Thanos’ Teased Return Allows Disney To Replicate MCU’s Best Film Despite Multiverse Saga’s Failures

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If Thanos comes back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Disney has a great opportunity to create another hit film, even though the recent Multiverse Saga hasn’t been as successful. It’s been six years since the hugely popular Avengers: Endgame concluded the Infinity Saga, bringing Kevin Feige’s decade-long plan to a satisfying close. That film was also the last time we saw Josh Brolin as the villain, Thanos.

A lot has changed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the big battle in Avengers: Endgame. While the original heroes have gone their separate ways, we’ve met many new ones. It’s true that the current setup for the Multiverse Saga doesn’t easily lead to a clear finale in the next Avengers films. But if Josh Brolin returns as Thanos, Marvel Studios could have a perfect solution.

Dr. Doom Easily Defeating Thanos Is The Perfect Way To Establish The Villain (Like In Avengers: Infinity War)

Before appearing in Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos had a small presence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, directors Joe and Anthony Russo, along with writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, skillfully introduced him while building up the various superhero teams. The film’s opening scene was key to this, immediately establishing the movie’s serious tone and proving Thanos was a powerful and dangerous enemy.

Introducing Dr. Doom in Avengers: Doomsday is more challenging than it was to introduce Thanos, as Doom hasn’t had as much prior development. But the filmmakers could learn from the success of Avengers: Infinity War to help ensure the new film works, even with the complexities of the Multiverse Saga. This is where the story of Thanos becomes relevant. In the comics, Dr. Doom defeated and killed Thanos in Secret Wars #8. While the situations will likely be different in the movie, using Thanos as a comparison point is a smart way to quickly establish how dangerous Dr. Doom is.

Similar to how Avengers: Infinity War began, the opening scene showed Thanos and his forces quickly overpowering the Asgardian refugee ship heading to Earth. Even with the combined strength of Thor, Loki, Hulk, Heimdall, and Valkyrie, Thanos easily defeated them. While Thanos’s elite group, the Black Order, were formidable, seeing Thanos physically dominate Hulk and then brutally kill Loki in front of Thor powerfully demonstrated to the audience just how dangerous this villain was and the immense challenge the Avengers would face.

While Thanos certainly wasn’t a traditional hero like Thor, Heimdall, Hulk, or Valkyrie in the Infinity Saga – and not as popular as even the mischievous Loki – he was often portrayed as a character with understandable, if flawed, motivations. Despite being the villain, many MCU fans found themselves surprisingly invested in his story, and some even argued he was justified in his actions after the events of Infinity War. The directors, the Russo brothers, developed Thanos in a way that encouraged empathy, and he’s become a well-known figure within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

There’s a hint that Thanos might appear in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday movie. An earlier suggestion showed Dr. Doom winning against Thanos, which would follow the comic book storyline while still letting Marvel Studios create a unique and surprising story for fans.

Why Avengers: Infinity War Should Be Avengers: Doomsday’s Blueprint

While there’s no official agreement, many fans consider Avengers: Infinity War to be the strongest Marvel Cinematic Universe film so far. Avengers: Endgame brought the Infinity Saga to a conclusion, and movies like Iron Man, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Black Panther were also incredibly important to the franchise’s success. However, it was Avengers: Infinity War that truly proved Kevin Feige’s vision of a connected universe could work. The film was particularly impressive because the directors, the Russo brothers, and writers Markus and McFeely managed to weave a very complex story into a movie that felt well-paced and made sense.

Similar to Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Doomsday presents a unique set of filmmaking hurdles. The movie focuses heavily on its villain while also needing to bring together the established Marvel Cinematic Universe and kick off the story leading to the end of the Multiverse Saga. Fortunately, some of the same creative team who successfully relaunched Robert Downey Jr.’s superhero career also worked on the 2018 film. This shared experience was likely a key reason Kevin Feige chose the Russo Brothers to direct this project.

The build-up to Avengers: Doomsday within the Multiverse Saga could have been stronger. Hints about Robert Downey Jr.’s Dr. Doom appearing could have been introduced earlier, even before his brief appearance after the credits of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Also, it would have been helpful if the Avengers team was already established with at least one movie completed. However, Marvel Studios is working with the current situation, and bringing Thanos back seems like the best way to ensure Avengers: Doomsday is a success.

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2025-11-12 16:11