missing piece. A lower-stakes Avengers film could have functioned similarly to Captain America: Civil War by pitting two camps with contrasting identities against one another. The aforementioned MCU Phase 3 title garnered tons of praise, and the Thunderbolts and Avengers’ vastly different dynamic compared to Iron Man and Steve Rogers’ ideological camps in Captain America: Civil War would make the storylines far from identical.

The MCU should have prefaced Avengers: Doomsday with a smaller team-up movie that could fully take advantage of Thunderbolts*‘s fantastic ending twist. A Thunderbolts and Avengers-focused movie would additionally provide some much-needed development for the main heroes before the multiverse and next big bad come into play. Whether MCU fans like it or not, Avengers: Doomsday will see the Thunderbolts and Sam Wilson-helmed Avengers make their next appearance, and one can only the MCU does this amazing conflict justice.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters. Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters on May 1, 2026.

The post The MCU’s Thunderbolts vs. Avengers Conflict Is So Good, It Deserves Its Own Movie appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Scarlett Johansson opens up about why she doesn’t want to return as Black Widow in Avengers: Doomsday or another future Marvel project. Speaking with Vanity Fair, the prospect of returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe was one of the topics discussed. While Johansson admitted she misses spending time with her Marvel co-stars, she realizes that Natasha Romanoff’s sacrificial death in Avengers: Endgame gave the character a perfect send off and she doesn’t want to undercut that by reprising the role. She understands the significance of Black Widow having a complete story that made a tremendous impact.

“It would be very hard for me to understand in what capacity [returning] would make sense for me, for the character that I play,” Johansson said. “I miss my buddies and really would love to be with them forever, but what works about the character is that her story is complete. I don’t want to mess with that. For fans too—it’s important for them.”

Johansson last appeared in 2021’s Black Widow, which served as an introduction to now-prominent MCU characters such as Yelena Belova and Red Guardian. The actress previously addressed the possibility of Black Widow returning earlier this year, putting the kibosh on the idea. Johansson emphasized that Natasha died to save the universe and that fans should “let her have her hero moment.”

[RELATED – Thunderbolts’ Set-Up For Avengers: Doomsday Is Good, But It Still Highlights A Major MCU Flaw]

Veteran Marvel writer Eric Pearson also feels viewers won’t see Natasha on screen again. Though he doesn’t know much about Avengers: Doomsday development, he’s echoed Johansson’s sentiments about the Black Widow character having a powerful ending that shouldn’t be retconned. Some of Johansson’s old Avengers co-stars, including Chris Hemsworth and Robert Downey Jr., remain involved with the franchise, but she’s moved on.

As one of the Original Six Avengers, Johansson’s Black Widow is a beloved MCU character and some would find it exciting to see the actress come back into the fold — even if it was just for a cameo as a Multiverse variant. However, Johansson is right to stand her ground and maintain that Natasha stays dead. If she were to ever reprise the Sacred Timeline version of Nat, that would cheapen the character’s death in Endgame. It’s hard to envision a scenario where undoing Black Widow’s selfless act to get the Soul Stone would be worthwhile. A cameo as a different version of Nat would be fun, but it sounds like Johansson isn’t very interested in something like that. That would also run the risk of being cheap, trying to capitalize on nostalgia fans have for Johansson’s performance as the character.

The MCU is an ever-expanding ongoing story that’s constantly evolving, but sometimes, it’s best for stories to have a proper ending. Even with someone like Black Widow, there’s only so much filmmakers can do with an individual character arc, plus Johansson is an in-demand talent with creative interests outside of the MCU. She was likely ready to move on and close this era of her career, so a poignant ending for her character was conceived. While it’s sad that Black Widow won’t be back, her legacy lives on through Yelena, who is one of the leaders of the New Avengers. It will likely be an emotional ride watching her follow her sister’s footsteps in Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

The post Scarlett Johansson Explains Why She Won’t Return In Avengers: Doomsday (& She’s Right) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s future is sure looking a lot like its past. The Fantastic Four: First Steps, for instance, is helmed by WandaVision’s helmer Matt Shakman, and only after it was supposed to be directed by Jon Watts, the man responsible for helming the three Tom Holland Spider-Man movies. Anthony and Joe Russo are back for the next two Avengers installments, while Shang-Chi filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton is helming Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Meanwhile, rumors are swirling that Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier is helming the MCU’s X-Men reboot.

Even on the television side of things, Moon Knight and Loki season two directors Aaron Benson and Justin Moorhead are now directors of various season one and two episodes of Daredevil: Born Again, and Cretton is a key figure behind Wonder Man. The MCU is pretty much just relying on a handful of names to realize its projects now (particularly on the big screen), as the studio tries to recapture its former glory. While not an ideal creative approach, this just might be exactly the course correction the MCU needs.

The MCU’s Weird History With Directors

The original Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One movies hired veterans of filmmaking, like Jon Favreau, Kenneth Branagh, and Joe Johnston, to helm various titles. Even Joss Whedon, who only had one feature-length directorial effort to his name before The Avengers, had at least worked in Hollywood for decades. Phases Two and (especially) Three began a trend of embracing smaller indie directors fresh on the scene who could helm big blockbusters. Jon Watts, Taika Waititi, and Ryan Coogler all came from this approach, while Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck (Captain Marvel) were indie veterans. While the MCU’s default directors were Sundance darlings, the studio often resorted to a small collection of screenwriters to get scripts done.

Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers, Patrick Burleigh, Megan McDonnell, and especially Eric Pearson were all longtime fixtures as MCU screenwriters across the first five Phases. Heck, many of them were veterans of the Marvel Studios screenwriter program! They were the perfect go-to people to execute titles that, starting with Phase Four, always featured “A Kevin Feige Production” in the end credits but not “A Jon Watts Film”, “A Jake Schreier Film,” or “A Nia DaCosta Film.” The MCU’s director choices externally reflected “authorship”, but it was clear that Fiege was running the ship and had go-to writers to help realize those visions.

[RELATED: These Are The Only MCU Movies That Lost Money In Their Theatrical Runs]

All of that to say, perhaps it’s best that the MCU finally put down the facade and finally have its choice in directors mirror the franchise’s recurring screenwriters. The scripts for the MCU have always operated more like TV show scripts or the screenplays that would’ve filtered through MGM’s Golden Age. Now the MCU has a reliable stable of directors it can turn to in churning out new projects. Feige likely loves the idea of putting behind him the endless struggles of Julius Onah’s Captain America: Brave New World, Peyton Reed’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, or even Sam Raimi’s tormented return to blockbuster cinema, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – just as he quickly tired of trying to juggle the creative whims of veteran filmmakers like Joe Johnston (The First Avenger), Kenneth Branagh (Thor), and even MCU icons like Jon Favreau (Iron Man) and Joss Whedon (The Avengers).

Young Fresh Voices May Now Have Fewer Opportunities To Get Sucked Into The MCU

Ryan Coogler was just a few months shy of 30 when he got hired for Black Panther. Jon Watts just turned 34 when he got the Spider-Man: Homecoming gig. Chloe Zhao was 36 when she was hired for Eternals. By contrast, Shawn Levy was 56 when Deadpool & Wolverine hit theaters, Matt Shakman will turn 50 a few years after First Steps hit theaters, and both of the Russo Brothers are well into their 50s as they gear up to helm Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. The MCU now resorting to recurring directorial talent means that the studio is no longer angling to get fresh-faced Sundance darlings. The franchise is now turning to a small pool of superhero blockbuster veterans to get its projects, especially movies, done right.

For cinema writ large, that decision could be a massive boon. Recent outstandingly talented indie cinema auteurs like A.V. Rockwell, Rich Peppiatt, Shuchi Talati, and countless others may no longer be on the radar of Feige and company. That’ll leave these artists time and resources to create exciting original cinematic visions, rather than getting stuck directing three Iron Fist movies. Look at how much fervent creativity Boden and Fleck channeled into their post-Captain Marvel project Freaky Tales, or how infinitely better Nia DaCosta’s debut feature, Little Woods, is compared to The Marvels. Freaky Tales and Woods are the kind of smaller, original productions indie directors need to be encouraged to create, rather than every one of these artists making the Colin Trevorrow leap from Safety Not Guaranteed to Jurassic World.

Feige and the rest of Marvel Studios’ brass turning to a smaller, pre-determined group of directors to handle its film and TV operations could allow more cinematic artists to follow their own path, rather than getting caught up in the Disney machine. And hey, if Marvel Studios improves its recent cinematic track record by relying on proven talent, that’s just a nice bonus. Though it doesn’t suggest tremendously versatile works are in the MCU’s future, a new emphasis on recurring veteran directors (particularly for films) does seem to be a smart move for both franchise and the greater landscape of cinema.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters, The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25th.

The post I Think the MCU Needs Its Veteran Directors To Bring the Franchise Back appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Original Fantastic Four star Ioan Gruffudd, who portrayed Reed Richards in the two Fox films from the mid-2000s, addresses the possibility of reprising the role in Avengers: Doomsday. While at an autograph signing at Liverpool Comic Con, the actor was asked by a fan if he would be open to returning as Reed in a future Marvel project. Gruffudd noted he’d be interested if the studio gave him a call, but nothing has happened on that front yet. He claims he has not been contacted about appearing in Avengers: Doomsday.

“If they invited me, in a heartbeat,” Gruffudd said when asked if he’d come back to play Reed Richards again. When specifically asked about Doomsday, Gruffudd was quick to dispel any notions he could be in the film. “No, not at all. I haven’t been invited.”

In late March, during a record-breaking livestream event, Marvel Studios unveiled the official cast for Avengers: Doomsday. In addition to featuring several actors from various Multiverse Saga productions (including the MCU’s rebooted Fantastic Four), the ensemble includes a number of figures from Fox’s X-Men films. Nobody from Fox’s Fantastic Four casts (either the 2000s film or the 2015 reboot) was on the list.

[RELATED – Marvel Fan Finds Surprising Trend About MCU Movie Ratings (But Fantastic Four Might Break It)]

Disney hasn’t been averse to bringing back old Fantastic Four stars for modern MCU projects. Chris Evans memorably returned as Johnny Storm/Human Torch in last summer’s Deadpool & Wolverine. His iteration of Johnny was revealed to have been sent to The Void, raising the question of what happened to his teammates.

There is the possibility that Gruffudd is playing coy in an attempt to preserve some surprises. Marvel has confirmed there are additional Avengers: Doomsday casting announcements to come at a later date, and the studio doesn’t want that information getting out until it’s time to reveal it. Theoretically, Gruffudd could be part of the second wave of actors in Doomsday, though he might just be telling the truth. Doomsday already sports a full Fantastic Four team that will likely play an integral role. Bringing previous Fantastic Four franchise stars into the fold could potentially distract from the continued development of the characters debuting in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

It’s true Doomsday boasts X-Men actors from the old Fox films, but that’s an apples to oranges comparison. The MCU hasn’t cast its X-Men roster yet, so it’s easier to bring back the established faces from Fox’s series and give them a send off before turning the page. First Steps is positioned as an integral project in Marvel’s slate, not only setting up Doomsday but also perhaps laying the foundation for future Fantastic Four sequels. It would make sense if directors Joe and Anthony Russo wanted to keep the focus on the MCU’s iteration of Marvel’s First Family instead of trying to juggle multiple Fantastic Four teams. Doomsday already has a full plate, and it will prove to be tricky to properly service all of the characters featured. For now, fans might have to keep wondering what happened to Gruffudd’s Reed.

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A behind-the-scenes photo on the set of Avengers: Doomsday reveals potential changes to Doctor Doom’s mask. Avengers: Doomsday is currently filming, which means fans are slowly getting drips of information from the film’s cast members. Such is the case with Robert Downey Jr., who is trading his Iron Man armor for the green robes of Doctor Doom. We’ve yet to see what Downey will look like as Doctor Doom, but we’ve seen Downey with a newer hairstyle. A photo shared by the actor on the Avengers: Doomsday set offers several Easter eggs for how Downey will bring Victor Von Doom to life.

Robert Downey Jr. shared a photo from the set of Avengers: Doomsday. The photo shows Downey flexing his muscles while reading a copy of Jeremy Renner’s new book, My Next Breath: A Memoir. “Reading Renner’s book and feeling stronger already…what a journey to  wisdom … very instructive…a must read! @jeremyrenner,” Downey wrote on Instagram.

While the photo is noteworthy by itself, what we’re really interested in are the small dots found on Robert Downey Jr.’s face. Those look to be dots used for CGI, like how Mark Ruffalo uses motion capture to bring Hulk’s face to life. It’s possible these dots mean that Doctor Doom’s mask will be CGI-created, perhaps with nanobots so the mask can slide up and down Downey’s face. While Doctor Doom typically wears his mask 24/7, it’s less likely that Marvel will want to completely cover Downey’s face during the duration of Avengers: Doomsday. This isn’t a case of The Mandalorian. Robert Downey Jr. is too popular to deprive audiences of seeing his face.

