Avengers: Infinity War left us all with a lot to talk about and in the month or so since it hit theaters, we've been bombarded with fan theories, rumours, and possible plot leaks. Those all make for interesting reading but now that the epic ensemble is behind us, we're taking a look at fifteen new rumours and theories about Avengers 4 which shed some light on where things go next for the heroes.
Some of these have a basis in reality and others are definitely far-fetched but they're all worth discussing and it's not that hard to imagine at least a few ultimately panning out come May 2019.
So, from a possible time jump to an alien invasion and some major twists and turns you'll never see coming, be sure to click on the "View List" button below to check out this full list of new Avengers 4 rumours. Needless to say, it is, of course, possible that spoilers for the sequel can be found here...
Five Years Later...
Apparently, Avengers 4 will jump forward five years into the future with Tony Stark and the surviving heroes now working for the government, possibly as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (set photos have actually backed this rumour up). In the meantime, they've been working with Hank Pym on time-travel tech which will allow them to go back and get a second chance at stopping Thanos' "snap" decision.
This actually makes a lot of sense, especially as jumping ahead and seeing Earth's Mightiest Heroes dealing with the aftermath of what happened would be vastly more interesting than them going straight after the Mad Titan and undoing all those deaths literally days after Avengers: Infinity War.
Secret Invasion!
Upon learning that Earth is vulnerable, the Skrull/Kree War will have resumed and the shape-shifting aliens have reportedly made their presence felt on our planet. That's why Hawkeye is in Japan and it's there that the archer finds himself taking down Skrulls who are posing as members of the Yakuza. Even if this is just a tease of what's to come down the line, it would be a great way to set up Secret Invasion.
Shuri Will Be The New Black Panther
Erik Killmonger may have burned what was left of the heart-shaped herbs in Black Panther but one theory suggests that the Wakandans will have found a way to grow them again, something which has led to Shuri taking over from her brother T'Challa. This would follow the comic books and when she visits the Ancestral Plane and sees that he's absent, the hero will realise he's still out there somewhere.
It's also been rumoured that Shuri will either bring back The Vision or Ultron and the latter's return would obviously set the stage for him to take centre stage in an adaptation of Annihilation one day.
Six Avengers + Six Infinity Stones = Victory?
Many fans were quick to point out that Avengers: Infinity War left all six original members of the team alive and there has to be a reason for that. Well, one theory suggests that they will each eventually wield one of the Infinity Stones similar to the Celestials who originally shared the power of those.
This would either result in the creation of a new Infinity Gauntlet or the heroes combining the abilities of the Stones in order to bring back the countless dead. It's also been suggested that Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye will all be on separate missions to find them.
Romance For Captain America And Black Widow
One rumour suggests that during their time on the run, Captain America and Black Widow have grown close enough that romance will now be on the cards for them and that will play out in a big way in Avengers 4. This may end up being controversial in the eyes of some fans, of course, but it would definitely work better than Natasha hooking up with Bruce Banner! It's also rumoured that the Sokovia Accords will have been dropped in order to allow the heroic team to finally operate freely again.
The Heroes Who Vanished Are Trapped In The Soul Stone
This is a theory which has been doing the rounds since Avengers: Infinity War was released but more details have since surfaced in regards to how this will work. Recent comments from both the Russo Brothers and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely have indicated that the scene at the end of the movie with Gamora wasn't just a dream sequence; it was actually happening!
As a result, it's thought that the dead Avengers, Guardians, and civilians across the universe who turned to dust when Thanos snapped his fingers will also be trapped in this mysterious realm, something which opens the door to them all being brought back to life. Whether or not we'll actually spend any time with them there remains to be seen but it will be interesting seeing this play out.
Asgard Will Be Rebuilt On Earth
Rumour has it that Valkyrie will make her triumphant return in Avengers 4 alongside Korg and what remains of Asgard but will the sequel drop some hints about what comes next for Thor's people? Apparently so! While a fourth instalment of the God of Thunder's franchise has yet to be confirmed, it seems as if the action will be moved to Earth as Thor sets up a new home for his people there.
This actually lines up with what the hero said at the end of Thor: Ragnarok and it would once again follow the comic books in the respect that the hero ultimately decided to bring Asgard to our planet and then had to deal with the complications which followed that. I guess we'll have to wait and see!
