Avengers MARVEL Movies Secret Invasion Thunderbolts

The MCU's Phase 5 Bombshell Means Its Avengers Replacement Makes Way More Sense

The MCU's Phase 5 Bombshell Means Its Avengers Replacement Makes Way More Sense

Phase 5's most recent bombshell from Secret Invasion better explains the Avengers' upcoming replacements in Phase 5. Following the reveal of a problematic secret project overseen by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), it follows that world governments may be reluctant to rely on superheroes as much as they have in the MCU. As such, Secret Invasion could very well serve as yet another stepping stone toward the imminent debut of Marvel's Thunderbolts.

Following a significant alien infiltration within major seats of power and various institutions (including the White House), the threat of the Skrulls was made public thanks to current US President Ritson effectively declaring war on all extraterrestrials living on Earth. With both the United States and Russia nearly engaging in nuclear warfare thanks to the Skrulls, the fallout of Secret Invasion may lead to the creation of the Thunderbolts, especially after Fury's secret DNA project.

The Thunderbolts' Limited Power Level Makes Sense After The Harvest


As confirmed in the final episodes of Secret Invasion, Nick Fury ordered Skrulls to collect the DNA of almost every powered Avenger present during Endgame's final battle. Known as The Harvest, the secret and ethically questionable project motivated the Skrull general Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir) to begin his Super-Skrull experiments to give himself brand-new powers in his desire to claim Earth for his people, no longer content to wait on Fury's unkept promises to find them a new home after 30 years. At the moment, Fury's very problematic project is still secret (though there would likely be major consequences when/if it does).

If knowledge of Fury's Harvest ever gets out in the MCU, governments may be more apprehensive toward superhumans and their powers in general. This would certainly explain why the confirmed team of Thunderbolts thus far is very limited in their superpowers compared to the original Avengers. With some having already been recruited by the CIA's Valentina Allegra de Fontaine or soon will, it's been implied that the Thunderbolts will be a government-sanctioned team (regardless of how public they'll be).

Secret Invasion Made A US And Russia Team-Up More Likely


Overall, the Thunderbolts' roster in the MCU is a mix of US and Russian operatives. Bucky Barnes was an American Howling Commando during WWII turned into a living weapon under the control of Hydra's agents within the Soviet Armed Forces. Ghost did black-ops stealth missions for SHIELD. U.S.Agent was the government's new Captain America before his recruitment by Val following his public discharge. Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, and Taskmaster were all part of the Red Room program with connections to Russia's General Dreykov.

This particular selection of agents may stem from the recent fallout caused by the Skrulls in Secret Invasion. Considering Russia and the US were the two countries who were manipulated the hardest, it may explain why the Thunderbolts roster has so many US and Russian agents on it (while also having more limited superpowers). The Thunderbolts could be assembled by Val as a joint response between the two nations in the MCU with the events of Secret Invasion certainly adding to the ongoing geopolitical turmoil that's been happening in recent MCU projects.
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Avengers 1 & 2 Had One Crucial Advantage Over Avengers 3 & 4

Avengers 1 & 2 Had One Crucial Advantage Over Avengers 3 & 4



While the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame succeeded in culminating the Infinity Saga, Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron had one crucial advantage over the Phase 3 team-up films. It is no secret that the final two Avengers films were above their predecessors concerning pure fan-service hype, yet the world-ending stakes of both missed out on one critical aspect. Due to the bigger budgets, larger casts, and longer runtimes, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame focused entirely on the battle against Thanos.

With Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron on the other hand, the comparatively smaller scale of each film allowed for a key element of the core heroes to shine through. Despite Infinity War and Endgame including this aspect in a much broader context, the first two films in the Avengers franchise focused on it more intimately. Hopefully, this aspect can be carried over into Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, while Avengers: Secret Wars emulates the bigger scale of Infinity War and Endgame.

Avengers & Age Of Ultron Showed The Team Saving Civilians


The aspect in question is the Avengers going out of their way to save civilian lives. While again, Infinity War and Endgame focused on defeating Thanos and were centered on saving the lives of half of the universe, the fight against the Mad Titan was the core focus due to the immense scale of the story. This meant that endangered civilians were largely absent from both films' stories, focusing more on the combat with Thanos’ forces. With Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron though, the smaller stakes allowed for more intimate, visceral scenes of the Avengers saving lives as they battled against Loki and Ultron.

The first Avengers included many scenes of the titular team saving civilians caught in the crossfire of Loki's invasion. From Black Widow and Hawkeye freeing people from cars and school buses to Captain America coordinating the NYPD to lead people away from the city and rescuing a building full of trapped New York residents, 2012's The Avengers had many sequences detailing the saving of innocent bystanders. Similarly, Age of Ultron had scenes of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver helping the Sokovian people to evacuate, with much of the final fight surrounding the heroes saving the people of Sokovia while fighting Ultron.


Avengers 5 Should Include More Civilian-Centric Scenes


One benefit of these scenes is that they truly highlight the good-natured, heroic side of the Avengers, something that should carry over into Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. With the title of Avengers 5 hinting towards a multiverse that has already been conquered by Kang, it would be an interesting twist on the Avengers formula to have the heroes liberating universe after universe from Kang's control, being on the offensive for once. If this was the case, Avengers 5 could allow for plenty of similar civilian-centric scenes in which the Avengers are wrestling control of different universes away from Kang and back into the hands of the people.

This would then allow Avengers: Secret Wars to delve into the more action-heavy, fan-service-based style of an Avengers story. Not only would this bring back the more intimate scenes of Avengers saving the universe, but it would allow the MCU's Phase 6 to have both sides of an Avengers conflict. The huge, action spectacle of heroes facing off against a giant army would be prevalent, made even more impactful by an entire film of the Avengers crippling Kang's empire by saving innocent lives, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe first portrayed the titular team.