Robert Downey Jr. and some of his Avengers: Doomsday cast members recently got together to watch a private screening of Thunderbolts*. Gathered for a group photo with Downey were Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Channing Tatum (Gambit), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Thing), Vanessa Kirby (Invisible Woman), Winston Duke (M’Baku), and Anthony Mackie (Captain America). This is where fans noticed Downey’s shorter haircut, which is different than the one he flaunted in early April, when he sent out Doctor Doom-themed birthday invitations featuring a curly hairstyle.

The post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* ties into the ending of The Fantastic Four: First Steps and helps set up Avengers: Doomsday. The team formerly known as the Thunderbolts — now the New Avengers — receives an alert that a ship is entering the atmosphere from outer space. When the computer in Avengers Towers delivers an image of the spacecraft, it has the colors and logo of the Fantastic Four. This potentially spoils the ending of the new Fantastic Four movie, with the team traveling through the multiverse and making their way to the main Earth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

What do you think the dots on Robert Downey Jr.’s face mean for Doctor Doom’s appearance in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Marvel fans left wondering about the fate of a scene-stealing guinea pig featured in Thunderbolts* now have confirmation of its survival, thanks to director Jake Schreier. In a recent interview with Collider, Schreier revealed a planned post-credits scene, ultimately cut from the film, which showed the resilient rodent alive during the film’s chaotic climax. The guinea pig, rescued by Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) early in the movie from a lab targeted for destruction, became an unexpected fan-favorite, and its complete disappearance from the narrative after the opening sequence left many viewers asking questions about its fate. Schreier’s comments clear up that particular mystery and provide insight into the creative team’s ideas for capping off the Marvel Studios team-up film, before the Russo Brothers offered the final post-credits scene linking Thunderbolts* to Avengers: Doomsday.

“We had a whole different credit sequence that we were working on,” Schreier revealed. “We were doing a guinea pig going through a bunch of Void rooms because people do ask about the guinea pig.” This scrapped concept offers a fun alternative to the significant, universe-expanding tease that ultimately closed out the film, sending the guinea pig on a dangerous journey inside the twisted pocket dimensions conjured by the Void entity (Lewis Pullman, in which prisoners are forced to relive their most traumatic memories.

[RELATED: Thunderbolts* Is a Hit (But Will It Make Enough Money?)]

Instead of more guinea pig screen time, Thunderbolts‘ post-credits scene pivots hard towards the MCU’s future. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo and filmed on the Doomsday set itself, the tag jumps forward roughly 14 months after the main film’s events. Inside the Watchtower (the former Avengers Tower), the newly christened New Avengers discuss their ongoing friction with Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who’s also assembling his own team of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Their discussion is interrupted by an alert signaling an “extra-dimensional ship” entering Earth’s atmosphere, revealed moments later, via satellite feed, to be the vessel belonging to the Fantastic Four, complete with their iconic logo. This scene directly tees up both The Fantastic Four: First Steps and the massive multiversal conflict anticipated in Avengers: Doomsday.

Thunderbolts* Strikes Gold with Critics and Audiences

Beyond the specific teases for the MCU’s future, Thunderbolts* secured a strong critical reception, earning an impressive 88% “Certified Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audience reactions have proven even more glowing, reflected in a 95% audience score on the same platform and further cemented by a solid “A-” CinemaScore. Achieving this level of acclaim is a considerable win for Marvel Studios, particularly for a project centered on a team largely composed of characters previously seen in supporting roles.

Positive word-of-mouth is translating directly into encouraging financial returns. Thunderbolts* kicked off its run with a healthy $74 million domestic opening weekend, adding another $33 million to the haul the following week. This represents a drop of only around 55%, a significantly better hold than the 68% decline faced by Captain America: Brave New World. While its $272 million global box office is still insufficient to turn a profit, Thunderbolts* staying power might still make it a success.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters. The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives on July 25th, 2025, followed by Avengers: Doomsday on May 1st, 2026.

Would you like the scrapped guinea pig post-credits scene to be released somehow? Let us know in the comments!

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What the Marvel Cinematic Universe had going for it in its early days was that it never lost momentum. There were only a handful of characters with solo movies, so when it came time for them to return for a team-up project, the audience didn’t feel like they missed out on much. Things got a little more complicated in Phases 2 and 3, with the MCU having to juggle a lot more storylines. Fortunately, Marvel Studios brought its A game for Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, giving every character a moment to shine before it was time to wrap things up. However, times have changed, and the build-up to Avengers: Doomsday doesn’t feel the same.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*

Seemingly out of nowhere, though, Thunderbolts* does a bunch of the heavy lifting, pushing a new team to the forefront just in time for them to face off against Doctor Doom. But in reality, the MCU is just making up for lost time, and when push comes to shove, some of the characters it’s going to lean on in the next major Marvel event movie are going to feel underbaked.

Keeping Up With Characters Is No Longer the MCU’s Strong Suit

It didn’t take long for Phase 4 of the MCU to show its cards. Using well-placed teases, it became clear that Kang was stepping into the role of the Big Bad, and heroes like Spider-Man and Captain America would be there to stop them. Of course, for reasons beyond their control, the powers that be at Marvel Studios had to pivot, swapping Kang out for Doctor Doom after going back to the drawing board. It pushed things back quite a bit, which unfortunately had unintended but inevitable consequences.

The character who suffered the most because of the reshuffle was Shang-Chi. After a successful solo movie in 2021, it felt like Simu Liu’s hero was well on his way to becoming one of the faces of the MCU. Director of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Daniel Destin Cretton, getting the Avengers: Kang Dynasty job added fuel to the fire, but he made the jump to Spider-Man 4 after the Russo brothers returned to helm Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. It left Shang-Chi’s status up in the air, and while he was confirmed for the Doomsday cast, it will come out nearly five years after his first appearance. The old MCU would’ve never let that happen; after all, Doctor Strange, who had to wait nearly six years between solo movies, made his fair share of cameos in between. It speaks to the new MCU, a franchise that’s all about what a character’s done for it lately.

[RELATED: 3 Things That Don’t Make Sense About the Avengers: Doomsday Cast]

The MCU Can’t Afford to Have the New Avengers and Fantastic Four Take a Back Seat

The post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* makes it abundantly clear who really matters going into Avengers: Doomsday. The New Avengers have been active for a little over a year, and they’re about to come face to face with the Fantastic Four, who made the jump from their universe to the Sacred Timeline. Marvel Studios is betting on these two groups because their movies release right before Doomsday, and if they’re both successful, that’s all anyone will remember. The logic is sound, even if it’s not all that fair.

What the MCU will have to do if Doomsday and Secret Wars go off without a hitch is do right by the heroes that have been patient, such as Shang-Chi and even Ant-Man, whose third movie was hijacked by a Kang storyline that ultimately amounted to nothing. They have been paying their dues, and while the new direction of the franchise may not prioritize them, they deserve another shot at glory. It may take the MCU committing to having multiple overarching storylines running at the same time to get the job done, but that’s better than the franchise getting a reputation for ignoring success stories because of its own screw-ups.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1, 2026.

Are you disappointed that some MCU heroes have fallen to the wayside ahead of Avengers: Doomsday? How do you think Marvel Studios can make things right? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Thunderbolts’ Set-Up For Avengers: Doomsday Is Good, But It Still Highlights A Major MCU Flaw appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Avengers: Doomsday will have a lot of ground to cover, but Hayley Atwell is hoping that her “underserved” character, Peggy Carter, can get a chance to shine somewhere in this story. Atwell has been playing Carter since 2011, with appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s biggest movies as well as her own TV series, Agent Carter. Atwell even played a more heroic version of the character, Captain Carter, in an alternate universe recently, but she’s hoping for more. In a new interview with Den of Geek, Atwell talked about her hopes for Avengers: Doomsday and the rest of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga.

Atwell did not get a chair in Marvel Studios’ viral casting announcement back in March, but back in December, insiders told Deadline that Atwell would be appearing in Avengers: Doomsday. Neither Marvel nor Atwell have commented on this report, but this week, an interviewer asked Atwell if she might appear in her Captain Carter form, and she seemed enthusiastic.

“I would love that,” she replied. “There are so many things that she could do, there’s so much more I feel I can bring to a character because I’ve developed as time’s gone on. What’s so great about having time behind you and having had a 20-year career so far is the development of skill, and I think there’s so much more that Peggy can do. She’s very much an underserved character.”

[RELATED: 5 Marvel Heroes Who Have Only Gotten Worse Over Time]

Peggy has worn many hats in the MCU — spy, love interest, war hero — but Atwell has not been shy about her disappointment in Peggy’s brief tenure as Captain Carter on the screen. She appeared in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, in an alternate reality where she was a part of the Illuminati — a group of heroes intent on protecting their world from multiversal incursions. The whole team was dispatched by the Scarlet Witch, and Atwell felt it went a little too fast considering how long fans have waited to see her hold the shield.

Still, the multiverse set-up means there are plenty of other chances for Atwell to don her suit, and this could be one of them. However, Atwell’s participation in Doomsday is far from confirmed. Back in December, her casting was tied to rumors that Chris Evans would be in the movie as well, but neither of them got chairs during the big announcement. The movie is packed with heroes and villains, and it also has a lot of work to do in setting up its central conflict before the fighting gets started.

For those trying to prepare, Thunderbolts* is in theaters now, while The Fantastic Four: First Steps premieres on July 25th. On the TV side, Ironheart hits Disney+ on June 24th, followed by Eyes of Wakanda on August 6th, and Wonder Man in December. Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is also expected to premiere in early 2026 before we finally get Avengers: Doomsday on May 1, 2026.

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A seasoned writer for Marvel Studios doesn’t believe a founding Avenger will make their return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The original Avengers aren’t what they used to be. Iron Man and Black Widow are dead following the events of Avengers: Endgame, and Steve Rogers has passed the Captain America mantle to Sam Wilson. But with Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon, there is speculation that Earth’s Mightiest Heroes could assemble again. We know that Robert Downey Jr. is trading Iron Man’s armor for the green robes of Doctor Doom, and Chris Evans is also rumored to appear in Avengers: Doomsday. Will Marvel resurrect Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow? One writer believes the answer is “No.”

Thunderbolts* co-writer Eric Pearson spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the movie, where he was asked about the potential of Scarlett Johansson returning, similar to Robert Downey Jr.’s villainous role as Doctor Doom, and Chris Evans reprising his role as Fantastic Four’s Johnny Storm/Human Torch for a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine.

“I will preface by saying that I have no idea, but I don’t think so,” Pearson said. “I feel like her end in Endgame and then her epilogue with our Black Widow prequel were so lovely. So I would be surprised, but I know nothing about that. I have very little knowledge of what’s going on with Doomsday right now.”

[RELATED: Are the Thunderbolts the Perfect Replacement for the Avengers in the MCU?]

In Avengers: Endgame, Black Widow sacrificed her life so Hawkeye could retrieve the Soul Stone during the remaining Avengers’ time heist. Endgame was followed by Black Widow, a prequel that showed what Natasha Romanoff was up to between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. Two of the Thunderbolts* stars, Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and Red Guardian (David Harbour), made their MCU debuts in Black Widow, which Pearson was also a writer for, so he’s very familiar with those characters.

To her credit, Scarlett Johansson has addressed a Black Widow return on several occasions. Even though her character is dead, the multiverse opens up many possibilities for resurrections and alternate versions of characters. We saw this with Chris Evans and the Human Torch, so why not another version of Black Widow from the multiverse? However, Johansson is sticking to her character being dead.

“Natasha is dead. She is dead. She’s dead. Okay?” Johansson told InStyle in March. “They just don’t want to believe it. They’re like, ‘But she could come back!’ Look, I think the balance of the entire universe is held in her hand. We’re going to have to let it go. She saved the world. Let her have her hero moment.”

While Marvel fans probably won’t be pleased to hear what Scarlett Johansson had to say about Black Widow, we have to factor in whether or not we can truly trust her words. It’s become common for Marvel actors to downplay or deny that they’re involved in various projects, like with Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire returning for Spider-Man: No Way Home. Johansson’s Avengers teammate, Chris Evans, has even had to respond to reports that he’s making an MCU return for Avengers: Doomsday.

“That’s not true, though,” Evans told Esquire in January. “This always happens. I mean, it happens every couple years—ever since [Avengers]: Endgame. I’ve just stopped responding to it.” Evans then gave the same response that he previously shared with Anthony Mackie when he inquired: “Yeah, no—happily retired!”

While speaking to TODAY about her cosmetics line in 2023, Johansson sang a similar tune regarding Black Widow returning. “Oh my! I don’t know how that would… Is that a zombie film?”

What do you think about Eric Pearson’s comments regarding a Black Widow return? Let us know in the comments below!

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A recently surfaced set photo from Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* has offered a welcome, if somewhat bittersweet, confirmation for fans regarding Olga Kurylenko’s return as the enigmatic Taskmaster. Stunt artist Aurelia Agel, who is credited as Kurylenko’s stunt double on the film, shared an image on Instagram featuring both of them side-by-side in the distinctive Taskmaster combat gear.

