Avengers: Doomsday Archives - ComicBook.com https://comicbook.com/tag/avengers-doomsday/ Comic Book Movies, News, & Digital Comic Books Mon, 13 Jan 2025 20:20:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://comicbook.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/10/cropped-ComicBook-icon_808e20.png?w=32 Avengers: Doomsday Archives - ComicBook.com https://comicbook.com/tag/avengers-doomsday/ 32 32 237547605 The Russo Brothers Confirm They Had Plans for a Marvel Return Before Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/marvel-avengers-doomsday-secret-wars-russo-brothers-mcu-return/ Mon, 13 Jan 2025 20:01:00 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1235991

Avengers filmmakers… assemble. Five years after directing duo Anthony and Joe Russo ended an era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige announced that the Russo brothers would be returning to helm the Multiverse Saga-ending Avengers: Doomsday (dated May 1, 2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (May 7, 2027). Not […]

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Avengers filmmakers… assemble. Five years after directing duo Anthony and Joe Russo ended an era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige announced that the Russo brothers would be returning to helm the Multiverse Saga-ending Avengers: Doomsday (dated May 1, 2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (May 7, 2027). Not only are the Russos reuniting with screenwriter Stephen McFeely — co-writer with Christopher Markus of the Russo-directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, and Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame — but ex-Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. is donning the metal mask and armor of Doctor Doom.

While Endgame was the end of the line for the original lineup of Earth’s mightiest heroes — Downey’s Iron Man, Chris Evans’ Captain America, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow, Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye, and Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk — it was also supposed to be the final MCU movie from the four-time Marvel directors.

Endgame was the end, and it took a little time for us to begin to think about it as something other than an end,” Anthony Russo told Empire Magazine in an interview pegged to their new Netflix movie The Electric State. “We’re very close with Kevin and Lou [D’Esposito, Marvel Studios’ Co-President] and the entire Marvel team and we’ve had conversations through the years. We’ve talked about a lot of ideas.”

The Russos fielded questions about returning to the MCU while promoting non-Marvel movies like The Gray Man and Cherry, and in 2022, they said “never say never” when asked whether they could see themselves back behind the camera for another Avengers-sized epic. One idea that kept surfacing: Secret Wars.

“Really what happened was, we ended up stumbling upon an idea that activated all of us,” Anthony explained. “You couldn’t see it coming until it came, and once it came it was like, ‘Well, that’s a story we need to tell.'”

Added Joe, “There were ideas that we were trying to wrap our heads around that preceded this one, and we just never found the story.” Although the Russos didn’t disclose which projects might have helmed, none seemed right until McFeely figured out how to adapt Secret Wars for the MCU.

An expansive superhero epic with a roster of characters that spans multiverses, 2015’s Secret Wars was conceived by comic book writer Jonathan Hickman as a universe-colliding event which would dwarf 1984’s superhero crossover Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars.

“I remember calling Steve [McFeely] and said, ‘Hey, crazy idea. What do you think if we all go back and do Secret Wars?'” Joe Russo said. “You were like, ‘F— no. Absolutely not.’ And then you hung up. And the next morning at 7.30 you called and were like, ‘Alright, I have an idea.'”

It seems that idea hinges on Downey’s Doctor Doom. The Oppenheimer Oscar winner is coming out of retirement as the MCU’s greatest hero to play Marvel’s greatest villain, an archnemesis of the Fantastic Four who, as it happens, is the central character of 2015’s Secret Wars. Feige brought the Russo brothers on stage to announce the news at last summer’s San Diego Comic-Con, revealing that Avengers 5 — originally titled The Kang Dynasty and centered on the since-fired Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror — had been renamed Doomsday, and that Downey would be the man behind Doom’s mask.

“That four-movie run was incredible, and it left us creatively spent with all our emotions on the floor,” Anthony Russo told the packed 6,500-seat Hall H. “In the time since, through a very special story, Joe and I have come to potentially see a road forward with you all.”

Plot details are being locked away on Battleworld, but Marvel also confirmed that this summer’s Fantastic Four: First Steps — which stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Susan Richards/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/the Thing — will feed into Doomsday and Secret Wars, with Marvel’s first family joining Earth’s mightiest heroes in a crossover that is rumored to include everyone from Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine.

Besides Downey, reported cast members include Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange. To paraphrase the master of the mystic arts: We’re really in the endgame now.

Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to open May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027, as the final film of The Multiverse Saga.

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5 Things Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars Need to Include From the Comics https://comicbook.com/movies/news/avengers-doomsday-secret-wars-comics-details-include-beyonder-adaptation/ Mon, 13 Jan 2025 15:00:00 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1233249 A split image of Secret Wars #1, God Emperor Doom fighting Marvel's heroes, and the formation of Battleworld from Secret Wars 1984

The hype train has already left the station for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. This began with San Diego Comic-Con in 2024, when Kevin Feige announced the return of Marvel heavyweights Robert Downey Jr. and filmmakers the Russo brothers, and continued with the news that Chris Evans will also return to the MCU. These […]

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A split image of Secret Wars #1, God Emperor Doom fighting Marvel's heroes, and the formation of Battleworld from Secret Wars 1984

The hype train has already left the station for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. This began with San Diego Comic-Con in 2024, when Kevin Feige announced the return of Marvel heavyweights Robert Downey Jr. and filmmakers the Russo brothers, and continued with the news that Chris Evans will also return to the MCU. These movies are looking to revolve around RDJ’s Doctor Doom and seem to be taking their marching order from the Secret Wars comics, the name of a series of excellent Marvel event comics.

Marvel has bungled the Multiverse Saga and these two movies are their tickets back to the top. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe has gotten further and further away from its comic-accurate roots, there are several things from the Secret Wars comics that these movies could use to great effect. Secret Wars stories have some tropes that have helped them become beloved, and Marvel Studios would do well to include the best ones.

Battleworld

A split image of Battleworld from Secret Wars 2015 and the creation of Battle world from Secret Wars 1984

Battleworld appeared in both the original Secret Wars from 1984 and the 2015 one. The original Battleworld was an amalgamation of different planets created by the Beyonder. The Beyonder made it so that the heroes and villains would have places to fight — hence the name — for the ultimate reward. The second Battleworld was made up of pieces of the Multiverse that Doom, Doctor Strange, and Molecule Man were able to save after the Incursions destroyed the Multiverse.

Battleworld is an integral part of the Secret Wars mythos. No matter where Marvel takes the story — whether it goes more towards the 1984 or the 2015 Secret Wars — Battleworld needs to be part of it. Each version has its charm — the original has high-tech alien bases and a variety of flora, fauna, and geographic conditions while the latter has pieces of the coolest worlds from the Marvel Multiverse. The latter is probably the version that the movies will use, as the Incursions have already been teased in the MCU, letting MCU fans experience Battleworld.

The Beyonder/Beyonders

The Beyonder in his silver armor in front of Iron Man and She-Hulk

Without the Beyonder and his people, there is no Secret Wars. The first Secret Wars revolved around the Beyonder, then known as One from Beyond, bringing together the heroes and villains of Earth to test them against each other. The character would get fleshed out in Secret Wars II, when he took on a human body and went to Earth to learn about being human. The Beyonder became a fixture in the Marvel Universe, showing up to do crazy stuff and then disappearing for a while.

Jonathan Hickman’s run on Avengers/New Avengers would introduce readers to the Beyonders and go more into the origin of the Beyonder — it was part of a race of all-powerful beings who dwell outside the Multiverse. They created the Celestials and maintained the Multiverse, and eventually started the Incursions as an experiment. Much like Battleworld, it’s impossible to imagine a Secret Wars story without the Beyonder or Beyonders. Things are pointing to them appearing, again because of the Incursions, and that’s a very good thing.

Molecule Man

Molecule Man surrounded by energy

Molecule Man first appeared in 1960 Fantastic Four #20. Owen Reece gained the power to control molecules and fought the Fantastic Four many times over the years. He was part of the villains gathered by the Beyonder. He’d become a major part of the Secret Wars mythos in Secret Wars II, his powers allowing him to stand against the Beyonder. His godlike power had its drawbacks — they drove him crazy — and it was revealed that they came from the universe of the Beyonders, linking him to them. The Molecule Man would allow Doom to manipulate the powers of the Beyonders in 2015’s Secret Wars, kept secret from the rest of Battleworld by Doom and Doctor Strange.

Molecule Man is an important factor in Secret Wars stories. His relationship to the Beyonders and the Multiverse — it’s revealed that he can exist on a multiversal level, with one of him in every universe — is unique in the Marvel Universe, and he’s a rather sympathetic villain, having tapped into something he doesn’t understand. The MCU could always use more sympathetic villains, and Doomsday/Secret Wars could use Molecule Man to great impact.

God Emperor Doom

The heroes of the Marvel Multiverse attacking God Emperor Doom

The announcement of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom was a massive surprise, and it’s one that fits the tropes of the Secret Wars comics. Doctor Doom plays an integral role in the first and last Secret Wars. In the 1984 one, he’s basically the leader of the villains and eventually is able to steal the power of the Beyonder, becoming a god and the main villain of the story. In the 2015 Secret Wars, he’s the savior of the Multiverse and the leader of Battleworld, ruling as God Emperor Doom.

Doom became a god twice in the Secret Wars stories and he needs to become one in the movies as well. It’s still unknown how Doom is going to work in the new movies — whether RDJ Doom is the actual Doom or a multiversal Iron Man pretending to be Doom trying to fight the true Doom — but regardless, God Emperor Doom has to appear. It’s such an important part of what Secret Wars is.

Superpowered Warfare

The cover to Secret Wars 2015 #1, featuring multiversal Marvel heroes in battle

This one might seem like a no-brainer, given the name, but Secret Wars has always revolved around the concept of superpowered warfare. The 1984 version pits two sides against each other for the ultimate prize, while the 2015 version started with the 616 and 1610 Marvel Universes fighting each other for survival. This opened on a Battleworld that had been living under a fragile peace which is shattered when survivors of Earths-616 and 1610 start agitating the various factions and cause them to rise up against Doom. War is very important to these stories and the movies need to remember that.

The MCU has shown that they know how to cool superpowered war scenes — Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame have excellent, large-scale battle scenes — so it should be a snap to include that sort of thing in the new films. A multiversal war, manipulated by the Beyonders, Doctor Doom, or both, has to be the main focus of these movies. Marvel Studios needs to bring things to the next level with these films, and superpowered war is the road they need to take to get there.

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New Black Panther Rumor Has Marvel Fans Fuming (But Some Are Happy With It) https://comicbook.com/movies/news/black-panther-3-recast-chadwick-boseman-tchalla-rumor-avengers/ Wed, 08 Jan 2025 05:06:08 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1232415

Marvel is reportedly looking to replace Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa for future Black Panther appearances and the reaction is pretty split among fans. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is known for having one of the longest ongoing cinematic stories out there. While there are film franchises that have existed for much longer, like James Bond, the […]

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Marvel is reportedly looking to replace Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa for future Black Panther appearances and the reaction is pretty split among fans. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is known for having one of the longest ongoing cinematic stories out there. While there are film franchises that have existed for much longer, like James Bond, the MCU has been telling one big story for nearly 20 years now. Everything is connected and all of the key characters have been played by their actors for many years. However, this unique storytelling experiment has also resulted in some difficult challenges for Marvel and its group of filmmakers.

In 2020, Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman passed away from colon cancer. It was a sudden surprise to fans and Boseman’s colleagues as he had largely kept it a secret for some time. It was a devastating loss given Boseman was a talented actor and was really just beginning his stint in the Marvel universe. Boseman had only appeared in one solo movie and was preparing to star in a Black Panther sequel at the time of his death.

Sadly, plans for that film were scrapped when Boseman passed away and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever dealt with his death in-universe, opting to kill T’Challa off off-screen. The movie dealt with Wakanda in the wake of T’Challa’s death and ultimately saw the mantle of Black Panther getting passed down to Shuri. It was also teased at the end of the film that T’Challa had a son that was named after his father.

With all of that said, journalist Jeff Sneider is reporting that Marvel is looking to recast T’Challa for future Black Panther appearances. Boseman’s version of T’Challa would be left untouched, but a new version of the character would be brought in through the multiverse, possibly for Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars. Sneider noted that the role was offered to an unnamed actor last fall, but the actor declined. However, Marvel is still looking to find someone to fill the role. Black Panther 3 is currently in development with Ryan Coogler still involved, but not much is known about the project at the moment and if it’ll center around this new version of T’Challa.

black pather (2018)

Coogler is working on a new vampire movie known as Sinners which releases later this year, so it’s likely he’s still in the fairly early stages of putting together Black Panther 3. However, Denzel Washington did let it slip that he will be involved in the new Black Panther film in some capacity. Although Sneider has a mixed track record with exclusives, he has correctly reported on things such as Robert Downey Jr. taking on the role of Doctor Doom prior to their announcement. Nevertheless, take the news with a grain of salt until it’s confirmed by Marvel.

Regardless, the rumor has sent the Marvel community into a frenzy. Marvel fans are pretty split with some feeling like it’s a bad, disrespectful decision while some long for the return of T’Challa. You can see some of the fan reactions below.

Black Panther Fans Would Prefer T’Challa’s Son

@JessyAraiza3 on Twitter: “Use his son also named T’Challa and just age him up so he can start being Black Panther. That’s the best route especially if Shuri isn’t gonna be Black Panther anymore.”

@TheSliceofAnime on Twitter: “They got the kid, just wait ten years and you’ll have him back, until then MAKE OTHER CHARACTERS THAT AUDIENCES LIKE.”

Some Marvel Fans Think Recasting Black Panther Is The Right Move

@ResonantJustice on Twitter: “Ultimately the right decision, and one that should’ve been made back in 2021. They ALWAYS should’ve recast the role.”

@RandyS0725 on Twitter: “I think enough time has passed, I’d love a new actor in the role of MCU T’Challa (son of T’Chaka, Shuri’s brother). And hopefully, it means Marvel Studios got some time travel shenanigans in mind for Black Panther, because I don’t think it works otherwise.”

black Panther (2018)

Some Black Panther Fans Think It’s Too Late to Recast

@MelaninMugen on Twitter: “Too fu–ing late for that. Should’ve did that for Black Panther 2.”

@will18872 on Twitter: “It’s too late now the 2nd movie was dedicated to his death so what’s the point now?”

Other Black Panther Fans Think The Move is Disrespectful

@FMark2011 on Twitter: “There was a WHOLE F–KING SEQUEL ABOUT HONORING HIS LEGACY WHAT ARE YOU F–KING THINKING?!”

@relentlessglyph on Twitter: “This is a really sh–ty thing to do… hopefully they reconsider”

Black Panther Fan Castings Have Already Begun

@dj0ssef on Twitter: “Damson Idris missed out on John Stewart, this could be the next best thing.”

@MACHESMALONE on Twitter: “Damson Idris, Aldis Hodge, Yahya Abdul Mateen II”

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New Post Hints at Charlie Cox Appearing in Avengers: Doomsday (What Does That Mean for Daredevil: Born Again?) https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/daredevil-charlie-cox-avengers-doomsday-training-mcu/ Mon, 30 Dec 2024 17:13:11 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1226151 Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios

Marvel Studios is gearing up for its return to the Avengers franchise, driving the MCU towards a multiversal collision that culminates in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. The casts for these movies are obviously going to be massive, with Robert Downey Jr. headlining them as the villainous Doctor Doom (after spending years anchoring the […]

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Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios

Marvel Studios is gearing up for its return to the Avengers franchise, driving the MCU towards a multiversal collision that culminates in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. The casts for these movies are obviously going to be massive, with Robert Downey Jr. headlining them as the villainous Doctor Doom (after spending years anchoring the MCU as Iron Man). But there are a lot of questions surrounding the rest of the cast, with fans wondering which popular Marvel characters will have a role.

While he may not have powers like Thor or Captain Marvel, it appears that Daredevil is going to play a part in the upcoming Avengers saga. He’s a street-level hero that largely keeps to Hell’s Kitchen, but Charlie Cox’s iteration of Daredevil could be elevated to Avengers status for either Doomsday or Secret Wars, which is incredible news for fans.

Over the weekend, DFRNT Health and Fitness in Melbourne, Australia posted a photo of Charlie Cox after a workout at their facility. The caption alongside the Instagram photo says that Cox and his wife have been working out at DFRNT for a few weeks, as the Marvel star was “training for his role in the upcoming Marvel Avengers movie where he will play Daredevil.”

These kinds of posts obviously need to be taken with a grain of salt, because it could just be that the folks at DFRNT were mistaken about Cox’s upcoming Marvel work. That said, there’s no reason to believe Cox won’t appear in one of the Avengers films, and his getting in shape now matches the timeline for those movies kicking off production next year.

What Does This Mean for Daredevil: Born Again?

If Cox is reprising his Daredevil role in one of the upcoming Avengers movies, it does bring even more attention to the events of Daredevil: Born Again. The highly anticipated series arrives on Disney+ in March and is going to be mirroring the gritty, grounded tone of the original Netflix Daredevil series.

The knowledge of Daredevil in Avengers: Doomsday would add intrigue to the story of Born Again, because it would need to leave Matt Murdock in a place where he could realistically join up with the Avengers. There have been seeds planted for Daredevil to work alongside Avengers-level heroes, such as Spider-Man and She-Hulk. It’s entirely possible that the ending of Daredevil: Born Again could get him back into a situation where he is called upon by those heroes.

There’s also the Kingpin of it all to consider. As Wilson Fisk pushes to become the mayor in Born Again, his new level of power and influence could make him an enemy to the Avengers. Perhaps someone like Victor Von Doom needs a political ally in New York City?

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Hayley Atwell Joins Avengers: Doomsday (But Is She Playing Captain Carter?) https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/hayley-atwell-joins-avengers-doomsday-but-is-she-playing-captain-carter/ Fri, 13 Dec 2024 22:04:16 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1217393 Marvel Studios
Hayley-Atwell

It’s been a busy few weeks over at Marvel Studios headquarters, and things don’t seem to be settling down in the least. Marvel made news when Robert Downey Jr. revealed he would be returning to the MCU as Doctor Doom, and this week it was revealed that Chris Evans was returning to the fold as […]

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Marvel Studios
Hayley-Atwell

It’s been a busy few weeks over at Marvel Studios headquarters, and things don’t seem to be settling down in the least. Marvel made news when Robert Downey Jr. revealed he would be returning to the MCU as Doctor Doom, and this week it was revealed that Chris Evans was returning to the fold as well. Now a new report from Deadline is adding another name to that mix, as Hayley Atwell is expected to return as well in Avengers: Doomsday.

As for who she will be playing, it is expected that she will reprise her role as Agent Carter, though it’s a big hazy if that also includes being Captain Carter at some point. The report specifically mentions Agent Carter, which is how she spent most of her time in the MCU after debuting in Captain America: The First Avenger.

Atwell would then get her own series in Agent Carter, but later she would debut in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as Captain Carter, who has become a big fan favorite over the years. Granted, she died a rather gruesome death in that film, but hey, so did everyone else, so she’s in elite company.

In the mainline film continuity, Peggy Carter is deceased, as Steve Rogers attends her funeral. If Evans is also returning, then we could very well see two alternate versions of both characters to coincide with our Doom version of Tony Stark, and it would be wonderful to see Peggy and Steve back together on the screen once more.

Fans would undoubtedly love to see Atwell return as Captain Carter in live action in some form as well, but it remains to be seen if that will or even can happen. One person who is very much down for returning as Captain Carter is Atwell though, as during an appearance at AwesomeCon (via CosmicCircus) she revealed she would love to see the character evolve and develop in some sort of future story.

“Well…I haven’t got news for you. But I share your enthusiasm,” Atwell said. “And I would love to if Marvel did find a home for her; that’s a home that feels worthy of her in terms of her evolution as a character and development as a character.”

“The experience I’ve had in playing her has given me the most incredible opportunity to hone my particular craft in this franchise. And I’ve got more to do, and because I feel the fans deserve that,” Atwell said. “In some ways, with a lot of people, she’s a minor player, and it wouldn’t make sense if I was to continue to be a minor player in that if it felt like, well, this is a different time. And also particularly as a woman with everything that’s happened the last few years. When she says in her timeline, ‘I know my value and everyone else’s opinion; it doesn’t matter,’ that’s really good.”

Are you excited for Atwell’s MCU return? You can talk all things movies and Marvel with me on Threads @mattaguilarcb and on Bluesky @knightofoa!

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Will Avengers: Doomsday Reunite the Original Avengers Stars? https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/will-avengers-doomsday-reunite-the-original-avengers-stars/ Wed, 11 Dec 2024 14:24:00 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1214572 Credit: Marvel

Earth’s mightiest heroes might be assembling for shawarma once again. Reports of Chris Evans returning to the Marvel Universe in Avengers: Doomsday have sparked considerable buzz among fans. While Evans’ involvement in the film remains a mystery, speculation is rife about whether he will reprise his role as Captain America. With Robert Downey Jr. already […]

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Credit: Marvel

Earth’s mightiest heroes might be assembling for shawarma once again. Reports of Chris Evans returning to the Marvel Universe in Avengers: Doomsday have sparked considerable buzz among fans. While Evans’ involvement in the film remains a mystery, speculation is rife about whether he will reprise his role as Captain America. With Robert Downey Jr. already confirmed to join the cast as Doctor Doom, the possibility of a reunion of the original six is gaining traction. 

The Marvel multiverse has already opened doors for characters to explore alternate versions of themselves, as seen in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Chris Hemsworth has also expressed interest in returning as Thor, stating, “I have loved every second working in the Marvel Universe and if there’s more to come then I’m excited about it. Nothing official yet. I’m sort of waiting for the phone call and, and waiting for the news to see, let’s see what happens.” Meanwhile, there is limited evidence to suggest Scarlett Johansson or Mark Ruffalo will reprise their roles as Black Widow and Hulk, respectively. However, Jeremy Renner hinted that he could return as Hawkeye, even though the project is still in its early stages.

An Avengers Reunion Could Be Just What the MCU Needs

Reuniting the original Avengers in Avengers: Doomsday could also bridge the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s past and future. It would serve both as a tribute to what came before and as a launching point for the next era. Since Avengers: Endgame, Marvel has faced criticism for some of its newer projects. While hits such as Deadpool & Wolverine and Loki bolstered the franchise, underwhelming performances from productions such as She-Hulk and Thor: Love and Thunder have tested fan loyalty. This potential reunion represents more than nostalgia; it is a strategic move that could unify the franchise’s narrative.