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Avengers 5 Hires Rick & Morty Producer to Write Script

Avengers 5 Hires Rick & Morty Producer to Write Script

One of the biggest announcements that Marvel Studios has made in recent months, of which there have been many, is undoubtedly the reveal of both Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars. While the latter will likely be a mystery for a long while, one thing is certain about the former: it'll be Jonathan Majors' time to shine.

The actor portrays the Multiverse Saga's key villain, Kang the Conqueror. The character first appeared as He Who Remains in Loki's season 1 finale, and he's set to pop up again, as a different Variant, in next year's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

While it's clear Kang will be the main antagonist of The Kang Dynasty, there aren't many other details known to the world. After the big announcement, the only thing that has been released since then was confirmation that Shang-Chi's Deston Daniel Cretton would be the talented person directing the piece.

Now, another sizeable announcement has been made: the project officially has a writer.


Kang Dynasty Gets a Writer


Deadline reported that writer Jeff Loveness has been tapped to write the upcoming Marvel Studios film, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. He'll be joining Destin Daniel Cretton on the project, who was previously announced to be directing the movie.

Loveness wrote the upcoming movie Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania as well as six episodes of Rick and Morty. Those six episodes include 'Claw and Hoarder: Special Ricktim's Morty', 'Never Ricking Morty', 'Promortyus', 'The Vat of Acid Episode', 'Mort Dinner Rick Andre', and 'Rickmural Jack'.

A New Avengers Adventure is Imminent

With this announcement, one thing is clear: the pressure on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has just increased tenfold. The quality of that movie will inform a lot of people's expectations about The Kang Dynasty since the two share the same writer.

Though, even if Scott Lang's next adventure is a miss, it shouldn't necessarily doom The Kang Dynasty in anyone's mind. After all, the writers for Thor: The Dark World—widely regarded as one of the worst MCU movies—went on to do Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.

There's certainly pressure on much more than just Paul Rudd's return. Jonathan Majors has to be the MCU's big bad, following the incredible Josh Brolin as Thanos; it's a lot to have to live up to.

Hopefully, both Majors, and all the writers handling his character, will do Kang justice and are going to make yet another masterpiece Avengers film.

The real question, however, is: will the Conqueror make it to Secret Wars, or will that villain spot be left wide open for Doctor Doom?


Avengers: The Kang Dynasty hits theaters on May 2, 2025.

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Kevin Feige Confirms the Avengers No Longer Exist

Kevin Feige Confirms the Avengers No Longer Exist

The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the first and last line of defense against those who seek to cause the planet harm. Originally composed of Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, the roster grew over the years.

First, the team disbanded, then a few years later, began treating being apart of the Avengers like a full-time job (see 2015’s Age of Ultron). Eventually they found themselves divided over the Sokovia Accords and wound up coming to blows.

It wasn’t until several years later that they reassembled to fend off Thanos and his forces. But after Avengers: Endgame, the team has been MIA, having lost Steve, Tony, and Nat, with the rest going their separate ways. But one question had been on fans’ minds since 2019: Are the Avengers, as an organized team, still in operation?


Feige Provides an Avengers Status Update

Speaking on stage at D23 Expo today while announcing the Thunderbolts lineup, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, via DisneyExaminer, confirmed that the Avengers don't currently exist in the MCU following the events of Avengers: Endgame: “Just because there isn’t an organization like the Avengers anymore, but we now have The Thunderbolts.”

Furthermore, Captain America himself, Anthony Mackie, added that the previous Avengers heroes are "all... unemployed" while speaking in an interview with Variety that took place after the presentation:

“All of the Avengers are unemployed. We have a new and improved group. No, they’re over there with their Metamucil and, y’know, hangin’ out. Y’know, we’re the new guys… We’re the top dogs now.”

When Mackie was (inexplicably?) asked if he was truly the new Captain America, the actor responded, ”I guess we’ll have to see in… 2024.”

When faced with an inquiry on how long he had been in the superhero game, Mackie ended up doing some incorrect mental math and mistakenly said since “2008.”

Are the Thunderbolts the New Go-to Team?

If the Avengers are, for the time being, not a thing, will the Thunderbolts step in to fill that void?

Little is known about the MCU’s Thunderbolts beyond their confirmed roster: Yelena Belova, Taskmaster, Bucky Barnes, John Walker, Red Guardian, and Ava Starr aka Ghost. The group also appears to be spearheaded by Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina. But their motivations and what initially brings them together are still unclear.

Perhaps they’ll serve as a government-sanctioned superhero team that those in charge can keep on a short leash. The Avengers were never known to follow global ordinances and regulations, so a team that can actually be controlled would be seen as a great benefit.

Of course, the Avengers will come together once more in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, due out in 2025, and likely with Anthony Mackie’s Captain America leading the charge. Captain America: New World Order is landing on May 3, 2024 and Thunderbolts will arrive in theaters on July 26, 2024.
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Mark Ruffalo Says Avengers: Secret Wars Will Go Out With a 'Big Bang'

Mark Ruffalo Says Avengers: Secret Wars Will Go Out With a 'Big Bang'



Mark Ruffalo has hinted that Avengers: Secret Wars will be an explosive conclusion to the Multiverse Saga.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly at the premiere of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Ruffalo was asked how Secret Wars would compare to 2019's Avengers: Endgame. "Well, it’s gonna be hard to top Endgame, but if I know [Marvel Studios President] Kevin [Feige] and if I know Marvel, it’s gonna be pretty amazing," the actor revealed. "It’ll be a big bang, we’ll go out with a big bang." Ruffalo, who portrays Bruce Banner/The Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, also addressed rumors that a World War Hulk movie was in development, stating, "Any time they want to do it, I'm here."