This behind-the-scenes glimpse is particularly telling because it confirms Kurylenko was physically present on set to portray Antonia Dreykov. Given that the character is masked for the vast majority of her action-centric Thunderbolts* screen time and her role is minimal before her early demise, the studio’s decision to have Kurylenko on set, rather than relying solely on her stunt double and CGI for the few unmasked moments, signals a respectful handling of the actress and Taskmaster’s final bow in the MCU.

Olga Kurylenko first embodied Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster in 2021’s Black Widow, where the character’s true identity and nature significantly departed from the well-known comic book source material. In the MCU, Taskmaster was revealed as General Dreykov’s (Ray Winstone) daughter, Antonia, horrifically injured in an explosion caused by Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and subsequently turned into a mind-controlled super-soldier for the Red Room, equipped with photographic reflexes allowing her to mimic any fighting style.

This interpretation was met with mixed reactions from fans. While some appreciated the personal connection to Natasha’s past, many lamented the loss of the comic Taskmaster’s distinct personality and agency, with the MCU version being largely silent and presented as a near-automaton. Black Widow concluded with Antonia being freed from her father’s chemical subjugation by Natasha and the other Widows, presumably setting her on a new path.

[RELATED: Is Marvel’s The Sentry Really Stronger Than All the Avengers Combined?]

In Thunderbolts*, we learn that Taskmaster worked as a black-ops agent for Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) in the years before the movie’s main events. Valentina’s plan to destroy all evidence of her illegal activities, which included sending her assassins to kill each other, results in Taskmaster’s death. As co-writer Eric Pearson and director Jake Schreier revealed, Taskmaster’s death at the hands of Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) was a relatively late addition to the script.

This decision was made to raise the stakes for the newly formed team and instill a sense of genuine peril, signaling to the audience that no character was safe. As Pearson explained, in his earlier drafts, Taskmaster had a more substantial subplot and survived the film, even forming a bond with Ghost. Despite this significantly reduced and ultimately fatal role for Antonia, the set photo confirms Olga Kurylenko was on hand to film these final moments, allowing her a proper MCU farewell.

Thunderbolts* Keeps Fighting at the Box Office

Despite the MCU’s recent struggles, Thunderbolts* showed commendable staying power in its second weekend of release. The film launched with a domestic opening weekend of $74 million and followed that up with a strong second-weekend domestic take of approximately $33 million. After ten days in cinemas worldwide, Thunderbolts* had amassed a global box office total of around $272 million. The second-weekend domestic dip of around 55% is also a key indicator of audience retention, as it represents a significantly better hold than the steep 68% drop of Captain America: Brave New World. It also far outpaces the more severe second-weekend declines seen by films like 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (which fell close to 70%) and The Marvels (which saw a precipitous 78% drop). While not matching the elite under-50% holds of some of the MCU’s biggest hits like Black Panther (around -45%) or Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (around -48%), Thunderbolts*‘s performance aligns it with well-received films such as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (around -54%).

Thunderbolts* encouraging box office trajectory is largely attributed to the enthusiastic reception the movie has received from both critics and general audiences. The film secured an impressive 88% “Certified Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes, and audience scores have been even more glowing in the 95% range, complemented by an “A-” CinemaScore. For a film centered on a team of anti-heroes and lesser-known characters stepping into the spotlight, these results already make Thunderbolts* a hit for Marvel Studios.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

What are your thoughts on Taskmaster’s MCU journey and Olga Kurylenko’s portrayal? Join the discussion in the comments!

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\WARNING: There are Thunderbolts* spoilers ahead! Thunderbolts* gave us a few hints about what’s next for the MCU, but it raised a lot of new questions in the process. It’s still unclear where all the characters will fall in the conflicts to come, especially when Bob Reynolds’ darker personas, Sentry and The Void, take over. In a new interview with Men’s Health, actor Lewis Pullman shared what he could about his character’s future, and it sounds like nothing is off the table. His immense power could be on the side of evil when Avengers: Doomsday arrives. Hopefully, his friends the New Avengers can keep him on the straight and narrow.

“It’s a great question. I’m really excited to find out,” Pullman said when asked about Bob’s future. “The Thunderbolts don’t want to let him out of their sight, because they realize that if he’s caught in the wrong hands, or if he’s not being supported enough by the right people, he might be dangerous. But they also want to keep him close in case they can figure out a way to use him. He’s a very good asset.”

“It’s a hard situation they’re in,” Pullman continued. “With all the other characters that are going to be in Avengers: Doomsday, there will be so many opportunities to figure out how each might come into play — and how Bob might come into play with any of them.”

[RELATED: Every MCU Phase 5 Post-Credits Scene Ranked (Including Thunderbolts*)]

The place of the New Avengers — or, the Thunderbolts — within the MCU is a little hard to judge right now, and there’s not much room for more setup before Doomsday. Fans are already hard at work debating whether Sentry could stand up to characters like Thor, for example, who is expected to appear in the movie. However, last time we saw Bob, he couldn’t access the powers of Sentry or The Void even by trying.

There are only a few titles left to set the stage for Doomsday, the biggest being The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which hits theaters on July 25th. On the TV side, there’s also Ironheart premiering on June 24th on Disney+, as well as Wonder Man expected in December. It’s hard to say how much either of those could really change the setup for a crossover, though. Ironheart filmed back in 2022, and Wonder Man will have its hands full introducing an all-new hero.

Thunderbolts* is still playing in theaters now. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to premiere on May 1, 2026.

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When superheroes appear in the pages of comic books, they’re moldable. There may be a disappointing run here or there, but eventually, the writers will get things back on track. Movies and TV shows are very different, however. Once a character makes the jump to live-action, there’s no guarantee that they’ll have enough juice to stick along for the long haul. But what’s even worse than never getting out of the gate is finding success early on, only to squander it. It’s becoming more and more common these days, but one company is more guilty of it than others: Marvel.

Since Marvel’s movie and TV history is so deep, some characters have a ridiculous number of live-action appearances. While that sounds great on paper, the more opportunities they have to flex their muscles, the higher the chance they regress. It’s already happened to a few major Marvel heroes, with all of them being worse off than they were early in their careers.

1) Hulk

Hulk is one of the faces of Marvel Comics. Marvel Studios is well aware of that, so the character wastes no time making his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut. A recast after Edward Norton’s departure makes Hulk’s early days a little strange, but it doesn’t take him long to find his footing. By Thor: Ragnarok, Bruce Banner’s alter-ego is one of the best heroes in the franchise.

Unfortunately, Hulk’s story takes a major hit in Avengers: Endgame when Banner combines his two personalities. He’s no longer a terrifying threat that can level a city at any moment, which takes away most of his appeal. When Banner has everything under control, there’s really no reason for him to stick around.

2) Hawkeye

Like Hulk, Hawkeye starts his MCU career off with a bang. After a brief appearance in Thor, Clint Barton shows what he’s made of in The Avengers, killing aliens with near-superhuman precision. While he delivers another epic performance in Avengers: Age of Ultron, the MCU starts to plant some seeds that lead to his downfall.

It feels like every MCU movie sees Hawkeye grapple with retiring. The shtick gets old after a while, but he keeps coming back. The Ronin story makes Hawkeye more interesting for a project or two, and there are some genuinely great moments in the character’s solo series. However, the MCU has been unable to recapture the magic of early Hawkeye, and it doesn’t seem like the character will have another chance to redeem himself.

3) War Machine

Despite dealing with a recast after his first appearance, War Machine proves himself to be more than an Iron Man clone in the MCU. He becomes an Avenger, helps stop Ultron from destroying the planet, and always calls the other heroes on their crap. But all the goodwill he earns goes into the garbage when the MCU uses him to prop up a messy storyline.

The Disney+ series Secret Invasion reveals that a Skrull has been in War Machine’s place for a number of years. It’s a massive reveal, but the MCU has yet to earn it because it refuses to explore any of the ramifications. The lack of movement on the Armor Wars project is making things worse, as it leaves War Machine’s status up in the air.

[RELATED – Will MCU Phase 6 Be the Epic Comeback Marvel Studios Needs?]

4) Professor X

The early 2000s were a strange time for comic book movies. Most of the projects failed to do enough to become massive franchises. The X-Men movies were a bit of an outlier, though, fleshing out a fascinating world and delivering several winners in a row. Professor X is a major part of the early movies, and he elevates them at every turn, proving to be a complicated character who struggles to find the right path for his students.

When the X-Men franchise reboots, Professor X doesn’t change much. Once the franchise’s quality dips, however, the leader of the X-Men takes a significant hit, making strange decisions that the powers that be at Fox fail to justify. Even after the leader of the X-Men appears to get his swan song in Logan, the MCU drags him back in and lets Scarlet Witch kill him without much of a fight.

5) Wolverine

Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine puts the X-Men franchise on his back. He gets his own trilogy of movies that improves with each entry, concluding with the critically acclaimed Logan. The film follows the hero at his lowest, but as the story progresses, he finds a new purpose: helping save a young group of mutants. While Logan ends with the titular character dying, it’s the perfect send-off. Sadly, the MCU can’t leave well enough alone.

Jackman reprises his role in Deadpool & Wolverine, and while he isn’t the same character from the Fox movies, it’s hard to see a difference. He’s still a reluctant hero who comes around at the end and helps save the day. The MCU is just treading water with its new version of Wolverine when it should be working to reimagine him.

Are you upset about how these Marvel heroes have gotten worse? What other characters do you think deserve to be on this list? Let us know in the comments below!

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Unlike Marvel Comics, which can feature countless different teams that are all important in their own way, the Avengers are the only group in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that gets preferential treatment. Sure, the Guardians of the Galaxy have a lot going for them, but even they become honorary members of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes during the climax of Avengers: Endgame. That’s why it’s so strange that, after years of talking about it, the MCU is only just now getting around to reforming the Avengers. Regardless, Sam Wilson reveals at the end of Captain America: Brave New World that he’s ready to build a team, making his wingman, Joaquin Torres, his first recruit.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*

Unfortunately, Sam takes his sweet time building his vision board for his version of the Avengers, allowing Valentina Allegra de Fontaine to swoop in and announce that the Thunderbolts are now the “New Avengers.” Captain America doesn’t appreciate that the rug is pulled out from under him, but that doesn’t mean he can’t still put together a formidable lineup in Avengers: Doomsday.

Which MCU Heroes Are Shoo-Ins for Sam Wilson’s Avengers?

The easiest way to figure out which characters Sam will reach out to is to cross-reference the heroes he knows best with the confirmed cast of Avengers: Doomsday. The two names that stand out right off the bat are Ant-Man and Thor because, during Sam’s time as Falcon, he fought alongside them on multiple occasions. However, what ensures they won’t ignore Sam’s call is their respect for the Captain America title. In Captain America: Civil War, Ant-Man constantly loses his composure around Steve Rogers, and Thor knows the original Cap is one of the few beings in existence worthy of wielding his hammer, Mjolnir. Sam is every bit as honorable as Steve, so if he thinks it’s time to get the band back together, Thor and Ant-Man will come without a second thought.

While Thor and Ant-Man make Sam’s team pretty tough on paper, he’s going to need a few more heroes to round it out. Thankfully, two other characters set to return in Doomsday have enough connections to Captain America that it makes sense to save them a seat at the table: Shang-Chi and Shuri. The current Black Panther helps Sam with the tech he wears out in the field, while the owner of the Ten Rings has at least one original Avenger on speed dial. Shuri and Shang-Chi may not have as much experience as Sam’s other potential recruits, but they’re just as useful on the battlefield.

[RELATED – Thunderbolts* Has the Most Predictable MCU Death Ever (But It Still Had a Twist)]

Which MCU Heroes Could Be Surprise Additions to Sam Wilson’s Avengers?

With additional Doomsday casting announcements on the way, there are sure to be more heroes in the movie that fit Sam’s criteria. Some of the notable names include Captain Marvel, Hulk, Hawkeye, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man. However, those characters have run around with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes before, and with the MCU wanting to keep things fresh, the powers that be may opt to go in a different direction. While that doesn’t leave a lot of obvious options, after five phases, the MCU has no shortage of heroes.

The next place to look is characters that have connections to former Avengers. Bruce Banner just so happens to have a cousin who turns green and can lift heavy things, and while it’s been a minute since She-Hulk flexed her muscles, the threat of annihilation could be the push she needs to quit her day job and try out crime-fighting full-time. Carol Danvers also has an ally who can help Sam’s team get over the top, Monica Rambeau, who is currently stuck in another universe but is always ready for a fight. And then there’s G’iah, the Skrull who holds the power of several Avengers. Her whereabouts are unknown after the events of Secret Invasion, but Nicky Fury would be smart to give Sam her phone number, as there are very few characters in the MCU who can hold their own against her.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1, 2026.

Do you think Ant-Man, Thor, Shang-Chi, and Black Panther will be part of Sam Wilson’s Avengers team in Avengers: Doomsday? Who else would you like to see make the cut? Let us know in the comments below!