Doctor Doom’s role in Avengers: Doomsday adds another layer of intrigue. If the original team reunites to combat Doom, it would underscore the stakes and significance of the confrontation. Doom’s presence might compel them to reconcile with their past decisions and alliances, further enriching the narrative. A reunion of the original six would not only highlight their shared legacy but also demonstrate the enduring strength of their bond.

An Avengers Reunion Could Backfire on Marvel

However, the return of the original team isn’t without drawbacks. Bringing back characters who had fitting conclusions to their arcs in Endgame might risk undoing the emotional impact of their farewells. Some fans have grown attached to the idea of new heroes taking the spotlight, and a focus on legacy characters could overshadow emerging favorites such as Sam Wilson’s Captain America, Kate Bishop’s Hawkeye, and Kamala Khan’s Ms. Marvel. If mishandled, the reunion could feel like a step backward for the MCU.

Moreover, the logistics of a reunion hold potential issues that would need to be addressed. As Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow died heroically and Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man passed away saving the world in Endgame, reviving these characters must be handled with extreme care to avoid diminishing the emotional weight of their past decisions.

Additionally, the shift in audience expectations is worth noting. The MCU has spent years introducing new characters and building fresh storylines. Shang-Chi, Moon Knight, the Eternals, and the upcoming Fantastic Four are just a few examples of Marvel’s efforts to expand its universe. These new heroes are primed to take the lead, and an overreliance on past actors and characters might overshadow their potential. Marvel has run into this problem before; when Chris Evans’ Human Torch appeared in Deadpool & Wolverine, the audience’s focus shifted away from the broader narrative to his return alone.

An important factor to consider is the potential for character fatigue. The original Avengers’ stories were compelling because they evolved over time, allowing fans to connect with their journeys. Reintroducing them without a clear purpose or fresh perspective risks dissipating their impact. For the reunion to resonate, it must add new dimensions to their arcs while complementing the MCU’s broader narrative.

Balancing nostalgia with progression is no small feat, but Marvel has proven capable of crafting resonant stories that honor the past while paving the way for the future. The introduction of fresh faces like Shang-Chi, Moon Knight, and the Fantastic Four demonstrates Marvel’s commitment to expanding its universe. Avengers: Doomsday could serve as a bridge, connecting these new heroes with the iconic legacy of the original team. Ultimately, Avengers: Doomsday has the potential to become a defining moment for the MCU, balancing nostalgia with progression. Whether the reunion is partial or complete, its emotional resonance could be monumental. Fans of the MCU should brace themselves for an exhilarating chapter as the multiverse saga continues to unfold.

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Doctor Strange’s Benedict Cumberbatch Reminds Fans He’s Headed for Avengers: Doomsday https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/avengers-doomsday-cast-benedict-cumberbatch-doctor-strange-updates/ Wed, 11 Dec 2024 02:13:14 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1215285 Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange in Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange in Avengers Infinity War

Doctor Strange actor Benedict Cumberbatch has reiterated he will appear in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, expressing excitement about working with Robert Downey Jr. once again. The Marvel Cinematic Universe star, who made his debut as Doctor Strange back in 2016, was at this year’s Tokyo Comic Convention, where he addressed his future in the MCU. […]

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Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange in Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange in Avengers Infinity War

Doctor Strange actor Benedict Cumberbatch has reiterated he will appear in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, expressing excitement about working with Robert Downey Jr. once again. The Marvel Cinematic Universe star, who made his debut as Doctor Strange back in 2016, was at this year’s Tokyo Comic Convention, where he addressed his future in the MCU. While Cumberbatch couldn’t share too much information, he’s looking forward to some notable Marvel reunions on Doomsday.

“I’m really excited not only to work with the Russo brothers again, but also to have 
Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom,” Cumberbatch told TV Groove. “I think there’s going to be some really cool developments ahead, and I’m excited to see what happens next.”

Back in June, Cumberbatch confirmed he would reprise Doctor Strange in the next Avengers film. That was before Marvel Studios revealed their plans for the revamped Avengers 5 during their San Diego Comic-Con panel, announcing Downey’s surprise return as main villain Victor von Doom, and Joe and Anthony Russo as directors for Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Cumberbatch previously worked with the filmmakers on Infinity War and Endgame.

Since the Comic-Con revelations, it’s been reported that Marvel veteran Chris Evans is also returning for Avengers: Doomsday in a mystery role. Additionally, the film’s stacked ensemble will include the main stars of next year’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the Russos have teased that they came back to the MCU because Doomsday‘s story is “on equal footing” with their previous franchise efforts.

Cumberbatch and Downey spent a lot of time together on Infinity War, as Strange and Tony Stark were part of the group that ends up on Titan and battles against Thanos. Part of the fun of that film was watching the two actors play off each other, verbally sparring as their genius characters. It’ll be interesting to see how much screen time Downey and Cumberbatch share in Doomsday. After seeing the two portray allies uniting to save the universe, it’ll be entertaining to get a fresh twist on that dynamic, as they’ll be on opposing sides this time around. The pair had terrific chemistry in Infinity War, so it would be a shame if they didn’t have any interactions in Doomsday.

Even if there isn’t room for a moment between Cumberbatch and Downey (there will be lots of characters to service in Doomsday, after all), it would be great if Cumberbatch’s prediction of “really cool developments” comes true. It’s no secret the MCU’s Multiverse Saga has been on uneven footing, struggling to maintain the momentum the franchise had building up to Endgame. There’s a lot riding on these two Avengers movies, which is why Marvel decided to bring back some heavy hitters; they’re trying to get things back on track, and hopefully they’ve found the way.

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Avengers: Doomsday & Secret Wars Need to Redeem the MCU’s Biggest Multiverse Mistake https://comicbook.com/movies/news/avengers-doomsday-secret-wars-how-marvel-multiverse-will-end/ Tue, 10 Dec 2024 23:59:48 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1215148 Marvel Multiverse Saga logo

Avengers: Doomsday and its sequel Avengers: Secret Wars have gone through some big changes in the last year. The accusations and trial surrounding actor Jonathan Major had Marvel Studio and Disney drop from the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, where he played Kang the Conqueror, who was (along with his many variants) the archvillain of the […]

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Marvel Multiverse Saga logo

Avengers: Doomsday and its sequel Avengers: Secret Wars have gone through some big changes in the last year. The accusations and trial surrounding actor Jonathan Major had Marvel Studio and Disney drop from the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, where he played Kang the Conqueror, who was (along with his many variants) the archvillain of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. Marvel has spent the rest of 2024 trying to pivot from all the plans they had in place for Kang – including giving Majors his own film to headline (Avengers: The Kang Dynasty).

To offset the loss of Kang, Marvel announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 that Robert Downey Jr. was returning to the MCU to play Doctor Doom, and that Avengers: Doomsday would be paving over The Kang Dynasty. Now, it’s been announced that Chris Evans is will be appearing in Avengers: Doomsday as well, adding to the rumors that many of the original Avengers actors are being locked down to appear in the Multiverse Saga climax films.

In many ways, Avengers: Doomsday is starting to feel like every other major project in the Multiverse Saga: an “event film” built upon high-profile crossover and cameos from legacy characters and/or actors. However, Doomsday and Secret Wars both need to learn some valuable lessons from the stumbles of recent years if they actually want to bring the Multiverse Saga to a meaningful end and make the journey worth something.

Deadpool & Wolverine Did It Right

The Cameo Squad of Deadpool & Wolverine

The problem with most of the MCU Multiverse Saga has been the fact that the major cameos and/or crossovers have mostly been superficial gimmicks, used to draw a wider audience of fans across different character franchises (like The Marvels) – or even different eras of character franchises (like Spider-Man: No Way Home). Fans have responded in kind, calling out Marvel Studios for peddling lower-grade content, and selling hollow, disconnected storylines as major “events.”

The exception has been Deadpool & Wolverine. Marvel Studios allowed Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy to do an entire meta-minded retrospective about the highs, lows, and failed hopes of the Fox-Marvel franchise of the 2000s, and the parallel path of Hugh Jackman’s career, and his role as Wolverine.

And it worked.

Beautifully. Deadpool & Wolverine earned $1.34 billion at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, and is (as of writing this) launching one of the more serious awards season campaigns for a Marvel movie – including Golden Globes and Oscars pushes for Jackman and Reynolds.

Marvel needs to learn from what Deadpool & Wolverine did. Yes, the film was jam-packed with cameos and callbacks to past films, comics, and everything in between. And yet, Deadpool & Wolverine was always working on another level, where it was actually addressing the legacy of Marvel movies and those who made that history, and making the audience – even all those who were critical of those films in their time – appreciate what they meant to superhero movie culture, and the genuine efforts (if not perfect results) of the casts and crews of those films.

Doomsday & Secret Wars Need Camoes With Deeper Meaning

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Logos for Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday & Secret Wars

Avengers: Doomsday will likely be an event film that sells itself if it chronicles how RDJ’s Doom was created in an alternate universe and decides to make a play for Multiversal supremacy. However, Avengers: Secret Wars has to be more than just the biggest collection of current and former Marvel movie actors ever (though that is definitely on the wish-list): it has to top that feeling of deep, heartfelt payoff for fans’ years of investment in the MCU Multiverse Saga, and all the crazy times we went through during it.

In short: Avengers: Secret Wars needs to be as smart and resonant (and even funny) with its cameos as Deadpool & Wolverine managed to be. If Chris Evans comes back, no matter who he’s playing there’s got to be some kind of commentary on how iconic he was as Cap, and what it means that he left the franchise. Scarlet Johannson’s appearance would need to address Black Widow’s divisive death; Elizabeth Olsen’s chaotic road to a fully realized Scarlet Witch; all the confusion in the Spider-Man franchise; the true ending of the former X-Men movie universe before the MCU reboot; the original Avengers reluctantly suiting back up – and yes, even how ego isn’t just Doom’s hubris… but maybe (just maybe!) RDJ’s as well?

Whoever appears in Secret Wars (in whatever role they play) has to mean something deeper than a shock cameo – it has to be a reflection of how much that person has helped the larger Marvel Movie brand (MCU and beyond) entertain and inspire fans for generations – not to mention the comics and creators who created the source material.

There’s Only One Way to Top That Avengers: Endgame Payoff

Marvel Studios

Like Doctor Strange’s prediction in Avengers: Infinity War, there’s only one way for Avengers: Secret Wars to best Endgame: When Captain America finally said “Avengers Assemble” in Endgame‘s climatic moment, and the Marvel heroes ran into battle against Thanos, it was the epic payoff of a sprawling narrative, many years and films in the making. When Secret Wars inevitably has that money shot of an entire Marvel Cinematic Multiverse getting ready to throw down – each franchise universe possibly locked in a final fight for survival – fans need to be rooting for each one of those franchises as beloved pieces of a legacy – and feel every loss as Kevin Feige and the returning Endgame team of directors Joe and Anthony Russo and writer Stephen McFeely whittle down the cast of surviving characters and/or universes to reveal which pieces get amalgamated into a rebooted Marvel Cinematic Universe.

No matter who wins, loses, lives, or dies, Secret Wars needs to leave Marvel fans with both an all-encompassing and indelible sense of Marvel movie nostalgia – as well as hope for the new form of the MCU they’ll get going forward. Doing both will be an achievement that definitely tops what Avengers: Endgame did – and helps Marvel Studios finally clean off the gameboard and establish the MCU as the sole Marvel TV/Movie brand (by that time).

Avengers: Doomsday has a release date of May 1, 2026; Avengers: Secret Wars has a release date of May 7, 2027.

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Will Chris Evans Be Playing Captain America in Avengers: Doomsday? https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/captain-america-chris-evans-return-avengers-doomsday-character-johnny-storm/ Tue, 10 Dec 2024 16:45:00 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1214429

Everyone knew that when the multiverse opened up in the MCU, there’d be pros and cons. Spider-Man: No Way Home and Deadpool & Wolverine proved that bringing back old characters and actors, along with introducing new variants, is a winning formula. But focusing only on that to make a movie work might not be the […]

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Everyone knew that when the multiverse opened up in the MCU, there’d be pros and cons. Spider-Man: No Way Home and Deadpool & Wolverine proved that bringing back old characters and actors, along with introducing new variants, is a winning formula. But focusing only on that to make a movie work might not be the best move. Still, it’s clear that the first-gen Avengers have made their mark in movie history, and fans clearly miss them. Over time, and with the MCU’s phases moving forward, it seemed both easier and harder to bring these beloved characters back as a group – mainly because it didn’t really seem to be Kevin Feige’s plan. But can things change?

Recently, news about Chris Evans returning to the superhero franchise sparked excitement among Marvel fans. Avengers: Doomsday seems like the perfect opportunity for this, especially since, even without an official synopsis, the title says it all. It’s widely known that a new generation of Avengers is on the way, but why not have some appearances from the original team, too? The big question, though, is whether Captain America will return, or if Evans will follow in Robert Downey Jr.’s footsteps and play a completely different character.

The Chances of Chris Evans Returning as Captain America to the MCU

marvel studios

Phase 6 of the MCU is almost here, and with Chris Evans joining the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, it’s time to get your heart ready. When Avengers: Endgame, directed by the Russo Brothers, hit theaters in 2019, it made history, grossing around $2.8 billion worldwide. Can that record be broken, especially with the brothers back on board, 60 characters expected, and key figures like Downey and Evans returning? It’s possible, but maybe the fandom would be even happier if Evans came back to wear the Captain America mantle again.

Sources have confirmed Evans will be part of the cast, but his role is still unclear. When Downey was announced as the main villain, Doctor Doom, the excitement was huge, especially since he was such a key figure in shaping the MCU into what it is today. For many fans, the success of the upcoming film was pretty much guaranteed from that point on, even though it wasn’t Iron Man officially rising from the ashes. This could clearly suggest that Evans might face a similar fate in the MCU. Still, that’s just a guess.

With the news, the actor is, therefore, involved in some way, but since anything’s possible, it’s also important to remember that his appearance could come in a way no one’s expecting. Perhaps a flashback? Evans has always been very cautious and hesitant about returning to the MCU as Steve, and it would take a compelling reason for him to come back. He’s been asked about reprising the role a few times, and he’s hinted that it wasn’t something he was really thinking about. However, in July this year, he threw out a “maybe.”

But even though the focus is on Captain, we also have to remember Human Torch. Evans reprised his role as a variant of Johnny Storm doomed to die in Deadpool & Wolverine, and it was one of the most praised cameos by the audience. Besides, he also said the experience was a dream come true for him. Obviously, with the multiverse opening up so many possibilities for Johnny to come back in another form – even though Joseph Quinn is the breakout star right now and will also be in the film – it would make more sense for Evans to return as Steve in a new Avengers movie. Fans have already gotten a taste of seeing him play the Fantastic Four role again, so now it’s time for something fresh and more impactful.

It’s worth noting that in 2018, Joe Russo even hinted that Avengers: Endgame might not have been Evans’ final film as the hero. When the actor posted a farewell on Twitter/X at the time, the director commented to USA Today. “I think it was more emotional for [Chris Evans] than it was for us, mostly because he’s not done yet. I don’t want to explain what I mean, but audiences will soon understand,” he said.

What Would Be the Impact of Captain America’s Return to the MCU?

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Since San Diego Comic-Con this year, all the details about the movie have remained vague, leaving fans to come up with various theories, many of which are influenced by the comics, and that’s where the big question lies – the impact of a Steve Rogers return. With the multiverse open, and Iron Man introduced as a villainous variant from an alternate timeline, why not introduce a variant of Steve Rogers who belongs to Hydra? It would be one of the biggest milestones in the MCU.

On the other hand, Captain America is also a key figure in the Avengers’ story, and it’s no coincidence that he and Iron Man have always been seen as the leaders of the group. A return, whether as a good or bad variant, could have significant repercussions not only for upcoming MCU productions in the long run but also for other characters. Sam Wilson, the new Captain America, would be the first to feel this impact. Right behind him is Bucky Barnes, who, despite having a redemptive arc in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, shows a more distant personality in Thunderbolts* trailer – one that seems closer to the human weapon he once was. Could Steve’s reappearance help both of his friends?

He was also the one who took the Infinity Stones back to their places. While it’s not exactly a story many would want to see in detail, his return could definitely have something to do with that whole situation. At first, everything seemed fine, but as people have already seen in Deadpool 2 and Loki, timelines can spiral out of control. In Deadpool & Wolverine, the events of Logan messed up the timeline, so why not say Steve’s choice to stay in the past also had some impact on things, too?

Nothing is certain, but there are plenty of opportunities to explore him in the universe. And while Russo’s words also don’t directly confirm Evans’ role, the phrase “soon understand” suggests a plausible reason why the actor didn’t have to fully say goodbye to Steve Rogers.

Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters on May 1, 2026.

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Chris Evans Should Not Bring Back Captain America https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/chris-evans-captain-america-return-avengers-doomsday-bad-idea/ Tue, 10 Dec 2024 02:17:51 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1214392

Chris Evans made his MCU debut in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger and played the titular character in 10 more films, concluding with 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. In the film’s final minutes, Steve travels back in time to spend the rest of his life with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), eventually respawning in the present day […]

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Chris Evans made his MCU debut in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger and played the titular character in 10 more films, concluding with 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. In the film’s final minutes, Steve travels back in time to spend the rest of his life with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), eventually respawning in the present day as an elderly man merely minutes later. The 2021 Disney+ show The Falcon and the Winter Soldier hints at Steve’s offscreen death, officially marking the end of his MCU tenure. Evans’s reported return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday has fans wondering if the star will again portray Steve Rogers/Captain America — a scenario that threatens to undermine the significance of the character’s ending should Marvel Studios opt for his revival.

The anticipated return of Evans in the MCU follows his brief appearance as the Fox universe’s Johnny Storm aka Human Torch in Deadpool and Wolverine earlier this year. The extent and identity of his role in Avengers: Doomsday is currently unknown, but it’s certainly possible that Evans will reprise his role as Captain America again. Though the prospect of seeing Evans suit up in his star-spangled suit again may excite some Marvel fanatics, the idea could derail the MCU’s next big event.

Why Chris Evans Returning as Captain America Is a Bad Idea

After leading the Avengers in the final battle against Thanos, Steve chooses to make up for lost time by reuniting with the love of his life, who he had to watch die while he hadn’t aged a day. Steve faces the unimaginable challenge of adapting to modern life after spending decades frozen in time against his will, so it was satisfying for the character to finally have a say in his future, even if it was in the past. If Marvel Studios decides to bring Steve Rogers back to the MCU — even as a variant — the decision will undermine what was a fitting ending for the beloved superhero. At this point, it would be best to leave Steve’s story where it finished.

In addition, the MCU has already found its new Captain America in Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, who will headline his first solo film in February’s Captain America: Brave New World. Although Mackie’s involvement in Avengers: Doomsday is still unconfirmed, his character’s trajectory poises him to play an integral part in the future of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes against the threat of Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.). Thus, Evans’ presence as the former Captain America could overshadow Sam’s ascendance to the revered mantle following years of buildup (and a poetic passing of the torch).

Chris Evans Should Play a Different Character in Avengers: Doomsday to Keep Steve Rogers’ Legacy Intact

Evans’s portrayal of the Human Torch in Deadpool and Wolverine was a nice, unexpected touch given that he hadn’t played the Fantastic Four character in almost twenty years. Taking on the role of Johnny Storm again could serve Avengers: Doomsday and the MCU better since it would leave Steve Rogers’s legacy untouched and provide a unique juxtaposition to the MCU’s Johnny Storm – who Joseph Quinn will portray in next year’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps and reprise in Doomsday as well as Avengers: Secret Wars. If a duo of Human Torches isn’t in the cards (and that seems unlikely after Cassandra Nova had her way with him), Evans could surprise audiences and appear as a completely new MCU character. This would enable the film to introduce more fan favorites from the comics without looking to the past too much.

Marvel Studios needs to understand the importance of letting dead characters stay dead, even with the multiverse in play (and that comics themselves need to learn the same lesson). Steve’s emotional farewell in Endgame — much like Tony Stark’s — functioned as both a fitting completion of his arc and a pivotal passing of the torch to the next generation of heroes. Moreover, nostalgia bait has already plagued the development of Avengers: Doomsday with the return of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, and the incorporation of Evans could hurt the final product if it excessively leans into fans’ adoration of his Captain America. The MCU should not have to rely on its former stars to summon the masses to movie theaters for its most important film in almost a decade. From Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel, the franchise’s current stars should take center stage instead.

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Chris Evans Returning to MCU in Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/chris-evans-avengers-doomsday-marvel-mcu-return-captain-america/ Mon, 09 Dec 2024 23:20:14 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1214342

Chris Evans can do this all Doomsday. The former Captain America actor has been cast in Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday, according to TheWrap, which reports Evans is the first to join the cast of the next Avengers movie since Marvel announced Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom at San Diego Comic-Con over the summer. It’s […]

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Chris Evans can do this all Doomsday. The former Captain America actor has been cast in Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday, according to TheWrap, which reports Evans is the first to join the cast of the next Avengers movie since Marvel announced Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom at San Diego Comic-Con over the summer.

It’s unclear whether Evans is reprising his role as Steve Rogers, who retired the mantle of Captain America and passed the shield to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson at the end of Avengers: Endgame in 2019. Five years later, Evans made a cameo via the multiverse in Deadpool & Wolverine — not as Captain America, but as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, a role he originated in two Fox-made Fantastic Four movies in 2005 and 2007.

Evans appeared in 11 MCU movies between 2011 and 2019, including all four Avengers installments and his post-credits cameos in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and 2019’s Captain Marvel.

Back in 2021, it was reported that Evans had signed on to return to the MCU in “at least” one Marvel movie “with the door open for a second film,” although the actor debunked the claim that he would be suiting up as Captain America after Mackie inherited the role. (After co-starring opposite Evans as the Falcon in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier and 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, Mackie made his debut as the new Cap in 2021’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. He’ll next headline 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World.)

“No, I don’t think so. It was a really unbelievable ride and the character’s just so dear to me, and I’m just so precious with it,” Evans told the D23 podcast when asked about a potential Captain America return in 2022. “The truth is, the role isn’t even mine anymore. The role is Anthony Mackie’s. So, you know, even if there was a different incarnation, not as Captain America, but for Steve Rogers, even that would feel… I’d be very cautious, just because I love that chapter of my life professionally, personally.”

“I love what those movies accomplished and to revisit it and potentially have some weird extension to that legacy would be upsetting if it didn’t land,” he continued. “So it would require a near-perfect recipe and it may just not be in the cards.”

Anthony and Joe Russo, who directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and Captain America: Civil War (2016) before going on to helm Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), are also back for the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga: Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).