Avengers: Secret Wars was announced at 2022's San Diego Comic-Con and will serve as a direct sequel to Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Phase 4 of the MCU has already started setting up Secret Wars with the end-credits scene for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness mentioning an impending incursion event. The term "incursion" means two worlds are about to collide and is from the 2015 Secret Wars comic book storyline. Marvel Studios has not yet confirmed whether it is adapting the comic book storyline or simply using the title for the film, which the company has done in the past with Avengers: Age of Ultron.

The Multiverse Saga Will Take the MCU in New Directions
Phases 4, 5 and 6 of the MCU will encompass The Multiverse Saga, Marvel's successor to The Infinity Saga. The MCU has already started to explore the concept of the multiverse with Loki, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and WandaVision, and Brad Winderbaum, the head of streaming for Marvel Studios, has hinted that the multiverse will allow for "unexpected" crossovers between projects. "I think what's amazing about the Multiverse Saga, in particular, is that you can go down so many more roads," Winderbaum said. "[...] it allows us to look at alternate paths and other takes on the characters, which is, of course, what happens in the comic books as different artists, different writers, different storytellers work with characters."

No writer or director is attached to Avengers: Secret Wars at this time. Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed 20221's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, will direct Avengers: The Kang Dynasty but is reportedly not expected to direct Secret Wars. Anthony and Joe Russo, despite previously showing interest in directing a Secret Wars adaptation, will also not be directing the sixth Avengers movie.

Avengers: Secret Wars opens in theaters on Nov. 7, 2025, six months after Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, which hits cinemas on May 2.

Source: Twitter

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Marvel Already Spoiled Avengers: Kang Dynasty In Infinity War

Marvel Already Spoiled Avengers: Kang Dynasty In Infinity War



Marvel Studios already spoiled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty in Avengers: Infinity War. Hailed by many as the best MCU film, the 2018 Joe and Anthony Russo-directed blockbuster changed the franchise forever in more ways than one. Aside from its buzz-worthy cliffhanger ending, it proved that an ensemble crossover event can actually work without being convoluted or emotionally empty. Avengers: Infinity War, however, also inadvertently reveals story details for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.

After Avengers: Endgame, Marvel Studios move forward with the Multiverse Saga which culminates in back-to-back Avengers movies both releasing in 2025. Plot details for Destin Daniel Cretton's Avengers: The Kang Dynasty are still scant, but as the title suggests, it will pay off the MCU's set-up for Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors) to be a major villain in the franchise. It would be followed by Avengers: Secret Wars, which remains without a helmer. While technically, the Multiverse Saga is separate from the Infinity Saga, MCU's first storytelling chapter actually informs what can be expected from its follow-up, particularly with what went down in Avengers: Infinity War.

The Avengers lost to Thanos (Josh Brolin) due to a multitude of reasons, but one of the biggest factors contributing to their defeat is not putting a united front. In Avengers: Infinity War, Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Captain America (Chris Evans) fought the Titan separately, with Thor (Chris Hemsworth) busy with his side quest until his last-minute arrival in Wakanda. Coming into Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, there is no team-up film that would establish a clear Earth's Mightiest Heroes roster, which means that everyone would be assembling in the movie itself. Based on what happened in Avengers: Infinity War, this leads to another heartbreaking failure for the Avengers as it’s almost unlikely that the heroes end up winning fighting Kang the Conqueror with a poorly-assembled and untested team.


Kang Needs To Defeat The Avengers To Not Ruin Infinity War


There are still debates as to why exactly Thanos won in Avengers: Infinity War. Considering that the only tangible difference that the group faced in Avengers: Endgame was fighting the villain together, there's an idea that they could have won the first bout against the Titan if they worked together from the get-go. Pitting Captain America against Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War was a deliberate set-up for their eventual defeat in the 2018 blockbuster. Considering the state of Earth's Mightiest Heroes in the Multiverse Saga, it's imperative for Kang the Conqueror defeat them in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to not cheapen Avengers: Infinity War. If for some reason, this new Avengers team that has spent barely any time with each other and doesn't have a previous working dynamic succeeds in defeating Kang the Conqueror, then it invalidates the primary reason why their predecessors initially lost to Thanos.


The challenge now for Marvel Studios is how to do this without simply rehashing what has been done before. Given how Infinity Saga and Multiverse Saga's culmination are seemingly similarly set up, comparisons between them are inevitable. However, Marvel Studios needs to find a way to differentiate Avengers: The Kang Dynasty from Avengers: Infinity War without ruining the film. Even though the circumstances may differ, it's vital that Phase 6 doesn't inadvertently undermine what came before.

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Doctor Doom Proved Fantastic Four Are More Important Than the Avengers

Doctor Doom Proved Fantastic Four Are More Important Than the Avengers



While the Avengers are Marvel Comics’ flagship superhero team as it encompasses the greatest number of diverse heroes spanning across the entire fictional universe, the Fantastic Four is still Marvel’s First Family, and Doctor Doom proved once and for all that they will always be more important than the Avengers–at least, in his eyes.

The Fantastic Four made their Marvel Comics debut in 1961’s Fantastic Four #1 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby with an amazing cast of superheroes that consisted of Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and the Thing. Two years later, the Avengers came onto the scene in Avengers #1 with Iron Man, Thor, Ant-Man, the Wasp, and the Hulk making up that impressive squad. While the two teams were similar and came out roughly at the same time, the Fantastic Four stood apart because, unlike the Avengers who deliberately stayed out of each other’s personal lives, the Fantastic Four were an actual family who faced problems that weren’t withholden to superhero antics. Another key difference is that, after only sixteen issues, the Avengers roster changed completely and has been a revolving door of heroes from that point forward whereas the Fantastic Four has basically stayed the same since the team’s first appearance, making it a squad of irreplaceable characters that can’t be filtered out every few issues.

