Marvel Studios is hitting the reset button: After years of underwhelming box office returns, fan complaints in regards to the Marvel TV shows, and an Avengers film tormented by issues and delays, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is bringing again the actor who jumpstarted the franchise within the first place: Robert Downey Jr. is returning not as Iron Man however as Physician Doom. He’ll be the following main villain within the MCU, starring in two new Avengers movies: Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).
Downey Jr. made the large reveal at 2024’s San Diego Comedian-Con, hiding behind Physician Doom’s masks on stage earlier than dramatically revealing his face. “Totally different masks, similar process,” he joked.
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The Russo Brothers, who directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil Warfare, Avengers: Infinity Warfare, and Avengers: Endgame are coming again as properly to helm the following two Avengers films. Avengers: Kang Dynasty has been scrapped after Kang the Conquerer actor Jonathan Majors was convicted of assault and dropped by Marvel Studios’ proprietor, Disney.
Doom will battle the Implausible 4, the Avengers, and perhaps a number of X-Males. Which characters, precisely, will seem in these Avengers films is anybody’s guess. Given the field workplace success of Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige might be lobbying Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman to signal on as we converse. And Pedro Pascal, who will star as Reed Richards within the new Implausible 4 film will virtually actually play a central position: In spite of everything, Physician Doom is his main foe.
However will Spider-Man be again? And can we ever see Blade? For now, these questions are left up within the air. This is what we do learn about all of the upcoming films within the revamped MCU.
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Captain America: Courageous New World (February 14, 2025)
Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) takes up Steve Rogers’ previous protect within the first Captain America film since Chris Evans stepped away from the position. In what’s being pitched as a 90s-style political thriller, Sam will tackle a bunch making an attempt to assassinate the president, Thunderbolt Ross. Harrison Ford will take over the position of Ross from William Harm, who handed away in 2022. As comics followers know, Thunderbolt can remodel himself into Pink Hulk, who exhibits up briefly within the trailer for Courageous New World. The fourth Captain America film has already undergone main rewrites, including Giancarlo Esposito because the villain Sidewinder.
Thunderbolts (Could 2, 2025)
Ford’s foray into the MCU continues with The Thunderbolts. Ross will collect collectively a bunch of morally versatile fighters to affix his squad, together with Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova from Black Widow, Sebastian Stan’s Bucky from the Captain America films, David Harbour’s Alexei from Black Widow, and Wyatt Russell’s John Walker from Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The manufacturing for this film has been considerably plagued—each Steven Yeun (Beef, Nope) and Ayo Edibiri (The Bear, Inside Out 2) dropped out. However the first trailer dropped at 2024’s Comedian-Con.
The Implausible 4: First Steps (July 25, 2025)
Some of the promising upcoming movies within the MCU is a reboot of Implausible 4. This franchise has faltered prior to now when twentieth Century Fox tried to provide a number of films in regards to the group of pals who achieve superpowers throughout a visit to house. The flicks starring Chris Evans (earlier than he performed Captain America) and Jessica Alba are usually not fondly remembered. And the Josh Trank-directed reboot with the all-star solid of Michael B. Jordan, Miles Teller, Kate Mara, and Jamie Bell was a historic disaster.
Lastly, Disney has its hand on the rights to the Implausible 4 and are reimagining the story. It will likely be set within the Sixties, which hopefully means it will likely be a standalone story that does not require homework of the viewer. They’ve solid Pedro Pascal, star of The Last of Us and The Mandalorian, as Mr. Implausible. Vanessa Kirby, The Crown actor who has proved her motion chops within the latest Mission: Unimaginable movies, will play Sue Storm. Joseph Quinn, the breakout star of Stranger Issues‘ newest season and the villain within the upcoming Gladiator sequel, will play her brother Johnny Storm. And The Bear fan favourite Ebon Moss-Bachrach will play The Factor.
The heroes will face the cosmic entity Galactus and the Silver Surfer, two of their main foes within the comedian books, who’ve focused earth for destruction. And Feige confirmed they may also seem within the subsequent two Avengers films combating their former good friend and present nemesis Physician Doom (Downey Jr.).
Blade (November 7, 2025)
Blade has cycled via two totally different administrators and several other totally different ideas. Deadpool & Wolverine even poked enjoyable on the vampire hunter film’s manufacturing delays. And followers on-line have been speculating that the unrelated vampire film being filmed by Black Panther director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan may crowd the Blade reboot out of theaters.
Feige insisted in interviews that the film continues to be within the works and that it will likely be R-rated. Nonetheless, there was no point out of the reboot starring Ali at 2024 Comedian-Con.
Avengers: Doomsday (Could 2026)
Welcome again, Downey Jr. The person who immortalized Iron Man will play one other cocky genius, Physician Doom. The character isn’t just an antagonist to the Implausible 4 however one of many main MCU villains and in response to some followers, the perfect. Probably, we’ll see an alternate universe model of Tony Stark, whose ego will get the higher of him when dealing with the world’s smartest man, Reed Richards (Mr. Implausible as performed by Pascal). Decided to get the higher of Richards, he turns into the villain Doom. The one solution to cease an evil genius? Avengers (and Implausible 4), assemble!
Avengers: Secret Wars (Could 2027)
Feige has been wanting to do the Secret Wars storyline from the comics for awhile. It entails, principally, the collapse of all parallel universes—a possible plot level that is been teased in a number of Marvel films together with Physician Unusual within the Multiverse of Insanity and Deadpool & Wolverine. The post-collision universe is called “Battleworld” a planet the place all the varied superheroes and villains from throughout the MCU timelines combat one another.
Shang-Chi 2 (TBD)
We have heard little in regards to the Shang-Chi sequel being directed by Destin Daniel Cretton besides that stars Simu Liu and Aquafina are set to return. Although there was no replace about Shang-Chi at Comedian-Con 2024, Liu had posted a number of months earlier that he promised “it is taking place” on Threads.
Spider-Man 4 (TBD)
A fourth Spider-Man movie starring Tom Holland is supposedly within the works—although Holland has prior to now despatched combined messages on whether or not he desires to return the position. Spider-Man: No Method Residence led to a means that would satisfactorily wrap up his story or jumpstart an entire new collection of adventures that entails Peter Parker making an attempt to unite together with his love curiosity. No phrase but on whether or not Zendaya would return as MJ.