Avengers 5 was initially announced as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty but was renamed after Marvel Studios shifted away from Jonathan Majors’ multiversal villain Kang the Conqueror to Downey’s Doctor Doom. Avengers 6, which caps off Phase 6 and the Multiverse Saga of the MCU, is named after the Jonathan Hickman-penned Secret Wars, the 2015 comic book storyline that featured alternate-universe and dramatically re-imagined versions of characters from the prime Marvel Universe.

Marvel Studios has scheduled Avengers: Doomsday to open on May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.

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Colman Domingo Confirms Marvel Studios Talks (but Is He the New Kang?) https://comicbook.com/movies/news/colman-domingo-confirms-marvel-studios-talks-mcu-kang-new-role/ Wed, 04 Dec 2024 17:47:06 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1211266

Actor and playwright Colman Domingo has earned some massive fan cred thanks to his role in Fear the Walking Dead and has long been a fan-favorite pick of actors who could join one of the big franchise universes. Marvel fans sort of got their wish when Domingo was cast as the voice of Norman Osborn […]

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Actor and playwright Colman Domingo has earned some massive fan cred thanks to his role in Fear the Walking Dead and has long been a fan-favorite pick of actors who could join one of the big franchise universes. Marvel fans sort of got their wish when Domingo was cast as the voice of Norman Osborn in the upcoming animated series Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man – but it seems he’s been discussing a possible role in the live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well. In a new interview, Colman Domingo makes it clear that he is talking with Marvel Studios – but that it is currently more of a carte blanche offer he’s more than willing to consider!

“I have had a meeting with Marvel, yes. But it wasn’t specifically about anything,” Domingo revealed to Screen Geek. “They literally sat down and said, “What do you want to do?” And I said, “I don’t know. What do you got for me?” So we’re having engagement, of course. Who would not want to be a part of the MCU? I just wouldn’t want it to be right. And something that is created for me and something where I feel like I can give something of myself to. So we’ll find out what that is. I don’t know what it is yet, but I’m patient.”

Colman Domingo’s name has been circulating around the MCU rumor mill for about a year now. It was around the holiday season of last year when we started hearing that Domingo would replace Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror after Majors was embroiled in a major relationship scandal and trial. For his part, Domingo was very demure about the whole thing, claiming to know as much as we do (rumors), and that while his “team” had had talks with Marvel, there was nothing concrete to discuss, in terms of specific roles:

“It’s funny how people are online talking about this… And I was like, ‘What rumor? Who? Where’s this coming from?’ I just didn’t think about it. The next day I woke up, it’s everywhere,” Domingo told Vanity Fair early this year.

“ My team has had conversations with Marvel about some aspect of the MCU for years. Do I know this to be true or not? I actually don’t know,” he added. “I feel like my team doesn’t bring me something unless it’s real. So I don’t know. I could be in conversation, but I’m not sure. I would welcome a conversation around it.”

That quote was from back in March of 2024, so it seems there was definitely some forward motion across the year, where Colman Domingo went from hearing rumors about his MCU involvement to having actual meetings with the studio. The question remains: what was discussed?

Will Colman Domingo Be The MCU’s New Kang?

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The question of Kang’s presence in the MCU Multiverse Saga is a heavy one looming over the franchise. Jonathan Majors was dropped by Disney immediately after receiving a guilty verdict in his initial trial for assault and harassment – but his accuser later dropped an assault and defamation lawsuit against the actor, which has re-galvanized his career (to some extent). Disney has fired and re-hired prominent Marvel figures before (see: James Gunn), so there’s been speculation about whether or not Majors would be allowed to return and give his arc as Kang proper closure, avoiding the need for recasting.

We do know that Robert Downey Jr. has been brought back as Doctor Doom for Avengers: Doomsday – but how Doom snatches the reigns of Marvel Multiverse dominance from the Council of Kangs is another story element we need to see resolved. There is a window of opportunity for Colman Domingo to still step in and finish out the Kang story arc – and plenty of fans would love to see him onscreen opposite RDJ in Avengers 5.

There are also a wide and wonderful assortment of Marvel characters Colman Domingo could play in the MCU. We could eventually need a live-action version of Miles Morales’ Uncle Aaron (aka The Prowler); the Blade movie could need a charismatic actor to play the MCU Whistler; while the X-Men corner of the MCU could feature Domingo in roles as big as Bishop, or even a re-imagined Magneto. And if Denzel Washington is already discussing Black Panther 3 with Marvel, then adding Colman Domingo into that mix as well would be electrifying. If Domingo wows Marvel fans with his Norman Osborn voice performance, the MCU could also use a live-action version of the character…

For now, rumor and speculation about Colman Domingo’s MCU role is all we have to go on, as well as his performance as Norman Osborn in Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

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Every Announced Marvel Studios Movie That Has Been Canceled https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/every-announced-marvel-studios-movie-that-has-been-canceled/ Tue, 12 Nov 2024 22:24:17 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1199204

Marvel Studios is one of the most successful companies in the film industry, but even they’ve had to pull the plug on a few projects. One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s defining traits is planning ahead; with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige steering the ship, full slates of movies spanning several years are announced well […]

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Marvel Studios is one of the most successful companies in the film industry, but even they’ve had to pull the plug on a few projects. One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s defining traits is planning ahead; with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige steering the ship, full slates of movies spanning several years are announced well in advance, allowing fans to get an idea of how the franchise’s overarching story will come together. Since the MCU is a shared universe bringing together a variety characters, it helps to have an outline of where things are going. Filmmakers can collaborate with each other, figuring out how to make it all flow smoothly.

However, even the best laid plans can encounter speed bumps. Marvel has been pretty fortunate in that a majority of their announced films eventually made it to the big screen, but other projects haven’t been as lucky. With shifting priorities and other factors at play, Marvel’s schedule has to remain fluid to accommodate any changes that might arise. Here are the few MCU movies that never made it past the announcement stage.

Runaways

A film adaptation of Runaways was in development during the earliest days of Marvel Studios, with writer Brian K. Vaughan (who co-created the comic) signing on to pen a screenplay back in May 2008, just as the original Iron Man introduced unsuspecting audiences to the MCU. A couple of years later, the project seemed to gain traction when the creative team of director Peter Sollett and writer Drew Pearce came aboard, but then things stalled. As Marvel Studios progressed through what would become the Infinity Saga, Runaways kept getting pushed to the backburner in favor of other projects. Feige and Co. could never find the right spot for it, and the film never came to fruition.

However, Runaways eventually found new life as a television series, which ran for three seasons on Hulu from 2017-2019. The show received positive reviews throughout its run, with critics considering it an entertaining adaptation bolstered by strong performances from the cast. Like many Marvel TV shows from this era (i.e. pre-Disney+), any connections it had to the larger MCU were mainly limited to minor references, though it does include the Dark Dimension and the Darkhold, which play a role in prominent MCU projects. While Runaways was removed from Hulu and Disney+ in 2023, the full series is available for purchase on Apple and Amazon.

Inhumans

Another Marvel project that transitioned to the small screen, the Inhumans film adaptation was even further along than Runaways. Back in 2014, when Marvel unveiled their Phase 3 slate, Inhumans was part of the plan, scheduled to premiere in November 2018. With the X-Men film rights locked in at 20th Century Fox (and Disney’s acquisition of Fox years away from happening), a prevailing thought amongst the fan base was that the Inhumans were being positioned as the MCU’s mutant replacements. However, in 2016, Inhumans was removed from the schedule, which might have been a byproduct of how Phase 3 shifted after that original announcement. In 2015, Disney and Sony struck a landmark deal that allowed Spider-Man to become part of the MCU, and things were shuffled around.

As part of the changes, Inhumans moved forward as a TV show instead, premiering in 2017. Unfortunately, it became one of Marvel Studios’ most notorious misfires. The critically derided show (11% on Rotten Tomatoes) lasted only one season. That said, Anson Mount reprised his role as Black Bolt in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. For those morbidly curious, Inhumans is streaming on Disney+.

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty

After concluding the Infinity Saga in grand style with Avengers: Endgame, Marvel had a massive void to fill as they searched for the Multiverse Saga’s big bad. It was decided Kang the Conqueror would follow Thanos’ footsteps, with then rising star Jonathan Majors cast in the role. The actor made his MCU debut in 2021’s Loki Season 1, appearing as Kang variant He Who Remains. From there, Marvel started laying the groundwork for the character to become the overarching threat. At San Diego Comic-Con 2022, the fifth Avengers movie was confirmed as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and Majors appeared in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Loki Season 2 in 2023.

However, once Majors was found guilty of assault and harassment in late 2023, Marvel dropped the actor and retooled Avengers 5. Rather than recasting the Kang character (who, even before Majors’ conviction, had struggled to catch on with audiences in the way Thanos did), the studio went in a completely different direction. At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, it was revealed Robert Downey Jr. will return to the MCU as Victor von Doom, serving as the main antagonist for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

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Ryan Reynolds’ Reaction to Deadpool Showing Up in Avengers Movies Is Not What We Wanted to Hear https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/ryan-reynolds-reaction-to-deadpool-showing-up-in-avengers-movies-is-not-what-we-wanted-to-hear/ Fri, 08 Nov 2024 23:38:49 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1198421 Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool and Wolverine

Deadpool & Wolverine star Ryan Reynolds has addressed the possibility of him appearing in an upcoming Avengers movie, and his response will likely be disappointing to fans. Speaking with Variety on the outlet’s Awards Circuit Podcast, the actor was asked about Wade Wilson returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in either Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: […]

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Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool and Wolverine

Deadpool & Wolverine star Ryan Reynolds has addressed the possibility of him appearing in an upcoming Avengers movie, and his response will likely be disappointing to fans. Speaking with Variety on the outlet’s Awards Circuit Podcast, the actor was asked about Wade Wilson returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in either Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars, which are scheduled to hit theaters in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

“I’m not even being cagey,” Reynolds said. “We’ll see what happens there.”

Reynolds’ Deadpool officially joined the MCU in this summer’s Deadpool & Wolverine, the third installment of the character’s solo film series. The movie was a well-received box office smash, grossing $1.3 billion worldwide, helping the MCU get back on track. After a lackluster 2023 that saw misfires in theaters (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) and on the small screen (Secret Invasion), Deadpool and Wolverine was the hit Marvel sorely needed. As of this writing, it’s the second highest-grossing movie of 2024 (trailing only Pixar’s Inside Out 2), and the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time.

That kind of success illustrates there’d be a lot of interest in more Deadpool movies, but Marvel has been mum on the Merc with a Mouth’s cinematic future in the months since Deadpool & Wolverine released. The studio has a full slate of movies scheduled to premiere between 2025-2027, including Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. There are also several dates set aside for untitled MCU films in 2026, 2027, and 2028. As for Reynolds, he recently shared that he’ll be spending the next year writing a new, non-Marvel movie for him and Jackman to star in.

Part of the fun of the MCU is getting an opportunity to see the various characters play off each other. Some of the standout moments in previous Avengers films were when Earth’s Mightiest Heroes were simply talking in a room. With that in mind, the appeal of having Deadpool join the party is clear. Seeing how Thor, Sam Wilson, and others react to the fast-talking mercenary would be highly entertaining. On the flip side, it could prove difficult to integrate Wade Wilson with the Avengers. A large part of the Deadpool franchise’s success stems from it gleefully embracing the R rating, delivering movies that are very violent and laced with profanity. If Deadpool were to become an Avenger, the filmmakers would have to water down those aspects to align with a PG-13 rating — which may not play well with audiences.

Another Deadpool staple that could be tricky to implement in an Avengers film is the character’s penchant for breaking the fourth wall. That works in the context of a zany comedy, but it may not be as effective in a more grounded drama dealing with world-ending stakes. Marvel movies feature their fair share of levity, but there’s a difference between Steve Rogers humorously introducing himself to Groot in the middle of a battle and Deadpool pointing out that the actor playing Doctor Doom looks a lot like the guy who played Iron Man. Still, finding a way to work the Merc with a Mouth into the proceedings would be a fun challenge for directors Joe and Anthony Russo. If it could be pulled off without becoming a distraction, audiences would love to see more of Wade.

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Avengers Directors Make “Explosive” Claim About How Doomsday Compares to Endgame https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/avengers-doomsday-russo-brothers-return-explained-infinity-war-endgame-tease-comparison/ Mon, 28 Oct 2024 18:41:37 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1192853 Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios

Back in 2019, Avengers: Endgame seemed to be the sendoff for both Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and also for directors Joe and Anthony Russo within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though at San Diego Comic-Con earlier this year, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed Downey and the Russos were returning for Avengers: Doomsday. While all […]

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Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios

Back in 2019, Avengers: Endgame seemed to be the sendoff for both Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and also for directors Joe and Anthony Russo within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though at San Diego Comic-Con earlier this year, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed Downey and the Russos were returning for Avengers: Doomsday. While all of these figures have gone on to explore other storytelling realms since 2019, Joe Russo recently teased that he wouldn’t have returned to the MCU if it wasn’t for good reason, claiming that the upcoming Doomsday is on “equal footing” for how game-changing both Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame were for the superhero genre. Avengers: Doomsday currently has a release date of May 1, 2026.

“We’re all very close,” Joe Russo shared with GamesRadar+ of the connection between the filmmakers and Downey. “We had been working on another project before Marvel approached all of us – so we’re working on another project with Robert – and there was a story that evolved through conversations that we got very excited about. Because it’s always got to be the story.”

He continued, “Why would we come back if we didn’t feel like we had a story that had that possibility of being on an equal footing with Infinity War and Endgame unless there’s a kernel there for an idea that’s really explosive?”

Virtually ever since Endgame, the Russo brothers and Downey have been asked about the likelihood of a return in any capacity, which resulted in a broad spectrum of answers about such returns. The Russo brothers have often expressed that a project in which Secret Wars could be brought to life would be enticing to them, with those hopes being announced as a reality at this year’s SDCC.

While fans are understandably excited about the upcoming returns, it comes as a result of a tumultuous period for the studio. Before Feige confirmed that Avengers 5 would be Doomsday, the project was expected to be Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Much like the studio had done with Thanos, various installments in the MCU were poising Jonathon Majors’s Kang the Conqueror to be the multiverse-spanning threat, specifically with Kang’s inclusion in Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. In 2023, Majors was found guilty on charges of both assault and harassment, resulting in Marvel announcing that they were parting ways with the performer.

The narrative seeds of Kang’s importance in the MCU understandably caused a number of questions about how the franchise would handle the figure going forward. With Kang not having earned as significant of a footprint within the MCU as Thanos and with The Fantastic Four: First Steps set to be released in 2025, the franchise likely has a more organic opportunity to hint at Doctor Doom next year before Downey fully embraces the character for the 2026 Doomsday.

Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters on May 1, 2026.

Are you looking forward to the return of the Russo brothers? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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Tom Holland Knew About Robert Downey Jr. Playing Doom and Somehow Kept It Secret https://comicbook.com/movies/news/tom-holland-knew-robert-downey-jr-playing-doom-avengers-5-6/ Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:08:51 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=956783 Spider-Man (Tom Holland) vs Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr)
Tom Holland Knew About RDJ MCU Return Doom

Spider-Man movie star Tom Holland is trying to show everyone that he’s a changed man when it comes to leaking secrets of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Holland has finally been cleared to admit that he knew that Robert Downey Jr. was returning to the MCU franchise as Doctor Doom well before it was announced to […]

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Spider-Man (Tom Holland) vs Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr)
Tom Holland Knew About RDJ MCU Return Doom

Spider-Man movie star Tom Holland is trying to show everyone that he’s a changed man when it comes to leaking secrets of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Holland has finally been cleared to admit that he knew that Robert Downey Jr. was returning to the MCU franchise as Doctor Doom well before it was announced to the world during Marvel’s Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. Holland was so determined to turn around his infamous reputation as a leaker of MCU secrets that he claims “I strategically have done no press,” since finding out RDJ was going to be MCU Doom.

In his full breakdown of the situation during the Rich Roll podcast, Tom Holland revealed that “I’ve been speaking to [Robert Downey Jr.] a lot, especially about him making his [Marvel] return, which is super exciting.”

Holland had to admit that getting that hot scoop left him burdened by knowledge like he was Thanos: “That was a tough secret to sit on, because I have a reputation for ruining things and I strategically have done no press,” Holland said.

How Many Marvel Movies Has Tom Holland Spoiled?

Sony Pictures' "Spider-Man: No Way Home" Los Angeles Premiere - Arrivals
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 13: Tom Holland attends Sony Pictures’ “Spider-Man: No Way Home” Los Angeles Premiere on December 13, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

Tom Holland’s history of spoiling his Marvel movie projects is extensive. In 2016, during production on Spider-Man: Homecoming Holland told fans on a live Facebook Q&A about a scene they were filming in Homecoming involving helicopter harnesses and a dunk in a lake for his stunt double. This turned out to be the first battle between Spider-Man (Holland) and The Vulture (Michael Keaton), which left Peter Parker getting dropped in a lake by the flying villain. A year later, right before Spider-Man: Homecoming was released, Holland jumped the gun on confirming the new MCU Spider-Man movies would be a trilogy.

When Holland’s Spider-Man became a breakthrough character, Marvel Studios included him in their big two-part Infinity Saga finale, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Holland turned out to be a nightmare for Marvel PR: months after Homecoming was released, Holland did an Instagram live unboxing of a gift from Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo, which included a first print of the Avengers: Infinity War poster, which Holland was not all supposed to reveal. The next year (2018), the massive cast of Infinity War was doing media events around the world to promote the movie. Screenwriter Stephen McFeely gave Holland the wrong tip about one event, making the actor believe it was held after a premiere screening of Infinity War – leading Holland to take the stage exclaiming “I’m alive!” and spoil his death scene as Spider-Man before release day.

Blowing up Infinity War’s big twist ending didn’t teach Tom Holland to be better: during the promotional tour for Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), Holland nearly tripped over his words and nearly revealed that there would be more than one Spider-Man in the film – and his beau Zendaya had to stop him from mentioning who bought Avengers Tower after Homecoming – an MCU secret that is still going to this day.

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Spider-Man and Venom could finally meet.

Now it’s 2024 and it seems Tom Holland has finally stepped his game up as a human vault. Tony Stark would be proud of his protege (if he were still alive). However, news that Holland was in the loop on RDJ being Doom – and the recent non-spoiler that a Spider-Man 4 script has him and Zendaya hyped (Venom? Miles Morales?) – makes us wonder if the big plans for an awkward Spider-Man and Doom meeting aren’t already in the works.

Avengers: Doomsday has a release date of May 1, 2026. Spider-Man 4 is in development.

via Variety

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Agatha All Along Episode 5 Connects To Massive MCU Rumor https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/agatha-all-along-avengers-doomsday-billy-wiccan-scarlet-witch-mcu-rumor-joe-locke/ Mon, 14 Oct 2024 02:23:15 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=954297 Marvel Studios seems to be putting together a new team ahead of Avengers: Doomsday and Joe Locke's character is key.

Agatha All Along’s latest massive reveal makes the big rumor surrounding Avengers: Doomsday even more interesting. In case you missed it, Episode 5 of the Disney+ series told the audience that Joe Locke’s mystery Teen is actually Scarlet Witch’s son Billy. It’s a ground-shaking reveal for this series. But, maybe more interestingly, it lends some […]

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Marvel Studios seems to be putting together a new team ahead of Avengers: Doomsday and Joe Locke's character is key.

Agatha All Along’s latest massive reveal makes the big rumor surrounding Avengers: Doomsday even more interesting. In case you missed it, Episode 5 of the Disney+ series told the audience that Joe Locke’s mystery Teen is actually Scarlet Witch’s son Billy. It’s a ground-shaking reveal for this series. But, maybe more interestingly, it lends some credence to the hottest rumor surrounding Avengers: Doomsday. Writers like Alex Perez from The Cosmic Circus have hinted that the next Marvel Studios team-up movie might adapt elements of The Childrens’ Crusade. This storyline heavily involves Billy and the rest of the Young Avengers heroes. They strike out to find Wanda Maximoff, because two of their teammates would like to know what happened to their mother. (That’s Wiccan and Speed for those playing at home. Speaking of, where is Scarlet Witch’s other son?) So, Billy would have to be around for that story to take place in the same way.

Avengers: Doomsday is one of the biggest moments on the foreseeable MCU timeline for a number of reasons. Take your pick of Robert Downey Jr’s return as Victor Von Doom, a sorely-missed Marvel crossover movie, or even more direct Multiverse Saga developments in a live-action project. If the rumors about Scarlet Witch being in a romantic entanglement with Doctor Doom are true, fans could toss Wanda’s long-awaited appearance onto the fire as well. There’s so much anticipation building around Joe and Anthony Russo’s big Marvel Studios movie. This development would only heighten things as we move toward the crucial moments of The Multiverse Saga. If the Young Avengers begin looking for Wanda by the end of Agatha All Along, don’t be shocked about that development.

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Joe Locke on the road to Young Avengers

A lot of credit should go to director Jac Schaeffer for managing to weave in these big MCU developments during Agatha All Along. The WandaVision creative force has tried her best to keep the spotlight on Kathryn Hahn and her coven. But, in a franchise this big, there are some story elements that need attention. Even when they come in unlikely places. Episode 3’s Mephisto mention shook the Internet, and revealing Billy as the teenager that’s been tagging along with these witches would qualify as well. Still, it’s a delicate balance for a creative team that wants to tell a story about Agatha Harkness and not just provide MCU updates every week. It would seem that they’ve done that here. Schaeffer told The Hollywood Reporter that Marvel president Kevin Feige helped make the call for Mephisto in the early going. So, the gears are always turning. 

Agatha All Along Laying The Groundwork For Children’s Crusade

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These kids are going to find wanda.

When it comes to the Young Avengers, they already have a leader in Ms. Marvel. Iman Vellani sat down with ComicBook’s Phase Zero after the release of The Marvels to discuss getting the team together. During our chat, the actress revealed that The Marvels actually cut a sequence where Ms. Marvel had all of the heroes together. The theatrical cut of that movie actually featured Vellani speaking to Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop. A fun reward for fans who had been following these younger characters. Marvel Studios must have thought this was all a bit much too soon. But, in the time since The Marvels, more pieces keep getting added to the puzzle at different points. Bill is just the latest Young Avenger to pop-up after all these honor students keep cropping up.

“Yes, I mean, it was like pretty much the same lines,” Vellani told us. “I think they were trying their best to incorporate as many as they can. But, I think its better that we see Kamala actually form the Young Avengers starting from the beginning. Because, there was a version where they already exist and I was like, ‘That doesn’t make any sense’ and they were like ‘We know, we’re not gonna film this.’”

