The Next Avengers Movie Is Officially Rewriting The Multiverse Saga

For years, Marvel’s Infinity Saga kept audiences hooked with epic stories. When Thanos was defeated in Avengers: Endgame, fans wondered who would be the next major villain. Now, that answer is coming with Avengers: Doomsday, which kicks off the final chapter of the Multiverse Saga and introduces Doctor Doom as the new primary threat.

I remember when Phase Four was just starting – things felt so promising! From Black Panther: Wakanda Forever all the way through Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, everything seemed to be building towards one big bad guy, and it wasn’t who everyone expected. They were really setting up Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors) to be the next Thanos, the main villain driving all the chaos across the multiverse. It felt like he was going to be the ultimate threat for the MCU.

The upcoming Avengers movie needs to significantly change direction. It’s not simply another team-up event; it’s a major adjustment to the story Marvel has been building. A lot of what was established in Phases Four and Five will likely need to be revised or even completely rewritten. It’s still unclear how Marvel will handle this shift, but the new Avengers film will inevitably revisit, re-examine, and potentially alter years of storylines centered around Kang.

The Multiverse Saga Was Supposed To Lead Into The Kang Dynasty

Kang Was Originally Positioned As The Saga’s Thanos-Level Endgame Villain

Marvel originally planned the Multiverse Saga to be a clear build-up to a major showdown, much like the previous ‘Infinity Saga’ led to the battle with Thanos. The idea was to connect all their movies and Disney+ shows, leading to a two-part finale with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and then Avengers: Secret Wars.

The planned storyline followed a similar pattern to Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. The Kang Dynasty movie would have shown Kang taking over timelines and defeating Earth’s heroes, setting up a huge disaster. Then, Secret Wars would have depicted the aftermath across the multiverse, bringing a large-scale, reality-altering comic book story to life on screen like never before.

Looking back at Phase Four, it feels like Marvel was laying down all these little clues. I mean, Loki brought in Jonathan Majors as He Who Remains, and he basically dropped this bombshell about all these different versions of himself – Kangs – and how dangerous they are. Then they threw in the TVA, branching timelines, and the idea that realities were starting to fall apart. It totally changed things! It wasn’t just about saving Earth anymore; every choice felt like it could kick off a war across the entire multiverse.

Several other Marvel projects subtly foreshadowed these events. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings included clues about strange signals from outer space, while Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness showed the dangers of universes colliding. Plus, the introduction of new, younger heroes – Kate Bishop, Cassie Lang, and Kamala Khan – strongly suggested they might team up as the Young Avengers to face future threats.

By 2023, with the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Kang was clearly established as the next big threat, similar to Thanos. The movie portrayed him as a powerful conqueror, so dangerous that even versions of himself were afraid of him. The intention was to make it obvious: this villain wasn’t a temporary problem, but the ultimate enemy the entire Multiverse Saga would build towards.

Marvel Had To Pivot After Quantumania And Jonathan Majors Controversy

Real-World Issues Forced Marvel To Abandon Its Carefully Laid Kang Plans

Marvel had been building towards a major storyline for years, but it faced a sudden setback in reality. Jonathan Majors, the actor playing the central villain Kang in various forms, was accused of assault, and the resulting legal issues quickly derailed the studio’s carefully laid plans.

Jonathan Majors was convicted of reckless assault and harassment, leading Disney to end their relationship with him. Because the character of Kang was designed around a single actor playing different variations, replacing him proved to be a complex issue.

Marvel had the option to replace Jonathan Majors and move forward with its plans. They’ve successfully recast actors in the past without causing major problems. But the Kang character is unique because his different versions rely on nuanced performances. Starting over with a new actor could have confused viewers and diminished the impact of the character.

While Quantumania introduced Kang, it didn’t receive the positive reviews or box office success of earlier Ant-Man movies. The excitement surrounding Kang’s first appearance wasn’t as strong as Marvel probably hoped, and combined with recent issues, it raised concerns about whether he could successfully carry a major, long-term storyline.