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Even before Thunderbolts* hit theaters, Marvel Studios used the movie’s trailers to tease the emergence of the Sentry (Lewis Pullman), who was said to be stronger than all the Avengers combined. That’s a bold claim considering that the Avengers roster features some major powerhouses such as Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). With Thunderbolts* finally available, we get the full context on why Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is trying to hype people about the Sentry, and given her track record of lies and deception, it’s easy to dismiss her statement. However, the Thunderbolts* also show the Sentry’s powers are on a whole new level, and maybe he could be considered the strongest Avenger in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Thunderbolts*

In Thunderbolts*, Robert “Bob” Reynolds becomes the Sentry after being the sole survivor of devious human experiments conducted under Valentina’s direction. Since the Avengers have disbanded, Valentina is trying to craft a superhero who can follow her commands and protect the U.S.’s international interests. At the end of Thunderbolts*, Valentina tries to stage a televised confrontation between the Sentry and the titular misfits, as a public demonstration of her hero’s incredible powers. Things go awry once Sentry dismisses Valentina’s orders and the Void takes over, forcing the Thunderbolts to band together against a god-like being. Still, the first encounter between Bob and his former friends underlines why the Sentry is so dangerous.

[RELATED: Is Wilson Fisk the New York City Mayor in Thunderbolts*?]

First of all, the Sentry is seemingly invulnerable, as bullets ricochet from his skin and punches from super-soldiers have absolutely no effect. He’s also super-strong, capable of throwing people around like rag dolls. That already puts the Sentry on a similar level to Thor and Hulk. However, the Sentry also possesses super-human speed, moving so fast that he seemingly teleports from one place to another in a fraction of a second. Then, there’s the fact that the MCU’s Sentry has mighty telekinetic abilities, being able to stop bullets with a simple thought or move large objects at will. So, in addition to raw powers, the Sentry has a vast array of abilities he can explore to his advantage, turning the environment into a weapon he can bend to his will. 

If that’s still not enough, the Sentry’s Void persona can instantly teleport people to a shadow dimension where they are trapped in their most traumatic memories, forever frozen in time inside a nightmare. By the looks of it, Valentina is correct, and the Sentry is more destructive than the MCU Avengers. But that’s precisely the point, considering the character’s comic book history.

The Sentry Being Overpowered Is What Makes Him So Interesting

The whole idea behind the Sentry is that he is so powerful that he could single-handedly solve any issues Marvel heroes usually face. However, Bob’s damaged psyche also unleashes the Void as the ultimate threat to all life. So, Bob is constantly pulled down by his trauma, as his fractured mind prevents him from being the Golden Guardian of Good he could be, if the Void didn’t cause as much damage as the Sentry prevents.

The MCU takes several liberties with its version of the Sentry/Void, but it retains the character’s core principle. Like in the comics, Bob is one of the most powerful beings in the universe, and his presence on a battlefield could change the tides of any conflict. Since channeling the Sentry’s powers also risks unleashing the Void, Bob has to remain under constant surveillance, vastly limiting himself. So, while theoretically stronger than all Avengers combined, the Sentry is still a last resort weapon in the New Avengers’ arsenal.

Thunderbolts* is now available in theaters.

Do you think Bob will brawl against some OG Avengers in Avengers: Doomsday? Share your theories in the comments!

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is full of redemption stories: Tony Stark leaves his life as a careless weapons manufacturer behind and becomes Iron Man, while Black Widow makes up for the red in her ledger by becoming an Avenger. However, for some MCU characters, turning over a new leaf takes more than just a movie or two. A great example is Bucky Barnes, who starts out as a sidekick to Captain America in World War II but becomes a weapon for Hydra after falling off a train and nearly losing his life. Bucky spends years trying to make up for what he did as the Winter Soldier, and he successfully turns over a new leaf by the start of Thunderbolts*.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*.

Now a congressman, Bucky uses his Winter Soldier skills to investigate Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. He ends up crossing paths with the Thunderbolts and joins them on their mission to save Bob. But by the end of the movie, Bucky finds himself in a very different spot and in need of an identity makeover.

Bucky Has Outgrown the Winter Soldier Title in the MCU

At the end of Thunderbolts*, Valentina saves her skin by introducing the characters trying to bring her down as the “New Avengers” to the press. The story takes on a life of its own from there, with the former Thunderbolts ending up on magazine covers and cereal boxes. None of them are used to it, and the pressure starts to weigh on them in the post-credits scene. Sam Wilson wants to start his own Avengers team, and Bucky’s team is getting in his way. The New Avengers mention that the Internet doesn’t see them as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, which probably has something to do with their pasts. Each member of the team has a complicated and dark backstory, and without taking steps to prove that they’re reformed, the public has no choice but to be skeptical.

One issue that’s sure to complicate matters is code names. Thunderbolts* doesn’t touch on what the different heroes call themselves now, but, at least for Bucky, it really matters. The Winter Soldier took the lives of countless people, and going by just “Bucky” doesn’t instill a lot of confidence. Fortunately, Marvel Comics has the perfect code name for Bucky that speaks to exactly the kind of man he is now.

RELATED: Thunderbolts* Has Another Fantastic Four Easter Egg You Probably Missed

Bucky Once Went by a More Heroic Name in Marvel Comics

Bucky gets a major credibility boost in Marvel Comics when he becomes Captain America. He takes over after Steve Rogers’s supposed death and even leads an Avengers team. That doesn’t last forever, though, with Rogers returning to pick the shield back up before handing it off to Sam Wilson. Bucky goes back to being the Winter Soldier and operates in the shadows once again. Eventually, he sets his sights on the Outer Circle, a cabal made up of evildoers. To infiltrate their ranks, Bucky kills one of their members, the Revolution, and takes his title. He succeeds in his mission and gets his hands on a lot of intel, but Bucky doesn’t give up the name, using it when he returns to the field to lead a new team of Thunderbolts.

While the Revolution name has sinister origins, the MCU can co-opt it and make it fit Bucky’s new role as an Avenger. No longer is he a soldier working in the shadows; he’s one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, fighting on the frontlines to ensure that government officials like Valentina don’t have too much influence or abuse the power they do have. Sure, it will take some work to make the switch feel organic, but it’ll be worth it, especially since Bucky’s set to play a major role in the next two Avengers films. With the threat of Doom on the horizon, the New Avengers will need all the support they can get, and Bucky’s not likely to get much as the Winter Soldier.

Thunderbolts* is in theaters now.

Do you think that Bucky needs a new code name in the MCU? Do you think “Revolution” is a good fit? Let us know in the comments below!

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Of all the characters in Thunderbolts*, Bucky (Sebastian Stan) is the one with the most extensive MCU history. He first appeared as Steve Rogers’ (Chris Evans) best friend in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, before returning as the villainous Winter Soldier, being saved, and looking for redemption over a decade of movies and TV shows. Recently, Bucky’s journey took an unexpected turn when Captain America: Brave New World revealed he was running for Congress, willing to use his experience as a politician. Thunderbolts* keeps Bucky’s story unfolding, as he has to face the benefits and limitations of working within the system.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Thunderbolts*

When Thunderbolts* kicks off, Bucky has been elected congressman by the people of Brooklyn. He’s not too comfortable in this position, as he struggles to put together meaningful speeches to the press and obviously would prefer to take more direct action against injustice than spend time reading lengthy documents and preparing for public audiences. Still, Bucky is making a genuine effort to overcome his vigilante days as a way to atone for the sins of his past.

As a congressman, Bucky is particularly interested in the impeachment process of CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Through the shady company OXE, Valentina has been setting up illegal laboratories in poor countries and overseeing human experiments to create a superhero she can control. Unfortunately, Congress has a hard time proving it, as Valentina is smart enough to burn all evidence that could connect her to these heinous crimes.

[RELATED: Comics Starter Pack: A Beginner’s Guide to the MCU’s Thunderbolts*]

Trying to do his part to take Valentina down, Bucky approaches Mel (Geraldine Viswanathan), Valentina’s assistant. He knows Mel is troubled about Valentina’s methodology and wants her to give away information that can send the CIA director to prison. At first, Mel resists, but as Valentina becomes more unhinged, she reaches out to Bucky for help. While Bucky would prefer to deal with everything above board, his only opportunity to defeat Valentina is to track Mel down and intercept one of her operations as the Winter Soldier.

Bucky’s return to the vigilante field puts him on a collision course with Yelena (Florence Pugh) and the other operatives Valentina tried to kill to protect her secrets. Once he learns about Project Sentry and how dangerous Bob (Lewis Pullman) can be, Bucky sees no option but to join the Thunderbolts and help them rescue the poor man from Valentina’s clutches. He uses his bloody past to inspire the others, explaining how everyone has a shot at redemption, and even assassins can become heroes if they choose to. Just like that, Bucky embraces his Winter Soldier persona once more, taking a step away from politics. The shift is fully complete by the end of Thunderbolts*, when Bucky becomes a key member of the New Avengers team.

Bucky Will Be on the Frontlines of Avengers: Doomsday

By the end of Thunderbolts*, Bucky helps Yelena and the others to subdue the Void by giving Bob the emotional support he so desperately needs. Once the world-ending threat is dealt with, Bucky decides it’s time to apprehend Valentina and make her pay for her crimes. Before that happens, Valentina tricks the Thunderbolts into a press conference where the CIA director quickly introduces them as the New Avengers, telling the world she is behind the new generation of world defenders. Knowing how important it is for the others to get a clean slate and the opportunity to officially become heroes, Bucky goes with the flow.

The post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* reveals Bucky has been working as a member of the New Avengers for 14 months. The team still struggles with public perception, as not everyone believes in second chances. However, the U.S. government sanctioned the New Avengers, giving them the authority to pursue their heroic dreams. As arguably the most powerful member of the New Avengers, since Bob has abandoned his Sentry persona to keep the Void in check, Bucky will be a key fighter when Doctor Doom comes to the Sacred Timeline. 

Since in the post-credits scene the New Avengers become aware of the Fantastic Four’s ship coming to Earth from a different dimension, Bucky and his new teammates will also be on the frontlines of Avengers: Doomsday. His importance extends beyond the battlefield, though. The post-credits scene also reveals Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) is forming his own Avengers team and has been very vocal against the New Avengers. As Sam’s close friend and a former ally to both Captain Americas, Bucky can help the two teams to put their differences aside and work together for the greater good, when the time comes. 

Thunderbolts* is now available in theaters. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for release on May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.

Are you excited about Bucky’s return in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments!

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In addition to returning gray characters, Thunderbolts* has also based its marketing campaign on the first Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance of Sentry (Lewis Pullman), a fan-favorite comic book hero whose fragmented psyche also leads to the emergence of the deadly Void villain. As usual, Marvel Studios has its unique take on the hero’s mythology, changing his backstory to fit the tone and the history of the MCU so far. Nevertheless, Thunderbolts* keeps everything that makes the Sentry such a fascinating comic book character, including his many flaws. Fortunately, that’s not the last time we’ll see the Sentry in the MCU, as Pullman has been cast as part of Avengers: Doomsday. The question, now, is which persona of Robert Reynolds will appear in the upcoming crossover event.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Thunderbolts*

The central conflict of Thunderbolts* originates from Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Since the Avengers disbanded, Valentina is determined to create her own superhero, someone who will protect the U.S. geopolitical interests and follow her every order. That’s why she starts Project Sentry, an unethical scientific study involving human experimentation. While Valentina developed the whole visual of the Sentry, a shining beacon of hope that can sway American hearts and minds, the medical procedures are a failure, resulting in the death of every test subject she injects with the Sentry formula. At least that’s what she thinks, at first.

Once U.S. Congress becomes aware of Valentina’s illegal actions abroad, she finds herself in the middle of an impeachment process that could lead to her removal as CIA director, or worse, imprisonment. So, Valentina sends her operatives to destroy all evidence of the Sentry project, ultimately concocting a plan to force these agents to kill each other. Unfortunately for her, Yelena (Florence Pugh), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), and Ghost (John-Kamen) realize they’ve been used and decide to work together to escape their former employer. They are joined by Bob, the only survivor of the Sentry procedure.

[RELATED: Comics Starter Pack: A Beginner’s Guide to the MCU’s Thunderbolts*]

Knowing that she destroyed all the means to reproduce Bob’s successful medical intervention, Valentina puts all her hopes into turning him into the Sentry. However, Bob is a man with a history of trauma and drug abuse, which makes him quite unstable. As he puts it, some days he feels invincible, while on others he is convinced nothing matters and life is pointless. Because of that, the drug that gives Bob his powers led to the creation of two enhanced personas. There’s the Sentry, who’s faster and stronger than any hero, has impressive telekinetic powers, is bulletproof, and can fly. Then, there’s the Void, who retains the Sentry’s durability while gaining the ability to imprison people in a dark dimension where they are eternally forced to relive their worst memories. To make things even more complicated, every time the Void is unleashed, Bob simply erases the whole episode from his memory. 

In Thunderbolts*, Yelena and her teammates must work together to give Bob the emotional support he needs to contain the Void. However, their success means Bob is once more unaware of his incredible powers. Nevertheless, once the Thunderbolts are crowned as the New Avengers, Yelena decides to keep Bob around so they can watch him and help him if the Void ever returns. The movie’s post-credits scene, set 14 months after Thunderbolts* big battle, further emphasizes Bob’s delicate situation. When asked by the Red Guardian (David Harbour) to fly the team into Outer Space, Bob underlines that he can’t use the powers of the Sentry, because they come with the other guy, aka the Void. That means for now, Bob is stuck with his civilian persona. So, which version of Bob will we see in Avengers: Doomsday?