“But, yeah, I think it was really fun and I loved working with Hailee for just that one day that I got to meet her and see her and talk to her. She’s so… it was nice just having someone to relate to about the super suits and… you know, where the future of the Young Avengers lies,” she continued. “So, yeah I’m very excited. Hopefully, that turns into something real…. It’s my favorite part about the first Avengers film too. When Nick Fury and Scarlett Johansson, they all gather together, and they’re like ‘we’re a team now.’”

Do you think Children’s Crusade is on the way in the next Avengers movie? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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Marvel’s Thunderbolts: The Top Theories About That Title Asterisk https://comicbook.com/movies/news/marvel-thunderbolts-title-explained-asterisk-avengers-theory-new-dark-mcu/ Mon, 30 Sep 2024 16:00:23 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=537903 is-thunderbolts-new-dark-avengers-movie-mcu.jpg

Marvel’s Thunderbolts* trailer has Marvel Cinematic Universe fans buzzing – and yet one of the biggest trending topics about the movie is its title. Eyebrows were raised when Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige presented the official Thunderbolts* title logo with an asterisk at the end. Feige teased that the asterisk was very much intentional and […]

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Marvel’s Thunderbolts* trailer has Marvel Cinematic Universe fans buzzing – and yet one of the biggest trending topics about the movie is its title. Eyebrows were raised when Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige presented the official Thunderbolts* title logo with an asterisk at the end. Feige teased that the asterisk was very much intentional and that by the end of Thunderbolts* fans would understand all too well why it was necessary. 

Naturally, MCU fans have been dropping all kinds of theories about why Thunderbolts* is titled Thunderbolts*. Now that the trailer has dropped, there are two leading theories about why Thunderbolts* is playing with its title in this way. 

Why Marvel’s Thunderbolts Has an Asterisk in Its Title

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It’s A SUICIDE SQUAD – There’s a lot of speculation that Thunderbolts* is actually Marvel Studios’ version of DC’s Suicide Squad. There’s precedent for it in the comics: Wilson Fisk/Kingpin once formed his own Thunderbolts squad and sent them on a high-risk mission to help defeat Knull, the symbiote god; from the look of the trailer, and past rumors, that could certainly be the case for this Thunderbolts* movie. 

The trailer footage seemed to make it clear that characters like Yelena/Black Widow II (Florence Pugh), John Walker/US Agent (Wyatt Russell), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) are all lured to a facility that looks like a Saw-style death trap, and houses “Bob” (Lewis Pullman) who is also the mentally-broken superman known as The Sentry. Add other MCU espionage agents like Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), and Thunderbolts* seems like it could turn out to be a major “cleaning” operation, where some of the MCU’s biggest spies and assassins all get clipped in one fell swoop, after carrying out some game-changing high-risk mission (like freeing The Sentry). 

By the time the movie is over, the Thunderbolts “team” may be down to just one or two survivors (if that). It would be a bold and shocking twist for an MCU film – the kind the franchise could use right about now. 

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These Are The NEW AVENGERS – The other big theory is that Thunderbolts* is titled with an asterisk because “Thunderbolts” isn’t the actual title of the film! Based on Marvel Comics lore, many fans think that Marvel Studios will finally introduce the MCU version of “Dark Avengers.” 

After the comic book version of “Secret Invasion” took place, Norman Osborn exploited public distrust of heroes to rebrand his team of Thunderbolts as Avengers. Osborn used Starktech armor to become “Iron Patriot,” while villains took on hero mantles, like Bullseye becoming “Hawkeye” or Mac Gargan’s Venom posing as Spider-Man. These ‘Dark Avengers’ operated in the public eye, until the heroes were eventually able to rally and oust the villains from controlling the levers of society.

There’s speculation that the story of Thunderbolts* will turn out to be a twisted sort of recruitment test and team-bonding exercise. Even if some members of the team don’t survive, the ones who do will presumably be tapped to be part of a not-so-heroic Avengers team. While no one really expects Marvel Studios to ever use the title “Dark Avengers,” there is another way they can go… 

 It could turn out that the word “Thunderbolts” never appears in the actual film – that the movie will start without revealing any title card, and at the very end, we’ll see a title that reads “The Avengers,” “New Avengers,” or “Secret Avengers” in a major twist reveal. Maybe it will be a single-word flip, and Avengers* will become the final punchline of this title game. 

Marvel’s Thunderbolts* has a release date of May 2, 2025. 

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Iron Man’s Jeff Bridges Makes a Promising Tease About an MCU Return https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/jeff-bridges-mcu-return-iron-monger-obadiah-stane-marvel-multiverse/ Mon, 23 Sep 2024 20:30:38 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=948969 jeff-bridges-iron-monger-mcu-return.jpg

Iron Man star Jeff Bridges may have just teased his Marvel Cinematic Universe return in a new interview. Bridges played the very first MCU “big bad” Obadiah Stane, the man who helped Howard Stark turn Stark Industries into a corporate powerhouse. When Tony Stark developed the Iron Man armor, Stane (and his puppets, the Ten […]

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Iron Man star Jeff Bridges may have just teased his Marvel Cinematic Universe return in a new interview. Bridges played the very first MCU “big bad” Obadiah Stane, the man who helped Howard Stark turn Stark Industries into a corporate powerhouse. When Tony Stark developed the Iron Man armor, Stane (and his puppets, the Ten Rings) developed the dreaded Iron Monger armor out of Tony’s original Iron Man prototype. In the final battle between Iron Man and Iron Monger (known as the “Duel of Los Angeles”) Stane (seemingly) is fatally electrocuted by his prototype arc reactor when it explodes under him. He fell into the reactor, which then exploded. 

MCU fans have kept a spark of hope alive that Obadiah Stane could make a comic book-style return, with his death (and SHIELD’s whole cover story about it) getting debunked by a surprise return. With the Iron Man side of the MCU about to get rebooted through projects like the Ironheart TV series and Armor Wars movies, now would be the suitable time for Obidiah Stane to re-enter the chat. 

While talking to Josh Horowitz during the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Jeff Bridges not only acknowledged that there’s room for Obadiah – or any multiverse variant of him – to return in the MCU (“Who knows? It’s all science fiction and I could maybe pop up again…”), he explained that an original version of the Iron Man script set that up that very scenario: 

“Well when I read the script, Obadiah Stane falls into that vat at the end,” Bridges explained. “In the script that I read and agreed to do, they pulled it [the armor] out and they opened it and I’m not there.”

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It doesn’t sound like Iron Man director Jon Favreau ever shot that sequence of Iron Man, but that doesn’t mean a future MCU project can’t reveal it as a major flashback twist. It would be interesting to see what Stane has been up to in the years since Iron Man, given the reveal that the Ten Rings wasn’t at all what it seemed. 

Then there’s the more obvious and timely scenario of having an Obadiah Stane variant from another MCU reality appear in an upcoming MCU Multiverse Saga project. A lot of fans will instantly jump to the idea of seeing Bridges and his Iron Man co-star Robert Downey Jr. reunite onscreen. Avengers: Doomsday will see RDJ’s Doctor Doom menace the MCU Multiverse – it would be interesting to see Bridges’ Stane playing a different kind of role in and a different reality – maybe where he’s a heroic industrialist (iron Man?), and RDJ as the archvillain. 

Bridges seemed excited by Downey’s MCU return (“But he’s playing a bad guy! I love that!”) so who knows? 

Iron Man is now streaming on Disney+. 

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X-Men: Kelsey Grammer’s Beast Return Has Perfect Target https://comicbook.com/movies/news/x-men-kelsey-grammer-beast-return-avengers-doomsday-secret-wars/ Fri, 13 Sep 2024 15:41:15 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=246863 Beast will likely appear in an Avengers project.
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The Marvels brought MCU fans quite a shock when Kelsey Grammer returned as Beast. Little did Marvel hopefuls realize they would be in for a year of wall-to-wall X-Men. Speaking to ComicBook recently, Grammar revealed that he’s had conversations with Marvel Studios about some future plans. After that reveal, the only question is where the […]

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Beast will likely appear in an Avengers project.
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The Marvels brought MCU fans quite a shock when Kelsey Grammer returned as Beast. Little did Marvel hopefuls realize they would be in for a year of wall-to-wall X-Men. Speaking to ComicBook recently, Grammar revealed that he’s had conversations with Marvel Studios about some future plans. After that reveal, the only question is where the Beast actor would pop-up next in the MCU. While some fans would argue Avengers: Secret Wars would be the most natural choice. (Honestly, that seems probable with all the rumored Marvel returns on the docket.) There is a dark horse candidate that would fill that role nicely in Avengers: Doomsday. First, let’s focus on what Grammer said during our conversation.

“There’s nothing I can talk about,” Grammer told us. “What I do know is that there was a huge sort of outburst when I showed up at the end of The Marvels, I guess it was. The response was really almost… it wasn’t unexpected. There’d be some response, but it was pretty overwhelming, and so there are some conversations.”

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Beast is back.

So, clearly there are some things bubbling between the Frazier star and Marvel Studios. Every fan of these movies has been looking forward to the next Avengers crossover. (Dating back to it being called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.) It would seem from all the other developments in the MCU that our set of heroes is headed for an incursion. The ones averted in Spider-Man: No Way Home and The Marvels are just the tip of the iceberg. A battle with an X-Men world with Doctor Doom featuring heavily would immediately grab people’s attention. 

Beast Could Be The One To Explain The Stakes of Incursions

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Mr. Fantastic laid it out. But, our heroes don’t know.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness made sure to explain incursions for the audience. The Marvels reaffirmed the threat with Monica Rambeau. But, the heroes of Earth-616 still don’t know what’s on the horizon. Well, Ant-Man does. However, some super genius is probably going to want to get Captain America, Hawkeye, Shang-Chi, The Hulk, and all their friends up to speed. If the X-Men’s world comes into conflict with our heroes, someone is going to have to lay out the stakes. In the Secret Wars comics from the last decade, different worlds would try to have a peaceful solution before things got ugly between them. Grammar’s mutant is usually a diplomat in a lot of the X-Men movies. It would be easy to see him filling that role here too.

When things inevitably break down and get chaotic, this will also bring back some of the characters that were teased at the end of Captain Marvel’s movie as well. Both Binary and Monica have to make their way back. Interestingly, a lot of Grammer’s X-Men teammates were absent from Deadpool & Wolverine. Getting them all in there before things get even more wild in Avengers: Secret Wars would be really exciting for fans. Lashana Lynch talked about her X-Men future and is leaving us all in suspense.

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X-Men Mansion had to house other mutants.

“I mean, even that sentence, I’m like, ‘Am I?'” Lynch mused when asked about the cameo. “That’s not a sentence that’s been put to me at all; we’ve not had a conversation about that. I dipped in for, I think a day. I think I had one day on that film which is wild for it to be so impactful. I was there for a day because I was on Matilda at the time, so that’s wild. I don’t know. I don’t know.”

She continued, “I used to find it a little bit of a hindrance to not know as I like to know what’s coming and plan, but I love now that I don’t know. I love that I didn’t know that was happening. That’s something that came across time as a slow plan. Well, for me, anyway. They probably had it planned the whole time. I genuinely don’t know what’s next, but I think with where the franchise is going, it’s naturally going to be exciting. And I’m excited to see where it goes next.”

Where do you think we could end up seeing Beast and the X-Men next? Do you think it will be before Secret Wars? Check out all the pop culture discussion at @ComicBook!

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Avengers Star Don Cheadle Has Hilarious Reaction to Robert Downey Jr.’s Return https://comicbook.com/movies/news/robert-downey-jr-mcu-return-doom-don-cheadle-reaction/ Mon, 09 Sep 2024 18:51:36 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=76442 robert-downey-jr-mcu-return-doctor-doom-don-cheadle-reaction.jpg

Avengers and Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. shocked the world at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 when he revealed that he’s returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Not only is Downey returning to the MCU – he’s playing a completely new character, trading his role as Tony Stark/Iron Man for the villain role of […]

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Avengers and Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. shocked the world at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 when he revealed that he’s returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Not only is Downey returning to the MCU – he’s playing a completely new character, trading his role as Tony Stark/Iron Man for the villain role of Doctor Doom.  There are a lot of Marvel fans who are already excited at the thought of Downey’s Doctor Doom having onscreen interactions with some of the veteran MCU characters he once stood side-by-side with as Iron Man. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is one of those characters – Don Cheadle’s Col. James Rhodes/War Machine is another. 

Since Comic-Con, you better believe that Marvel actors have had to answer questions in the press about their reaction to RDJ coming back to the MCU. “I was like, ‘What the f*ck?'” Cheadle said to Collider’s Steve Weintraub, revealing his own shock at the RDJ Doom casting. 

However, Cheadle isn’t letting anything slip about what’s happening with War Machine’s arc in Avengers: Doomsday and/or Avengers: Secret Wars, now that RDJ is returning as Doom:

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” Cheadle said humorously. “I’ve heard of a Russo Brother. There are two?” Cheadle cut the bit short, confirming that he’s under the usual weight of Marvel secrecy: “You know I can’t talk about that stuff.” 

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Cheadle did hint that things are (as rumored) still very much in flux at Marvel Studios, as the MCU continues trying to change tactics and following some rocky years: “They’re rewriting, they’re reworking, and so I honestly can’t even tease anything,” he said. 

There are a lot of unanswered questions when it comes to Don Cheadle’s future in the MCU. War Machine has had his own Armored Wars spinoff of the Iron Man franchise in development for years, with the current iteration being a movie. However, in the same week that Don Cheadle was deflecting questions about  RDJ’s Doom casting, he was also out there dodging questions about where things stand with Armor Wars

“What’s Armor Wars?” Cheadle joked with The Today Show hosts. “You know the line, I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. And, I just met you guys, so I don’t want to have to do that.” 

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Avengers: How a Marvel Villain Explains Their Absence https://comicbook.com/movies/news/avengers-spider-man-marvel-villain-mysterio-crossover-explained/ Sat, 07 Sep 2024 16:08:02 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=225333 Last time we saw everyone together.
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One Marvel villain’s fateful words continue to explain why we haven’t seen the Avengers assemble in live-action since Avengers: Endgame. All the way back in Spider-Man: Far From Home, Jake Gyllenhaal’s Quentin Beck wanted to create an “Avengers-level threat” as a means to seize power. Now, almost 5 years on from that film, there hasn’t […]

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Last time we saw everyone together.
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One Marvel villain’s fateful words continue to explain why we haven’t seen the Avengers assemble in live-action since Avengers: Endgame. All the way back in Spider-Man: Far From Home, Jake Gyllenhaal’s Quentin Beck wanted to create an “Avengers-level threat” as a means to seize power. Now, almost 5 years on from that film, there hasn’t been any event deemed worthy enough to summon Earth’s Mightiest Heroes together. Mysterio, somehow, correctly laid out the conditions that will lead to Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Whatever happens to the Earth will have to be downright massive to get those heroes on the same page. 

Since Endgame, the MCU has seen reality threatened on like three different occasions, a deity homicide spree, a rogue Celestial birth and kidnapping by another massive Cosmic judge, a Kaiju battle in the desert, an extra dimensional being breaking through to our world, and Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange cause multiple incursions. Whatever’s going to trigger that massive fight between Doctor Doom and the Avengers is going to have to be a doozy. (Maybe a certain Devourerer of Worlds is sizing up another meal?) Whatever the case, the stakes in that next crossover movie are going to be nothing short of massive when we see the entire team together again.

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Mysterio was right?

Why Isn’t There An Avengers Disney+ Show?

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Where are they?

Marvel Television head Brad Winderbaum’s comments to CinemaBlend help illustrate this all really well. “I think the Avengers are about, there came a day when Earth’s Mightiest Heroes had to assemble,” the executive explained. “In a feature film, which is a statement piece, it makes sense that there’s an event that galvanizes them all. I think that on a long-form television show, it becomes more of a challenge to have, ‘There came a day’ every day.”

“In the comics, you can do it. It’s the Marvel universe, and there’s just spectacular things happening all the time. Yeah,” Winderbaum added. “But if you read the comics, you know that the Avengers really assemble so that they can disassemble, and then assemble again, and then disassemble again. Is it possible? Yes. But from a narrative point of view, it becomes like ascension and descension, which … it could be really interesting for a long-form story. But it would be a very unique pattern for a television show.”

Do you think the Avengers should have already assembled? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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Marvel Producer: Why the Avengers Don’t Have a Disney+ Show https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/marvel-why-avengers-mcu-disney-plus-series-hasnt-happened-brad-winderbaum/ Sat, 07 Sep 2024 13:57:41 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=399099 avengers-five.jpg

One of Marvel Studios’ top producers explained why we haven’t seen the Avengers on Disney+ yet. It seems like Earth’s Mightiest Heroes can only unite for a true Avengers-level threat. Brad Winderbaum talked to CinemaBlend before Agatha All Along hits the streaming service. He talked about the Avengers and the challenges of getting the big […]

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One of Marvel Studios’ top producers explained why we haven’t seen the Avengers on Disney+ yet. It seems like Earth’s Mightiest Heroes can only unite for a true Avengers-level threat. Brad Winderbaum talked to CinemaBlend before Agatha All Along hits the streaming service. He talked about the Avengers and the challenges of getting the big guns like Captain America, Thor, Black Panther, Ant-Man and their friends together on the small screen. Finding a way for all of those heroes to have to stick together over the course of an entire series feels like a daunting task and Winderbaum would agree with that assessment. Hear what else he’s got to say about getting the Avengers together down below!

“I think the Avengers are about, there came a day when Earth’s Mightiest Heroes had to assemble,” Winderbaum began. “In a feature film, which is a statement piece, it makes sense that there’s an event that galvanizes them all. I think that on a long-form television show, it becomes more of a challenge to have, ‘There came a day’ every day.”

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The gang’s all here.

“In the comics, you can do it. It’s the Marvel universe, and there’s just spectacular things happening all the time. Yeah,” he continued. “But if you read the comics, you know that the Avengers really assemble so that they can disassemble, and then assemble again, and then disassemble again. Is it possible? Yes. But from a narrative point of view, it becomes like ascension and descension, which … it could be really interesting for a long-form story. But it would be a very unique pattern for a television show.”

Agatha All Along Is Up Next For Marvel

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Kathryn Hahn stars in Marvel’s Agatha All Along.

Marvel Studios describes the upcoming Disney+ series: “In Agatha All Along, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…”

“In addition to Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along stars Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Okwui Okpokwasili, with Debra Jo Rupp, with Patti LuPone, and Aubrey Plaza. The executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Mary Livanos and Jac Schaeffer. The directors for the series include Jac Schaeffer, Rachel Goldberg and Gandja Montiero.”

Would you like to see the Avengers get a show? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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Can Marvel Studios Still Bring The MCU Multiverse Saga to a Satisfying End? https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/marvel-mcu-multiverse-saga-explained-discussion-theories-phase-5-6/ Fri, 06 Sep 2024 21:44:20 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=125145 marvel-studios-multiverse-saga.jpg

Marvel Studios has put forth a lot of renewed effort this year, trying to assure its fanbase (and Disney shareholders) that the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise still has promising years ahead of it. Numerous reports broke alleging widespread trouble behind the scenes of the MCU after Avengers: Endgame, while fans and insiders both seemed to […]

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Marvel Studios has put forth a lot of renewed effort this year, trying to assure its fanbase (and Disney shareholders) that the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise still has promising years ahead of it. Numerous reports broke alleging widespread trouble behind the scenes of the MCU after Avengers: Endgame, while fans and insiders both seemed to agree that the franchise had begun putting out too much quantity, at the high cost of quality. Then there have been real-life events like celebrity scandals (Jonathan Majors) and Hollywood politics (Actors and Writers strikes), which have forced Marvel to make big pivots with production timetables and the overarching story of the current MCU Multiverse Saga.

But now, big changes have been made. Disney CEO Bob Iger stepped back in; the entire content strategy for franchises like the MCU or Star Wars is changing back to ‘quality over quantity’. Marvel Studios has started to have major PR successes with its previews for upcoming 2025 projects like Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, or Daredevil: Born Again, but there still so many unanswered questions facing the franchise, moving forward. One of the biggest questions is, without a doubt: Can the MCU Multiverse Saga land this nose-diving plane? 

The End Is Nigh

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Logos for Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday & Secret Wars

Let’s take a look at how much runway we have left: 

Phase Five of the MCU will conclude next year, following the releases of Agatha All Along, Captain America: Brave New World, Daredevil: Born Again, Thunderbolts* and Ironheart (in that order). 

Phase Six of the MCU will end the Multiverse Saga, and is currently scheduled to run 2026-2027. Confirmed projects in that phase include Fantastic Four: First Steps and Blade (in 2025); Avengers: Doomsday and the Vision Quest Disney+ series (in 2026), and Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027. 

There is room in that schedule for other projects to be added, like the Wonder Man Disney+ series already in development, or any number of Marvel Special Presentation features. However, there’s not a lot of runway between now (Fall 2024 at the time of writing this) and the summer of 2027, when the Multiverse Saga will end. Given how many characters and storylines will have been introduced in MCU Phases 4 – 6, it feels nearly impossible that this Multiverse Saga can pull off a massive, well-earned climax like Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame did; or that the franchise can even find a way to make the Multiverse Saga feel like a tight, interconnected story like the Infinity Saga (mostly) was.

Why The Multiverse Saga Ending Will Be A FAIL

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It’s hard to see how the Multiverse Saga can do little more than pull together many of the characters that were introduced in Phases 4 – 6, but that will (in many cases) be only the second (third, tops) time we see those characters operating in the MCU. We haven’t had multiple projects featuring Shang-Chi, Shuri/Black Panther II, or The Eternals; meanwhile, veteran franchises like Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, and Spider-Man have seen massive status quo shifts that haven’t been addressed, while the Fantastic Four will be a very new set of characters and mythos in the MCU. 

Equally unsure are the relevance and importance of the Disney+ series and their characters. Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and Anthony Mackie’s Captain America are obvious sure bets for the climatic Secret Wars event – but Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, Hawkeye, and Kate Bishop, She-Hulk, Peggy Carter or even Daredevil are far less certain to make an appearance. Even if they do, again, it will be only the second time dedicated fans see many of those characters onscreen – and it will be a first introduction for all those fans who only watch movies and skip the TV shows. 

…That’s not even counting Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom and the work needed to re-introduce the Multiverse Saga’s main antagonist and replace Jonathan Majors’ Kang. 

Can Marvel Studios bring the Multiverse Saga to an end by Summer 2027? Certainly. And frankly, the sooner the franchise moves past this quagmire of character variants and alternate timelines, the better. But the ending is most likely going to feel rushed and the larger interconnect story will likely still look riddled with plot holes, logical inconsistencies, and dangling plot threads for individual franchises that are not sufficiently answered – and a soft reboot into Phase 7 will look more like an escape hatch, rather than another hard-earned win. 

