Many fans were highly anticipating the Marvel Studios’ panel at San Diego Comic-Con. That’s no surprise, considering the superhero franchise factory is going through a delicate moment. This is despite the success of Deadpool & Wolverine, which is breaking box office records, such as being the first franchise to surpass $30 billion worldwide. Marvel faced stumbles like The Marvels and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in 2023, and little was known about the studio’s plans for 2026.
Sure, Comic-Con isn’t the place for a detailed and exhaustive announcement of Marvel’s future plans. But the company knew it had to make an impression and did so in the most magnificent way: Robert Downey Jr. will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as Doctor Doom, one of the classic nemeses of the comics. He’s set to appear in the next Avengers movie titled Avengers: Doomsday, directed by Joe and Anthony Russo. It’s also speculated that he may also appear in the upcoming Fantastic Four movie, given that he’s the main villain of the series.
This reappearance was totally unexpected. While it was rumored that Downey Jr. might return to the MCU (and he had been in favor of a return), it was logical to think that he was referring to Iron Man, the character he's played in ten films since the first Iron Man (2008).
His transformation into a villain is going to require a lot of explanation from Marvel. Is Tony Stark now evil? Is he a completely different person? (This would be a first for Marvel). Will the inevitable multiverses come into play here? Let’s not forget that Stark’s death in Avengers: Endgame is one of the MCU’s most iconic moments, and it’s in Marvel’s best interest not to fiddle too much with such a fondly remembered moment.
Now it’s time for hours and hours of fan theories.
The Avengers Are Shifting
After the issues with Jonathan Majors, who Marvel fired shortly after his domestic violence conviction, there had been speculation that the fifth Avengers movie would no longer feature Kang the Conqueror, one of the iconic enemies of the superhero group who was introduced in the first season of Loki and was played by Majors. First, Marvel dropped The Kang Dynasty as the film's title, changing it to Avengers 5, which wasn’t definitive. Now, we finally know that the villain will be Doctor Doom, played by Downey Jr.
At Comic-Con, the Russo brothers said, “When we directed Avengers: Endgame, we really believed it was the end for us in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That four-movie run was incredible, and it left us creatively spent.” However, now the duo is back to tell “the biggest story that Marvel comics ever told.” That is, Avengers: Secret Wars, which keeps the title Marvel announced a few years back.
Stephen McFeely will write both films, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. McFeely has co-written all four of the Russo’s previous films at Marvel. This move by Disney aims to return the MCU to its peak in terms of box office success and impact. Marvel has also revealed the logos for both Avengers films and confirmed their release dates: May 2026 and May 2027 respectively.
The Upcoming Fantastic Four Movie’s Final Title
At Comic-Con, alongside the Avengers, Marvel fans also got a sneak peek into the future of another supergroup when the company revealed the official title of the upcoming Fantastic Four movie: Fantastic Four: First Steps. Unfortunately, as is usually the case, the first images of the new film weren't shown. Director Matt Shakman shared his vision for the film: “We’re doing a retro-future ‘60s. Syd Mead was an inspiration. The ‘60s, to me, is all about optimism.”
Attendees were treated to a video presented as a vintage newsreel, showcasing Reed Richards teaching under a “Fantastic Science” banner, the iconic Fantasticar, a rocket launch (reportedly the one that gave them their powers), and even the Thing appearing on a dating show. Oh, and the film will supposedly introduce Galactus as the villain, raising questions about how the MCU will handle both Galactus and Doom. The film is set for release in July 2025.
A Final Surprise: Thunderbolts and Captain America: Brave New World
Although the Avengers and Fantastic Four movies were the highlights of Comic-Con, Marvel also announced that a new supergroup called Thunderbolts will debut in 2025. Similar to DC’s Suicide Squad, the Thunderbolts feature supervillains and morally ambiguous characters carrying out secret missions for the government. The movie will include familiar faces from recent MCU films such as David Harbour as Red Guardian, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra, Wyatt Russell as John Walker, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, and Sebastian Stan as the Winter Soldier.
Additionally, the studio made a final surprise announcement: Captain America: Brave New World. Marvel showed the first trailer and revealed that Harrison Ford will play Thunderbolt Ross (unrelated to the Thunderbolts group) and also the Red Hulk. This version of the Hulk was previously teased but without the connection to Ross. Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, mentioned that the film will feature intense action reminiscent of political thrillers from the 1970s, similar to Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Giancarlo Esposito also disclosed that he’ll portray Sidewinder, the King Cobra of the Serpent Society.
At the Comic-Con preview, Marvel revealed that Thunderbolt Ross, who is now the U.S. President, faces the aftermath of Eternals. Adamantium has been discovered at the location where a dead Celestial appeared, making it the most valuable element on the planet. Ross recruits Sam Wilson/Captain America to assemble a new team of Avengers. However, things take an unexpected turn when the Red Hulk, who’s clearly connected to Ross, makes an appearance, causing problems for the new team.
This article was written by John Tones and originally published in Spanish on Xataka.
Image | Marvel
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