In Avengers #25 by Stan Lee and Don Heck, the Avengers–a team which, at that time consisted of Captain America, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver–had just finished a battle through the timestream against Kang the Conqueror when they find themselves in the crosshairs of Doctor Doom. At this point, readers were probably wondering why an established Fantastic Four villain would be troubling himself with spying on the Avengers, and not even the original team at that. Well, Doctor Doom sums up his motives perfectly in the opening pages of this issue, saying, “Before I battle the Fantastic Four again, I must fill their hearts with fear! And, what better way to do so than by defeating another super-powered team, such as the Avengers, with the greatest of ease?!!”.


Basically, Doctor Doom only wanted to destroy the Avengers to show the Fantastic Four how powerful he is. This means that Doctor Doom only sees the Avengers as pawns to a much larger game that he is playing with Marvel’s premier superhero team, the Fantastic Four, which would make sense given the lack of structure exhibited by the Avengers thus far. In the second Avengers issue, one of the founding members, the Hulk, left the team because he wasn’t getting the respect he earned after Hulk was instrumental in defeating Loki in the first issue. Then, a few issues later, the entire original lineup left the team because they wanted to retire and pass the torch to an entirely different group of heroes. This instability made the Avengers seem weak and uncoordinated, making them the perfect victims for Doctor Doom’s schemes.

Little did Doctor Doom know, however, that the Avengers was not a team to underestimate, especially Scarlet Witch who used her Hex power to destroy all of Doctor Doom’s machinations within his villainous lab, earning the Avengers their victory. However, even after being beaten by the Avengers, Doctor Doom rarely bothered himself with fighting them again as he only did so the first time as a physiological tactic against the Fantastic Four–proving that Doctor Doom views the Fantastic Four as a more important team than the Avengers.

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What Is The Kang Dynasty? The Comic Storyline Inspiring the Next Avengers Movie

What Is The Kang Dynasty? The Comic Storyline Inspiring the Next Avengers Movie


 The internet is still buzzing about Marvel Studios' Comic-Con panel, which included information on the next three phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Perhaps the biggest announcements were a new pair of Avengers movies in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. And while the latter sent out shockwaves across social media - especially as it looks to adapt a fan-favorite Marvel Comics storyline - The Kang Dynasty is just as important. In fact, the storyline it draws its name from may be one of the most compelling Avengers stories to be printed in comics.

The "Kang Dynasty" storyline took place through Avengers (vol. 3) #41-55, and the Avengers Annual 2001. True to its name, it features Kang the Conqueror establishing his dominion over the entire Earth with the help of his son Marcus - who took up the mantle of the Scarlet Centurion. The Avengers join forces with the respective forces of the United Nations to try and stop Kang, but the Conqueror is well-prepared. Not only does he possess technology from the future, but he also has a major weapon in the form of Damocles Base - a massive, sword-shaped spaceship with enough firepower to put the Death Star to shame. He even hijacks a fleet of mutant-killing robots known as Sentinels to serve him!


Eventually, the Avengers surrender after a failed space attack seemingly results in the death of many of their members. However, the Avengers who went to space encounters a mysterious being named the Master of the World, who has technology that can counter Kang's. Earth's Mightiest Heroes manage to launch a counterattack against the Conqueror. This leads to one of the biggest moments in the comic, where Kang summons a massive holographic image of himself. Captain America counters by summoning his own holographic image, and the two do battle. Eventually, Kang is taken into custody and is saved by Marcus. Kang, however, winds up killing his son and expresses disappointment that Marcus didn't try to take over his empire - before revealing that he has cloned his son, in a seemingly endless campaign against the Avengers.

The Kang Dynasty is an epic in every sense of the world, spanning over two years and involving many classic Avengers. The various artists attached to the title at the time, including Alan Davis (Excalibur), Ivan Reis (Superman), and future Uncanny Avengers writer Rick Remender, truly brought a cinematic flair to their work. It's also the storyline that marked the end of Kurt Busiek's tenure on Avengers. During his run on Avengers, Busiek and a host of artists - most notably the late, great George Perez - truly elevated the Avengers to the position of "Earth's Mightiest Heroes". The Kang Dynasty is the perfect example of Busiek's craft, as every Avenger gets a chance to shine and Kang's conquest feels like it has true life and death stakes.

In fact, The Kang Dynasty being adapted into film continues the trend of Avengers films pulling from Busiek's work. Avengers: Age of Ultron owes a great deal to "Ultron Unlimited", the Busiek/Perez storyline where the genocidal A.I. Ultron launched his deadliest attack against the Avengers. The Avengers Forever miniseries features the Avengers traveling through time, with its influence being heavily felt in Avengers: Endgame. And Thunderbolts, the upcoming film featuring a team of Marvel's supervillains, takes its name from a comic co-created by Busiek. In short, Kurt Busiek may be one of the most influential comic creators where the MCU is concerned.

The Kang Dynasty has also cemented Kang as the MCU's next Big Bad following Thanos, especially as Jonathan Majors is slated to reprise his role as the time-traveling villain in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. With director Peyton Reed hyping up Quantumania as the beginning of Phase 5, it's safe to assume that Kang's actions will carry over into The Kang Dynasty. And with Secret Wars being hinted at in Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, The Kang Dynasty will more than likely serve as the first half of a two part story similar to how Avengers: Infinity War led into Endgame.

Even more recently, Deston Daniel Cretton was revealed to helm The Kang Dynasty. Not only does this mark Cretton's continued involvement with the MCU following the success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, but it also may hint at who will appear in the new roster of the Avengers. Carol Danvers, aka Warbird, was a major player in the Kang Dynasty storyline as she took out Damocles Base. That's not even mentioning the fact that Brie Larson, who plays Carol/Captain Marvel, has appeared in every one of Cretton's films to date. Having Carol as the leader of the Avengers would continue to mark the MCU's trend of building up a new generation of heroes.

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty will come to theaters on May 2, 2025.