Will Avengers: Doomsday Feature Bob, the Sentry, or the Void?

The post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* sees the New Avengers intercepting the signal of an interdimensional ship coming to Earth, a vessel decorated with the symbol of the Fantastic Four. That means the New Avengers will likely be the first to meet the First Family, learning together about the threat of Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.). Since Bob is an honorary member of the New Avengers, he will likely be part of this first encounter.

Since Avengers: Doomsday is expected to shatter the MCU in a similar fashion to Avengers: Infinity War, Doctor Doom might be too powerful for the heroes of the Sacred Timeline to stop without some serious backup. In that context, it also seems likely that Bob will be forced to conjure the power of the Sentry to save his friends from death. In doing so, the Void might also return, giving the New Avengers another thing to worry about. There’s also the chance Doom will try to weaponize the Void or unleash him to weaken Earth’s defenses. Whatever the case, we can expect all three personas to be somehow involved in the crossover.

Thunderbolts* is now available in theaters. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for release on May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.

Do you think Bob, the Sentry, or the Void has a big part to play in Avengers: Doomsday? Share your theories in the comments!

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Marvel Studios is moving full steam ahead with its X-Men reboot. After landing The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes writer Michael Lesslie to pen the script, Kevin Feige and Co. turned their attention to the director’s chair, nabbing a proven commodity, Thunderbolts‘ Jake Schreier. The project is still in its infancy, with no details available about characters or the story the movie will try to adapt. However, it doesn’t take big casting announcements or set photos to know that the X-Men are gearing up to become the new faces of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They will likely step into the role the Avengers currently hold, which may lead to some tension.

Phase 6 of the MCU is sure to focus on Doctor Doom and the conflict between the two Avengers teams. It will all come to a head in Avengers: Secret Wars, where really anything is on the table. Once the dust settles, though, Phase 7 will need fresh material to focus on, and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes coming to blows with mutants fits the bill.

The Avengers and X-Men Have Fought Plenty of Times

It’s no secret that the Avengers and X-Men deal with different issues in Marvel Comics. While Captain America and Co. receive love from the public, mutants never get the benefit of the doubt. It leads to quite a bit of resentment, and things boil over during events like 2012’s “Avengers vs. X-Men.” During the crossover, the Phoenix Force is looking for a new host, and the X-Men are all about it. Hope Summers receives the honor, but the Avengers try to kibosh the plan because they think the power is too dangerous. An all-out brawl breaks out that proves the two groups will never see eye-to-eye.

Marvel Studios keeps the groups at odds years later in X-Men ’97. After the attack on Genosha, Rogue seeks revenge against Henry Gyrich and runs into Captain America, who’s also looking for the government official. Like usual, Cap wants to do things by the book, but Rogue believes the ruthlessness of humans means the gloves should come off. While they don’t fight, their disagreement makes it clear that, despite being under the same umbrella, the X-Men and Avengers might not be on the same page when they meet up in live-action.

Once Schreier’s movie lands in theaters, the pressure will be on to have his team face off against the New Avengers or even Sam Wilson’s team of heroes. However, jumping into that conflict too quickly could have massive consequences, especially if the X-Men don’t have time to find their footing.

[RELATED – After Daredevil: Born Again, the Next Spider-Man Movie Has Some Explaining to Do]

The X-Men Need Time to Marinate in the MCU Before Fighting the Avengers

Once Secret Wars is over, the clock will start ticking on the next MCU event. But the only way to go bigger than Marvel’s biggest story ever is to have its two most iconic teams duke it out. That could happen in Phase 7, with the X-Men movie potentially kicking off the new era and the crossover film wrapping things up. The issue with that scenario is that it runs the risk of putting the MCU in the same situation it finds itself now, rushing through things to ensure the pieces are in place for an epic adventure. If the MCU really wants to make Avengers vs. X-Men great, it should take the time to introduce as many interesting mutants as possible.

The easiest way to get that done is by releasing the X-Men movie, as well as some solo movies and TV shows. Dozens of mutants have what it takes to lead their own projects, including Wolverine, Gambit, Magneto, and Nightcrawler, and if they can shine outside of the mainstream projects, they will be fleshed out when the crossover event rolls around. Marvel Studios has to be careful because too much of a good thing can cause problems, but it’s still a better attack plan than just throwing the mutants to the wolves.

Do you want to see the X-Men fight the Avengers in the MCU Phase 7? How do you think Marvel Studios could build to the event? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Will New Avengers vs. X-Men Be the First Big Event of MCU Phase 7? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fresh off the critical and audience success of Thunderbolts*, Jake Schreier is reportedly being eyed by Marvel Studios to helm their highly anticipated X-Men movie. The potential appointment of Schreier feels like a carefully considered play from a studio that understands the value of a director who can deliver both critical acclaim and audience adoration, especially with a challenging project. Thunderbolts* has been lauded for its mature themes and strong character work, with Schreier demonstrating an adept ability to manage a diverse cast of personalities and make audiences invest in their complex journeys. Plus, the movie’s success is particularly significant following the mixed reception of other recent MCU entries. As such, Schreier is an exciting candidate for the X-Men, a team renowned for its sprawling cast and character-driven narratives.

If Schreier, who just proved his mettle by transforming a team of relatively lesser-known characters in Thunderbolts* into a bonafide cinematic triumph, is indeed handed the keys to one of Marvel’s crown jewel properties, it signals that Marvel Studios is wisely betting on a director who can navigate intricate ensemble dynamics. The move mirrors the decision making process that once saw the Russo brothers ascend from the critically acclaimed Captain America: The Winter Soldier to the universe-shattering heights of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. As such, history shows choosing Schreier to tackle X–Men could be Marvel Studios’ most brilliant directorial appointment since that pivotal era.

The Russo Brothers Blueprint: From Acclaimed Thriller to Cinematic Universe Mastery

The Russo brothers first made their mark on the MCU with Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This film was a seismic shift for the franchise, delivering a paranoid political thriller masquerading as a superhero movie. The Winter Soldier garnered widespread critical acclaim for its clever script, intricate plotting, and visceral action sequences, earning a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and fundamentally altering perceptions of what an MCU film could be, demonstrating Marvel’s willingness to bend genres and tackle more complex thematic material. The Winter Soldier was also a significant box office success, pulling in over $714.4 million worldwide against a $170 million budget.

Following the triumph of The Winter Soldier, Marvel Studios didn’t hesitate. By April 2015, even before Captain America: Civil War hit theaters, it was announced that the Russo Brothers would be directing the two-part epic initially titled Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1 & Part 2. At first glance, the news felt like an enormous vote of confidence. However, Captain America: Civil War, which premiered in 2016, solidified their status, received stellar reviews (90% on Rotten Tomatoes), and was a commercial juggernaut, grossing over $1.1 billion worldwide. This film proved the Russos could handle incredibly complex character dynamics, large-scale action, and significant emotional stakes, all while advancing the overarching MCU narrative.

[RELATED: Thunderbolts* Is a Hit (But Will It Make Enough Money?)]

As we now know, the trust Marvel placed in the Russos paid off spectacularly. Avengers: Infinity War, released in 2018, astutely brought together nearly every thread of the MCU developed over a decade, delivering a critically praised blockbuster (85% on Rotten Tomatoes) that earned an astounding $2.052 billion globally. They followed this with Avengers: Endgame in 2019, which not only provided a deeply satisfying conclusion to the Infinity Saga but also became one of the highest-grossing films of all time, raking in nearly $2.798 billion worldwide and achieving a 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Jake Schreier Could Usher In a New Era for Marvel Mutants

By approaching Schreier for X-Men, Marvel Studios appears to be drawing directly from the Russo brothers’ history. With Thunderbolts*, Schreier has just delivered a film that, much like The Winter Soldier, exceeded projections by focusing on character depth and a distinct tone. Furthermore, Thunderbolts*’ themes reinforce that Schreier can manage an X-Men story’s needs, similar to how the Russos’ behind–the-scenes work on Civil War prepped them for the Avengers duology. The X-Men narrative is inherently about outsiders and the nuances of their struggle for acceptance, demanding a director who can translate themes of prejudice into a relatable human story, even amidst superhero spectacle. That’s not unlike the Thunderbolts, many of whom are villains looking for redemption and trying to find meaning in life, while struggling with the weight of societal expectations.

Introducing the X-Men into the MCU is arguably one of the most anticipated events in the franchise’s history. Kevin Feige himself has emphasized the importance of mutants in the MCU’s future, particularly in the era following the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars saga, slated for 2027. In interviews, Feige has indicated that as the MCU approaches Secret Wars, there’s a clear vision for the narrative arc before and after, with the X-Men being a crucial component of that future. That means Marvel Studios needs a storyteller capable of weaving the X-Men’s rich thematic tapestry into the evolving MCU, ensuring their cinematic debut is both impactful and a defining moment for the franchise’s next saga. Thunderbolts* is proof that Schreier is exactly that kind of storyteller, and the MCU would be lucky to have him aboard for multiple projects moving forward.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

What are your thoughts on Jake Schreier potentially directing the MCU’s X-Men movie? Let us know in the comments!

The post Marvel Studios Picking Thunderbolts Director for X-Men is the Best Move the MCU Has Made Since Avengers: Infinity War appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While a relatively new addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Yelena Belova quickly became a fan-favorite character due to her complex personality, her ties with Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), and the brilliant performance by Florence Pugh. The good news is that Thunderbolts* makes the most of Yelena by giving her the screen time she needs to become the heart of the MCU’s new superhero group, proving she’s much more than a Black Widow replacement. The better news is that Pugh is confirmed to return in Avengers: Doomsday, where her character development should reach new heights as the heroes of the Sacred Timeline face Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Thunderbolts*

At the beginning of Thunderbolts*, we learn that Yelena is suffering from depression. While the disease is never explicitly named in the movie, she goes through the motions of life listlessly, crushed by a constant feeling of loneliness and lack of meaning. She tries to push forward, using all her energy to work nonstop as one of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) black ops specialists. Yet, she has no one to return home to, and she often tries to drown her sorrows in alcohol. As Yelena puts it, the sadness grew inside of her once she learned about her sister’s death. However, by the time Thunderbolts* starts, her woes have become a void, slowly swallowing her soul and making life tasteless.

[RELATED: Comics Starter Pack: A Beginner’s Guide to the MCU’s Thunderbolts*]

As Thunderbolts* unfolds, Yelena learns to once more trust the people around her. At first, she bands together with John Walker (Wyatt Russell) and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) out of survival when the three find themselves trapped inside Valentina’s desert facility. However, their common goal and Yelena’s genuine willingness to do something good in the world led her to become the unexpected leader of the band, pushing the others to take a stance against injustice. The events of Thunderbolts* also allow Yelena to reconnect with her father, the Red Guardian (David Harbour), who drove her away because he also didn’t know how to deal with the death of Natasha. All this newborn kinship helps Yelena find the perspective she lacked, recognizing that human connection is essential to survive in a ruthless world. She eventually shares that lesson with Bob (Lewis Pullman), saving the world from the Void.

By the end of Thunderbolts*, when Bob fully becomes the Void, spreading his darkness all over New York City, Yelena takes a leap of faith and jumps inside the shadows, determined to reach out to Bob. Her teammates soon follow, inspired by her example. Together, they convince Bob he can overcome the calling of the Void, as he now has people who are there for him and who will not leave his side. Valentina, aware that the Thunderbolts’ actions make them look like heroes, quickly pretends she was always behind the team, introducing them to the press as the New Avengers. Yelena and the others sustain Valentina’s lie in exchange for a clean slate and the opportunity to become actual heroes. However, Yelena lets Valentina know she will be kept on a short leash, as the New Avengers can blow the whistle and crumble her empire anytime.

Yelena Will Lead the New Avengers in Avengers: Doomsday

The post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* takes place 14 months after Yelena and her teammates subdued the Void. For over a year, the New Avengers have operated as government-sanctioned superheroes from the Watchtower, previously known as the Avengers Tower. While they are now a cohesive team and have a lot of experience protecting the planet from all sorts of threats, the New Avengers still struggle with public scrutiny, as not everyone is willing to recognize their value, given their complicated backstory. Complicating matters, there’s Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who’s willing to form an Avengers team of his own and even threatens to sue the New Avengers for copyright infringement.

As the moral leader of the New Avengers, Yelena will have to keep steering her colleagues in the right direction in Avengers: Doomsday. The crossover event will once again put the entire MCU at risk, meaning the New Avengers will have to find a way to deal with Captain America and other Sacred Timeline heroes to stand against Doctor Doom. That means doubling down on the lessons learned in Thunderbolts* and relying on genuine human connection as their ultimate shield against evil.

The post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* also reveals that the New Avengers are the first to detect the interdimensional ship of the Fantastic Four. That makes Yelena responsible for deciding how her team will contact the unexpected visitors, working together for the common good.

