Rumor about Secret Wars: The Avengers set to be rejuvenated after Doomsday
Reportedly, the focus is on a younger generation
"Avengers: Doomsday" won't hit theaters until December – but rumors are already swirling about its sequel, "Secret Wars. " Several Hollywood insiders claim to have learned that the focus on the characters is set to shift, as reported by the website ComicBookMovie.com.
According to insider Daniel Richtman, characters who played a minor role or were not central to the plot in "Doomsday" are set to take center stage in "Avengers: Secret Wars." But that's not all: The insider account Cryptic HD QUALITY picked up on Richtman's statement via social media, also claiming that some protagonists from "Doomsday" will have smaller roles in the sequel – and hinting at a sort of rejuvenation.
Specifically, Cryptic HD QUALITY mentions that "Secret Wars" will focus more on younger actors. Apparently, the story will center on a group of younger heroes who stand up to Doctor Doom, the central villain played by Robert Downey Jr. According to the insider account, they'll be guided by a few adult characters and new mutants.
Star-Lord and Co. will stand by the young heroes' side in Secret Wars
Alex Perez is another insider weighing in, who in turn discusses the aforementioned adult characters. Perez even mentions specific names that he claims to have heard. The potential candidates reportedly include several characters already familiar from other Marvel movies and series: Wong (a friend of Doctor Strange, played by Benedict Wong), the witch Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), Scott Lang aka Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), the android Vision (Paul Bettany), and the space hero Star-Lord aka Peter Quill (Chris Pratt).
So, can we expect something like Avengers: Next Generation? One thing is certain: "Avengers: Secret Wars" is set to bring the sixth – and thus final – phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's "Multiverse Saga" to a close. Marvel may be laying the groundwork for a future in which the superhero genre – no longer enjoying the same level of success – will increasingly need to appeal to new, younger audiences. Either way, the alleged plans for "Secret Wars" reported by the aforementioned insiders are, as of now, unconfirmed rumors – and should therefore be taken with a grain of salt.
What's certain so far is the theatrical release date
In any case, rumors about the Marvel franchise have been circulating repeatedly lately. Just recently, there was an alleged leak regarding "Avengers: Doomsday" that caused quite a stir. Heavily pixelated scenes of what appears to be a decisive battle surfaced on social media – but there are serious doubts about the authenticity of the footage. The supposed film scenes show Doctor Doom deploying an army of Sentinels. And how the Marvel heroes confront the threat. Among them are Avengers members like Thor and Captain America, as well as X-Men icons like Cyclops and Mystique. However, there is speculation that this could be an AI-generated fake (as we reported). The only thing that's certain so far is: "Avengers: Doomsday" hits theaters on December 18, 2026. As for the sequel, we'll have to wait a little longer. The theatrical release of "Avengers: Secret Wars" is scheduled for December 17, 2027.
In both cases, Anthony and Joe Russo will direct. The two filmmakers were also behind "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame" – and achieved massive success with both. "Infinity War" grossed an impressive $2 billion at the global box office in 2018 – making it one of only seven films to date to have crossed the $2 billion threshold. But that was just the beginning: "Endgame" managed to significantly surpass that in 2019 with $2.7 billion – and is currently the second-highest-grossing film of all time. Only James Cameron's science-fiction hit "Avatar" leads the pack with $2.9 billion. Will "Doomsday" and "Secret Wars" enjoy similarly massive success? That remains to be seen.