The next MCU release will be the Agatha All Along Disney+ series on September 19th. 

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Kathryn Hahn Reveals if She Wants Agatha Harkness to Appear in an MCU Crossover https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/kathryn-hahn-reveals-if-she-wants-agatha-harkness-to-appear-in-an-mcu-crossover/ Fri, 30 Aug 2024 23:15:02 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=124126 AGATHA ALL ALONG

Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness certainly shook things up with her Marvel Cinematic Debut in , with the nefarious witch and her machinations ultimately helping to send Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch down a dark and dangerous path with major repercussions across the Multiverse. But while Agatha is back next month in her own series, Agatha All Along, […]

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AGATHA ALL ALONG

Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness certainly shook things up with her Marvel Cinematic Debut in , with the nefarious witch and her machinations ultimately helping to send Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch down a dark and dangerous path with major repercussions across the Multiverse. But while Agatha is back next month in her own series, Agatha All Along, the future of the fan-favorite antagonist in the larger MCU is still a question mark — though Hahn has some thoughts about what she’d like to see next. Speaking with Rolling Stone, Hahn isn’t necessarily opposed to Agatha popping up in the upcoming crossover films Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, but she thinks it would only happen if it was “necessary”.

“I think I’d only be asked if it was necessary and juicy,” Hahn said. “So, who knows? The craziest, most perfect, side-door entrance to this world is to be a witch. It feels wicked step-sister-y. And I really like it like that.”

That said, definitely don’t confuse Agatha for a “side character”. In the same interview, Hahn was asked about it being tricky to take a “scene-stealing sort of side character” like Agatha and give them their own show, which is what is happening with Agatha All Along, and Hahn definitely doesn’t see Agatha as just a side character.

“I was going to say, who are you calling a side character?” Hahn laughed. “That’s definitely a tricky thing. But from the beginning, we always joked that it would just be so annoying to Agatha Harkness that she wouldn’t have her own fricking show.”

When Did Hahn Learn About Agatha All Along?

Fortunately, it sounds like Hahn didn’t have to wait very long to find out that Agatha would, in fact, get her own show. She revealed that she found out that she was going to get her own Marvel show while she was working on Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

“I remember [WandaVision head writer and Agatha All Along showrunner] Jac Schaeffer saying ‘God, I’d love to write for you again.’ We both kept saying, ‘we have unfinished business’ to each other at the end of WandaVision,’ Hahn said. “I didn’t even know if it necessarily meant something in this world or somewhere else, but our minds melded. I loved her point of view and her sense of humor. And this character just felt very easy.”

She continued, “Then over the summer, when I was in Serbia shooting Glass Onion, the Knives Out movie, I got a call from [Marvel Studios co-president] Louis D’Esposito saying, ‘How’d you like your own Marvel show?’ — a call you never get. My heart was pounding. I could barely understand what he was saying. I knew what it meant, but I just kept finding ways to minimize it for myself until the first day of shooting. Someone had put a sign on the window of my trailer that said, ‘welcome to your first day on your very own Marvel show’ and I burst into tears. It was very, just very exciting, especially with a character that you just love and just want to explore every nook and cranny.”

What is Agatha All Along About?

Here’s the official description of the new series: “In Agatha All Along, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps her break free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…”

“In addition to Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along stars Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Okwui Okpokwasili, with Debra Jo Rupp, with Patti LuPone, and Aubrey Plaza. The executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Mary Livanos and Jac Schaeffer. The directors for the series include Jac Schaeffer, Rachel Goldberg and Gandja Montiero.”

Agatha All Along premieres September 19th on Disney+.

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How Marvel’s Fantastic Four Could Set-Up Avengers: Secret Wars With Just Two Actors https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/marvels-fantastic-four-avengers-secret-wars-ioan-gruffud-miles-teller-council-of-reeds/ Fri, 30 Aug 2024 04:30:56 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=426918 avengers-secret-wars-fantastic-four.jpg

While it is still a year away, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is one of the most eagerly anticipated upcoming films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe largely because the film will deliver unto fans something that they’ve wanted for a long time: Marvel’s First Family arriving as part of the MCU. Anticipation for the film […]

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While it is still a year away, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is one of the most eagerly anticipated upcoming films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe largely because the film will deliver unto fans something that they’ve wanted for a long time: Marvel’s First Family arriving as part of the MCU. Anticipation for the film keeps rising, too, with production underway and fans starting to get more glimpses of the film — this week, set photos got fans excited for the possibility of the most comic-accurate take on The Thing to date. But fans are also excited for how the Fantastic Four will fit into the larger MCU, especially with some major movies coming after it, specifically Avengers: Secret Wars. While we don’t know much about The Fantastic Four: First Steps — or even really about how the MCU will approach Secret Warswe do know that the Fantastic Four will be a part of both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars and the Fantastic Four film could very easily set up for Secret Wars with just two actors: Ioan Gruffudd and Miles Teller.

One of the things we do already know about The Fantastic Four: First Steps is that it takes place in a retro-futuristic version of the 1960s in a different world than what most of the rest of the MCU inhabits. Since the MCU has already established its Multiverse, the opportunity is there to have previous incarnations of Reed Richards appear as part of the Council of Reeds — Gruffudd played Reed in 2005’s Fantastic Four and 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer while Teller played Reed in 2015’s Fantastic Four — and it wouldn’t necessarily have to be something that would have a major direct impact on the actual plot of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

All The Fantastic Four: First Steps would really need to do is do what the MCU often does and that’s utilize its post-credits scenes to lay the groundwork for future installments of the overall franchise. All the film would need to do is use one of those post-credits scenes to introduce the idea of the Council of Reeds with Pedro Pascal’s Reed meeting Gruffudd and Tellers’ versions in the scene. In comics, the Interdimensional Council of Reeds is a group that is composed of various versions of Reed Richards from across the multiverse who, have come together to “solve everything” — including dealing with major threats such as Galactus and Doctor Doom.

Could Robert Downey Jr. Appear in The Fantastic Four: First Steps?

Of course, Avengers: Secret War isn’t the only future Marvel film that The Fantastic Four: First Steps could set up for in a post-credits scene. The film could also introduce Downey’s Doctor Doom. Victor Von Doom just so happens to be a major enemy of Marvel’s First Family so an appearance in their film would make a lot of sense, but it would also help set the stage for the film before Avengers: Secret Wars. With the Fantastic Four set to appear in both upcoming Avengers films, using those post-credits scenes to lead into the future films seems almost like a no-brainer in terms of using the Fantastic Four to bring the whole Multiverse Saga together.

About The Fantastic Four: First Steps

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 25, 2025. The film is directed by WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman and stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. The cast also includes Ralph Ineson as Galactus and Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal, a version of the Silver Surfer. Paul Walter Hauser, Natasha Lyonne, and John Malkovich also appear.

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Marvel’s Jeff Goldblum Has Perfect Reaction to Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom Return https://comicbook.com/movies/news/marvel-jeff-goldblum-reaction-robert-downey-jr-doctor-doom-return/ Fri, 30 Aug 2024 04:27:28 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=314054 jeff-goldblum-grandmaster-robert-downey-jr-iron-man.jpg

The Marvel Cinematic Universe got a major shakeup over the summer with the news that Robert Downey Jr. has been cast as the franchise’s take on Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom. Downey, who previously starred as Tony Stark / Iron Man in the franchise, will be stepping into the role in the next two […]

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe got a major shakeup over the summer with the news that Robert Downey Jr. has been cast as the franchise’s take on Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom. Downey, who previously starred as Tony Stark / Iron Man in the franchise, will be stepping into the role in the next two Avengers films, 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. The return has already garnered a wide array of reactions from former and current MCU stars — and apparently, we can now add Grandmaster actor Jeff Goldblum to that list. During a recent appearance on Happy Sad Confused, Goldblum was asked to share his thoughts on Downey’s return — which he did, before going on a tangent about the name Victor von Doom itself.

“Excellent news,” Goldblum answered. “I think I vaguely heard the… yes, yes, I’d heard whispers on my peripheral. Yes, channels. Victor von Doom… I like that name. If my name had been Victor von Doom, I’d be a long further along than I am now. That’s a great name. Or Von to anything. Or Van.”

Why Is Robert Downey Jr. Returning to the MCU?

In the same interview with The Hollywood Reporter‘s Awards Chatter podcast, Downey revealed that his return as Doctor Doom was first floated a year or so prior, and came about through conversations with Marvel Studios exec Kevin Feige.

“Probably a year ago, because Feige and I have kept in touch,” Downey revealed. “We’re pals. Favreau and Feige and I have kept in touch. I’m close with the Russo brothers. We have other business we’re doing. So there’s this little group of fellow travelers, and I had this instinct that I wanted to go to Bob Iger. And I had an idea, outside of the cinematic universe, for how I could be of service to what’s going on in the parks and all their location-based energy. And Susan and I were sitting down with Feige at one point, and he said, ‘It just keeps occurring to me that, if you were to come back…’ And Susan was like, ‘Wait, wait, come back as what?’ And then we both realized, over time, that it was another thing that just disproves any doubt anyone could ever have about that guy. [He’s] a very sophisticated, creative thinker about, ‘How can we not go backwards? How can we not disappoint expectations? How can we continue to to beat expectations?’ And he brought up Victor von Doom, and I looked into [the] character, and I was like, ‘Wow.’ And later on, he goes, ‘Let’s get Victor von Doom right. Let’s get that right.’ So then I said to Kevin, ‘Can I go talk to Bob Iger?’ He goes, ‘About?’ I go, ‘About everything.'”

Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.

The post Marvel’s Jeff Goldblum Has Perfect Reaction to Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom Return appeared first on ComicBook.com.

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Robert Downey Jr.’s Doom: 8 Things We Want to See From Him in the MCU https://comicbook.com/movies/news/robert-downey-jr-doom-want-to-see-mcu/ Thu, 29 Aug 2024 02:56:34 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=463113 Robert Downey Jr. unmasked as Doctor Doom at San Diego Comic-Con
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The Marvel Cinematic Universe was shaken up in a major way earlier this summer, with confirmation that Robert Downey Jr. will be portraying Victor Von Doom / Doctor Doom in the franchise. Not only is it shocking that the former Tony Stark / Iron Man actor is returning to the saga in a new way, […]

The post Robert Downey Jr.’s Doom: 8 Things We Want to See From Him in the MCU appeared first on ComicBook.com.

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Robert Downey Jr. unmasked as Doctor Doom at San Diego Comic-Con
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The Marvel Cinematic Universe was shaken up in a major way earlier this summer, with confirmation that Robert Downey Jr. will be portraying Victor Von Doom / Doctor Doom in the franchise. Not only is it shocking that the former Tony Stark / Iron Man actor is returning to the saga in a new way, but we now know that he will be anchoring two new Avengers movies directed by Joe and Anthony Russo — 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday, and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars.

We’re still a ways away from cameras rolling on both films, so there’s no telling at this point what will be in store for Downey’s MCU debut as Doctor Doom. But given the prolific history that Doom has had in the comics, there are some interesting elements that can — and should — factor into that portrayal.

A Strong Motivation

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Even at their best, some of the MCU’s Big Bads have faced criticism for being narratively underdeveloped. By the time we got to Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos (Josh Brolin) was revealed to be committing his universe-wide crusade to fight overpopulation — a justification that worked in context, but paled in comparison to his comic-accurate desire to impress Death. Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors) was also barely beginning to be fleshed out before Marvel Studios parted ways with the actor and character, with only shades of bitterness towards the Council of Kangs and the other heroes across the multiverse.

In the right context, particularly in the comics, Doom has had motivations that are incredibly strong and easy to translate in a short amount of time — something that is especially vital in the context of the MCU, given how quickly we’ll be thrown into his story in Doomsday. 

Origin Story

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Going off of that, unless Downey is somehow a secret cast member of 2025’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, it’s safe to assume that we won’t be seeing Doom play a major role in an MCU project until Doomsday. If that does end up being the case, audiences are going to need to be acquainted with his origin story — especially given the added hurdle of the franchise’s recognizable former lead playing the part.

Even a single flashback sequence would work wonders to explain Doom’s deal to MCU viewers, and help lay the groundwork for the carnage he is about to cause across the next two movies.

Rivalry with Reed Richards

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One cornerstone of Doom’s origin story — and something that absolutely can and should transfer over into the MCU’s take on the character — is his storied rivalry with Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic. In 1963’s Fantastic Four Annual #2, it was established that Doom and Reed attended the same college and were nearly roommates, but ultimately had a falling out due to Victor’s attitude. This rivalry extended even further, and has been subverted time and time again, once the two men took on their super-powered personas.

Downey’s Doom does not have to have this rivalry with Pedro Pascal’s take on Reed that we will meet in First Steps — and honestly, an argument can be made that he shouldn’t, given that movie’s very specific aesthetic and energy. But it would be a misfire to not have Doom hold a grudge against a version of Reed from across the multiverse, whether it’s one that we’ve already met in a previous movie adaptation, or a new one.

Valeria

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There’s no telling at this point if First Steps will lean into the Fantastic Four becoming a family, with the birth of superhero children Franklin Richards and Valeria Richards being a huge milestone in their comics. But one newer component of Doom’s characterization is his unwavering love for Valeria, after having helped deliver her birth. While Doom still has his issues with Valeria’s father, Reed, he has even become a reluctant surrogate member of the Fantastic Four’s family due to their bond.

Even if Valeria isn’t in the picture by the time Doomsday rolls around, a line of dialogue or some sort of acknowledgement of Doom’s connection to her would definitely heighten his feelings towards the Fantastic Four.

Doombots

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Ever since Doom first made his comics debut, so have the concept of Doombots, robotic duplicates of Doom who are used to trick and distract the heroes of the Marvel universe when he does not feel like being there himself. The concept has evolved massively in the years since, even appearing in the current season of Fortnite, and it feels inevitable that Doom’s MCU debut will include the robots as underlings as well. 

Sure, it might seem a little repetitive when compared alongside Ultron’s various robots from Avengers: Age of Ultron, but the concept is too tied to his character to leave out of Doomsday and Secret Wars.

Grudges

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Beyond his aforementioned hatred of Reed and the Fantastic Four, Doom has developed a reputation for being quite a negative force against other Marvel heroes. Everyone from Namor to Iron Man to Luke Cage has come into conflict with Doom over the years — and it stands to reason that his MCU debut will be equally petty. 

Given the limited economy of storytelling that Doomsday and Secret Wars will have, it would make sense to hit the ground running and showcase Doom’s animosity towards as many heroes as possible, even if he’s only previously vanquished their multiversal counterparts.

Multiversal Casualties

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On that note, one of the easiest ways to showcase Doom’s power across Doomsday and Secret Wars would be for him to already be deadly across the multiverse — either through destroying alternate universes, or literally killing the variants of heroes we recognize.

Sure, Kang previously teased in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania that he has killed other Avengers before, but it’s another thing entirely to see it, and it would immediately set Doom apart from previous MCU villains.

God Emperor Doom

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And finally, Doom’s role in Secret Wars isn’t complete without God Emperor Doom, the ultra-powerful identity Doom takes in the events of 2015’s Secret Wars. In that storyline, Doom’s quest for power reaches an apex, as he steals the powers of the Beyonders and Molecule Man to create a Battleworld of his own. He then spends eight years manipulating the minds of the remaining heroes, and even co-opts Reed’s family and company for his own, setting the stage for the conflict of the rest of the event.

Before Doom was confirmed to replace Kang in the Multiverse Saga, some fans felt that the storyline wouldn’t quite be the same without God Emperor Doom — but now, there is an opportunity to remedy that. Not only would it massively raise the stakes for Doomsday and Secret Wars, but it would create a very unpredictable fight for the MCU’s heroes.

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Avengers: Doomsday will be released exclusively in theaters on May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.

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Robert Downey Jr. Credits Tobey Maguire With Getting Him Into Marvel Movies https://comicbook.com/movies/news/marvel-robert-downey-jr-credits-tobey-maguire-superhero-movies/ Fri, 23 Aug 2024 02:06:29 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=405732 robert-downey-jr-tobey-maguire.jpg

To the surprise of many fans, it was announced earlier this summer that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Studios confirmed at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con that Downey has been cast as Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom in the upcoming movies Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, with […]

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To the surprise of many fans, it was announced earlier this summer that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Studios confirmed at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con that Downey has been cast as Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom in the upcoming movies Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, with Disney Parks also announcing that he will be reprising his role as Tony Stark / Iron Man in a new Avengers Campus ride. This comes after Downey portrayed Iron Man onscreen for over a decade — and as it turns out, we have another Marvel star to thank, in part, for that initial casting. During a recent appearance on The Hollywood Reporter‘s Awards Chatter podcast, Downey specifically shouted out Spider-Man trilogy star Tobey Maguire, who he starred alongside in 2000’s Wonder Boys, for illuminating what the experience of being in a superhero movie could be like. 

“In real-time, I saw how difficult they were, how rewarding they could be, and how popular [comic book films] were becoming,” Downey explained, adding, “I had been clean long enough…hungry even longer and I could feel [the] obsession coming back with manifesting the best version of myself. I had strangely been furiously strength training six times a week before I even knew [this role] was coming, and my shrink had told me, ‘Just start acting like something great is gonna happen and get ready for it.'”

Why Is Robert Downey Jr. Returning to the MCU?

In the same interview, Downey shared a bit of insight on how his dual Marvel returns came to be, revealing the role that both Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and Disney CEO Bob Iger had in the proceedings. 

“Probably a year ago, because Feige and I have kept in touch,” Downey revealed. “We’re pals. Favreau and Feige and I have kept in touch. I’m close with the Russo brothers. We have other business we’re doing. So there’s this little group of fellow travelers, and I had this instinct that I wanted to go to Bob Iger. And I had an idea, outside of the cinematic universe, for how I could be of service to what’s going on in the parks and all their location-based energy. And Susan and I were sitting down with Feige at one point, and he said, ‘It just keeps occurring to me that, if you were to come back…’ And Susan was like, ‘Wait, wait, come back as what?’ And then we both realized, over time, that it was another thing that just disproves any doubt anyone could ever have about that guy. [He’s] a very sophisticated, creative thinker about, ‘How can we not go backwards? How can we not disappoint expectations? How can we continue to to beat expectations?’ And he brought up Victor von Doom, and I looked into [the] character, and I was like, ‘Wow.’ And later on, he goes, ‘Let’s get Victor von Doom right. Let’s get that right.’ So then I said to Kevin, ‘Can I go talk to Bob Iger?’ He goes, ‘About?’ I go, ‘About everything.'”

Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.

The post Robert Downey Jr. Credits Tobey Maguire With Getting Him Into Marvel Movies appeared first on ComicBook.com.

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Robert Downey Jr. Reveals MCU Return as Doctor Doom Started a Year Ago https://comicbook.com/movies/news/robert-downey-jr-mcu-return-doctor-doom-started-year-ago/ Fri, 23 Aug 2024 01:37:00 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=166453 Robert Downey Jr. unmasked as Doctor Doom at San Diego Comic-Con
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After portraying Tony Stark / Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for over a decade, Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the franchise’s fold. In addition to being cast as Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom in the forthcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars movies, it was confirmed at this month’s […]

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Robert Downey Jr. unmasked as Doctor Doom at San Diego Comic-Con
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After portraying Tony Stark / Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for over a decade, Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the franchise’s fold. In addition to being cast as Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom in the forthcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars movies, it was confirmed at this month’s D23 Expo that Downey will be reprising his role of Iron Man in a new theme park ride at Disneyland’s Avengers Campus. During a recent appearance on The Hollywood Reporter‘s Awards Chatter podcast, Downey shared a bit of insight on how his dual Marvel returns came to be, revealing the role that both Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and Disney CEO Bob Iger had in the proceedings. 

“Probably a year ago, because Feige and I have kept in touch,” Downey revealed. “We’re pals. Favreau and Feige and I have kept in touch. I’m close with the Russo brothers. We have other business we’re doing. So there’s this little group of fellow travelers, and I had this instinct that I wanted to go to Bob Iger. And I had an idea, outside of the cinematic universe, for how I could be of service to what’s going on in the parks and all their location-based energy. And Susan and I were sitting down with Feige at one point, and he said, ‘It just keeps occurring to me that, if you were to come back…’ And Susan was like, ‘Wait, wait, come back as what?’ And then we both realized, over time, that it was another thing that just disproves any doubt anyone could ever have about that guy. [He’s] a very sophisticated, creative thinker about, ‘How can we not go backwards? How can we not disappoint expectations? How can we continue to to beat expectations?’ And he brought up Victor von Doom, and I looked into [the] character, and I was like, ‘Wow.’ And later on, he goes, ‘Let’s get Victor von Doom right. Let’s get that right.’ So then I said to Kevin, ‘Can I go talk to Bob Iger?’ He goes, ‘About?’ I go, ‘About everything.'”

“And I’d gone to Bob’s house, which I don’t know how to describe that experience,” Downey continued. “I’ve had a lot of really cool experiences. We go to Iger’s pad, and we sit down and start saying, ‘I just really want to be…’ He goes, ‘I like it.’ I was like, ‘He likes it.’ He goes ‘Come by the Imagineering campus.’ Feige and I go to the Imagineering campus and — you want to talk about two guys that are not easy to have their minds blown, let alone at the same time. I can’t say too much about it, but what is going on there right now is so beyond my expectation of what was possible. no wonder it was numinous to me. It’s also the only way that I felt like I can give a certain entertainment-seeking audience, something that they may have a hankering to have an experience of, in a way where I can continue to develop my interest in the future of entertainment. Where the hell else should you go back there? So it’s this crazy, weird thing that’s going on, and if that all goes to sh-t, we’ll just remake what many people say is the greatest film of all time.”

Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.

The post Robert Downey Jr. Reveals MCU Return as Doctor Doom Started a Year Ago appeared first on ComicBook.com.

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Zack Snyder Addresses Russo Brothers Marvel Return https://comicbook.com/movies/news/zack-snyder-avengers-doomsday-russo-brothers-marvel-return-robert-downey-mcu/ Tue, 20 Aug 2024 23:17:30 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=13946 Some great movies here.
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Avengers: Doomsday is bringing the Russo Brothers back into the Marvel fold, and Zack Snyder had to give his thoughts on the move. CinemaBlend’s ReelBlend podcast saw the Rebel Moon director get asked about the big MCU reveal. He’s a fan of Joe and Anthony Russo and sees the move as a good thing for […]

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Some great movies here.
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Avengers: Doomsday is bringing the Russo Brothers back into the Marvel fold, and Zack Snyder had to give his thoughts on the move. CinemaBlend’s ReelBlend podcast saw the Rebel Moon director get asked about the big MCU reveal. He’s a fan of Joe and Anthony Russo and sees the move as a good thing for Marvel. Snyder might have been the face of DC for almost a decade, but he clearly enjoys movies that make him feel. And, the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice director knows talent wins out in the end. Check out what he had to say down below

I think that’s great for them. They’re amazing, and they’ve done really, I think they’ve done great work with those guys. I’m sure they’ll do something amazing. They’re talented guys, and I think they’ll do something cool. I think it’s time to shake it up a little bit.” 