Thunderbolts* is now available in theaters. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for release on May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.

Are you excited about Yelena’s return in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments!

The post How Yelena’s Thunderbolts* Story Sets Up Her Doomsday Role appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* just stormed into theaters, and the verdict from critics and audiences is overwhelmingly positive. The film, focusing on a team of reformed antagonists like Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) tackling the god-level threat of the Sentry/Void (Lewis Pullman), is being praised for its mature themes, strong character work, and emotional depth. It currently boasts a stellar 88% critic score and an even more impressive 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest-rated MCU Phase 5 movie on both fronts and placing it among the top-tier audience scores for the entire franchise. However, despite the critical acclaim and audience love, Thunderbolts* pulled in only $76 million domestically and $162.1 million globally at the opening weekend box office. While solid, that domestic number trails the $88.8 million domestic and $192.4 million global opening of Captain America: Brave New World, a film widely considered a disappointment for Marvel Studios. This immediately raises the question: can Thunderbolts*’ critical success translate into the financial success needed to justify its existence?

The pressure is certainly on. Following a string of commercially underwhelming Phase 5 entries like Brave New World, the disappointing Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and the outright bomb The Marvels, Marvel Studios needs Thunderbolts* to deliver at the box office. With a reported production budget of $180 million, the same as Brave New World, the film faces a steep climb to profitability in a market showing signs of superhero fatigue and increased competition. Even so, the path forward for Thunderbolts* isn’t entirely bleak, despite the lower-than-hoped-for start compared to its immediate predecessor. After all, opening weekend numbers, while important, don’t always tell the whole story.

How Does Thunderbolts* Compare to the MCU Phase 5?

Phase 5 has undeniably been a mixed bag for Marvel Studios, swinging from staggering highs to concerning lows, both critically and commercially. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania stumbled out of the gate, landing a Rotten 46% score, though audiences were kinder at 82%. Despite a hefty $106.1 million domestic and $225.3 million global opening off a $200 million budget, the weak critical reception led to a disastrous 70% second-weekend drop. It ultimately limped to $476 million worldwide, falling well short of expectations. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 provided a much-needed boost soon after. James Gunn’s emotional farewell scored well with critics (82%) and exceptionally well with audiences (94%). While its $118.4 million domestic opening wasn’t record-shattering for its $250 million budget, the stellar reception powered it to a much healthier 49% second-weekend drop and a strong $845.6 million worldwide finish, proving audiences still show up for beloved characters and well-received stories.

[RELATED: Thunderbolts* Has the Most Predictable MCU Death Ever (But It Still Had a Twist)]

Then came The Marvels. Despite a barely Fresh 62% critic score and a decent 83% audience score, the film opened to a franchise-low $46.1 million domestically ($110 million globally) against a reported $270 million budget. The audience score wasn’t enough to counteract the negativity, resulting in a catastrophic 78% second-weekend plummet and a final worldwide gross of just $206.1 million, making it the MCU’s biggest box office bomb. Hope surged back with Deadpool & Wolverine, which smashed records thanks to huge anticipation, nostalgia, and genuinely positive reactions (78% critics, a massive 94% audience). It’s $211.4 million domestic ($446.3 million global) opening obliterated R-rated records, and even with that massive start, it held reasonably well with a 56% second-weekend drop, cruising past $1.33 billion worldwide on a $200 million budget.

Captain America: Brave New World brought things back to earth. Like Quantumania, it suffered critically (48% Rotten) despite a passing audience grade (78%). Its $88.8 million domestic start wasn’t terrible, but wasn’t great for a Captain America film, and again, poor word-of-mouth fueled a steep 67% second-weekend drop, leading to a $414.8 million worldwide total that failed to recoup its $180 million budget plus marketing costs. The lesson here is that movies with higher critics and audience scores keep earning at the box office beyond their opening week. That high audience score is where *Thunderbolts*’s path to success truly lies. 

Will Word-of-Mouth Save Thunderbolts* at the Box Office?

In today’s market, especially for big-budget blockbusters, strong word-of-mouth driven by audience satisfaction is arguably more crucial than ever. A film that genuinely connects with viewers can overcome a softer-than-expected opening weekend through sheer staying power. We’re seeing a prime example of this play out right now with Ryan Coogler’s critically adored horror film Sinners. Despite some initial industry skepticism about its $90 million budget for an original R-rated horror concept, Sinners opened strong ($48 million domestic) and then exhibited phenomenal holds, dropping only a minuscule 6% domestically in its second weekend, fueled by near-perfect 98% Rotten Tomatoes scores and rave audience reactions. It quickly surpassed its $225 million breakeven point (based on the 2.5x budget rule) and became a cultural talking point, demonstrating that quality filmmaking and genuine audience excitement can still create a box office hit.

Thunderbolts* finds itself in a similar, albeit higher-budgeted, situation. With a $180 million production cost, it needs to reach the $450 million worldwide mark to be considered financially successful, covering marketing and distribution costs. That’s a significant climb from its $162.1 million global start. However, its 95% audience score is a massive asset. That number puts it in the same league as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Deadpool & Wolverine, films that remained relevant at the box office for several weeks. If that 95% score translates into enthusiastic recommendations and repeat viewings, Thunderbolts* should see much smaller weekly drops than Brave New World or Quantumania. There is potential for Thunderbolts* to leg out significantly, riding a wave of positive buzz.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

What do you think? Will the great reviews and audience scores be enough for Thunderbolts* to become a box office success? Let us know your predictions in the comments!

The post Thunderbolts* Is a Hit (But Will It Make Enough Money?) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day has added another talented name to its roster with the casting of Liza Colón-Zayas, an acclaimed actress known for her impactful role in The Bear. While her specific part remains under wraps, this news has ignited significant fan speculation that she could be portraying Rio Morales, the mother of Miles Morales. Such a development would be a major hint towards the live-action introduction of the other beloved Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Given the MCU’s current trajectory and past setups, the timing for introducing key figures from Miles’s world seems increasingly plausible, potentially heralding a truly transformative chapter for Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and the wider Spider-Man narrative following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

First of all, Colón-Zayas is an actress of Puerto Rican descent who was born in the Bronx, so her background aligns closely with that of Rio, a character depicted as a strong, supportive mother and a vital presence in Miles Morales’s life. It’s also worth remembering that the MCU has already acknowledged Miles Morales’s existence through the character of Aaron Davis (Donald Glover) in Spider-Man: Homecoming. In a memorable scene, Davis explicitly mentions having a nephew, a clear nod to Miles, as Aaron Davis is Miles’s uncle (and the villainous Prowler) in the comics. This subtle but direct reference confirmed that a version of Miles exists within the main MCU timeline, ready to be used when Sony seems fit.

[RELATED: After Daredevil: Born Again, the Next Spider-Man Movie Has Some Explaining to Do]

Furthermore, the MCU’s overarching narrative is heading towards a massive Secret Wars event in theaters. In the 2015 “Secret Wars” comic storyline, penned by Jonathan Hickman, the Marvel Multiverse underwent a cataclysmic destruction and rebirth. A crucial outcome of this event was the integration of Miles Morales, who originated in the Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610), into the prime Marvel Universe (Earth-616). Significantly, his mother, Rio Morales, who had previously died in the Ultimate comics, was resurrected and brought over to Earth-616 alongside Miles. Since the comic book “Secret Wars” event served as the mechanism for Miles’ official arrival in the main continuity, the MCU could take inspiration from the pages to the current cinematic trajectory. In that light, introducing characters like Rio Morales beforehand could strategically set the stage for Miles’ formal introduction.

Everything We Know About Spider-Man: Brand New Day

With Peter Parker’s life dramatically reset at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, where the entire world, including his closest friends, forgot his existence, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to explore uncharted territory for the web-slinger. The film is officially slated for release in July 2026, placing it strategically between the releases of Avengers: Doomsday (May 1, 2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (May 7, 2027). Destin Daniel Cretton, who previously directed Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is taking the helm for this fourth solo Spider-Man outing within the MCU.

Tom Holland will, of course, reprise his role as Peter Parker. While plot specifics are being kept tightly under wraps, the ending of No Way Home showed Peter striking out on his own, crafting a new comic-accurate suit, and presumably operating as a street-level hero. It is expected that Zendaya (MJ) and Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds) will return, though how their characters will factor in, given that they no longer remember Peter, remains a key question. 

Joining Colón-Zayas as a new addition to the cast is Sadie Sink, known for her role in Stranger Things, though her character in Brand New Day also remains undisclosed. The title “Brand New Day” itself is evocative of a major 2008 comic book storyline that similarly saw Peter Parker’s life reset, with his secret identity restored to anonymity and his personal relationships significantly altered. While the MCU film is not expected to be a direct adaptation of the comics, the title strongly suggests a thematic focus on Peter forging a new path, facing new challenges, and perhaps building a new support system from scratch in a world that no longer knows him.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to swing into theaters on July 31, 2026.

What are your thoughts on Liza Colón-Zayas playing Rio Morales in Spider-Man: Brand New Day? Let us know in the comments!

The post Marvel Fans Think Spider-Man: Brand New Day Casting Could Be Teasing Miles Morales appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel veteran Kelsey Grammer breaks his silence about returning as Beast for Avengers: Doomsday. During an interview on Rob Lowe’s podcast Literally! with Rob Lowe, the actor recalled his experience filming his cameo as Beast for 2023’s The Marvels. According to him, the response to his brief appearance in the stinger was so enthusiastic, it encouraged Marvel Studios to explore opportunities to bring Grammer back for another film. Though Grammer is officially part of the Doomsday cast, he mentioned he has not yet seen a script. All he knows is just the general idea of what Marvel has in mind.

“I did a little scene … and then it showed. They put it in theaters,” Grammer said about his role in The Marvels. “And the response when they saw Beast was apparently pretty breathtaking, and that was my ticket. They called me a while later and said, ‘We think we want to put you in another movie.’ So I’m really excited about it … I’ve had a preliminary introduction to the [Doomsday] idea. They are still very secretive about the script.”

Grammer was one of 27 actors Marvel Studios confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday during a record-breaking livestream event in late March. He is just one returning face from Fox’s X-Men movies who will be in Doomsday. His franchise co-stars Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, and Alan Cumming are also coming back. It’s unknown if Grammer is playing the same version of Beast from The Marvels or if he’ll portray a different variant.

[RELATED – Will MCU Phase 6 Be the Epic Comeback Marvel Studios Needs?]

Marvel is renowned for its high levels of security, especially when it concerns scripts. The studio’s practices seem to stem from an incident involving Samuel L. Jackson’s assistant, who accidentally printed an extra copy of the Avengers script. Someone found the script sitting in the printer and sold it. Marvel now goes to extreme lengths to keep scripts a secret; Sterling K. Brown had to return his sides every day during production on Black Panther.

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo (who know a thing or two about preserving MCU secrets) aren’t taking any chances when it comes to Doomsday. The film is Marvel’s biggest project since Avengers: Endgame, so the creative team doesn’t want to risk any information coming out early. In the case of major franchises like the MCU, the studio wants to be in control as much as possible, doling out nuggets on their terms. This means that actors may not even see the script until it’s absolutely necessary. Doomsday recently started production, though it’s unknown if Grammer has shot material for the film. He might not see his script pages until he’s on set.

Some might find Marvel’s methods to be a tad much; plot details about superhero blockbusters aren’t government secrets, but it’s easy to see where the studio is coming from. Most Marvel movies, and especially the Avengers films, are build around entertaining, crowd-pleasing moments and reveals that make great use of the interconnectedness between projects. It would be a shame if story beats leaked ahead of time, ruining what might have been an exciting surprise. Everyone involved with Doomsday wants it to land with all the desired impact.

The post Kelsey Grammer Breaks Silence on Beast’s Avengers: Doomsday Return (But Where’s the Script?) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Avengers: Doomsday has officially started production, beginning the countdown to the X-Men’s official entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With that debut, the X-Men’s long list of villains will also be making the jump, some potentially getting a second chance along the way. Mister Sinister is rumored to be the first X-Men villain up for the team’s MCU film debut, and others could be waiting in the wings to become an MCU big bad in the vein of Thanos or the upcoming Doctor Doom. But which villains have the strength to fill such a role?

X-Men villains come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, from the lowly members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants like The Blob and Pyro, to the world threats like the Brood or the Phoenix Force. Many of these villains have also made their on-screen debut in the Fox X-Men movies, meaning a few could appear alongside the returning Fox characters in Avengers: Doomsday. The general thinking acknowledges that the MCU is heading toward a reboot after Secret Wars, so the X-Men get a second chance to appear on screen.

We dug through the X-Men rogues gallery in the comics and a few of villains that appeared in the franchise on screen to determine which bad guys are worthy of a total reboot. The answers might be obvious to some, surprising to others, and a shock to the system for fans expecting a replay of the first Avengers movie. Scroll down to see the five X-Men baddies that could threaten the entire MCU after their debut. One is already guaranteed to appear in Doomsday, so it’ll be exciting to see where they can go from here.

