We're expecting/hoping that Marvel Studios will clarify its plans for the Avengers franchise at next month's San Diego Comic-Con, but some early details have found their way online today courtesy of The Cosmic Circus.
According to Alex Perez, the idea is for Avengers 5 to follow a similar pattern to Infinity War, with several teams divided and battling different villains before assembling to face a much greater threat as they did in Endgame.
The site has also managed to compile a list of characters - based on several months of talks with inside sources - we'll see taking centre stage in the next Avengers movie:
- Captain America (Sam Wilson)
- Falcon (Joaquin Torres)
- Wong
- Captain Marvel
- Monica Rambeau
- Shang-Chi
- Katy
- Black Panther
- Ironheart
- She-Hulk
- Hulk
- Thor
- Valkyrie
- Spider-Man
- Daredevil
- Doctor Strange
- Clea
- America Chavez
- Ms. Marvel
- Stature (Cassie Lang)
- Kate Bishop
- Clint Barton
- Ant-Man & The Wasp
There are some surprises in there, including The Wasp seeing as Evangeline Lilly recently retired from acting. To that, the site says both Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne are "central motifs in this story," suggesting the latter will either have to be recast or her role given to another character.
Other details include plans for the TVA to be a big part of Avengers 5 with Variants of fan favourites and new faces expected to appear. There's supposedly also been some chatter about a slate of projects set in a "Battleworld" similar to the one seen in 2015's Secret Wars comic.
Yggdrasil, the tree-shaped Multiverse created by Loki, is described as the Multiverse Saga's Infinity Stones, with whoever controls it able to take charge of the Multiverse and bend it to their will.
"Right now, Loki has control over it, and he is simply keeping the Multiverse at peace and preventing incursions as best he can to ensure that every universe is able to exist in stable harmony," the scooper explains. "Much like everyone else, [Loki] is born, he lives, and eventually, he will die. And what do you think will happen then?"
Finally, it's reiterated that the next Avengers movies will feature appearances from What If...?'s Captain Carter and Kahhori.
There's a lot to unpack here and a great many hints about where this story may be going. Marvel Studios' Multiverse Saga plans could become clearer in Hall H next month; unfortunately, we are expecting further release date delays to give upcoming projects room to breathe now the studio is opting for a quality over quantity approach again.
Let us know your thoughts on these Avengers 5 rumours in the usual place.