Honestly, it was a huge shock when the studio decided to completely abandon Kang as the big bad. They didn’t try to fix the situation, they just scrapped The Kang Dynasty movie altogether and started over. It’s like they realized Kang wasn’t working and decided to hit the reset button on the whole Multiverse Saga mid-story, changing where the franchise was heading completely. It’s a bold move, switching to a totally different threat now.

Avengers: Doomsday Is Rewriting The Multiverse Saga

Doctor Doom Must Now Be Positioned As The Multiverse’s True Mastermind

Now that Kang is out of the picture, Avengers: Doomsday will take his place and offer a fresh take on the story. The new title hints at a more serious and conclusive storyline. Instead of focusing on Kang, the saga will now center around Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr. – a beloved MCU actor taking on the role of a classic Marvel villain – as he attempts to control the multiverse.

The change in plans is significant. Doctor Doom isn’t just a powerful fighter; he’s known for being a brilliant leader, magic user, and tactician. His power comes from his intelligence and desire for control, not just his strength. This makes him a very different kind of villain compared to Kang, and shifting the focus to Doom as the biggest threat fundamentally alters the Multiverse Saga, moving it from a messy time war to a story about carefully planned conquest.

Fans are enthusiastic about Doctor Doom as a major villain, potentially on the scale of Thanos. However, introducing him presents some difficulties. The previous phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe heavily focused on Kang as the central antagonist. To make Doom believable, the story needs to explain whether he was secretly working behind the scenes all along, or if he’s emerged to fill the power gap left by Kang’s defeat. Both options will require some adjustments to the established storyline.

Based on the trailers and the actors involved, Avengers: Doomsday will continue exploring the idea of universes colliding and falling apart. Now, everyone’s wondering what role Doctor Doom will play, and why Kang the Conqueror isn’t the main villain anymore.

Marvel has several interesting paths forward. Doctor Doom could step up as the one person who can manage the chaos, actually benefiting from the disaster. Alternatively, it’s possible Kang was secretly working for Doom the whole time. This would let Doom gain immense power without completely changing what we already know about the characters.

Essentially, Avengers: Doomsday isn’t just another team-up movie within the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe and Multiverse Saga. It’s a major turning point for the overall story, changing its focus and meaning. Marvel isn’t just raising the stakes; they’re fundamentally changing the story’s core narrative.

Will Avengers: Doomsday Work With Zero Buildup?

History Suggests The MCU Doesn’t Need Years Of Hints To Deliver A Huge Payoff

Adding Doctor Doom to the Multiverse Saga this far in feels like a gamble, even with Robert Downey Jr. playing him. Unlike Kang, we haven’t seen hints of Doom in previous movies or shows – no small appearances or mysterious clues. That lack of build-up is especially noticeable for a saga that relies on everything being connected.

However, the MCU’s past shows that starting slowly isn’t necessarily a problem. The story leading up to the ‘Infinity Saga’ didn’t immediately revolve around Thanos. The first movies were mostly about individual heroes, and the Infinity Stones weren’t central to the plot until much later, when they became key to ‘Infinity War’.

Thanos wasn’t shown much at first. Just a few short scenes after the credits and quick glimpses were enough to show how dangerous he was. The impact came from how he acted, not from a long, drawn-out introduction. When he finally became the main focus, the story felt satisfying and natural.

The same idea holds true for Doctor Doom. If Avengers: Doomsday clearly establishes his power and shows the immediate results of his actions, viewers won’t need years of build-up. A great actor and a well-written story can make him a convincing villain right away.

This change could actually be beneficial. By not being tied to a strict, pre-planned storyline, Marvel has more creative control and can build a more streamlined and compelling story. If executed well, Avengers: Doomsday could feel less like a quick fix and more like an exciting launchpad for the MCU’s future.

2026-01-30 23:14