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What Is Secret Wars? Avengers 6's Title Explained

What Is Secret Wars? Avengers 6's Title Explained

As confirmed by Marvel Studios at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, the sixth movie starring Earth's Mightiest Heros will officially be titled Avengers: Secret Wars. While Marvel President Kevin Feige revealed the bulk of its upcoming slate for Phase 5, he also announced the future plans for the biggest movies in Phase 6 going all the way to 2025. While the mega-panel included new details about Avengers 5, it was confirmed that Avengers: Secret Wars will be the culmination of every MCU film from Phase 4 onward.

Following Kevin Feige's reveals about the conclusion of the current Phase 4 heading into Phase 5, fans in attendance were surprised with an exciting look at some of the biggest films for Phase 6. Beginning with The Fantastic Four, which is scheduled to release in November of 2024, 2025 will see the release of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty in May followed by Avengers: Secret Wars in November. Not only will this be the first time Marvel Studios has put out two Avengers films in the same year, but it was also confirmed that Secret Wars will be the culmination of Phases 4, 5, and 6, which have collectively been dubbed the MCU's "Multiverse Saga."



What's truly exciting about the Secret Wars title is that the name alone pays off the multitude of theories about the MCU's trajectory following the Infinity Saga. Taken from the epic Marvel Comics storyline of the same name, Secret Wars is a massive crossover revolving around the fate of the entire multiverse. As such, many of Phase 4's projects have already been building towards a major multiversal catastrophe that could bring about a similar end to every reality in existence. Here are the origins and history of Secret Wars in the comics, as well as an explanation of what an MCU version will likely mean for the Multiverse Saga.

What Is Secret Wars In Marvel Comics?


The original Secret Wars was published by Marvel Comics in 1984 by Jim Shooter, with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton. Tying into a line of toys that were released simultaneously, the original Secret Wars was an incredibly simple premise: a cosmic entity known as the Beyonder gathered up several of the biggest Marvel heroes and villains from Earth and placed them on "Battleworld" to fight for his entertainment. Despite the simplicity, the story was a best-seller that earned itself a sequel and also had a lasting impact on the Marvel Universe going forward.

That being said, 2015 saw a rebooted Secret Wars comics event that resulted from the destruction of the multiverse. Coming from Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribíc, the greatest heroes of the Marvel Universe were unable to stop incursions of realities from destroying each other. This included their own Earth-616, which ultimately collided with Marvel's Ultimate Universe known as Earth-1610. Combining with other alternate realities, a new Battleworld was formed, and existence was maintained thanks to Doctor Doom (who naturally made himself Emperor of this patchwork realm of former realities). Eventually, Mister Fantastic was able to restore Earth-616 (albeit with some alterations and changes).

What Secret Wars Means For Avengers 6 (& The Multiverse Saga)


As far as what Secret Wars means for the MCU's future with the newly christened Multiverse Saga, the core concept from the comics can already be seen in action with Phase 4. Loki Season 1 saw the Sacred Timeline being broken, resulting in the multiversal freedom of branch realities and the rise of Kang of the Conqueror. Likewise, Spider-Man: No Way Home showcased the dangers of the realities intermingling unchecked, which Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness took further by showing full-on incursions. Phase 5 is confirmed to contain projects such as Loki season 2, Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania, and Avengers 5: The Kang Dynasty. As such, it's clear that the MCU is headed for even more multiversal mayhem and danger that will no doubt culminate with Avengers: Secret Wars. To that end, The Kang Dynasty will likely have a similar connection to Secret Wars, just as Infinity War did with Endgame. Being an all-conquering time-traveler, Kang will likely break the multiverse as a major cliff-hanger with Secret Wars featuring the heroes fighting to restore their reality.

Currently, there's no telling if the specifics of the comics like Doctor Doom and Mister Fantastic fighting over the multiverse will be present in the MCU's Secret Wars. MCU projects like Avengers: Age of Ultron or Captain America: Civil War are hardly exact replications of the comics they're named after. That being said, the MCU is already sowing seeds for a similar multiversal catastrophe that will undoubtedly warrant the newly confirmed Avengers: Secret Wars title as the perfect conclusion to the Multiverse Saga.
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Marvel Says the Russo Brothers Are NOT Directing Avengers: Secret Wars

Marvel Says the Russo Brothers Are NOT Directing Avengers: Secret Wars



Marvel Studios President and Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige debunked rumors concerning directors Joe and Anthony Russo and the upcoming titles Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Marvel revealed at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 that the Infinity Saga’s sequel, the Multiverse Saga, would similarly end with two Phase 6 Avengers movies. Although fans have speculated the Russo Brothers would return to the MCU for Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars, Feige confirmed, "They’re not connected to it... They've been very direct about that."

But while the Russos may not be attached to those particular films, they may still return to the MCU later on. Feige added he would like to "find something to do together" with the Russo Brothers due to their mutual interest, but it would have to be something other than the Phase Six Avengers movies.

The Russo Brothers previously expressed interest in adapting Secret Wars, with Joe Russo stating, "The one series that we adored growing up was Secret Wars. It’s incredibly ambitious -- it would be bigger than Infinity War and Endgame -- it’s a massive undertaking and those two movies were really very hard to make." He continued, "So trying to imagine making another two movies even bigger than those two, we’re gonna have to sleep on it."

The director quickly explained in a follow-up interview that their love for the classic Marvel comic story arc had nothing to do with their involvement in the project. Joe Russo confirmed they "haven’t had conversations" with Marvel Studio about "anything they’re up to," due to their conflicting schedules.

Secret Wars was a 12-issue limited series published between 1984 and 1985. The crossover series saw heroes and villains across the Marvel Universe face off in a place known as Battleworld. It was written by James Shooter, with artwork by Mike Zack and Bob Layton. A later 2015 version (written by Jonathan Hickman and illustrated by Esad Ribić) deals with the destruction of the Marvel universe and other alternative universes in Battleworld.