Loki Returns
The God of Mischief's demise at the start of Avengers: Infinity War definitely came as a shock but it's not like we haven't seen Loki fake his death before! That probably explains where this rumour comes from as it's said that he'll return to claim the Infinity Gauntlet for himself, similar to what Nebula did in the comic books (that version of the character was quite a bit more villainous than the MCU's Nebula).
This would be a lot of fun to see, especially if it leads to Loki getting to take centre stage and essentially saving the universe before giving in to his villainous impulses. A theory has also surfaced which claims that Loki may have disguised himself as Bruce Banner but, well, that feels like too much of a stretch!
Thane Joins The Fight
Thanos may have been left badly injured at the end of Avengers: Infinity War but he's still immensely powerful and holds each of the Infinity Stones. So, what can Earth's Mightiest Heroes possibly go after? How about Thane? The Russos have clearly been inspired by Jonathan Hickman's Infinity - hence why The Black Order showed up - so the team racing to find a being as powerful as the Mad Titan who is also capable of wielding the Infinity Stones would definitely make sense to at least some extent.
Captain America And Iron Man Will Die
Part rumour and part theory, Captain America and Iron Man dying won't sit well with a lot of fans but seeing as both Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans appear to be ready to move on from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, both of them meeting their makers in Avengers 4 wouldn't be a surprise.
Bucky (or The Falcon) could then take over as Captain America while rumours are swirling - thanks to a photo she shared of a mo-cap costume on the lower part of her body - that Pepper Potts could be about to finally suit up as Rescue. Regardless, the prevailing theory is that Steve and Tony will sacrifice themselves to bring back their fallen friends and to put an end to the Mad Titan once and for all.
The Quantum Realm
In Ant-Man, Hank Pym indicated that being inside the Quantum Realm causes you to lose all sense of time, hence why it's now being rumoured that the heroes will travel there after Ant-Man and The Wasp in order to head back to the events of The Avengers and stop Thanos before he becomes a threat.
If time travel really is going to come into play in Avengers 4, this being the way it happens definitely adds up and it's also been theorised that Captain America and company will wind up in an alternate universe as opposed to their own timeline. In other words, prepare to be confused in May 2019.
Avengers Vs. Avengers
While we don't know whether or not travelling back in time will result in The Avengers crossing paths with their old selves, it's been rumoured that Nebula has a significant arc across the course of Avengers 4 and that she'll end up fighting her former, somewhat more evil self. This is a plot decision which has a lot of potential, particularly in the case of Nebula seeing as she's been somewhat redeemed since Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was released. Who's ready for Captain America fighting himself?
Thanos Teams Up With The Avengers
Thanos is definitely a bad guy but he doesn't see things that way and it's been theorised that when a new threat emerges as a result of his actions, he'll be forced to team up with Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
This seems highly unlikely all things considered and seeing as the Fox/Disney merger isn't completed yet, it's not like Galactus will be showing up to threaten the universe! It's also hard to believe that The Avengers would even entertain working with the Mad Titan after he wiped out not only their friends but trillions of other lives too. Stranger things have happened, though, so we'll soon see.
Tony Stark's Son
Thanks to recent remarks from Gwyneth Paltrow, it sounds very much like Tony Stark will have a son by the time Avengers 4 begins (or when it ends...we're not 100% sure). Regardless of whether this child was born while he was on Titan or back on Earth, Iron Man realising he has to go back in time and essentially wipe out his son in order to restore trillions of lives would make for a fascinating story arc and if the child shows up after he dies, then it's a good way of having the hero's legacy live on.
Captain America Finally Wields Mjolnir
According to one plot leak, the present day versions of Captain America and Thor will end up clashing with Thanos and the God of Thunder will get "blown away" (presumably when the Mad Titan unleashes the power of the Infinity Gauntlet; I'm presuming they don't mean he gets destroyed).
What follows is Steve Rogers wielding Mjolnir because he's finally been found worthy. What the poster didn't explain is where the original hammer has come from but if the heroes are in the past when this all goes down, then it could belong to that Thor. It's also feasible that wires have got crossed and Cap actually picks up Stormbreaker but this is definitely a scene which feels earned by this point.
What do you think about these Avengers 4 theories and rumours? Do any of them sound like they could happen or are you unconvinced? As always, share your thoughts in the usual place.