Magneto

The obvious choice for the greatest and most powerful X-Men villain is Magneto. His status as a villain is currently up in the air in the wake of the Krakoa Era’s end, but there is little doubt he could grow to be a mega threat against the entire MCU. He is an Omega-level mutant, after all. Seeing as the Ultimate universe was very influential on the creation of the MCU and Avengers, several stories from Mark Millar’s run could at least provide a starting place for Marvel’s mutants, too. Ultimate X-Men‘s first run introduced the Brotherhood in epic fashion on the White House lawn, later paving the way for “Return of the King” and the controversial Ultimatum, where Magneto flooded New York and flipped Earth’s magnetic poles using Thor’s hammer.

The filmmakers and creatives working on the future MCU X-Men movie have plenty of options to draw from as they create their world. With Magneto, they could also look back and introduce Asteroid M or adapt the “Fatal Attractions” storyline for the big screen. Tearing Wolverine’s skeleton from his body at the movies wouldn’t be the type of moment fans would forget.

Apocalypse

The ancient first mutant known as En Sabah Nur has been a thorn in the X-Men’s side since his debut in 1986’s X-Factor #6. Typically joined by his Four Horsemen, the ancient mutant has made several memorable appearances, including an appearance in X-Men: Apocalypse, played by Oscar Isaac.

But the reason he makes this list as an MCU-level threat is due to the mid-90s storyline called “Age of Apocalypse.” In a world where Charles Xavier is killed by his own son, Apocalypse has taken over, and the entire world seems set to go nuts and become twisted. Magneto is the greatest hero of this period, killing the ancient mutant at the end of the story. Seeing some of that play out on the big screen would be epic, especially after that deadly Weapon X preview in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Stryfe

Nathan Summers is best known to most X-Men fans as Cable, the futuristic version of Cyclops and Jean Grey’s son. In that future, Summers ends up infected with a techno-organic virus at the hands of Apocalypse, and a clone is created as a backup plan. This clone becomes the uber villain Stryfe, raised under the parentage of Apocalypse and able to reach across time to target the team.

In the “X-Cutioner’s Song” storyline, Stryfe travels back in time to form the Mutant Liberation Front. Later, he poses as Cable, shoots Professor X with a poison bullet, kidnaps Cyclops and Jean Grey to the Moon, and introduces the Legacy Virus by gifting Mr. Sinister a capsule he claims to hold Summers’ DNA and genetic material. It would continue to ravage the mutants across the X-Men comics from 1993 until 2001. Stryfe also just returned with a new version of the virus in the Deadpool & Wolverine series that debuted in 2025. The drawback for Stryfe is establishing his origins could be messy for the MCU, unless they just go with the Cassandra Nova route and skip the traditional origins in the movies.

[RELATED – 7 Must Read Comics to Really Understand the X-Men]

Shadow King

If we’re being fair, Legion‘s version of the Shadow King from the FX series is already a great adaptation of the character. In the comics, Shadow King possesses Amahl Farouk as a host and becomes a sworn enemy of Charles Xavier, attacking him for the first time in 1971 after Farouk becomes stronger. They battle on the psychic plane, with Professor X trapping his psyche there until Shadow King was able to return.

He popped back up in the Muir Island saga, setting traps for the X-Men and taking control of Moira McTaggert and Valerie Cooper at the Muir Island research lab. He also takes over Legion and uses Cerebro to find missing mutants, like Storm. His psychic powers are only rivaled by Xavier in the comics, so it would be quite the tussle.

Professor X/ Charles Xavier

After his more recent actions on Krakoa during the House of X storyline, could we see Professor X become a major villain in the MCU? One that would betray his students to forces that want them and Xavier’s dream dead? That is where we have landed in the current run of comics, taking the savior of mutantkind and turning him into a mass murderer by the end of the era. On top of that, it is part of a deal Xavier makes with Orchis in an attempt to avoid more bloodshed, leading to the death of countless mutants he sent through a Krakoa gate at the final Hellfire Gala.

It’s not the first time Xavier has been portrayed as a villain. Most famously, he became the Onslaught entity after mindwiping Magneto in retaliation for ripping the adamantium from Wolverine’s body. Onslaught would classify as a major MCU-level threat, but keeping it to Professor Xavier as a villain would allow for some great changes to show up for the X-Men founder. Onslaught carries a lot more baggage.

We have plenty of time to wait and see the direction Marvel will take for the X-Men on the big screen. They are set to become a big part of the MCU after Secret Wars ends, so hopefully, time is a benefit. Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters in 2026, while Secret Wars will drop a year later.

Do you think we missed a villain who would fit as the perfect adversary for the MCU? Is there anybody who might have a better shot at destroying the world? Let us know in the comments.

The post 5 Perfect X-Men Villains For The MCU’s Reboot appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Thunderbolts* introduced a new character powerful enough to plunge New York City into darkness. There is a darker side to Bob (Lewis Pullman), the troubled man with ultimate superpowers, albeit with a dark side that needs to remain hidden from the world. Bob’s alter-ego, “The Void” is capable of making people re-live their worst memories. Bob made a vow to keep that part of himself contained, but with Lewis Pullman confirmed to reprise the role in next year’s Avengers: Doomsday, anything can happen. The team has no guarantee that The Void won’t be making a comeback. If Bob’s darker side returns, the entire Thunderbolts team could be in a lot of trouble.

Avengers: Doomsday will make several characters from across the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse cross paths for the first time. This promises audiences many fun interactions that could take place during the upcoming crossover. The Sentry will come face-to-face with some of the most powerful people the MCU has ever seen. There are some characters who would be very interesting to see fighting against The Void, with Bob’s darker side forcing them to confront their nightmares in the flesh. Here are some of the heroes and villains from the MCU who should be sent into The Void when Avengers: Doomsday flies into theaters next year.

1) Doctor Doom

Marvel Studios hasn’t revealed anything about the new version of Doctor Doom, other than the fact that he will be played by Robert Downey Jr. Viewers don’t even know which universe the villain will be coming from. Doom will need to present himself as a bigger threat than Thanos (Josh Brolin) in order for the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to take him seriously. That won’t be something easy to achieve. The ruler of Latveria will need to become someone audiences come to know by the time the credits roll on Avengers: Doomsday. Thunderbolts* just introduced the most interesting way for this connection between the character and the fans to happen.

If Doctor Doom happened to be sent into The Void, audiences will get to know plenty about the character without the need of extensive flashback sequences. Viewers are aware of the concept of this dictator who mixes magical abilities with advanced science. A trip to The Void would force Doom to reveal what drove him to come up with his evil plan for Avengers: Doomsday. A single sequence can reveal the villain’s motivations and why audiences are supposed to either root for him or despise him. There’s no need to spend half an hour going back to a version of Latveria that hasn’t been introduced in the MCU yet, instead of jumping straight into the action of the sequel.

RELATED: [ Marvel Changes Avengers Social Media Accounts In Wake of Thunderbolts* (& Now It Feels Real) ]

2) Thor

No one in the MCU has suffered more than Thor (Chris Hemsworth) at this point. The God of Thunder has lost his entire family while carrying the guilt of not killing Thanos during the events of Avengers: Infinity War – and that’s not where his suffering ends. Thor: Love and Thunder saw Thor also lose his love, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), and established that the hero must now take care of Love (India Hemsworth), the young girl who was left behind by Gorr (Christian Bale), the main villain of the movie. Thor has gained plenty of new responsibilities since he left Earth for the last time. So when audiences get to see him again in the near future, he will be a new man.

But Thor hasn’t crossed paths with The Void yet. If Sentry’s darker half manages to get his hands on the God of Thunder, he will find plenty of tragic moments to choose from. Thor saw his mother die in Thor: The Dark World. Thanos took Loki away in Avengers: Infinity War. While audiences already know all this, it would be interesting to see how Thor has dealt with these tragedies over time, while facing The Void. The founding Avenger won’t be the character fans remember; the arrival of Doctor Doom will force Thor to step out of the shadows for yet another battle. Hopefully, he will finally be at peace with himself when it’s time to go against the evil sorcerer.

3) Reed Richards

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will introduce a new version of Marvel’s First Family. Pedro Pascal will star in the movie as Reed Richards, after John Krasinski played a variant of the character in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The trailer for the upcoming movie has given viewers a taste of Richards’ mindset in this adventure. As a devoted man of science, Reed has always looked for ways to build new technology. But his communication with beings from outer space has brought unfortunate news. Galactus (Ralph Ineson) heard the call, and he’s ready to destroy the version of Earth Reed and his family have worked so hard to protect.

It would be interesting to see what is waiting for Reed Richards in The Void if he fails to protect his universe. It will be extremely hard for the Fantastic Four to stop Galactus on the big screen. There’s a chance the team will lose the upcoming battle, and if they do, The Void could explore the guilt that would grow in Reed Richards’ heart. Billions of lives will be lost if the Fantastic Four don’t step up for the challenge. These levels of guilt haven’t been seen in the MCU since Thor and Tony Stark failed to stop Thanos from erasing half of all life. Hopefully, fans can get a chance to see The Void’s powers used on unexpected characters once Avengers: Doomsday launches next summer.

Avengers: Doomsday premieres in theaters on May 1, 2026.

The post 3 MCU Characters Who Need to Face Sentry’s Void in Avengers: Doomsday appeared first on ComicBook.com.

There’s a clear reason why there are so many memes on the Internet about the Marvel Cinematic Universe being “back” after the positive reception to Thunderbolts*: the franchise hasn’t been the same since Avengers: Endgame. What started as a bold and innovative undertaking by Marvel Studios turned into an overstuffed homework assignment that took watching over 30 movies and a bunch of TV shows to fully appreciate. The MCU didn’t feel accessible anymore, and for a while, it felt like all hope was lost, with more and more projects on the way and no obvious throughline. Fortunately, the tides may be turning.

Phase 6 of the MCU appears to have its fair share of promise. The two Avengers movies are the headliners, of course, but there are other projects in the pipeline that have all the makings of huge hits, such as The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. While everything still has to go Marvel Studios’ way, the rally caps are on for what looks like a comeback of the ages.

Phases 4 and 5 Saw the MCU Bite Off More Than It Could Chew

Despite acting as a swan song for the first three phases of the MCU, Endgame opened more doors than it closed. So many heroes still had room to grow, so Marvel Studios decided to capitalize on that by giving a bunch of them TV shows on Disney+. It made sense at the time, and the first ones out of the gate in Phase 4 (WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki) showed enough promise to make the TV experiment seem worth it. Meanwhile, the MCU was still pumping out movies and running into some trouble. While Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was a surprise hit, Eternals failed to secure its titular characters’ seat at the table by turning in a lackluster box office performance.

By the middle of Phase 4, the MCU gained a reputation for being hit-or-miss, and that didn’t change in Phase 5. The first big project was Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which was marketed as a can’t-miss movie because of its villain, Kang the Conqueror. After having a variant torment Loki in his Disney+ series, Jonathan Majors’s villain made the jump to the big screen and failed to fill Thanos’s shoes after losing to an army of ants. Quantumania promised Kang and his variants weren’t done, but after a significant role in Loki Season 2, issues in Majors’ personal life forced Marvel to cut ties with him and his character, leaving the Multiverse Saga without a Big Bad.

Losing a villain as big as Kang forced the powers that be back to the drawing board. While there wasn’t much they could do about upcoming releases, there was enough goodwill from Phase 5 releases like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Deadpool & Wolverine to stay on course. The MCU then bided some time while it put the pieces in place for its final major Phase 5 project, Thunderbolts*. Using nothing but a shocking finale and post-credits scene, the MCU gave its next several projects the potential to right the ship for good.

[RELATED: Thunderbolts* Shock Ending Changed the MCU in 3 Major Ways]

Phase 6 Can Get the MCU Back on Track

When the Russo Brothers came out at San Diego Comic-Con and announced that Robert Downey Jr. was returning to the franchise as Doctor Doom, it reeked of desperation. A franchise that was struggling to remain consistent went back to the well and grabbed a combination it thought would make money. However, after Thunderbolts*, the plan is much clearer. First Steps will bring Doom’s arch-enemy, Reed Richards, into the fold, and he won’t be alone. As Marvel’s First Family tries to warn the multiverse about the impending threat, the two Avengers teams won’t be paying attention because they’ll be at each other’s throats. Spider-Man will then have his own adventure before all the stories bleed into Avengers: Secret Wars.

But that’s just the movie side. Marvel Studios still has a presence on Disney+, which looks to be heading in the right direction. Daredevil: Born Again will return for a second season in Phase 6, and this time, there won’t be a creative overhaul that leaves the outing feeling uneven. Wonder Man and Vision Quest are two other shows that follow major Marvel heroes, but, based on recent reports, they won’t be required viewing, which can’t be said for some of the shows that came out in Phases 4 and 5. The change to the TV formula proves that Marvel Studios is well aware of its mistakes and is working to correct them ahead of what could be its biggest stretch of projects to date.