As for Kang, Phase 4 Disney+ series Loki seemingly introduced the next big bad in the MCU: the multiversal supervillain, Kang the Conquerer. Kang described the rise of his power and how his death would eventually lead to different versions of himself fighting against each other in a multiversal war, which is what the TVA and sacred timeline previously helped to prevent before both were fractured by Sylvie.

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MCU Boss Reveals Why Avengers Movies Are Missing From Phases 4 & 5

MCU Boss Reveals Why Avengers Movies Are Missing From Phases 4 & 5



As the Infinity Saga gradually built closer to its climax, the scale of the Avengers blockbusters grew immensely before culminating in the one-two combo of Infinity War and Endgame. With the Multiverse Saga well underway, many have been eager to discover where it's all heading and when Avengers 5 will finally be pushing toward theaters.

Every chapter of the MCU so far has concluded with an Avengers flick, so fans have naturally been questioning the absence of an ensemble epic on the Phase 4 slate. With Marvel Studios having remained quiet on the direction of Phase 4, even with thirteen projects already released, theories have been running wild on where everything is heading, with all signs pointing to Secret Wars.

Now, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has finally taken to the stage at Comic-Con to reveal slates for Phases 5 and 6, confirming the current chapter will conclude this year. The Multiverse Saga will officially come to an end across May and November 2025 with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars, both of which fall in Phase 6, leaving two phases with no Avengers film.

Many may be disappointed to hear Avengers 5 is so far away, but Feige offered a strong explanation for why that had to be the case. 

Marvel's New Avengers Movie Strategy


During an interview with Phase Zero's Brandon Davis at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige explained why Phase 4 and 5 won't include Avengers blockbusters.

Discussing the lessons he's learned throughout Phase 4, Feige explained that because there are more projects across fewer years, "it didn't seem right to culminate" yet. Now, Feige believes it makes more sense to "[save] back-to-back Avengers films for the completion of a saga:"

“Well, I think we learn something on every project we do. But as we were laying out and even three years ago, here, laying out Phase 4, which we didn’t lay out all of but most of. You know, we realized that it’s very different than Phase 1, 2, & 3. That there are more projects and less years and therefore, it didn’t seem right to culminate… you know, we’re not gonna culminate every 10 months in an Avengers movie. And each of the films themselves now has become quite big and are crossover events in many ways. And after the creative experience we had with Infinity War and Endgame, it felt like it was about capping a saga. Saving back-to-back Avengers films for the completion of a saga. And that’s really what we wanted to lay out today.”


Why Phase 4 & 5's Avengers Break is Needed
With so many MCU projects having been released, many will undoubtedly be feeling that Marvel Studios is due the fans an Avengers blockbuster to tie things together. But Feige appears to have a different plan for the Avengers franchise, as he continues to release the team-up flicks at roughly the same rate, but now to cap off a saga instead of a phase.

As Marvel Studios used to only release a few projects a year, the Infinity Saga took over a decade to complete. The Multiverse Saga will instead be finished in under five years, by which point the MCU will begin plotting the course toward its third saga, but who knows how Secret Wars can possibly be matched.

Obviously, it's unrealistic for Marvel Studios to pump out an Avengers flick every year or two to culminate a phase, so now they will instead conclude a saga. This ought to help maintain the break between films that makes the blockbuster team-ups feel so special and allows them to break box office records.

Perhaps with a six-year break between Endgame and The Kang Dynasty, the fifth Avengers outing will once again stand a chance at topping box office records. Many previously thought Marvel would never have a shot at matching the culmination of the Infinity Saga, but Feige has made it very apparent that he fully intends to try his hardest.

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty hits theaters on May 2, 2025; Secret Wars will follow on November 7, 2025.
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Marvel Announces Avengers: Secret Wars and Kang Dynasty

Marvel Announces Avengers: Secret Wars and Kang Dynasty



Avengers 5 and Avengers 6 officially have titles as Marvel Studios announces the names of the conclusive Phase 6 films.

During its Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios dropped a bombshell with the surprise announcement of Avengers: Secret Wars and Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Fans have long speculated that Phase 5 or Phase 6 of the MCU could bring Secret Wars to the big screen, and more and more hints have emerged as Phase 4 has unfolded. As for Kang, his arrival in the Season 1 finale of Loki led to countless theories about how the villain could slide into the Thanos role for the MCU's next saga. Now, it's clear all the speculation about Secret Wars and Kang was spot on.
Outside of fan speculation, the Russo Brothers have long discussed how they want to bring Secret Wars to the big screen. And Phase 4 has already teased elements of the 2015 comic book storyline. An end-credits scene for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness pointed directly to a Secret Wars setup. In the scene, Clea confronts Strange and reveals his multiversal travels across the MCU have created an incursion event, meaning two worlds are about to collide, potentially destroying both. Incursions and the destruction of worlds, along with the Illuminati, come directly from writer Jonathan Hickman's Secret Wars run and the build-up to the story in New Avengers.

Thor: Love and Thunder also provided a possible Secret Wars origin in the MCU with the first appearance of Eternity. In the comics, Eternity is killed by the Beyonders, leading to Doctor Doom annihilating the group and transforming the remains of the multiverse into Battleworld. It's likely many of these story elements will be adapted for Avengers: Secret Wars and other upcoming stories in the MCU.

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is slightly harder to peg, as there are many more possibilities for its plot. According to Loki director Kate Herron, Kang was also responsible for the entirety of the Infinity Saga, which comprises all the films up through Spider-Man: Far From Home. Rumors suggest multiple versions of Kang will appear throughout upcoming MCU projects, so the sixth Avengers film could be seeded alongside the fifth. In fact, it's possible Doctor Doom's role in the Secret Wars comics will be filled by Kang.

