Marvel Studios is hitting the reset button: after years of disappointing box office returns, fan complaints about Marvel TV shows and a Avengers movie plagued by problems and delays, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is bringing back the actor who started the franchise: Robert Downey Jr. He will be the MCU’s next big villain, starring two new Avengers films: Avengers: Judgment Day (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).
made the big reveal at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con, hiding behind Doctor Doom’s mask on stage before dramatically revealing his face. “Different mask, same task,” she joked.
The Russo Brothers, who directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America Civil War, Avengers: Infinity WarIt is Avengers: Endgame are also returning to command the next two Avengers films. Avengers: Kang Dynasty was dropped after Kang the Conqueror actor Jonathan Majors was convicted of assault and dropped by Marvel Studios owner Disney.
Doom will face off against the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and perhaps some X-Men. Which characters, exactly, will appear in these Avengers films is unknown. Given the box office success of Deadpool and Wolverine, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige is probably pushing Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman to sign on as we speak. And Pedro Pascal, who will play Reed Richards in the new The Fantastic Four the film will almost certainly play a central role: after all, Doctor Doom is his main enemy.
But will Spider-Man be back? And someday we will see Blade? For now, these questions remain in the air. Here’s what we know about all the upcoming films in the revamped MCU.
See more information: How Marvel lost its way
Captain America: Brave New World (February 14, 2025)
Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) takes on Steve Rogers’ old shield in the first captain America film since Chris Evans stepped away from the role. In what is being touted as a 90s-style political thriller, Sam will face a group trying to assassinate the President, Thunderbolt Ross. Harrison Ford will take on the role of Ross from William Hurt, who passed away in 2022. As comic book fans know, Thunderbolt can transform into the Red Hulk, who appears briefly in the trailer for Admirable new world. The fourth captain America the film has already undergone major rewrites, adding Giancarlo Esposito as the villain Sidewinder.
Rays (May 2, 2025)
Ford’s foray into the MCU continues with The rays. Ross will gather a group of morally flexible fighters to join his team, including Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova from Black WidowBucky Sebastian Stan captain America films, Alexei from David Harbor from Black Widowand Wyatt Russell’s John Walker Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The production of this film was somewhat hampered – both Steven Yeun (Beef, No) and Ayo Edibiri (The bear, Inside Out 2) give up. But the first trailer was released at Comic-Con 2024.
The Fantastic Four: Getting Started (July 25, 2025)
One of the MCU’s most promising upcoming films is a reboot of The Fantastic Four. This franchise has faltered in the past when 20th Century Fox tried to produce several films about a group of friends who gain superpowers during a trip to space. The films starring Chris Evans (before he played Captain America) and Jessica Alba are not remembered fondly. And the Josh Trank-directed reboot with the all-star cast of Michael B. Jordan, Miles Teller, Kate Mara and Jamie Bell was a historic disaster.
Finally, Disney has the rights to the Fantastic Four and is reimagining the story. It will be set in the 1960s, which we hope means it will be a self-contained story that won’t require homework from the viewer. They cast Pedro Pascal, star of The last of us It is The Mandalorian, as Mr. Fantastic. Vanessa Kirby, The crown actress who has proven her action talent in recent Mission Impossible films, will play Sue Storm. Joseph Quinn, the emerging star of Weird stuff‘last season and next season’s villain Gladiator sequence, will play his brother Johnny Storm. AND O Bear fan favorite Ebon Moss-Bachrach will play The Thing.
The heroes will face the cosmic entity Galactus and the Silver Surfer, two of their main enemies in the comics, who aim to destroy the Earth. And Feige confirmed that they will also appear in the next two Avengers films fighting his former friend and current enemy, Doctor Doom (Downey Jr.).
Blade (November 7, 2025)
Blade It went through two different directors and several different concepts. Deadpool and Wolverine he even poked fun at the delays in production of the vampire hunter film. And fans online have been speculating that the unrelated vampire movie being filmed by Black Panther director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan could pack the Blade reboot outside of theaters.
Feige insisted on interviews that the film is still in the works and that it will be rated R. Still, there was no mention of the Ali-starring reboot at the 2024 Comic-Con.
Avengers: Judgment Day (May 2026)
Welcome back, Downey Jr. The man who immortalized Iron Man will play another arrogant genius, Doctor Doom. The character is not just an antagonist of the Fantastic Four but one of the greatest villains in the MCU and, according to some fans, the best. Most likely, we will see an alternate universe version of Tony Stark, whose ego gets the better of him when facing the smartest man in the world, Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic played by Pascal). Determined to get the better of Richards, he transforms into the villain Doom. The only way to stop an evil genius? Avengers (and Fantastic Four), assemble!
Avengers: Secret Wars (May 2027)
Feige is eager to do the Secret Wars comic book storyline for a while. It basically involves the collapse of all parallel universes – a potential plot point that has been teased in several Marvel films, including Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness It is Deadpool and Wolverine. The post-crash universe is known as “Battleworld,” a planet where all the various superheroes and villains from all of the MCU timelines fight each other.
Shang-Chi 2 (to be defined)
We hear little about the Shang-Chi sequel being directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, except stars Simu Liu and Aquafina are expected to return. Although there has been no update on Shang-Chi at Comic-Con 2024, Liu posted several months earlier that he promised “it’s happening” in Topics.
Spider-Man 4 (to be defined)
A bedroom Spider man the film starring Tom Holland is reportedly in the works – although Holland has sent mixed messages in the past about whether he wants to return the role. Spider-Man: No Way Home ended in a way that could either end its story satisfactorily or begin a new series of adventures that involves Peter Parker trying to reunite with his love interest. No word yet on whether Zendaya would return as MJ.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