Getting The Band Back Together

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Russos. Are. Back.

As the MCU continues toward The Multiverse Saga’s conclusion, Robert Downey Jr. also made a traumatic return at San Diego Comic-Con this year. Today the beloved actor described the decision to return with The Hollywood Reporter. Kevin Feige had this plan in the works for a while. On a trip to Bob Iger’s house to talk about adding to the Disney parks, the details start to take even more shape. Things got real very fast.

“And I’d gone to Bob’s house, which I don’t know how to describe that experience. I’ve had a lot of really cool experiences. We go to Iger’s pad, and we sit down and start saying, ‘I just really want to be…’ He goes, ‘I like it.’ I was like, ‘He likes it.’ He goes ‘Come by the Imagineering campus.’ Feige and I go to the Imagineering campus and — you want to talk about two guys that are not easy to have their minds blown, let alone at the same time,” the star continued. “I can’t say too much about it, but what is going on there right now is so beyond my expectation of what was possible. no wonder it was numinous to me.” 

“It’s also the only way that I felt like I can give a certain entertainment-seeking audience, something that they may have a hankering to have an experience of, in a way where I can continue to develop my interest in the future of entertainment,” Downey added. “Where the hell else should you go back there? So it’s this crazy, weird thing that’s going on, and if that all goes to sh-t, we’ll just remake what many people say is the greatest film of all time.”

Do you like the Russos being back? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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Avengers 5 Reportedly Would Have Featured Shang-Chi in Lead Role https://comicbook.com/movies/news/avengers-5-shang-chi-simu-liu-lead-role-report-mcu/ Tue, 20 Aug 2024 19:28:42 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=201821 marvels-shang-chi.jpg

If a new report is to be believed, Shang-Chi was set for a major role in Avengers 5. Before the Marvel Studios panel on the Saturday night of San Diego Comic-Con, the status of the fifth Avengers movie was up in the air. Previously titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, the film was set to feature […]

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If a new report is to be believed, Shang-Chi was set for a major role in Avengers 5. Before the Marvel Studios panel on the Saturday night of San Diego Comic-Con, the status of the fifth Avengers movie was up in the air. Previously titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, the film was set to feature Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror as the main villain and centered on the multiverse. However, after Majors was found guilty of reckless assault in the third degree and guilty of harassment of his ex-girlfriend, Marvel Studios dropped the actor and retitled the film Avengers: Doomsday, with Robert Downey Jr. playing Victor Von Doom. But before all that took place, Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi was going to be one of the big leads in Avengers 5.

According to Inverse, Simu Liu’s character Shang-Chi was going to be one of the main leads of Avengers 5, aka Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Of course, this was back when Avengers 5 was leaning on Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror. With it being retooled to Avengers: Doomsday, there’s no way to know if Shang-Chi will still be one of the central characters of the film. 

What is the status of Shang-Chi 2?

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Destin Daniel Cretton is still set to helm the sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, with Simu Liu returning to reprise his role as the titular Marvel hero. However, Shang-Chi 2 is not on Marvel Studios’ official release schedule as of 2025 films. Luckily, Liu recently gave an update on the film, stating that it is still in the works.

“A lot of it is above my pay grade, but it’s definitely happening,” Liu told The Press Trust of India. “[I’m] just very excited to kind of work on it and it’s going to be amazing. I really can’t say anything beyond that.”

This is similar to a previous statement Liu gave ComicBook outside of the premiere for Arthur the King. “When I get a call of like, ‘Hey, this is what you’re in, and this is where you’re going to show up, and this is when you’re going to be need to be blacked out for.’ That’s kind of generally what tends to happen,” Liu told ComicBook on the Arthur the King red carpet. “Destin is such a special filmmaker and we’re very happy to have him on the sequel. So he’ll be working on that, and we’re really excited to see what he comes up with. I think he’s going to do a brilliant job.”

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Top 10 Comic Books Rising in Value in the Last Week Include Doctor Doom, Wolverine, and G.I. Joe https://comicbook.com/comics/news/top-10-comic-books-doctor-doom-iron-man-wolverine-gi-joe/ Tue, 06 Aug 2024 22:02:45 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=252328 exiles-23-iron-man-doctor-doom.jpg

Ever since the Hall-H reveal of Robert Downey Jr as Dr. Doom, the fandom has been frantically searching for any and all keys related to this reveal. There are many multiverse versions of the Tony Stark/Dr. Doom combo, and there isn’t much information to go on. Fan theories are running rampant, and, in this time […]

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Ever since the Hall-H reveal of Robert Downey Jr as Dr. Doom, the fandom has been frantically searching for any and all keys related to this reveal. There are many multiverse versions of the Tony Stark/Dr. Doom combo, and there isn’t much information to go on. Fan theories are running rampant, and, in this time of confusion, many misconceptions about certain keys are gaining popularity. Make sure to scroll through our entire Doom list below to get the most accurate information on what key event takes place in each book. Also, an awesome Wolverine and Baroness cover makes the cut!

Want to know what comic books are trending each week and why? COVRPRICE.COM uses live sales analytics to identify and compile the most robust market price guide, highlighting the weekly top trending comics. No opinions. Just data. Each week, they present a newly updated list of the TOP 10 COMICS trending in the aftermarket. These trends are due to rumors, fan-favorite covers, story-driven content, and content-related news.

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1: The Uncanny X-Men Vol.1 #251 | Marvel | November 1989: Deadpool & Wolverine spoilers have been hitting social media at breakneck speeds. If you haven’t already seen the film, here’s a big spoiler for you. During the first act of the film, Deadpool searches for a Wolverine to bring to his universe. In the middle of his multiverse hopping, Deadpool runs into a version of the Wolverine that’s immediately recognizable to fans. The scene is ripped directly from this Marc Silvestri artwork, paying homage to this iconic Wolverine cover. Fans are still chasing this down in the aftermarket, looking to take a piece of movie magic home with them. We tracked it at a high sale of $313 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM+ raw of $125. 

2: Infamous Iron Man #1 | Marvel | October 2016: Here’s another great key book from the multiverse of Dr. Doom. The cover is a great way to confuse fans into believing this book is the inspiration behind the casting choice for Doom. However, this book marks the first appearance of Victor Von Doom as Iron Man. Again, not much is known about what multiversal combination RDJ will embody. While we wait for more information, any and all theories are fair game! We tracked it at a high sale of $300 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw $67.

3: Iron Man Vol.2 #11 | Marvel | September 1997: Speaking of confusing covers, this cover is also a book that a fan can associate with the casting choice. RDJ has been so ingrained in our minds as Iron Man that we cannot fathom a universe where Iron Man doesn’t crossover as Dr. Doom. For all we know, RDJ’s Doom will have nothing to do with an Iron Man iteration. Until information is provided to fans, any and all crossover comics with the two characters are up for grabs on the aftermarket. This is a great cover by Whilce Portacio. While it doesn’t have any key appearances or significant events, it is still an awesome Dr. Doom/Iron Man cover to add to the speculation collection. We tracked it at a high sale of $54 for a CGC 9.4 copy and a current FN raw $3. 

4: G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero #308 – Sozomaika – 2024 SDCC – KRS Comics / The Comic Mint – Virgin (Limited 300) | Image | July 2024: Among all the Doom stands the beautiful and dangerous Baroness. This Sozomaika cover has seen a late boom in the aftermarket, but it booms nonetheless. There isn’t any key significance behind this book; it’s just a highly desirable and gorgeous cover of a popular character. It is also a highly limited exclusive book, coming straight out of SDCC. The book was limited to a 300-copy print run. As original holders of this book start posting it on the aftermarket, it seems fans are willing to pay any price to add the Baroness to their collection. We tracked it at a high sale of $220 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $212.

5: What If? Iron Man: Demon in an Armor #1 | Marvel | December 2010: Another interesting theory that is fueled by the RDJ casting for Doom. In this universe, Stark and Doom were college roommates. Doom, craving Stark’s access to resources and technology, tricked Stark into switching minds. Stark is left in Doom’s body with his memories wiped. As Doom builds a Stark empire, Stark is left to start over in Doom’s body… eventually building his own small empire. The two collide, leaving Stark, in Doom’s body, victorious over the imposter. The storyline is a simple one but who knows how well this would translate to the big screen. Still, this early in the game, any theory is a valid theory. Fans are putting their money where their mouth is, and this book is making waves in the aftermarket. We tracked it at a high sale of $165 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $130. 

6: Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars Vol.1 #10 – Direct | Marvel | February 1985: Whether Dr. Doom is successful in taking over the MCU is still left to be found out. One thing is for certain: he has taken over the aftermarket! Iconic Dr. Doom covers are the second most popular buys, right behind Dr. Doom/Iron Man covers. This cover would be hard to pass by if you’re a fan of Doom. This fan-favorite Mike Zeck cover has been a staple in many fans’ collections for years prior to the MCU announcement. It just got a spike in interest thanks to the news, but it has always been a hot book to track down! We tracked it at a high sale of $215 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current VF raw $29. 

7: The Avengers Vol.1 #25 | Marvel | February 1966: This is a great book to see back on everyone’s radar! The first battle between Dr. Doom and the Avengers, story by Stan Lee, and art by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers… this book has it all! If you ever give this a read, this book is a fun, campy adventure. The Avengers are lured to Latveria by snail mail from Wanda and Pietro’s auntie, who was secretly Dr. Doom orchestrating his evil letter-writing campaign. This leads to the heroes falling for Dr. Doom’s trap to defeat them. We can only hope the MCU follows a similar storyline. If it does, many aftermarket speculators will rejoice as this book has seen decent interest growth. We tracked it at a high sale of $1,800 for a CGC 9.4 copy and a current VG raw $88.

8: Exiles Vol.1 #23 | Marvel | May 2003: As seen by the onslaught of Doom-related books, the market is all over the place when determining what book to focus on in terms of MCU speculation. The current approach for collectors is to pick up anything and everything related to Doom, especially if it has an Iron Man connection. What makes this issue interesting, as well as the next two for Marvel Team-Up, is that Tony Stark’s appearances as the Iron Monarch and Iron Maniac highlight issues where Tony has adopted elements of Dr. Doom’s temperament and elements of his costume. Tonally, Tony became Doctor Doom in these issues, but not at all in name. That’s an important fact, as Robert Downey Jr. was announced to play Victor Von Doom specifically. Not Tony Stark playing the role of Doom. Granted, there’s most likely some misdirection from the creative team as play. So, this issue and the Marvel Team-Up issues could be valid in the future. But for clarity, Tony Stark does NOT become or play the role of Victor Von Doom in this issue or Marvel Team #3 & 4 (we’ll get into that). We tracked it at a high sale of $75 for an NM+ copy and a current VF raw $7. 

9: Marvel Team-Up #3 | Marvel | February 2005: We’ve had several users reach out asking us to update this book as “the first appearance of Tony Stark as Dr. Doom.” However, we always like to dig into these requests and confirm firsthand by researching all the issues in question to confirm those claims. After reading this run (up until the end of Kirkman’s run on this series), we can confidently state that there is no appearance of Tony Stark as Dr. Doom or Victor Von Doom in any capacity. This is simply an evil variant of Tony Stark, who later becomes known as “The Iron Maniac.” In this full first appearance as The Iron Maniac (though not named until issue #22), Stark displays a mask and suit that somewhat resembles Dooms. In fact, the Fantastic Four mistake him for the Latvarian ruler. However, Tony quickly reveals himself and claims no relation to Victor Von Doom. We’ve added references to this appearance below. We tracked it at a high sale of $23 for a VF copy and a current VF raw $20. 

10: Marvel Team-Up #2 | Marvel | January 2005: Included is the first cameo appearance of The Iron Maniac. Clearly, writer Robert Kirkman wanted the reader to believe that this was Dr. Doom by highlighting his classic silver suit and green cloak and showing a close-up of his disfigured face under the mask while hiding the Iron Man-style elements revealed in issue #3 on the ears, mouth, chest, and repulsors. Tony Stark is not known for wearing a cloak, except in Exiles above, when he first debuted this look after he defeated Dr. Doom in an alternate reality. If this page was all you would see circulating the internet, then it’s easy to understand why this is being misrepresented as the first appearance of Tony Stark as Dr. Doom. With all this laid out, what do you think? Do you feel this is the first appearance of Tony Stark as Dr. Doom? Let us know. We tracked it at a high sale of $250 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current VF raw $29.

The post Top 10 Comic Books Rising in Value in the Last Week Include Doctor Doom, Wolverine, and G.I. Joe appeared first on ComicBook.com.

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Shang-Chi 2: Awkwafina Shares Disappointing Update Following Marvel’s Comic-Con Announcements (Exclusive) https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/shang-chi-2-awkwafina-disappointing-update-marvel-sdcc-comic-con-2024-exclusive/ Mon, 05 Aug 2024 15:20:54 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=8877 AWKWAFINA-SHANG-CHI-2-UPDATE-MARVEL-STUDIOS

Where is the Master of Kung-Fu? Marvel Studios updated its upcoming slate last month at San Diego Comic-Con, rebranding Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to Avengers: Doomsday and providing a clearer path to Avengers: Secret Wars in the process, but left a number of in-development projects without new details. High on that pending list is a […]

The post Shang-Chi 2: Awkwafina Shares Disappointing Update Following Marvel’s Comic-Con Announcements (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

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Where is the Master of Kung-Fu? Marvel Studios updated its upcoming slate last month at San Diego Comic-Con, rebranding Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to Avengers: Doomsday and providing a clearer path to Avengers: Secret Wars in the process, but left a number of in-development projects without new details. High on that pending list is a sequel to 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The Simu Liu-led film overcame the obstacle of being Marvel Studios’ first post-pandemic release, boasting one of the most consistent box office runs in the franchise’s then-13-year history. Shang-Chi was also a hit with critics, maintaining a 91 percent certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Awkwafina Provides Latest Update on Shang-Chi 2

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Progress on a Shang-Chi sequel remains stagnant.

Speaking to ComicBook at the Jackpot! junket, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Awkwafina noted that she still does not have any details on plans for a Shang-Chi 2.

“I have not,” Awkwafina said when asked if she’s heard any update on a Shang-Chi sequel. “I haven’t, but [those were] exciting announcements at Comic-Con.”

Shang-Chi 2 has been in the works since December 2021. Marvel Studios was all in on the martial arts property back then, giving the green light to develop a theatrical sequel as well as a Disney+ spin-off series focused on the Ten Rings organization. Marvel also doubled down on its investment in Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton, tapping him to direct Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and executive produce Disney+’s Wonder Man.

Things have changed significantly since then. Cretton stepped down as director of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty last fall, roughly nine months before the fifth installment was rebranded to Doomsday. Simu Liu had previously told ComicBook that he would “assume” he’d be in the Avengers 5 ensemble because of Cretton helming it, but is now unsure.

“I don’t know to be honest,” Liu told ComicBook this past February. “I mean, those things are so above my pay grade. I just want to continue to be a fan of it. When I get a call of like, ‘Hey, this is what your in and this is where you’re going to show up. And, this is when you’re going to be need to be blocked out for,’ that’s kind of generally what tends to happen. 

Regardless of those Avengers 5 shakeups, Liu maintained that Shang-Chi 2 is happening, and Cretton’s directorial status there has not changed.

“Destin is such a special filmmaker and we’re very happy to have him on the sequel,” Liu added. “He’ll be working on that and we’re really excited to see what he comes up with. I think he’s going to do a brilliant job.” 

Awkwafina can next be seen in Jackpot! when it premieres on Prime Video on August 15th.

The post Shang-Chi 2: Awkwafina Shares Disappointing Update Following Marvel’s Comic-Con Announcements (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

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Robert Downey Jr. Doctor Doom Reveal Surprises Morgan Stark https://comicbook.com/movies/news/robert-downey-jr-doctor-doom-avengers-5-morgan-stark-lexi-rabe-surprise/ Fri, 02 Aug 2024 14:30:16 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=223634 Morgan Stark and her father in the last Avengers movie.
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Avengers: Endgame star Lexi Rabe had to give her reaction to the news of Robert Downey Jr., returning to the MCU. If you missed it, the Iron Man actor announced his dramatic role as Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday at San Diego Comic-Con. His on-screen daughter was playfully confused by his big reveal post on […]

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Morgan Stark and her father in the last Avengers movie.
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Avengers: Endgame star Lexi Rabe had to give her reaction to the news of Robert Downey Jr., returning to the MCU. If you missed it, the Iron Man actor announced his dramatic role as Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday at San Diego Comic-Con. His on-screen daughter was playfully confused by his big reveal post on Instagram. Her quick little, “Dad?” Comment quickly racked up a bunch of likes as Marvel fans absolutely loved the nod to their interactions during the end of The Infinity Saga. Along for the ride are The Russo Brothers, back in the saddle after Avengers: Endgame and Infinity War. Maybe we will see Morgan Stark back in the MCU after all.

Rabe isn’t the only marvel actor that was completely caught off guard by the news. In a new interview with US Weekly, Jeremy Renner registered his surprise at Robert Downey Jr. decided to come back to the MCU. The Hawkeye actor shared, “I’m like, ‘What’s going on? Are you hiding this from us?’ I don’t know. That’s exciting news, man. I’m really, really excited about it.”

For the moment, it does seem like Marvel is headed for a big reunion moment. Renner feels that pull as well. Could it mean more Morgan Stark? Only time will tell. “It seems the Avenger movies have always been really fan favorites and there’s so many wonderful characters in them. I think it’s going to be challenging to get everybody together,” Renner explained. “I think they’re going to probably have to piece it together like week-by-week, just for people’s schedules.”

Will She Return Soon?

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Morgan Stark and her father in the last Avengers movie.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Rabe in any role in the MCU. Her surprising turn in Avengers: Endgame is one of those fan favorite threads that is still dangling all these years later. Right after the movie premiered, ComicBook asked Lexi about coming back for another movie. She told us that people kept asking her mother and her that question, “And I don’t know.” Her mom jumped in at that moment and quickly clarified that they hadn’t signed on for a new appearance yet. Jessica said, “We haven’t filmed another one. And we’re not under contract, negotiations, or conversation at this point.”

But, that wasn’t the case for very long as Spider-Man: No Way Home, actually included Lexi in a small role. It got cut for time, but the actress posted about it on social media. As you would imagine the post ignited a fire storm of people trying to figure out where Tony Stark’s daughter would have fit into the narrative. Here’s what she said: 

“Ok here’s a teaser with all the photos. Will be posting them all soon. I absolutely love this movie- even though my part (studio asked to use my image) got cut- it was amazing to see everyone #marvelfam #loveyou3000 #congratstoall @tomholland2013 @zendaya @lifeisaloha @jonfavreau @marisatomei #benedictcumberbatch @iamjamiefoxx #jksimmions #williamdafoe @wongrel #kevinfeige @marvelstudios @therussobrothers @sonypictures ty @abelita_pr”

Do you think there’s plans to bring her back? Let us know in the comments down below!

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Avengers Doomsday: Jeremy Renner Addresses Marvel Return https://comicbook.com/movies/news/avengers-robert-downey-doomsday-jeremy-renner-marvel-return-addressed-mcu/ Thu, 01 Aug 2024 14:49:34 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=67052 Robert Downey Jr. (C) and Jeremy Renner (R) gesture as Brie Larson (L) looks on during Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Endgame" Asia press conference in Seoul on April 15, 2019. – The movie will open in South Korea on April 24.
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Jeremy Renner is already thinking about a Marvel return in Avengers: Doomsday. Us Weekly caught up with the Mayor of Kingstown actor to discuss all the MCU hysteria at San Diego Comic-Con. As a founding member of the Avengers, he sounds excited by the news of Robert Downey Jr. coming back to play Doctor Doom in the next team-up […]

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Robert Downey Jr. (C) and Jeremy Renner (R) gesture as Brie Larson (L) looks on during Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Endgame" Asia press conference in Seoul on April 15, 2019. – The movie will open in South Korea on April 24.
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Jeremy Renner is already thinking about a Marvel return in Avengers: Doomsday. Us Weekly caught up with the Mayor of Kingstown actor to discuss all the MCU hysteria at San Diego Comic-Con. As a founding member of the Avengers, he sounds excited by the news of Robert Downey Jr. coming back to play Doctor Doom in the next team-up film. Renner says that he was blowing up the Iron Man actor’s phone after the news hit. The Hawkeye star said, “I’m like, ‘What’s going on? Are you hiding this from us?’ I don’t know. That’s exciting news, man. I’m really, really excited about it.” Now, the Internet speculation is swirling after all of these announcements. If Marvel calls, Renner is going to try and be there. However, he acknowledges this is going to be a massive undertaking.

“It seems the Avenger movies have always been really fan favorites and there’s so many wonderful characters in them. I think it’s going to be challenging to get everybody together,” Renner told the outlet. “I think they’re going to probably have to piece it together like week-by-week, just for people’s schedules.”

Who Will Be In Avengers: Doomsday?

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Actors Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, and Robert Downey Jr. tape an interview at Good Morning America.

When it comes to the next Avengers movie, the question of who else is going to show-up it’s been a hot topic among Marvel fans. Since the beginning of Phase 4, audience have been introduced to a lot of new faces across these films and TV series. Io9 asked Kevin Feige about the roster headed into Avengers: Doomsday. The MCU architect, cautioned fans against thinking that every single character that debuted since Avengers: Endgame, would show up in the next crossover movie. In Feige’s opinion, a lot of those heroes will make the cut. However, it’s very possible that some favorites might end up sitting this one out. Scheduling conflicts might also come into play for a handful of these performers as well. But, with Downey back in the fold, expect the established names to come back around for the summer camp feel of Doomsday.

“I rarely speak in absolutes like that, right?” Feige smirked while talking about the next Avengers roster. “The notion of never ever seeing somebody again, we’ve got Tim Blake Nelson in a movie coming up next year, right? So I never talk in absolutes like that. But the truth is, you know, we’re going to tell a story in these Avengers movies, and there won’t be room for 100,000 characters in it. So choices will have to be made, that’s for sure. But that doesn’t mean you won’t ever see anybody ever again.”