Besides Season 2 of Loki, it's already been confirmed that Kang will return in the upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, with star Paul Rudd saying Kang actor Jonathan Majors' performance blew him away. Beyond that, there's no telling where Kang could pop up next, but audiences can likely expect a lot more from the villain as he builds his dynasty and prepares to face the new Avengers.

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty arrives in theaters May 2, 2025. Avengers: Secret Wars arrives in theaters Nov. 7, 2025

Source: Marvel Studios
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Avengers Gives Mephisto the Most Terrifying Power Boost Imaginable

Avengers Gives Mephisto the Most Terrifying Power Boost Imaginable



The Marvel Universe is filled with threats, but few are as insidious as Mephisto. An ageless and almost limitlessly powerful force, the Lord of Hell has been slowly unraveling a mysterious new scheme for the multiverse -- and he just gained a boost that makes him even more dangerous.

Avengers #54, by Jason Aaron, Juan Frigeri, David Curiel and VC's Cory Petit, reveals that Mephisto's plans involve claiming the Watcher's Eye from the Orb -- and, thanks to Doom Supreme, he has now gained the terrifying upgrade.


Mephisto has quietly been positioned as the ultimate threat to the world in the current volume of Avengers. Working behind the scenes, he was responsible for the creation of the Heroes Reborn universe, has recruited a dark variant of Howard Stark as his deadly Iron Inquisitor, and unleashed the Masters of Evil across the multiverse. Coupled with revelations during the Kindred story arc in The Amazing Spider-Man, it's become clear that Mephisto has plans to conquer all things in the multiverse and corrupt them toward some unseen goal. He's even recruited a multiversal army of his variants to aid with this cause, with the Council of Red quietly being set up as the ultimate threat to the modern Marvel Universe.

Chasing down the Deathloks to Earth-616 at Mephisto's behest, the Masters of Evil have engaged the mainstream Avengers far earlier than Mephisto intended. Confronting Doom Supreme about breaking their deal, Mephisto reveals that their attack killed the Orb, thereby disrupting his plans for the Watcher's Eye that the Orb possessed. Doom Supreme is able to re-conjure the Eye and after taking a bite and gaining a bit of cosmic knowledge for himself leaves the rest to be consumed by Mephisto, potentially giving the Council of Red a wealth of dangerous new information. Considering the Devil's already prolific knowledge about the universe and the people within, his acquisition of even more knowledge is a truly worrisome prospect.






 

Mephisto's plans have already been hinted to involve the defeat of every Marvel hero, either in this generation or the next. He has always sought ways to try and change the timeline to fully ensure his victory, which explains his extended interest in Spider-Man, whose offspring was seen defeating him in a vision of the future. But now, with the power of the Watcher's Eye at his disposal, Mephisto might be able to see a hundred new ways to change the timeline to his advantage. Already a devious planner and negotiator, the demonic figure could position himself and the Council of Red to plague the Marvel Universe in new and even more dangerous ways.

With this upgrade, Mephisto essentially got the same perk Reed Richards just gained in the Reckoning War, minus the apparent death sentence that comes with it. This boost is one of the most dangerous kinds of advantages the Devil could gain, giving him the kind of power he needs to overcome frequent foes like Doctor Strange. Considering the mystical Avenger is currently dead, there's never been a better opening for Mephisto to take advantage of a vulnerable universe. The Avengers of the multiverse might be the only hope left for the Marvel multiverse at this point, putting even more pressure on the likes of Robbie Reyes to turn the tide against the Masters of Evil and their demonic mastermind.

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Avengers: Endgame Directors Deny Secret Wars Movie Rumors

Avengers: Endgame Directors Deny Secret Wars Movie Rumors

Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo have denied recent rumors that they would helm a Secret Wars movie.

In an interview with the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the co-directors addressed recent speculations about them returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to direct a rumored Secret Wars movie. When asked if they were talking to Marvel Studios about said project, Joe Russo clarified that "there are no conversations [with Marvel]."



When asked if fans should expect them to show up at 2022's upcoming San Diego Comic-Con for a surprise announcement, Russo shut down the rumor, claiming that they're not and they "haven't had conversations with those guys [at Marvel Studios] about anything they are up to because we've been intensely busy with our own schedule." Joe Russo continued, "We just always answer truthfully when we're asked, you know, 'would you work with them?' Of course we would, we adore them. 'What would you like to do?' Secret Wars, it was our favorite series growing up. And I think it always gets turned into a bigger story, but to be clear, there is no story."

Is the MCU Headed For Secret Wars?
Since the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, there has been some speculation that the future of the MCU would be heading towards Secret Wars. With the Doctor Strange sequel introducing "incursion" and more MCU projects tackling the Multiverse, many were convinced that Phase 4 would lead to an adaption of the famous comic-book event. Written by Jim Shooter with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton, Secret Wars was a 12-issue limited series published by Marvel Comics between 1984 and 1985, which saw heroes and villains across the Marvel Universe face off on a place known as Battleworld. The series featured the Avengers, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four, among others.

In a previous interview, the Russo Brothers stated they were open to the possibility of returning to the MCU, though they were preoccupied with their busy schedules. This is also not the first time the Russo brothers have expressed a desire to adapt Secret Wars as a film. "It's incredibly ambitious -- it would be bigger than Infinity War and Endgame -- it's a massive undertaking and those two movies were really very hard to make," Joe Russo previously stated. "So trying to imagine making another two movies even bigger than those two, we're gonna have to sleep on it."

The Russo brothers are currently busy with their production company, AGBO, with their most recent project being a Netflix action film, The Gray Man, starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans. Based on Mark Greaney's novel of the same name, the film stars Gosling as Court Gentry, who is being hunted by his former partner Lloyd Hansen, played by Evans.

The Gray Man hits Netflix on July 22.




