Earth-828 Should Be the MCU’s Main Setting After ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’

by

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) might be starting over, though the details are still uncertain. It seems Marvel is planning to focus on a central storyline, potentially addressing issues that have plagued the franchise since the 2015 film Avengers: Age of Ultron. Kevin Feige, head of Marvel Studios, announced earlier this year that the current version of the MCU is nearing its end. He and his team intend to use the 2027 movie Avengers: Secret Wars as a chance to streamline the MCU into a single, consistent timeline. Feige hinted that Secret Wars will be about fresh starts, not conclusions.

Since the release of Avengers: Endgame in 2019, Marvel’s storytelling has largely focused on the Multiverse Saga, introducing many alternate realities. However, it appears Marvel Studios plans to move away from these parallel worlds when this current storyline concludes, aiming for a simpler, more focused approach going forward. Considering the mixed reactions to the Multiverse Saga so far, this shift isn’t unexpected. Marvel seems to want to return to a balance of strong character development and creative worldbuilding, rather than relying too much on familiar faces and gimmicks. One upcoming project, in particular, seems to offer the most promising way to achieve this.

Earth-828 Should Be the MCU’s Primary Focus After ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’

The World From ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Is the Ideal Way Forward


Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The main universe in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) used to be called Earth-199999, but was later changed to Earth-616 in the 2022 film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This universe is where we’ve seen popular versions of heroes like Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Widow. However, the current storyline, known as the Multiverse Saga, is breaking down the barriers between Earth-616 and other universes. This is allowing connections to Marvel stories made before the MCU began, and also opening up completely new and unexplored corners of the multiverse.

As a huge Marvel fan, I’m incredibly excited about what’s coming! Remember how amazing it was when all the heroes teamed up in Avengers: Infinity War? Well, Secret Wars is going to be even bigger! The upcoming Avengers movie in 2027 will continue the story from Doomsday in 2026, and it’s all setting the stage for a massive crossover – bringing together heroes from all different eras of Marvel movies. We’ve already seen a taste of this with Deadpool & Wolverine, but this is going to be on a whole other level! And I’ve been really impressed with the world they’re building in The Fantastic Four: First Steps – it feels like that universe is going to be really important to everything!

Other Key Marvel Universes
Universe Appears In
96283 Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy (2002-2007)
10005 Fox’s X-Men movies (2000-2017)
688 Sony’s Spider-Man Universe — AKA “The Villain-Verse” (2018-2024)

Similar to other live-action Fantastic Four movies, First Steps takes place in a separate reality from the main Marvel universe (Universe-616). Pedro Pascal and the rest of the team live on Earth-828, and the movie doesn’t mention the larger Marvel multiverse until after the credits, when Robert Downey Jr. appears as Dr. Doom. This version of the Fantastic Four is set to return in Doomsday, and most fans expect to see them in Secret Wars as well. However, Marvel hasn’t announced what plans they have for the Fantastic Four after Secret Wars, which is expected to wrap up the current Multiverse Saga.

Following Secret Wars, the Marvel Cinematic Universe should consider making Earth-828 its primary reality instead of simply returning to the familiar Earth-616. While going back to Earth-616 is an option, a fresh start with Earth-828 would be much more exciting. Earth-616 used to be the heart of the MCU, but recently, it’s become increasingly difficult to move its storylines forward and keep audiences engaged. Earth-616 can still exist in the background and be revisited occasionally, but focusing on Earth-828 feels like a more promising direction.

Why Earth-828 Is the Perfect Choice for the MCU


Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Earth-828 exists alongside other universes like our own (Earth-616), but it’s roughly twenty to thirty years behind in terms of time. That means the story First Steps feels like it’s happening now, even though it’s set in Earth-828’s version of the 1960s. Moving between Earth-828 and Earth-616 isn’t time travel—it just appears that way due to the different timelines of each universe. Overall, First Steps is a very accurate retelling of the Fantastic Four comics, and the 1960s setting matches the era when the characters first appeared in the comics.

The movie’s old-fashioned technology and deliberately classic superhero costumes perfectly capture the feel of the original comics. While Disney could have set the Fantastic Four’s debut on the main Earth (Earth-616), doing so would have meant losing the story’s connection to the team’s origins. Creating a separate universe for this version of the Fantastic Four was essential; putting them in Earth-616’s past would have created confusing questions about why they hadn’t been part of established history. Surprisingly, this universe, Earth-828, features the Fantastic Four as its only superheroes.

Imagine a world inspired by the 1960s, but where heroes are rare – that’s a great starting point for a compelling story. Since many classic Marvel characters first appeared in comics during that decade, it’s natural to introduce them into this world, keeping their original look and feel. Some heroes, like Spider-Man, wouldn’t need much change, but others, like Iron Man, could have a fantastic, vintage-futuristic design, making them distinct from the versions we’re used to.

Earth-828 Avoids a Tony Stark Problem That Started With ‘Age Of Ultron’


Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The Avengers, originally a makeshift team of extraordinary people, had to learn to cooperate as they went. Following the Battle of New York in the 2012 Avengers film, they became a more established team. By 2015’s Age of Ultron, Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr.) was funding the Avengers and constantly innovating new technologies to help them succeed. While this made sense, it also became somewhat predictable. If a unique challenge arose, it was likely that Iron Man already had, or could quickly create, a solution.

Currently, it doesn’t appear that Tony Stark exists as Iron Man on Earth-828. Instead, Reed Richards is the planet’s leading inventor, and he’s already demonstrated his skills in First Steps. While introducing more heroes on Earth-828 and forming another Avengers team might be appealing, it would likely lead to Reed Richards filling the role of Tony Stark – becoming the team’s supplier of technology and resources. A more interesting direction for the future of the MCU would be to allow the Earth-828 heroes to operate more as individuals, only teaming up when it truly matters.

Read More

2025-11-25 02:50