Will Hawkeye be back for Avengers: Doomsday? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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Top 10 Comic Books Rising in Value in the Last Week Include Deadpool and a Lot of Doctor Doom https://comicbook.com/comics/news/top-10-comic-books-rising-value-deadpool-doctor-doom-covrprice/ Thu, 01 Aug 2024 03:41:00 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=164143 infamous-iron-man-1.jpg

Clearly, collectors have greatly missed speculating on MCU content. While most news content drives immediate demand for aftermarket and back-issue copies, this week presented something rather unique. Tied to the recent MCU Hall H announcement of Robert Downey Jr. playing the role of Victor Von Doom, collectors bypassed the collecting norm of focusing on the […]

The post Top 10 Comic Books Rising in Value in the Last Week Include Deadpool and a Lot of Doctor Doom appeared first on ComicBook.com.

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Clearly, collectors have greatly missed speculating on MCU content. While most news content drives immediate demand for aftermarket and back-issue copies, this week presented something rather unique. Tied to the recent MCU Hall H announcement of Robert Downey Jr. playing the role of Victor Von Doom, collectors bypassed the collecting norm of focusing on the first appearance and bought everything that had any connection between Victor Von Doom and Tony Stark.  The words mentioned in Hall H are important to note as we jump into this list. To be clear, as everything must be intentional, the Russos didn’t say “Tony Stark as Dr. Doom,” nor did they even say the name “Dr. Doom.” They specifically said that Robert Downey Jr. would be playing the role of Victor Von Doom. However, the comic community cannot disconnect RDJ from Iron Man, leading to that wild west style speculation for at least 16 books and their various variants. And they are not selling at low prices. Numerous books are commanding huge all-time highs, with many jumping from $1 to $100+! The truth is, Feige and his team (hopefully) have a larger plan at play that’s very unclear right now and most likely won’t be until the film is close to release. One or two of these books may hit down the road, but many will not. With that said, the other entries on this list are driven by Deadpool & Wolverine’s massive box office, along with heat from SDCC mand exclusives (we tracked 525!!). Bear with us here as we take you through these trends, as they are a bit confusing. Let’s get to it!

Want to know what comic books are trending each week and why? COVRPRICE.COM uses live sales analytics to identify and compile the most robust market price guide, highlighting the weekly top trending comics. No opinions. Just data. Each week, they present a newly updated list of the TOP 10 COMICS trending in the aftermarket. These trends are due to rumors, fan-favorite covers, story-driven content, and content-related news.

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Top 10 Comic Books Rising in Value for the Week of 07/29/24

1: INFAMOUS IRON MAN #1 | MARVEL | 2016: The events that unfolded in Hall H were monumental. Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU as Victor Von Doom. But, as mentioned in the intro, they didn’t specify the details around what that means in a universe with a multiverse. Much still needs clarification, but the aftermarket immediately began hunting for this issue after the announcement. And why shouldn’t it? As noted, RDJ can’t separate the Iron from the Man, so logically, they would turn to the first appearance of Victor Von Doom taking on the moniker of Iron Man, assisted by Tony Stark A.I, after Tony is left in a comatose state due to the events of 2016’s Civil War II. There’s a good reason it immediately went supernova. That premise right there could fit the initial narrative. Could, being the important part. However, if you read the early tea leaves, the details provided present a flip to this concept, where Tony Stark takes on the moniker of Victor Von Doom. Until we know what we’re dealing with, it might be wise to take a step back, enjoy the moment, and let this concept breathe a bit, as purchasing this book at the current prices might not be wise. However, we all feel it. We’re itching for Marvel to return to the pre-Endgame glory. It’s infectious seeing the hype build for that announcement and the release of Deadpool & Wolverine. We tracked it at a high sale of $249 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw $99.

2: X-MEN #251 | MARVEL | 1989: *DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE SPOILERS AHEAD*: Marvel does pretty well at callbacks, homages, and tongue-in-cheek moments. DEADPOOL 3 was not only a love letter to Fox’s Marvel Universe but also offered a splattering of “what could have been” regarding Wolverine. With an almost poetic callback to this cover in Deadpool and Wolverine, it’s not surprising to see it on this list. This book has been a cult favorite for years simply because it rules. With a little assistance from the dominating box office, it almost tops the charts! We tracked it at a high sale of $350 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw $20.

3: MARVEL TEAM-UP #2 | MARVEL | 2005: The Hall H firebomb is rocketing up the charts! RDJ returning to the MCU (in any capacity) is apparently what fans have been dying for, and they’re making it known on the aftermarket. However, this one is a bit of a misdirect. Social Media posts, from even Mr. Rob Liefeld himself, pointed to this issue as the first time Tony Stark appeared as Dr. Doom, helping it to get a huge boost in the aftermarket. However, to quickly address it: (1) It’s kind of the first… when you focus on the “appears to be Dr. Doom” part, (2) This is Tony Stark as an alternate Tony Stark (with a Dr. Doom-ish mask who is mistaken for Doom several times), (3) this specific issue (#2) is a quick cameo appearance (full appearance and reveal in issue #3) and (4) RDJ was not announced at Hall H as “Tony Stark as Dr. Doom”, but specifically as Victor Von Doom. Online sources, like Fandom, name this alternate version as “Iron Maniac,” despite not being named that in any of these issues. These factors helped it jump from a back-issue book to an aftermarket darling in less than a day! Keep in mind that we don’t know if RDJ will be portraying Tony Stark as Doom, a variant of Tony Stark, or something that lies in between. But more on that in a bit. Marvel has established that there are some variant trickery at play. We tracked it at a high sale of $250 for a CGC 9.8 copy, and a current NM raw price of $18.

4: WHAT IF? IRON MAN: DEMON IN AN ARMOR #1 | MARVEL | 2010: Marvel is stellar at homages, and this book is exhibit one billion. This book homages one of the most iconic Iron Man covers of all time from the Demon in a Bottle storyline. It also features the timeline where Dr. Doom switches minds with Tony Stark. Oh, the buggery that could ensue! Still, this book marks yet another direction in which Marvel could take the recent Hall H announcement. This issue is the frontrunner for the logical interpretation of what was provided. Out of all the books trending, this is the only one where Victor Von Doom can take on the visage of Iron Man/ Tony Stark. With a stellar cover and immense heat, unfortunately, the train has already left the station of this one (unless you can find a copy in the wild). If you want a more detailed take on this theory, the Youtube channel “Everything Always,’ breaks it down nicely. Keep in mind we have TWO YEARS for plenty of additional interpretations and theories. So buckle in! We tracked it at a high sale of $324 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw $162.

5: THE NEW MUTANTS VOL.1 #98 – ROB LIEFELD – REGULAR | MARVEL | 1991: Finally, it’s here! Deadpool & Wolverine has dropped, and the market is booming for Deadpool’s first appearance. Come on, though; it has been booming for months already! We don’t know if he’ll return in future MCU projects, but that isn’t stopping collectors. Those who love the character contributed to the massive Box Office income stream over the weekend. Soon, the hype should subside slightly and offer some better value for those looking to acquire this Deadpool key. We tracked it at a high sale of $1,195 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw $404.

6: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #4 – J. SCOTT CAMPBELL – 2024 SDCC – COVER D – FAMILY APARTMENT ASM #601 REIMAGINED – VIRGIN (LIMITED 1800) | MARVEL | 2024: Homage, homage, homage! They’re everywhere this week, but that’s because they’re wicked. J. Scott Campbell homaged his iconic ASM #601 cover for Ultimate Spider-Man #4 a few months ago, but it was a trade dress. He hit attendees of SDCC with a highly exclusive virgin variant, and it sold BY THURSDAY! J. Scott Campbell has a massive audience willing to drop big bucks to secure variants like this. We tracked it at a high sale of $400 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw $119.

7: WOLVERINE #88 – DIRECT EDITION – DELUXE – $1.95 PRICE | MARVEL | 1994: Another Deadpool book that’s been hot for months! Mostly because Marvel let it be known Deadpool and Wolverine would duke it out at some point in the film. It was all over the advertising, which caused a ton of fans to discover this book. It’s the first direct meeting and battle between the two, which, as you know if you’ve seen the film or not, is a big deal. The fight shown on this cover is literally played out on screen. Having two of the most iconic heroes(?) of all time on the big screen is gonna make the market shake! We tracked it at a high sale of $450 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw $69.

8: ABSOLUTE BATMAN ASHCAN – NICK DRAGOTTA – 2024 SDCC – FOIL (LIMITED 500) | DC | 2024: This book is an SDCC, and now aftermarket, darling due to its reveal – that being the new Batman suit for this absolutely hyped new run. Featuring a look at our hero as a more gritty, underdog tale (AKA Batman), which is something fans are looking forward to. Nick Dragotta has a manga-esque style that also has fans interested. We tracked it at a high sale of $220 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $123.

9: DEADPOOL #31 | MARVEL | 2014: This book features the first appearance of Ellie Comacho, the daughter of Wade Wilson, AKA Deadpool. This book is trending due to actual comic book news out of SDCC. Per Marvel, “Deadpool’s daughter, Ellie, takes over as Deadpool following Wade’s death this October in ‘Deadpool’ #7.” While she has a quick single panel cameo appearance in Deadpool #19, this issue a much more substantial, hence the higher trend. We tracked it at a high sale of $145 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw $24.

10: EXILES VOL.1 #23 | MARVEL | 2003: My lord, all these Iron Man/Doom covers hitting the list are incredible! Hall H might become a landmark in the future, thanks to that announcement, but the fanbase may never be the same. Here is yet another book that could play out in the future for Marvel. The key point is, we just don’t know! That’s what’s so exciting, as this book shares a similarity with about 16 other books featuring Tony Stark/Doom/Iron Man in some capacity. That includes this book, when Tony Stark becomes the de facto King of the Earth, ruling as Iron Man while “rocking the drip” he stole from a vanquished Dr. Doom (so, still technically not Tony Stark as Dr. Doom). What a timeline, and one that could potentially look awesome on the big screen. This issue does allude to other theories where an alternate Tony Stark was able to see his vision of a “suit around the world” and was policed by Ultron bots, which came to fruition. There’s also potential where he assumed the identity of Doom when hoping around dimensions. Still, like most of these… not all of them will keep their trend. There can only be one (or maybe two). So, hop off those Buy it Now buttons and get out there and hunt if you’re looking for a copy. We tracked it at a high sale of $50 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $7.

The post Top 10 Comic Books Rising in Value in the Last Week Include Deadpool and a Lot of Doctor Doom appeared first on ComicBook.com.

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Avengers 5: Jonathan Majors “Heartbroken” Over Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom Replacing Kang https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/avengers-5-jonathan-majors-heartbroken-robert-downey-jr-doctor-doom-replacing-kang/ Wed, 31 Jul 2024 17:24:18 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=22102 avengers-doomsday-jonathan-majors-reaction-robert-downey-jr-doom-kang

Marvel Studios has executed a hard pivot on its cinematic universe’s future. This past weekend at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige officially announced that Joe and Anthony Russo, the directing duo behind Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, had signed on to direct the next two installments in the Avengers franchise. Alongside […]

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Marvel Studios has executed a hard pivot on its cinematic universe’s future. This past weekend at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige officially announced that Joe and Anthony Russo, the directing duo behind Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, had signed on to direct the next two installments in the Avengers franchise. Alongside the Russo brothers return was the comeback of Robert Downey Jr., as the longtime Iron Man actor was unveiled to be portraying Doctor Doom in both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. While Secret Wars has been in Marvel Studios’ cards since 2022, Avengers: Doomsday replaces what was originally titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.

Back in March 2023, actor Jonathan Majors was arrested on assault, strangulation and harassment charges following a domestic dispute with his girlfriend. Majors played Kang the Conqueror in Marvel projects Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and was being positioned as the next Thanos-level villain within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Majors was found guilty of one count of reckless assault in the 3rd degree this past December and was sentenced to 52 weeks of a domestic violence intervention program and probation in April. Immediately after his conviction, Marvel Studios dropped Majors from all future projects.

Jonathan Majors “Heartbroken” Over Kang Replacement

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Speaking to TMZ, former Marvel actor Jonathan Majors noted he is “heartbroken” over Marvel Studios’ decision to officially replace his character of Kang with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom in the next Avengers films.

“Yeah, [I’m] heartbroken, of course,” Majors said. “I love Kang. Doctor Doom is wicked, though.”

Marvel Studios has been working with Downey since 2008 when it launched its cinematic universe with Iron Man. The studio was originally heavily hesitant to cast Downey in the role due to his own past problems with the law.

“I think it’s fair that Mr. Downey is being and has been greeted with patience and curiosity and love and [he’s] being allowed to work [his] art and be creative at that level,” Majors said regarding how Downey was given a chance with Marvel despite his legal troubles. 

Majors last appeared as Kang in Loki Season 2, which aired in Fall 2023. That season concluded with the threat of Kang seemingly being extinguished, as there were no legitimate teases that the Conqueror would be posing a threat down the line. This appeared to be Marvel’s way of writing the character out of its future.

“Hell yeah! Hell yeah! I love him. I love Kang,” Majors said when asked if he would still return to the character. “If that’s what the fans want, and that’s what Marvel wants, then let’s roll. Hell yeah.”

The post Avengers 5: Jonathan Majors “Heartbroken” Over Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom Replacing Kang appeared first on ComicBook.com.

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Is Robert Downey Jr. in The Fantastic Four Reboot? https://comicbook.com/movies/news/fantastic-four-reboot-does-robert-downey-jr-appear-doctor-doom/ Tue, 30 Jul 2024 20:57:47 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=342841 rdj-fantastic-four.jpg

Long before he was cast Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. was reportedly in the running for a role as Doctor Doom. All these years later, that casting is coming to fruition as Downey’s Doom is set to appear as the primary antagonist in both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. If fans are lucky, he […]

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Long before he was cast Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. was reportedly in the running for a role as Doctor Doom. All these years later, that casting is coming to fruition as Downey’s Doom is set to appear as the primary antagonist in both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. If fans are lucky, he might even appear before then; after all, Victor Von Doom is not only one of the biggest villains in the Marvel stable, but also the archenemy of Marvel’s First Family as well.

A new report from Jeff Sneider, the Hollywood insider who initially reported Downey’s surprise hell turn prior to San Diego Comic-Con, says Downey will appear in a post-credits scene attached to The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Why is RDJ returning to the MCU?

According to Variety, Downey is set to earn one of Hollywood’s largest-ever paydays for returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The trade says the Russo Brothers will be making upwards of $80 million from the projects while Downey himself will be significantly north of that.

“It’s just crazily in my DNA. Probably the most like-me character I’ve ever played, even though he’s way cooler than I am,” Downey said in a Variety video last month. “I’ve become surprisingly open-minded to the idea… It really is crazy because we look pretty good. I was actually looking at the stills we were taking, making sure: “Do we still look kind of OK?” I’m like, ‘We look pretty good.'”

In a separate interview, Downey revealed he’ll never bet against Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige and his dedication to the franchise he oversees. “I always say: Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige. It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.”

Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps — starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Mass-Bachrach, John Malkovich, Paul Walter Hauser, Natasha Lyonne, Julia Garner as the Shalla-Bal Silver Surfer and Ralph Ineson as Galactus — opens only in theaters July 25th, 2025, as part of the MCU Phase 6.

Marvel Studios’ upcoming film slate includes Captain America: Brave New World (February 14th, 2025), Thunderbolts* (May 5th, 2025), The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 25th, 2025), Blade (November 7th, 2025), Avengers: Doomsday (May 1st, 2026), and Avengers: Secret Wars (May 7th, 2027).

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Deadpool & Wolverine Discussion, Comic-Con Recap (ComicBook Nation) https://comicbook.com/movies/news/deadpool-wolverine-reviews-box-office-comic-con-sdcc-2024-best-of-recap/ Tue, 30 Jul 2024 16:03:00 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=69924 comic-con-sdcc-2024-recap-rdj-mcu-return-doctor-doom.jpg

The ComicBook Nation crew gives a spoiler-free review of Deadpool & Wolverine, and then dips into all of the breaking news from San Diego Comic-Con so far! We also review Kite Man: Hell Yeah! And then talk Transformers, Joker 2, Absolute Power, and comics, along with a preview of this year’s Gen Con! PLUS: Two […]

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The ComicBook Nation crew gives a spoiler-free review of Deadpool & Wolverine, and then dips into all of the breaking news from San Diego Comic-Con so far! We also review Kite Man: Hell Yeah! And then talk Transformers, Joker 2, Absolute Power, and comics, along with a preview of this year’s Gen Con!

PLUS: Two Bonus Episodes – one LIVE from Comic-Con! ComicBook Nation host Kofi Outlaw teams with Phase Zero hosts Brandon Davis and Jenna Anderson, and ComicBook.com’s Chris Killian to break down the biggest reveals, wild happenings, and crazy behind-the-scenes stories from Thursday and Friday at San Diego Comic-Con! 

A second BONUS episode reunites ComicBook Nation hosts Kofi Outlaw, Janell Wheeler and Matt Aguilar summon their energy reserves to recap SDCC after the convention is done. Tune in for it all! 

Deadpool & Wolverine Review 

Phase Zero host Jenna Anderson said this in her 4.5. out of 5-star Deadpool & Wolverine Review

Amid the never-ending conversation around superhero fatigue, too many spoilers, and not enough effective storytelling, it feels rare to be truly surprised by a new superhero adaptation. Deadpool & Wolverine is such a pleasant surprise – both in its jaw-dropping elements and in the sentimental reason for those elements even existing – that it almost feels like a miracle. The movie’s handful of flaws are outweighed by its pure blockbuster storytelling and the gleeful rapport of its two protagonists. Through its no-holds-barred execution and the wildly entertaining performances of its ensemble cast, Deadpool & Wolverine serves as the most unlikely reminder of why we care about superhero movies in the first place.

Comic-Con Recap

ComicBook Nation is here to wrap up all the biggest news from Friday at San Diego Comic-Con! The Boys season 5 news and a Soldier Boy spin off! A new Lord of the Rings Rings of Power Season 2 Trailer! Huge anime updates for One Piece and much, much more!

 ComicBook Nation is bringing you ALL the big news, huge reveals, and major returns cough* Robert Downey Jr * cough from San Diego Comic-Con 2024!

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Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars Filming Updates Reveal Potential Start Date, Location https://comicbook.com/movies/news/avengers-doomsday-secret-wars-start-date-location-revealed-mcu/ Tue, 30 Jul 2024 13:19:25 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=18810 Russos. Are. Back.
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While Marvel Studios is getting the band back together for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, there will be some changes to how the studio normally does its production schedule. In case you happen to be living under a rock, Saturday night’s big news at San Diego Comic-Con was that Robert Downey Jr. is returning […]

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Russos. Are. Back.
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While Marvel Studios is getting the band back together for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, there will be some changes to how the studio normally does its production schedule. In case you happen to be living under a rock, Saturday night’s big news at San Diego Comic-Con was that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to play Doctor Doom. Also, Joe and Anthony Russo are returning to helm the next two Avengers films. These are obviously big deals, but a recent report sheds some light on how much Downey and the Russos are getting paid to team back up again, and where and when the new Avengers movies will begin production.

According to Variety, instead of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars shooting in Atlanta like their previous installments, Marvel is taking the two films to London to film, which is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2025. The majority of Marvel film productions have called Atlanta home, so this is definitely a departure from the norm. The Russos and Downey will also have hefty paydays and added perks as part of their new Marvel deals. The outlet reports the Russos are getting $80 million for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, performance escalators that begin at the $750 million and $1 billion thresholds, and their AGBO studio will produce both films. As for Downey, he’s getting a private jet for travel, dedicated security, and a “trailer encampment.” 

Robert Downey’s one condition to return to Marvel revealed

Variety reports Robert Downey Jr. opted to return if, and only if, Joe and Anthony Russo were to direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. ” An insider said, “They were the only ones he would work with.”

Downey’s also set to make the biggest payday of his career, with the trade saying he’ll likely make somewhere north of $80 million for his MCU return. The Iron Man star also requested travel via a private jet, his own security detail, and an entire encampment on the set for the next two Avengers flicks.

After a years-long hiatus from all things Marvel, Downey seemed to start warming up to the idea of an MCU return as recently as June.

“It’s just crazily in my DNA. Probably the most like-me character I’ve ever played, even though he’s way cooler than I am,” Downey said in a Variety video last month. “I’ve become surprisingly open-minded to the idea… It really is crazy because we look pretty good. I was actually looking at the stills we were taking, making sure: “Do we still look kind of OK?” I’m like, ‘We look pretty good.'”

In a separate interview, Downey revealed he’d never bet against Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige and his dedication to the franchise he oversees. “I always say: Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige. It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.”

The post Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars Filming Updates Reveal Potential Start Date, Location appeared first on ComicBook.com.

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Robert Downey Jr’s One Condition for Marvel Return Reportedly Revealed https://comicbook.com/movies/news/robert-downey-jr-marvel-return-russo-brothers/ Tue, 30 Jul 2024 04:17:40 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=79083 rdj-kevin-feige.jpg

Robert Downey Jr. is back in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After Downey’s Tony Stark / Iron Man sacrificed himself to stop Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, most thought Downey was done with the franchise. Fast forward five years later, and Downey is back. Instead of playing Tony Stark this time, however, Downey will be suiting up […]

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Robert Downey Jr. is back in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After Downey’s Tony Stark / Iron Man sacrificed himself to stop Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, most thought Downey was done with the franchise. Fast forward five years later, and Downey is back. Instead of playing Tony Stark this time, however, Downey will be suiting up as one Victor Von Doom. According to new trade reports, all it took was a couple familiar filmmakers back in the saddle to convince Downey to return to the property.

Variety reports Downey opted to return if, and only if, Joe and Anthony Russo were to direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. “”They were the only ones he would work with,” one insider reportedly told Variety.

Downey’s also set to make the biggest payday of his career, with the trade saying he’ll likely make somewhere north of $80 million for his MCU return. The Iron Man star also requested travel via a private jet, his own security detail, and an entire encampment on the set for the next two Avengers flicks.

When did RDJ decide to return to Marvel?

After a years-long hiatus from all things Marvel, Downey seemed to start warming up to the idea of an MCU return as recent as June.

“It’s just crazily in my DNA. Probably the most like-me character I’ve ever played, even though he’s way cooler than I am,” Downey said in a Variety video last month. “I’ve become surprisingly open-minded to the idea… It really is crazy because we look pretty good. I was actually looking at the stills we were taking, making sure: “Do we still look kind of OK?” I’m like, ‘We look pretty good.'”

