With Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars set to conclude the Multiverse Saga, fans are eager to learn what comes next for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now, we may have discovered which superheroes will make up Earth's Mightiest Heroes in the franchise's next chapter.
According to insider James Mack (meaning this is best taken with a massive grain of salt on a slow news Sunday), the post-Secret Wars Avengers team will consist of Sam Wilson's Captain America, Iron Man, Vision, She-Hulk, Thor, Captain Marvel, Yelena Belova, Shang-Chi, Robbie Reyes' Ghost Rider, and Black Panther.
Hank Pym and the Wasp are also said to be part of the lineup, following rumours from multiple sources that the founding Avengers will be recast with younger actors in the next Saga.
While it would be wise not to take this too seriously, there are some interesting possibilities to consider if this is indeed the direction Marvel Studios is heading in after Avengers: Secret Wars.
For starters, the roster bears some striking similarities to the team assembled by Jason Aaron during his Avengers comic book run, which launched in 2018. That lineup included Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Captain Marvel, She-Hulk, Black Panther, and Robbie Reyes' Ghost Rider.
Interestingly, Aaron's run placed considerable emphasis on the Celestials and their connection to Earth's history. Could Marvel Studios be looking to take inspiration from that storyline for the next Avengers movie?
It's certainly an intriguing possibility, especially when we consider that 2021's Eternals ended with several unanswered questions and a major cliffhanger. A follow-up has not materialised, and there's been little indication of when those characters will return. However, a new Avengers movie built around the Celestials could provide an opportunity to finally revisit those dangling storylines in a big way.
Another eyebrow-raising addition to the team is Robbie Reyes. Marvel Studios will release a Ghost Rider movie in 2028 revolving around Ryan Gosling's Johnny Blaze, so it seems doubtful that his successor would show up this soon and on such a big platform.
Instead, based on other online rumblings and what we've heard from our own sources, it's likely this team is simply serving as inspiration for the next era of Avengers. If so, that's one heck of a lineup as we head into a new Saga.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to arrive on December 17, 2027.