It feels like we're in a time of transition for the MCU, and it likely won't be until after Avengers: Secret Wars that Marvel Studios gets fully back on track.
The movie is expected to reboot the franchise, adding the Fantastic Four and X-Men to the main timeline. We'd also bet on a few key characters being recast, as Marvel Studios, for starters, could do with a new Iron Man (the entirety of Ironheart expected to be dumped on Disney+ over two weeks, suggesting Riri Williams won't be the successor some expected).
Still, with the Russo Brothers at the helm, we'd bet on Avengers: Doomsday going some way in righting the ship, and an exciting update comes our way today courtesy of scooper Daniel Richtman.
It's said that the filmmakers are currently shooting an epic Avengers vs. X-Men fight scene, with the mutant team decked out in comic-accurate costumes. If true, this will be a dream come true for comic book fans, though that X-Men lineup is still missing a few big names.
The insider has also heard that Marvel Studios is eager to develop an animated feature for theaters. A live-action Annihilators movie is also said to be in development; in the comics, the roster is comprised of Quasar, Silver Surfer, Ronan the Accuser, Beta Ray Bill, Gladiator, Ikon (Spaceknight), and Cosmo.
A project like that would be the perfect opportunity to introduce some new characters, find a place for old ones (Star-Lord, for example), and perhaps even bring Nova into the mix after his TV series was put on pause.
Doing the rounds to promote Captain America: Brave New World, Anthony Mackie revealed which characters from the world of the X-Men he's eager to share the screen with as Sam Wilson.
"Look, I am a big Cyclops fan. That's my favorite X-Men," he revealed. "I have a Cyclops action figure on my key chain that I've had since high school. When I was in high school, the X-Men cartoon was really big, and this was before the movies. I've always been a huge Cyclops fan, and I'm really, really excited - hopefully, knock on wood - for them to be a part of it and come into it."
"[I'm excited] to hang out with Xavier and Beast and all those guys. But my favorite is Nightcrawler," Mackie added. "If I can hang out with one character? Me and Nightcrawler in the French Quarter during Mardi Gras for two weeks, that's what I do."
Nightcrawler actor Alan Cumming has since said that his teleporting mutant will end up battling Pedro Pascal's Mister Fantastic. That came shortly before rumours surfaced about Doctor Doom pitting two superhero teams against the X-Men.
Robert Downey Jr. recently shared a behind-the-scenes image from the Doomsday set, with the dots on his face potentially confirming the validity of artwork suggesting Doom will wear an Iron Man-like mask featuring the actor's likeness. Well, that or we'll see his scarred visage!
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on May 1 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to arrive on May 7, 2027