In a separate interview, Downey revealed he’ll never bet against Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige and his dedication to the franchise he oversees. “I always say: Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige. It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.”

Marvel Studios’ upcoming film slate includes Captain America: Brave New World (February 14th, 2025), Thunderbolts* (May 5th, 2025), The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 25th, 2025), Blade (November 7th, 2025), Avengers: Doomsday (May 1st, 2026), and Avengers: Secret Wars (May 7th, 2027).

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Robert Downey Jr. Secures MASSIVE Marvel Payday For Playing Doctor Doom https://comicbook.com/movies/news/robert-downey-jr-doctor-doom-marvel-mcu-return-payday-avengers/ Tue, 30 Jul 2024 04:06:09 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=347806 Robert Downey Jr. unmasked as Doctor Doom at San Diego Comic-Con
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The man who started it all for the Marvel Cinematic Universe is returning to the franchise, and getting him back certainly wasn’t cheap. Marvel Studios shocked the entertainment world on Saturday night in Hall H, as the San Diego Comic-Con panel culminated in the reveal that Iron Man star and Avengers stalwart Robert Downey Jr. […]

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Robert Downey Jr. unmasked as Doctor Doom at San Diego Comic-Con
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The man who started it all for the Marvel Cinematic Universe is returning to the franchise, and getting him back certainly wasn’t cheap. Marvel Studios shocked the entertainment world on Saturday night in Hall H, as the San Diego Comic-Con panel culminated in the reveal that Iron Man star and Avengers stalwart Robert Downey Jr. was coming back to the MCU, this time as iconic Marvel villain Doctor Doom. Downey will star in the next two Avengers movies, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, both of which are being directed by .

Downey was already the biggest name in the MCU, having helped launch the franchise in 2008’s Iron Man and lead it through Tony Stark’s on-screen death 11 years later, but his price tag went up earlier this year when he won an Academy Award for his work in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. With all that in mind, Marvel had to back the Brinks truck up to Downey’s house in order to get a contract done for his return.

A new article from Variety about Downey’s Marvel return doesn’t specify exactly how much the actor will be making for these next two Avengers films, only that it will be “significantly more” than what the Russo Bros. are making for the pictures. The Russos, according to the piece, are taking home $80 million for their work. So Downey’s paycheck is more than theirs, and he doesn’t have to share it with a brother.

That payday, which could easily be in the $100M range, likely doesn’t include whatever Downey will make from his cut of the box office. The deals he made to get a cut of the profits of previous Avengers films helped make Downey the highest paid star in the franchise.

In addition to the massive payday, Downey reportedly also had some big asks baked into his contract. First of all, he needed the Russos to direct the films if he was going to return. He also required perks like travel via a private jet, his own private security detail, and an entire “trailer encampment” on set. 

It seems like Marvel bent over backward to accommodate Downey’s return to the franchise, but he’s been the studio’s shining star and poster child from the very beginning. It’s hard to envision a scenario where Marvel would’ve said no to anything Downey asked, as long as his face could be front and center for the next Avengers marketing campaign.  

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Avengers: Doomsday Fan Poster Teases RDJ’s Doctor Doom Look https://comicbook.com/movies/news/avengers-doomsday-robert-downey-jr-dr-doom-first-look-poster/ Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:26 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=275006 avengers-doomsday-poster.jpg

Robert Downey Jr. is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Doctor Doom or, at the very least, one variant fans of the franchise can expect to see. The Iron Man star was revealed as the MCU’s first stab at the iconic Fantastic Four villain during Marvel Studios’ jam-packed Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con over the […]

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Robert Downey Jr. is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Doctor Doom or, at the very least, one variant fans of the franchise can expect to see. The Iron Man star was revealed as the MCU’s first stab at the iconic Fantastic Four villain during Marvel Studios’ jam-packed Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend, and fans are already wondering what a Downey Doom can look like. 

Luckily we live in the time of BossLogic and other fan artists that quickly gave us a glimpse of what the former Avenger could look like as Marvel’s most infamous villain. In thv uy67ye case of BossLogic, the artist released a haunting duo of pieces, including one that pulls inspiration from the acclaimed Infamous Iron Man series.

Did RDJ tease his MCU return?

Though many though Downey’s MCU days were done in a post Avengers: Endgame world, the actor surprisingly said he’s “open-minded” to a return as a recently as June.

“It’s just crazily in my DNA. Probably the most like-me character I’ve ever played, even though he’s way cooler than I am,” Downey said in a Variety video last month. “I’ve become surprisingly open-minded to the idea… It really is crazy because we look pretty good. I was actually looking at the stills we were taking, making sure: “Do we still look kind of OK?” I’m like, ‘We look pretty good.'”

In a separate interview, Downey revealed he’ll never bet against Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige and his dedication to the franchise he oversees. “I always say: Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige. It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.”

Earlier in the panel, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige confirmed the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps would be appearing in both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, including Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Susan Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm/the Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) 

Marvel Studios’ upcoming film slate includes Captain America: Brave New World (February 14th, 2025), Thunderbolts* (May 5th, 2025), The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 25th, 2025), Blade (November 7th, 2025), Avengers: Doomsday (May 1st, 2026), and Avengers: Secret Wars (May 7th, 2027).

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Avengers: The Major Problem With RDJ’s MCU Return as Doom https://comicbook.com/movies/news/avengers-mcu-robert-downey-rdj-return-dcotor-doom-explained-multiverse-bad/ Mon, 29 Jul 2024 19:04:37 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=1742 why-robert-downey-jr-mcu-return-doctor-doom-is-bad.jpg

Marvel Studios has announced that Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom, in the upcoming Avengers film Avengers: Doomsday. It’s a move that few saw coming, and after the fervor of Comic-Con’s Hall H has died down, it’s becoming clear that not everyone is loving this […]

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Marvel Studios has announced that Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom, in the upcoming Avengers film Avengers: Doomsday. It’s a move that few saw coming, and after the fervor of Comic-Con’s Hall H has died down, it’s becoming clear that not everyone is loving this big pivot in the MCU Multiverse Saga. 

Here’s the major problem with RDJ’s return as Doctor Doom: it’s taking comic book movies to a place of fantastical absurdity that rivals actual comic books. There is a reason that comic books have always remained a nice form of entertainment media: their stories are too far out there, outlandish (and yes, silly) to appeal to a wider demographic of people. The trick that comic book movies have always had to pull off is knowing how much of that pulpy material to bring to the screen – and how much to leave behind. Marvel Studios is now losing that balance in a big way. Even Downey’s Iron Man co-star Gwyneth Paltrow has responded by saying she doesn’t understand the move (not that she’s the biggest MCU expert), and that sentiment is being echoed all over social media. 

It’s become abundantly clear from projects like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness that the average audience member doesn’t engage with multiverse stories. Even when films like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Deadpool & Wolverine or DC’s The Flash take the approach of adding nostalgic layers to multiversal stories, they prove to be a mixed bag: Unbridled fan enthusiasm and hype when the cameo-filled event films first release – only to lose value as standalone movie experiences afterward. 

Now, Marvel Studios is going so far as to recast the original marquee star of their franchise (RDJ) as another character (Doom). Yes, it’s obviously a twist rooted in the multiversal framework, with Downey playing something like the What If…? “Demon in an Armor” version of Iron Man who was mind-swapped with Doom (or became Doom – however the MCU Multiverse Saga approaches the story). And yes, there is a certain amount of obvious intrigue that will be created if characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, or Rhodey find themselves in a room with Doom-Stark – but even that intrigue will be rooted in audiences knowing the backstory of Iron Man’s history in previous MCU films, rather than being intrigue created by the movie itself. 

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That same issue extends to the character of Doctor Doom – one of the greatest Marvel villains. Fans have been waiting for Doom to appear in the MCU since it began in 2008; now it seems that audiences’ introduction to Doom won’t be a true depiction of the character. Instead, we’re likely in for a darker twist on the Tony Stark character – because does anyone really expect RDJ to not tackle this role in his usual winking, charismatic, hammy, way? It will be more great RDJ performance, for sure, but it won’t be Doctor Doom. And even if a more traditional Doom appears after the events of Doomsday and Secret Wars (and the inevitable MCU soft-reboot), are audiences ready to keep up with even more variations on these characters? 

Unless we hear more about Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars that justifies this way of bringing Downey back, it’s going to look like stunt casting, at best; at worst, it’s a sign that Marvel Studios is losing faith in the marketability of its characters and universe. Either way, it’s far from the game-changing turn that Marvel Studios probably hoped for… but here we go (again). 

Avengers: Doomsday has a release date of May 1, 2026. 

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MCU Book Revealed in 2021 That Marvel Wanted Robert Downey Jr. for Doctor Doom Before https://comicbook.com/movies/news/mcu-book-revealed-robert-downey-jr-doctor-doom-fantastic-four-casting/ Mon, 29 Jul 2024 18:28:32 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=129995 robert-downey-jr-doom-mask.jpg

The biggest news to come out of San Diego Comic Con this weekend was the revelation that Robert Downey, Jr. would return to play Victor Von Doom, the big bad behind Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Those two films, which will be shot soon and will land in theaters in May of 2026 and […]

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The biggest news to come out of San Diego Comic Con this weekend was the revelation that Robert Downey, Jr. would return to play Victor Von Doom, the big bad behind Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Those two films, which will be shot soon and will land in theaters in May of 2026 and 2027 respectively, will bring together the casts of Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and Fantastic Four: First Steps to face off against Doom. It isn’t immediately clear which other Marvel stars will and won’t return, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see some of that news start to take shape in the coming months.

Apparently, though, this is not the first time Marvel has considered Downey as a possible Doctor Doom. In their 2021 book The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, authors Tara Bennett and Paul Terry quoted Jon Favreau as saying as much. Reflecting his meeting with Downey, the Iron Man director revealed that Marvel had already put the two in a room once before…

“Marvel had already had me in a room with him [before], I think, to play Doctor Doom,” Favreau recalled. “I was a little startruck, because I grew up watching him.”

Bennett shared a scan from that section of the book to Instagram over the weekend, with the quote circled and the news of Downey’s MCU return. You can see that below.

Without more context, the likely scenario seems to be that Downey was considered for a role in 2005’s Fantastic Four, before the part ultimately went to Charmed and Nip/Tuck star Julian McMahon. That movie, which starred future MCU Captain America Chris Evans, was a hit, but its sequel failed to spark with the audience and the franchise disappeared for almost a decade.

With almost everyone assuming Secret Wars would be loosely adapted from the Jonathan Hickman comic of the same title (as opposed to the 1980s version, which was more like a Mortal Kombat-type story), there had been speculation for years that Doom would prove to be the ultimate villain of the sixth Avengers movie. There had also been speculation that Downey might return to make a cameo as a variant of Iron Man — but we not too many predicting the two would be intertwined.

The Downey-as-Doom announcement really sucked up a lot of oxygen over the weekend, leaving all corners of the geek internet talking about the MCU again. We’ll see how much of that momentum can carry through to the release of Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* next year, but between the huge box office Deadpool & Wolverine is soaking up and the hype from San Diego, it’s easy to feel more bullish about the studio’s future than we were a year ago.

Avengers: Doomsday will hit theaters in May, 2026.

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Deadpool & Wolverine Teased Robert Downey Jr.’s Evil MCU Return https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/deadpool-wolverine-teased-robert-downey-jr-evil-mcu-return-doctor-doom/ Mon, 29 Jul 2024 17:54:20 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=260001 Robert-downey-jr-doctor-doom-deadpool-wolverine-hydra-red-skull-car-iron-man

Deadpool & Wolverine promised to be packed full of winks and nods to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s past, present, and potential future. The Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman-led threequel regularly teased fans of what was to come in its promotional material, from featuring objects from yesteryear like Moon Knight‘s ice cream truck to hinting at […]

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Deadpool & Wolverine promised to be packed full of winks and nods to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s past, present, and potential future. The Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman-led threequel regularly teased fans of what was to come in its promotional material, from featuring objects from yesteryear like Moon Knight‘s ice cream truck to hinting at what’s to come down the line in the form of a . One object that caught fans’ attention in early Deadpool & Wolverine trailers was Red Skull’s coupe, the vehicle of choice for Hugo Weaving’s Johann Schmidt in Captain America: The First Avenger.

Warning – The rest of this article contains light spoilers from Deadpool & Wolverine.

Deadpool & Wolverine Teased Robert Downey Jr.’s Evil Return

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Unlike other objects in The Void, Red Skull coupe came with a twist.

As showcased in Deadpool & Wolverine marketing material, Red Skull’s coupe is missing its Hydra hood ornament. Instead, an Iron Man helmet emblem is in its place. The sides of the car have flames as well, a signature style of Tony Stark’s, indicating that this coupe belongs to the genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist.

The implications of this vehicle go deep. Red Skull’s signature car being remade in Tony Stark’s image and residing in The Void teases that there is a branch timeline out there where Red Skull’s villainous role is filled by Iron Man instead. There’s no telling whether this means Iron Man fully becomes the Red Skull or if he is just the leader of Hydra, but either way, the implication is that Stark is prone to going down dark paths.

This past Saturday at San Diego Comic-Con, Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. was revealed to be playing Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars films. Doomsday and Secret Wars directors Joe and Anthony Russo introduced Downey as playing Victor Von Doom, which emphasizes that he is playing the Doctor Doom character himself, not a Tony Stark variant. This could be a similar situation to that of Chris Evans’s, as he plays both Steve Rogers and Johnny Storm, but neither character is a variant of the other.

Even if Doom and Stark are not variants, their agendas run parallel. 

“New mask, same task,” Downey teased at SDCC.

It remains to be seen as to how Marvel Studios will explain Downey’s Doom and his connections to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Deadpool & Wolverine emphasized that dark sides of Tony Stark exist in the wide-reaching multiverse.

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SDCC 2024: A Major Marvel Villain Replaces Doctor Strange as Sorcerer Supreme https://comicbook.com/comics/news/comic-con-sdcc-2024-doctor-doom-new-sorcerer-supreme-doctor-strange/ Mon, 29 Jul 2024 17:36:00 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=296634 doctor-strange-marvel-comics-2023.jpg

WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Blood Hunt #5. Continue reading at your own risk! Doctor Doom is about to have a humongous presence in the Marvel Comics Universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The big news coming out of the Marvel Studios panel at San Diego Comic-Con Saturday night was that Robert Downey […]

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WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Blood Hunt #5. Continue reading at your own risk!

Doctor Doom is about to have a humongous presence in the Marvel Comics Universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The big news coming out of the Marvel Studios panel at San Diego Comic-Con Saturday night was that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU to play Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. Victor Von Doom is the central rival of the Fantastic Four, and they also have an MCU movie coming next year as well. The comics aren’t being left in the dust, however, as the end of Blood Hunt sets up an exciting new status quo for Doctor Doom as Marvel’s new Sorcerer Supreme.

Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski and a host of Marvel creators were on hand for the Next Big Thing Panel at SDCC Friday afternoon, where a bunch of big announcements were made. Along with the announcements of a West Coast Avengers series and Deadpool’s daughter Ellie replacing him after his death, we learned that Doctor Doom will be a part of Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness’ run on The Amazing Spider-Man. “The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man” picks up after events in this week’s Blood Hunt finale, which features Doctor Doom as the Sorcerer Supreme instead of Doctor Strange. Doom will gift Spider-Man a magically powered suit and eight extra lives to battle an evil god and his scions. This all leads to a big status quo shift for Doctor Doom in 2025.

Marvel announces One World Under Doom event for 2025

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One World Under Doom teaser art

Another item Doctor Doom-related announced at San Diego Comic-Con was “One World Under Doom.” This may be more along the lines of a publishing initiative rather than a full-on event. The main idea is Doctor Doom will be a big part of Marvel’s plans for 2025 and beyond, and with Doom now being the Sorcerer Supreme, we can expect to see him pop up in more and more titles. Will Doctor Doom join the Avengers? 

“Discover why the Marvel Universe submits to DOCTOR DOOM next week in BLOOD HUNT #5 and stay tuned in the months ahead for more information on this startling development for the future of Marvel Comics,” the Marvel press release for “One World Under Doom” reads.

The promotional artwork by Ben Harvey features Doctor Doom standing before Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as they submit to him. Heroes such as Spider-Man, Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Hulk, Thing, Black Panther, and more are all bending to knee to Doom.

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Alan Silvestri Seemingly Returning for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars https://comicbook.com/movies/news/alan-silvestri-returning-avengers-doomsday-secret-wars/ Mon, 29 Jul 2024 12:20:44 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=345941 Russos. Are. Back.
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Composer Alan Silvestri appears to be warming up for another go at the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The composer, best known for his work on Back to the Future and Forrest Gump first came to the MCU in Captain America: The First Avenger, then went on to score all four Avengers movies for Marvel Studios. While early Marvel […]

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Russos. Are. Back.
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Composer Alan Silvestri appears to be warming up for another go at the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The composer, best known for his work on Back to the Future and Forrest Gump first came to the MCU in Captain America: The First Avenger, then went on to score all four Avengers movies for Marvel Studios. While early Marvel was criticized for having fairly bland music in many of its films, Silvestri’s iconic Avengers theme was always an exception, and has been frequently sampled and riffed on in other Marvel movies since it originated back in 2012’s Marvel’s The Avengers.

Silvestri is no stranger to the comic book space, having also scored Judge Dredd and RED 2. Following the Avengers: Doomsday announcements at San Diego Comic Con this weekend, he took to social media to say he “can’t wait,” and directors Joe and Anthony Russo responded with, “Let’s get started.”

Little is known about the plot of Avengers: Doomsday yet, except that it will feature Robert Downey, Jr. as Doctor Doom, introducing him as the key villain who will carry over between that movie and its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars

This weekend has been pretty electric for Marvel fans: Deadpool & Wolverine absolutely obliterated box office records, while Marvel’s Hall H presentation was the only thing anybody was talking about for the last day and a half of San Diego Comic Con.

With almost everyone assuming Secret Wars would be loosely adapted from the Jonathan Hickman comic of the same title (as opposed to the 1980s version, which was more like a Mortal Kombat-type story), there had been speculation for years that Doom would prove to be the ultimate villain of the sixth Avengers movie. There had also been speculation that Downey might return to make a cameo as a variant of Iron Man — but we don’t remember seeing anybody predicting the two would be intertwined.

The Downey-as-Doom announcement really sucked up a lot of oxygen last night, leaving all corners of the geek internet talking about the MCU again. We’ll see how much of that momentum can carry through to the release of Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* next year, but between the huge box office Deadpool & Wolverine is soaking up and the hype from San Diego, it’s easy to feel more bullish about the studio’s future than we were a year ago.

Alan Silvestri will return in Avengers: Doomsday in May 2026.

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SDCC 2024: ComicBook’s Favorite Comic-Con Reveals https://comicbook.com/movies/news/comic-con-sdcc-2024-best-reveals-ranked/ Mon, 29 Jul 2024 02:33:57 +0000 https://comicbook.com/?p=457649 rdj-dr-doom.jpg

As quickly as it arrived, San Diego Comic-Con wrapped its festivities as the biggest comic convention in the world. Although there have been bigger conventions in the past, at least from an announcement since, most Hollywood studios had their presence felt in some, shape, way, or form throughout the weekend. With some of team ComicBook […]

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As quickly as it arrived, San Diego Comic-Con wrapped its festivities as the biggest comic convention in the world. Although there have been bigger conventions in the past, at least from an announcement since, most Hollywood studios had their presence felt in some, shape, way, or form throughout the weekend.

With some of team ComicBook on the ground at the San Diego Convention Center, and others covering from the various ComicBook HQs across the country, we put our heads together to come up with our favorite announcements over the weekend. Keep scrolling to see which reveals Team ComicBook loved most!

Justice League Unlimited

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Justice League Unlimited artwork by Dan Mora featuring Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Star Sapphire, Black Lightning, Captain Atom, The Flash, and The Atom.

There’s not a team in comics right now more exciting than Mark Waid and Dan Mora, so confirmation they’re going to continue working together at DC beyond World’s Finest and Batman and Robin: Year One was welcome. Not only are they back on a team book, they’re back on THE team book, classic Justice League stories with the biggest roster imaginable. It’s the kind of pedal-to-the-metal storytelling that comics thrive on and which we can’t get anywhere else so quickly. — Spencer Perry

Avengers: Doomsday

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The returns of the Russo Brothers and Robert Downey Jr. instantly overshadowed anything else involving Marvel’s Avengers franchise and became the talk of the town. Set those aside (I honestly still don’t know how I feel about either) and you’ve got what is easily my favorite reveal from Hall H: Avengers: Doomsday. Regardless of who is directing or starring in the film, Doomsday shows Marvel making the right kind of choices to move on from existing issues.

Remember, this was supposed to be Avengers: Kang Dynasty. With Jonathan Majors so engrained in the MCU as Kang, recasting the character was too difficult, but you couldn’t keep him as the focal point of the franchise. Doctor Doom is a Marvel Comics icon, one of the best characters in the company’s entire roster, and a perfect choice to take over as the MCU’s next big bad. He’s also got the money and mind to help make sense of his multiversal takeover, as well as the bravado and showmanship that allow him to be the main character of a film series. It’s the perfect pivot from King that allows the MCU to continue barreling towards Secret Wars without changing too much, while also delivering a character that fans have been begging to see. — Charlie Ridgely

Harrison Ford Hulks Out

“What is a Red Hulk?” That’s how Harrison Ford, who plays U.S. President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World, responded when asked about his then-rumored Marvel role as Red Hulk in a 2023 interview with ComicBook. One year later, Ford hulked out onstage in Hall H after the film’s Comic-Con trailer showed the Red Hulk smashing through the White House before being engaged by Anthony Mackie’s vibranium-winged Captain America.

Ford, 82, takes over the late William Hurt’s role as the mustached Thaddeus Ross from 2008’s The Incredible Hulk and 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. “This is a character that’s based on a lot of history developed with Bill, who played the character previously,” Ford said. “But now, I am Thaddeus, and I’m delighted. And I’m proud to become a member of the Marvel universe. I’ve been watching fantastic actors — some of which are here tonight — have a really good time working in the Marvel universe, and I wanted a piece of the action.” — Cam Bonomolo

Creature Commandos Trailer

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Creature Commandos key art

After months of teases, fans finally got their first look at the new DC Universe from DC Studios. While the studio itself wasn’t at Comic-Con, James Gunn sent Jim Lee the trailer for DC’s Creature Commandos and boy, it sure is a doozy. Even though the clip revealed was just a tease of the animated series, it has Gunn’s stamp all over it. Better yet, if the trailer is any indication on how the DC Universe is going to shape up, comic book fans have a lot of exciting things coming soon. — Adam Barnhardt

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