The Marvel Cinematic Universe is still wildly popular, thanks to new projects arriving in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies are definitely Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, which will be helmed by The Russo Brothers. There are rumors that the MCU might be restarting, and a theory about the latter project offers a logical way in. Let's break it all down.
What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, and even less is known about Secret Wars. With the multiverse in play just about anything could happen, and one theory on Reddit mused that a new MCU might be started after the events of Secret Wars. The idea is that one or two characters, perhaps Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards, might be the only ones who remember the shared universe that we've been following.
Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order will recall the cameo-filled happy ending of Days of Future Past. In the movie's final moments Hugh Jackman's Logan wakes up in an alternate universe where all of the X-Men are alive and happy. He's the only one who remembers the apocalyptic alternate future, as well as his adventures through the past.
This is just one fan theory, so we probably shouldn't put too much stock in it. But the fact that moviegoers are so invested in what might happen in the next two Avengers movies might be a good sign for the future of the shared universe. Because there have been some struggles in the post-Endgame world, including box office bombs like The Marvels.
To be clear, there have also been some Marvel successes in recent memory. Deadpool & Wolverine broke records at the box office, and fans responded to both Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. But only time will tell if the next two Avengers movies manage to make anywhere near as much money as their predecessors.
Of course, Doomsday and Secret Wars do have a lot going for it. In addition to Robert Downey Jr.'s return to the MCU, the cast list for Doomsday has included multiple team of superheroes including some of the OG stars of the X-Men movies. Exactly how this story will go down remains to be seen, but The Russo Brothers have proven their ability to tell massive stories thanks to their previously acclaimed Marvel projects.
Only time will tell if the MCU actually resets after Secret Wars, as some rumors indicate. This would be a huge risk, but could also allow for new projects that aren't bogged down by the last decade and change of titles.
Avengers: Doomsday will hit theaters on December 18th of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list. As for Secret Wars, that blockbuster will follow suit on December 17, 2027. Hopefully we get some concrete information sooner rather than later.
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