For many fans, Avengers: Endgame represented the end of an era, drawing a satisfying conclusion to plot and character arcs that had been in development for nearly a decade. Now, with the MCU rapidly approaching another grand finale in the form of Avengers: Secret Wars, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige is hinting at some major differences between the upcoming Secret Wars and Avengers: Endgame — which could drastically alter the future of the MCU as we know it.
Since the conclusion of the Infinity Saga in 2019, it’s safe to say that the MCU has experienced some rockier roads. Films like The Marvels and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania bombed spectacularly at the box office, while some fans have begun to criticize the overwhelming barrage of MCU-related television shows. Despite these pitfalls, excitement for the two-part finale to the Multiverse Saga — Avengers: Doomsday in 2026 and Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027 — has remained largely unaffected, but it seems like Marvel is now taking a different approach to the conclusion of Phase 6 in order to ensure their previous mistakes with the franchise are not repeated. Speaking at D23 Brazil to Omelete, Feige stated:
“When we were preparing for
Avengers: Endgame
years ago, it was about reaching the big finale of our narrative, and after that, we had to start everything over. This time, on the way to
Secret Wars
, we already know very well what the story will be up to that point and beyond. The X-Men are an important part of that future.”
For fans who have felt that the latest Marvel projects are a little disjointed, Feige’s comments come as an incredibly positive update. Where Endgame left the franchise floundering, it seems like Secret Wars will not only be a conclusion to all the mysteries that have been brewing since the inception of the Multiverse Saga, but also a door to new storylines in the future. At the very least, this means that the post-credit scene in Secret Wars will likely leave fans on an excruciating cliffhanger until Phase Seven.
Can Avengers: Secret Wars Turn the Tide for Marvel Studios?
Although expectations are high for both Doomsday and Secret Wars as the eagerly anticipated culmination of Phase Six, the films have already hit a few obstacles. Last year, Disney officially fired Kang the Conqueror actor Jonathan Majors following his indictment for domestic assault, leaving a gaping hole in the plot of Avengers: Doomsday, in which Majors was expected to star as the main villain. While Marvel was quick to replace him with Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, the trajectory of the Multiverse Saga’s conclusion has nevertheless been knocked askew, with only 18 months to go until Doomsday‘s expected release. However, the Russo Brothers are set to direct both films, which should be a ray of hope for Marvel fans given their track record in the franchise.
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Unfortunately, not much is currently known about Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars beyond the issues surrounding the films. At this point, fans can only speculate about which characters will make an appearance or how involved they might be — although given the massive success of Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel may very well include as many cameos as possible. Still, with Feige’s reassurance that the MCU is indeed following a meticulously carved-out path, fans should anticipate a satisfying conclusion to the Multiverse saga, at the very least.
