Summary
The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next big climactic event is closer than ever withAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Wars, but something’s off about the build-up to it. Looking back at the post-EndgameMCU era, the upcoming projects don’t seem like a franchise-wrapping finale but rather the beginning of one, much like what happened in 2012.
Right from the announcement of both films – back whenDoomsdaywas stillThe Kang Dynasty– it was clear that Marvel Studios was trying to replicate the iconic two-partAvengersevent ofInfinity WarandEndgame. The parallels were obvious, especially with Anthony and Joe Russo being hired to direct these films, just as they had done in Phase 3. To top it off,Robert Downey Jr.’s return as Doctor Doomhas only added to the pressure and expectations from fans. But as things stand, perhaps fans are better off lowering their expectations, at least in terms of what these films could mean for the MCU’s long run.
Is The MCU Rushing TowardsDoomsday?
An Essential Team Setup Is Still Missing
Scheduled for release on July 11, 2025,Avengers: Doomsdayis just three films away in the MCU, but it sure doesn’t feel like it. While it’s true that these three movies –Captain America: Brave New World,Thunderbolts*,andThe Fantastic Four– will focus heavily on introducing new characters, teams, and storylines, they simply cannot build enough foundation for anInfinity WarorEndgame-level event. It’s not set in stone thatDoomsdayandSecret Warshave to create the same level of impact as the previous two-part event, but it could influence how the movies (and the franchise as a whole) are perceived by audiences.
The MCU’s Multiverse Saga has seen more misses than hits. Even the films that worked, likeSpider-Man: No Way HomeandDeadpool & Wolverine, have relied too heavily on cameos and the crossover aspect of the multiverse rather than organic storytelling. Others, likeShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten RingsandEternals, made their way into the franchise but were left completely ignored afterward. All the heroes and characters introduced have been memorable; there’s no question about that. But the pressing issue here is the lack of proper connections or interactions between them, and more importantly, no hint of a team dynamic.
DoomsdayIsn’tEndgame, It’s The 2012Avengers
Perhaps that’s why both the studio and the fans need to change their perception ofAvengers: Doomsdayand what to expect from it. It’s less likely to be anotherInfinity WarorEndgameand more in line withJoss Whedon’sThe Avengers. The whole cinematic universe aspect truly came into play only after the 2012 film, changing the game not just for Marvel but for all entertainment. While expecting that same level of impact would be unfair, it’s still reasonable to hopeDoomsdayborrows the team-building dynamic from that film.
The simple reason for this is that Phases 4 and 5 have not established a new Avengers team for this saga. It’s akin to skipping essential events likeAge of UltronorCivil Warand jumping straight toEndgame. There’s still room for a new Avengers team to be introduced in the remaining films, likeThunderbolts*orBrave New World. And of course, Doctor Doom will make his debut inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, much like how Thanos was built up as the franchise’s ultimate villain.
Secret WarsWon’t Work Without AnAvengersTeam
AfterDoomsdayandSpider-Man 4,Secret Warsis expected to take things even further by introducing X-Men heroes and more variants of existing MCU characters. But for it to truly work, we need a main Avengers team to go through it all: winning together, losing together, and growing as a team. That’s why it was so impactful when the Avengers met theGuardians of the GalaxyinInfinity War. Audiences spent enough time with both groups to actually care about their interactions.
Without this factor,Secret Warswouldn’t be able to have the impact that Marvel Studios expects from its crossovers. At the same time, theThunderboltsmovie is potentially the closest thing to the 2012Avengers, in the sense that six characters will unite to face off against a villain. It’s also likely thatthe asterisk in theThunderboltstitlemeans the group’s name could change to something like theYoung AvengersorNew Avengers, setting them up forDoomsdayandSecret Wars.
MCU’s New Heroes Feel Too Disconnected
It’s not just the fans or the studio. The Russo Brothers themselves have drawn a comparison between the upcomingAvengersfilms and their former magnum opus projects from 2018-19. Speaking toColliderat 2024’s New York Comic Con, the duo explained how their two endeavors are similar and what motivated them to return to the franchise:
The ambition is similar to Infinity War and Endgame. These are gonna be very, very big movies with a lot of characters in them and a lot of storylines coalescing, but we’re very excited about the stories. That’s why we came back because we felt like we had a really strong idea for what these movies should be, and we’re really happy with how they’re coming together right now.
The bottom line is that Marvel has a group of scattered new heroes who’ve barely interacted with each other. While it’s not compulsory to repeat the old templates that worked in the past, it’s still a cause for concern. The executives handled theJonathan Majors and Kang situationcleverly by bringing back familiar names that helped build the franchise. But the risk of a scenario where the original six Avengers from the 2012 movie getting pitted straight away against someone like Thanos still looms large inAvengers: Doomsday.