Do you believe that Marvel Studios will fix things in Phase 6? Which project are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Will MCU Phase 6 Be the Epic Comeback Marvel Studios Needs? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Avengers: Doomsday has an X factor. Ever since Marvel Studios announced the star-studded ensemble during a nearly six-hour livestream in March — a cast of 27 names that, so far, includes everyone from Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom and Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards to the New Avengers and the original X-Men — fans have suspected that the next Avengers movie is a version of Avengers vs. X-Men, a blockbuster storyline that pit Earth’s mightiest heroes against Earth’s mightiest mutants.

But there may be another adaptation in disguise: Fantastic Four vs. the X-Men.

“I’m playing Nightcrawler again now. I was just learning stunts yesterday for some fight scene,” Alan Cumming, who first played blue-skinned, BAMF-ing teleporter Kurt Wagner in 2003’s X2: X-Men United, told BuzzFeed UK. “I just think, ‘I’m 60 years old.’ 23 years ago I played that superhero — I was kind of old for a superhero even then, and now I’m back doing it. And that, to me, is hilarious.”

RELATED: Thunderbolts*: Alternate Fantastic Four Post-Credits Scene Revealed

“I’m sorting of learning these fights like, ‘What? Who am I fighting with?’ ‘You’re hitting Pedro Pascal against the head,'” the actor added, seemingly spoiling a Nightcrawler and Mister Fantastic fight scene. “It’s just that I can’t quite believe, especially because [X2] was such a long time ago.”

Cumming reprises his Marvel role for the first time since the original X-Men sequel in 2003, returning to the X-verse alongside his X2 co-stars Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier), James Marsden (Cyclops), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), and Ian McKellen (Magneto). Also back from the Fox X-Men movies is Kelsey Grammer, who played Beast in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand and 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past before appearing in the post-credits scene of 2023’s The Marvels.

Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine was the first time that the formerly Fox-controlled X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises appeared together in the same film, which featured the likes of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine alongside Chris Evans’ Human Torch.

Cumming’s comments suggest 1987’s Fantastic Four vs. the X-Men, a four-issue limited series by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jon Bogdanove, might have proved influential on Avengers: Doomsday. The two teams clashed in the pages of Fantastic Four vs. X-Men #2 before joining forces against a mutual enemy: Doctor Doom. In 2005’s X-Men/Fantastic Four — billed as X4 — the Fab Four traded blows before uniting with an X-Men team that included Cyclops, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Storm, Gambit, Beast, and Emma Frost.

In addition to the previously mentioned actors, the expansive Doomsday cast includes Pascal’s Fantastic Four: First Steps co-stars Vanessa Kirby (Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (Human Torch), and Ebon Mass-Bachrach (the Thing), the cast of Thunderbolts* — Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes), Wyatt Russell (John Walker), Hannah John-Kamen (Ava Starr/Ghost), David Harbour (Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian), and Lewis Pullman (Bob Reynolds/Sentry) — Black Panther‘s Winston Duke (M’Baku), Tenoch Huerta Mejía (Namor), and Letitia Wright (Shuri/Black Panther), Shang-Chi‘s Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Captain America: Brave New World‘s Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres/Falcon), and Deadpool & Wolverine‘s Channing Tatum (Remy LaBeau/Gambit).

Also returning are Marvel Cinematic Universe vets Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Captain America), Benedict Cumberbatch (Stephen Strange/Dr. Strange), Paul Rudd (Scott Lang/Ant-Man), Benedict Wong (Wong), and Tom Hiddleston (Loki). Captain America stars Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell are also reportedly poised to return.

Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday is slated to open May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.

The post Avengers: Doomsday Star May Have Spoiled Fantastic Four vs. X-Men Fight appeared first on ComicBook.com.

With Thunderbolts* finally available, Marvel fans get to break down the movie’s exciting post-credits scene in search of clues about the MCU’s future. In particular, Thunderbolts* unexpectedly offers hints on what to expect from The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which will be coming to theaters in a few months. While the post-credits scene is obviously teasing a future team-up, validated by the casting of Avengers: Doomsday, there’s still plenty we don’t know about those images, with some theories even pointing out an even more tragic setting than we first imagined. Of course, we’ll have to deal with full Thunderbolts* spoilers below, so be warned.

In Thunderbolts* post-credits scene, Yelena’s (Florence Pugh) team has been operating as the New Avengers for 14 months, using the former Avengers Tower as their new headquarters. At the end of this enlightening scene, the Watchtower’s computers detect an interdimensional ship approaching Earth. The satellite images of the vessel reveal it’s adorned with the Fantastic Four symbol, teasing the arrival of Marvel’s First Family in the Sacred Timeline.

[RELATED: Is Wilson Fisk the New York City Mayor in Thunderbolts*?]

The scene reignites speculation about The Fantastic Four: First Steps, seemingly confirming the First Family’s tragic fate. After all, if the Fantastic Four is coming from an alternative timeline, that most likely means their home world was destroyed somehow, turning them into interdimensional exiles. However, since we don’t see who is inside the ship, Thunderbolts* could be teasing an even more disturbing fate.

Are All the Members of the Fantastic Four Coming to the Sacred Timeline?

While the Fantastic Four ship appears at the end of Thunderbolts*, there’s no telling if all the members of the First Family are aboard it. In fact, uncertain if the ship carries anyone at all. The ship could have been sent by the FF as a warning, trying to alert other timelines of the dangerous Incursions currently destroying the multiverse. Or, in a tragic twist of fate, the ship could have only a few of the Fantastic Four heroes, those who managed to escape the fury of Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom.

Splitting the Fantastic Four would raise the stakes for Avengers: Doomsday, as the First Family would have to work on two different fronts to reunite. That could be the primary motivator for the FF to join forces with the Sacred Timeline heroes, as they would need to venture into the multiverse to rescue their loved ones. This possibility would also position the FF members who arrive at the Sacred Timeline as guides to the rest of the heroes, aware of the dangers that lie ahead and how to navigate the thread of splitting timelines that now populate the MCU since the end of Loki.

Thunderbolts* is now available in theaters. The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25th.

Who do you think is aboard the Fantastic Four spaceship in the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene? Join the discussion in the comments!

The post New Fantastic Four Theory Could Mean You’re Totally Wrong About That Thunderbolts* Scene appeared first on ComicBook.com.

No matter the iteration, the Avengers always butt heads. It starts all the way back in 2012’s The Avengers when Tony Stark and Steve Rogers can’t agree on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s tactics when it comes to global defense. They trade words but don’t come to blows until Captain America: Civil War, when two sides form after the United Nations demands Earth’s Mightiest Heroes sign the Sokovia Accords to keep them in check. The rift that Civil War forms has ripple effects for the rest of the Infinity Saga and is at least partly responsible for the heroes’ loss in Avengers: Infinity War. Unfortunately, the Avengers team that forms in Thunderbolts* isn’t learning from the past and is already beefing with another group.

The post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* reveals that the New Avengers aren’t off to a great start. The public is turning against them after just a year because of Sam Wilson and his team trademarking the name “Avengers.” It sets the stage for a conflict between the two groups in Avengers: Doomsday, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe has to handle it right.

The MCU Always Delivers on Interpersonal Conflict

While seeing heroes bring bad guys to justice can be fun, it gets stale after a while. It’s much more interesting to focus on moral dilemmas that push heroes to pick a side. Civil War, of course, is the most famous example of that idea in the MCU, but there are several instances of it. Doctor Strange loses an ally in Baron Mordo because he bends the rules too often, and the Eternals duke it out over whether to allow a Celestial to tear the Earth into a million pieces. However, thus far, Phase 5 hasn’t focused all that much on interpersonal conflict, and it’s worse for it.

The Phase 5 movies, including heavy hitters like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Deadpool & Wolverine, see their main characters argue, but at the end of the day, they all go home happy. The Phase 5 villains, with the exception of the High Evolutionary, also leave a lot to be desired, having lackluster or convoluted motivations. Fortunately, Thunderbolts* sets the MCU back on track by teasing a conflict between two Avengers teams that’s sure to be at the center of Doomsday.

[RELATED: Sentry Recasting Addressed by Thunderbolts* Director (& What It Meant for the Film)]

Doctor Doom Can’t Be the Only Threat the Avengers Face in Doomsday

When Doomsday kicks off, it’s probably not going to take long for Doctor Doom to reveal himself and become the center of attention. However, before that goes down, Sam Wilson and his team should settle their beef with the New Avengers. As Bucky reveals in the post-credits scene of Thunderbolts*, Sam isn’t happy about the New Avengers forming, and it has clearly formed a wedge between the two heroes. It took Sam years to believe himself truly worthy of the Captain America mantle, and the moment he does, his “friend” goes behind his back and starts a team with a bunch of former criminals, including the man who sullied the shield, John Walker. And it’s not just Captain America who may take offense to the Avengers’ name being stolen, as Thor and Bruce Banner are still active and may have something to say about the situation.

The battle to see who the real Avengers are can start Doomsday off on the right note, with the movie calling back to the start of Infinity War when the team is no more, and the heroes are unprepared to fight Thanos. After all, even with all of the power that’s sure to be at Doctor Doom’s disposal, if all of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes come together at the start of Doomsday, the villain’s probably not going to last very long. The MCU needs to ensure that they’re not on the same page, and then they can work out their differences in Avengers: Secret Wars when things look most dire. It may feel like Marvel Studios is just repeating beats from the Infinity Saga, but in reality, it’s the only way to make things work since the two Avengers teams don’t have much time to marinate.

Thunderbolts* is in theaters now.

Do you hope the New Avengers and Sam Wilson’s team come to blows in Avengers: Doomsday? How do you think they will settle their dispute? Let us know in the comments below!

The post After Thunderbolts, the MCU Has to Deliver This Pivotal Avengers Showdown appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The latest official look at Dominique Thorne suited up in her advanced armor for the upcoming Disney+ series, Ironheart, has been unveiled by Empire magazine, giving fans a glimpse of Riri Williams’ formidable creation. This reveal offers a close-up image of the new suit Riri will don in her solo outing, showcasing a sleek and robust design that builds upon her initial introduction in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Alongside this exciting visual, Thorne has revealed she has received the personal endorsement of Tony Stark himself, Robert Downey Jr. This blessing from the original Iron Man actor carries significant weight, signaling a passing of the torch of sorts and offering a decisive vote of confidence for the MCU’s next armored Avenger as she prepares to step into the spotlight.

“Robert Downey Jr. and I spoke just after we wrapped, and he shared some very lovely words about my journey,” Thorne remembered. “He told me how excited he was and that he’s rooting for it, too. I literally got two thumbs up. It’s really reassuring to know you’re not embarrassing Iron Man.” This stamp of approval from Downey Jr. is a symbolic anointment for a character who, in many ways, is set to carry forward the legacy of technological heroism that Iron Man established.

[RELATED: Ironheart’s New MCU Armor Is A Major Upgrade, And It Keeps Her Unique]

Thorne also elaborated on the fundamental differences between Riri Williams and her predecessor, highlighting Riri’s distinct path to becoming a hero. “She’s dumpster-diving, whereas Tony Stark [was] this bajillionaire,” Thorne explained. Unlike Stark, who had virtually limitless resources, Riri’s genius is often fueled by necessity and her ability to innovate with whatever materials she can find. According to Thorne, Riri’s experiences in Wakanda have also clearly left a lasting mark. After being sought out for her genius and witnessing the advanced technology of the hidden nation, Riri’s potential has only expanded. “What she’s able to accomplish is remarkable,” Thorne teased, hinting at the level of innovation viewers can expect from Riri in the upcoming series.

Everything We Know About Marvel’s Ironheart Series

Marvel Studios’ Ironheart is set to delve deeper into the story of Riri Williams, the brilliant young inventor who audiences first met in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The series will follow Riri as she returns from MIT to her hometown of Chicago, where her unique approach to building iron suits and her relentless pursuit of innovation will lead her into a dangerous confrontation that pits advanced technology against dark magic. The official synopsis reveals Riri will become entangled with the enigmatic Parker Robbins, also known as The Hood (Anthony Ramos), a character who, in the comics, gains mystical abilities from a demonic cloak and boots. This central conflict suggests Ironheart will explore uncharted territory for an armor-based hero, forcing Riri to adapt her scientific understanding to face threats that defy conventional explanation.

The series boasts an impressive cast alongside Thorne and Ramos. Lyric Ross (This Is Us) plays Natalie Washington, Riri’s best friend. Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) is cast as Joe McGillicuddy, with Manny Montana (Good Girls) as Cousin John, and Anji White as Riri’s mother, Ronnie Williams. Other cast members include Matthew Elam as Xavier Washington, Shea Couleé (reportedly as the villain Slug), Zoe Terakes, Regan Aliyah, Shakira Barrera, Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola, Sonia Denis, Paul Calderón, and Cree Summer. In a fun nod to wider MCU continuity, Jim Rash will reprise his role as the MIT Dean he first played in Captain America: Civil War. The series is expected to explore themes of legacy, genius, and the responsibility that comes with power, all while Riri forges her own identity as Ironheart.

Ironheart comes to Disney+ on June 24th.

What are you most excited to see in the Ironheart series? Let us know in the comments!

The post Ironheart’s New Look at Armor Revealed as Robert Downey Jr. Offers Key Endorsement appeared first on ComicBook.com.