They only covered three films in depth at the Marvel Studios San Diego Comic Con panel, but that does not mean that they did not have world-shaking surprises for us t0 close out the panel.
The first scoop was a news item that was already rumored to be in the works. The Russo Brothers are returning to direct Avengers 5, replacing Destin Daniel Cretton as director, and Avengers 6.
This rumor was making the rounds in the days leading up to the convention. On the one hand, they did direct some of the most profitable films in the MCU. However, how much of that success was due to them and not due to those films being the end of ten years of buildup.
Another rumor confirmed is that Kang is out as the big bad of Phase 6. Who is replacing him? Well, if the new title of Avengers 5 (formerly known as Avengers: Kang Dynasty) is any indication, it will be Doctor Doom. The new title is now Avengers: Doomsday.
Yes, we are going to have another chance to ruin Doctor Doom on the big screen. Jeez,. Unless they get an actor the caliber of Robert Downey, Jr to play Doom, it will probably suck. But getting RDJ back will nev—
Um, guys? Robert Downey, Jr will be playing Doctor Doom.
I am a bit too shocked to come up with how I really think about this news, which closed out the Marvel Studios panel. I was a proponent of keeping Kang and just recasting the role. I thought switching over to Doctor Doom would take too much work to set up, although his taking over would fit in with Avengers: Secret Wars (which is Avengers 6 official title…again) being an adaptation of the 2015 Secret Wars miniseries than the 1985 Secret Wars miniseries.
Other than that, I would need more information, because the prevailing thought in my head is “how is this going to work?” I can see ways that this would absolutely rock, and I can also see plotlines where it would absolutely suck.
Oh, well, it certainly is exciting. And we will surely find out more, because we have a while before these films come out. Avengers: Doomsday is set for a May 2026 release, with Avengers: Secret Wars to come in May of 2027.
