Marvel Studios' Multiverse Saga hasn't played out quite the way anyone expected after the highs of the Infinity Saga. Issues with quantity over quality and a move into streaming saw Kevin Feige spread thin, leading to the studio's first critical and commercial disappointments.
Did Feige drop the ball, or was the pressure from Disney executives to blame? According to The Cosmic Circus, while Feige intended to expand the MCU with stories focusing on certain genres—cosmic, supernatural, and street-level, for example—"higher management pushed for more interconnectivity and ruined the original plans."
No additional details are provided, but it sounds like Feige's plans to explore new corners of the MCU were ultimately derailed by Disney's desire to get as much content in theaters and on Disney+ as possible. Fortunately, things appear to be changing now.
The site has shared more MCU rumours, including new details on Avengers: Secret Wars. Apparently, Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau, and Ms. Marvel will reunite "soon," with that being "one of the few storylines that’ll get a resolution come Secret Wars."
Looking beyond that movie, it seems there's a bit of push and pull between Marvel Studios and Disney+. The streamer "doesn’t want them to reduce their output because then they’d lose a huge chunk of their subscribers, but they also don’t want shows that are meant to be the equivalent of a Marvel movie in terms of spectacle and CGI-heavy."
In other news, Black Panther 3 will be one of the first MCU movies released post-Secret Wars alongside X-Men and Ghost Rider. According to Alex Perez, "There have been discussions about the Savage Land, but not necessarily for Black Panther 3. In regard to Brother Voodoo, there are possibilities to introduce him for sure, although not certain about Black Panther 3."
Finally, the insider reveals that there have been "talks" about what Blade's future looks like both with and without Mahershala Ali. So, we may not have seen the last of the Daywalker just yet. It's also reiterated that the Champions will get their own project, with VisionQuest reportedly setting the stage for the MCU's Young Avengers.
The confirmed (or semi-confirmed, at least) cast of Avengers: Secret Wars includes Robert Downey Jr. (Doctor Doom), Chris Evans (Steve Rogers), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Anthony Mackie (Captain America), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), Paul Bettany (The Vision), Letitia Wright (Black Panther), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), and Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter).
Also appearing are Pedro Pascal (Mister Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (Human Torch), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Thing), Sadie Sink (Jean Grey), and Noah Jupe.
The Russo Brothers direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars from a screenplay by Stephen McFeely, with whom they previously collaborated on the Avengers and Captain America franchises. Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness writer Michael Waldron has also been enlisted to refine the story, alongside Spider-Man: Brand New Day's Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to arrive on December 17, 2027.