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Deadpool Joins Avengers Campus in a Blink-and-You'll-Miss-It Cameo

Deadpool Joins Avengers Campus in a Blink-and-You'll-Miss-It Cameo


Avengers Campus in Disneyland Paris hides a sneaky reference to Wade Wilson aka Deadpool.

As pointed out by Insider journalist Kirsten Acuna during a media preview event, one of the park's latest attractions acknowledges the existence of the Merc with the Mouth. During the Avengers Assemble: Flight Force event, the ride's plot sees Tony Stark discovering the existence of a Kree missile hurtling towards Earth and scrolls through his list of superhero contacts to determine who could assist with the problem. A card for Deadpool, which includes his real name and logo, briefly appears under the "Do Not Contact" section alongside other roguish Marvel characters such as Yondu, Nebula, Crossbones and Sonny Burch. It's currently unknown whether Disney has any plans to include Wade Wilson in its Avengers Campus experience.

While Deadpool himself doesn't make an appearance in the theme park video, various Marvel Cinematic Universe characters do briefly feature when Iron Man asks them for help. These heroes include Rocket Raccoon, Ms. Marvel, Ant-Man and Sam Wilson, sporting the new Captain America costume he donned in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Despite their hasty responses, each character is unable to lend a hand in stopping the Kree's weapon and they're otherwise occupied with their own problems.

Avengers Campus is a theme-park location based on the ever-growing MCU. There are currently two areas dedicated to allowing Marvel fans to walk amongst their favorite comic book and film characters, with the first being established at Disney California Adventure in 2021 while the Disneyland Paris version opens on July 20, 2022. The parks are known to keep up with recent MCU releases, featuring appearances by iconic characters such as America Chavez, President Loki and both Moon Knight and Mr. Knight.

While Avengers Campus is largely inspired by the characters and actors that feature in the MCU, many fans were initially puzzled by the parks' placement in the sprawling canon of the on-screen superhero world. Dan Fields, executive creative director of Disney Parks Live Entertainment, explained that while the links and inspiration are apparent, the MCU is set in a different universe to the theme park. "This campus exists in the real world, and therefore, those heroes are here and keep an eye on us, keep us all safe. There's no apocalyptic snap happening in this campus," Fields said.

Disneyland Paris' Avengers Campus opens on July 20.
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Russo brothers tease Avengers: Secret Wars will be bigger than Infinity War and Endgame

Russo brothers tease Avengers: Secret Wars will be bigger than Infinity War and Endgame


With Thor: Love and Thunder and Ms. Marvel now available, we’ve now seen six MCU Phase 4 movies and seven Marvel Disney Plus shows. And all this time, Marvel went out of its way not to feature the Avengers in any of these projects in a meaningful way. There’s no Avengers 5 release set for the near future, but at least we think that Secret Wars might be the endgame of the current saga.

Marvel is still planting the seeds for that story, and it’s not ready to reveal any firm details about the Avengers franchise. Fans are talking, however. And they’re wondering if the Infinity War and Endgame directors would helm the project. Well, the Russo brothers have addressed Avengers: Secret Wars again. Beware, some spoilers might follow below if you’re not up to date on the Phase 4 titles released so far.

What’s the difference between Secret Wars and Secret Invasion?
Marvel has already finished principal shooting on Secret Invasion, an MCU Phase 4 title that will hit Disney Plus at some point in the coming months. It’ll probably be out next summer, likely around the release of The Marvels.

Secret Invasion might easily be one of the most ambitious Disney Plus show in the MCU so far and a story that might influence the future of the MCU significantly. While the plot hasn’t leaked, the gist of the story is quite simple. An alien race with shape-shifting abilities might have infiltrated Earth, taking over various characters. Even superheroes.


Secret Wars is much bigger than that, however. It’s a massive crossover that will probably feature all the Avengers and heroes from any other groups that Marvel might want to introduce. It’ll likely be a conflict between worlds, with Doctor Strange 2 having already provided the way to start it — the incursions.

Put differently, Avengers: Secret Wars might be the endgame of the current phase, while Secret Invasion will be just another part of the story that gets us there.

Will the Russo brothers direct Avengers 5?
Anthony and Joe Russo are responsible for some of Marvel’s biggest successes. Infinity War and Endgame made nearly $5 billion at the box office.

The Russos also made Captain America: Civil War, which earned $1.15 billion at the box office. The movie could have easily been part of the Avengers franchise, considering that all the top Avengers appear in the film. And Civil War ties right into Infinity War.

With that in mind, the Russos are the first directors that come to mind when discussing the Avengers franchise’s future. And it so happens that the two of them have said more than once that they love  Secret Wars.

That’s hardly a confirmation that the Russos will do Avengers: Secret Wars when the time comes. Or that Avengers 5 will be a part of that story. But the Russos keep addressing a potential return to Marvel. And they just did it during the premiere of The Gray Man, their next Netflix title.
They talked to Deadline about Marvel and said that Secret Wars is the one comics series they adored while growing up. But the way Joe Russo framed everything makes it seems like they’re actually considering a Secret Wars movie.

“It’s incredibly ambitious, it’s bigger than Infinity War and Endgame, but it’s a massive undertaking,” Joe said. “Those two movies were very hard to make, so trying to imagine making two movies even bigger than those two? We’re gonna have to sleep on that.”

When will Marvel announce Avengers 5?
Reports last year said the Russos and Marvel had been negotiating a new project, but the brothers were taken aback by Disney’s handling of Scarlett Johansson. And, again, Marvel is likely still months out from confirming Avengers 5.


However, Kevin Feige recently teased that Marvel will provide a few clues about where the story is heading. We expect Marvel to return to Comic-Con San Diego this month. That’s one place where Marvel could reveal some of the plans for the not-too-distant future. Then there’s D23 in September, which could be an even better venue to tease anything as big as Avengers: Secret Wars.




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