Marvel Studios has gone back to the drawing board with the Multiverse Saga, and we're expecting to see some sweeping changes made to the slate either at Comic-Con or this summer's D23.
Release date delays seem inevitable, as do possible cancellations and creative team changes. Today, The Cosmic Circus has published a lengthy spoiler piece on the MCU's future and we've rounded up the biggest details in one place for you.
That includes intel on wider plans for the Multiverse, Doctor Strange's future, new superhero teams, and where the stories of key characters will go next. Oh, and those of you eager for a World War Hulk movie are about to be very happy!
So, continue reading for our latest MCU rumour roundup...
Marvel's Multiverse Plans
It's no secret that Marvel has plans to overhaul its approach to the Multiverse, and that's supposedly a big part of why they're shifting focus to street-level stories. That doesn't mean Kevin Feige isn't still planning for the future, though.
"It is still my impression that Marvel still wants to use Kang and his variants to face off against the Avengers," reads the report, "but there is one antagonistic presence that Marvel is building up to, which will impact the Kang Dynasty by the time they arrive." Who could that mystery antagonist be? The Beyonder, perhaps? Or will those Doctor Doom theories prove correct?
Elsewhere, it's said that Captain Carter is apparently being lined up to return in What If...? season 3 and will "also be one of the characters in play for [Avengers:] Secret Wars."
Talking of that movie, it's reportedly going to "take a while" after Secret Wars before we see Earth-616's X-Men.
New Superhero Teams
It seems there are indeed still plans in place for the Young Avengers to assemble in the MCU, with the movie supposedly incorporating a Multiverse aspect. That will see the team set out to explore the origin of Ms. Marvel's Quantum band, a relic we've long suspected has ties to Kang.
Interestingly, the site believes fans should "expect a formal announcement on this project sometime this year. Either at SDCC or D23."
As for the Eternals, it's looking increasingly unlikely that they'll return before Secret Wars; the sequel's story could, however, easily fit into Marvel Studios' next saga of storytelling, but only "if Marvel knows how to play its cards right."
Finally, the site believes there are talks about adding Captain Britain to the MCU as "part of a certain team set in the United Kingdom." There's chatter coming out of Marvel Studios that MI-13 and Agents of Atlas team-ups could happen down the line, and we'd assume Brian Braddock will be part of the former.
Doctor Strange's MCU Future
When we last saw the MCU's former Sorcerer Supreme, he'd developed a third eye on his forehead and decided to travel through the Multiverse alongside Clea in a bid to halt an Incursion.
According to this new rumour, everything we've seen from the Strange Variants who have brought death and destruction to their respective realities will play into where Earth-616's version goes next.
The site says that Strange "will struggle with the sense of whether what he is doing is right, ultimately coming to terms with the decision that perhaps simply removing himself from the situation and letting someone else handle it is the best course of action."
"[It's] all a setup for Strange to step up to the plate and become one of the most important heroes of the Multiverse Saga," the report notes, suggesting the hero will eventually realise he's needed to help save the day.
World War Hulk
We have a feeling the next Avengers movies will be delayed later this summer because the site claims that an upcoming storyline "will force multiple heroes to unite."
Marvel Studios is still interested in developing a World War Hulk project, all as "a way to set up multiple street-level heroes as part of the Avengers roster to prepare them for the impending battle with Kang." Needless to say, this is a thrilling prospect.
The site adds that they're "confident" World War Hulk will receive a big screen adaptation and, while there's still no word on a solo Hulk movie, us seeing a "Savage Hulk" is "a possibility."
If this movie really is happening, expect it to be confirmed at Comic-Con or D23.
Blade, Captain Marvel, Shang-Chi, And Henry Cavill
We're wrapping up with some miscellaneous details, including Blade's title having a "double meaning." The movie is currently expected to serve as an origin story for both the title character and the Ebony Blade, with the action playing out over different timelines.
As for Captain Marvel, while another solo movie seems unlikely after The Marvels bombed, Carol Danvers is also keen to unearth the secrets of the Quantum Bands. She's also setting out to find the missing Monica Rambeau, but thanks to Incurisons, "they might find their way back to each other sooner than they think."
Plans for Shang-Chi 2 remain unclear, though it was originally going to set the stage for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. The idea was to explore the Ten Rings' history and take a deep dive into the rings themselves.
Oh, and rumours Henry Cavill will play a Wolverine Variant in Deadpool & Wolverine have some "credence" to them (he won't, however, be the MCU's new Wolverine).