It’s impossible to deny that Avengers: Endgame was the action hero event of our time. Cinematic storytelling rarely culminates in such a colossal, emotionally satisfying conclusion over the course of a decade or so. Despite this, Marvel Studios was able to pull off the feat. There was one problem, however: fans kept asking, “What’s next?”.
In Phase 4, we’ve seen more narratives, characters, and intriguing lore, which is the answer to that question. For example, WandaVision showed us the Scarlet Witch’s nascent formative years; Loki introduced us to the Multiverse; Eternals disclosed an entirely new level of cosmic storytelling, and there have been countless other moments like these throughout the series.
Expanding the MCU at a rate and depth previously unseen has been made possible by Disney+. The Avengers 5 is conspicuously missing from the seemingly endless list of projects.
Everyone knows that Endgame will not be the last Avengers movie, despite the title. And more importantly, the franchise’s money-making machine will not stay down for long. What’s next, then? All indications point to a massive acclimation of one of Marvel Comics’ most important event movies: Secret Wars.
What Is Secret Wars All About?
Before discussing why Avengers 5 will be an adaptation of a Secret Wars movie, it’s important to explain what the story is about. The title has been applied to a variety of stories. Among these, some are vastly different from those that came before them. A cosmic being by the name of The Beyonder teleported the greatest Marvel heroes and villains to a place called Battleworld in 1984. Here, they engaged in a battle for the fulfillment of their deepest desires.
For the most part, the storyline was just a marketing ploy for more toys. It’s safe to assume that the MCU will largely rely on Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 rewrite of the story. In a sense, the stakes in his story are insurmountably high.
Various universes begin colliding with each other, causing them to explode and devastate each other. Known as “Incursions,” these events have been occurring at an ever-increasing rate as countless worlds collide, destroying entire realities. Even worse, there is nothing you can do to stop them from doing what they want. This results in the demise of all of life on Earth. In other words, how do people manage to escape?
A patchwork existence based on the saved worlds of Doctor Doom is the only way for life to go on. This is so as he acquires an unimaginable cosmic power just in time. Sounds like an excellent plot for a Marvel Comics blockbuster.
The Return Of The Avengers
As a matter of fact, there will be another Avengers film. Despite the lack of a clear buildup, another event movie will take place soon enough. According to Kevin Feige, a sequel to Marvel’s biggest franchise will arrive “at some point… more than a couple of years” after 2021.
There’s no way in hell fans won’t get an Avengers 5 at some point. Who will be the focus and what will be the big event? These are the real questions. What kind of event will they attempt first, an Endgame-level one or something relatively small, with the group that takes on a smaller threat?
Taking The Brand Name Forward
The previous films in the Avengers series have all drawn inspiration from well-known stories. Notwithstanding the names, the events described do not always correspond to the source material’s events.
Age of Ultron is the best example of this. Nothing else compares to its time-travel-based counterpart except for the infamous murder-bot. Thanos and the Gauntlet are central to the story of Infinity War. Nonetheless, there are numerous more universal themes at play that were omitted from the live-action film.
All of this is to say that the circumstances that led up to these major stories do not need to line up correctly. The most important factor is that the brand name is well-known. As a result, Secret Wars is the ideal choice.
Introducing The Multiverse
The Multiverse is the idea that Secret Wars and its movie will rely on the most. The entire plot revolves around this, and how it destabilizes and eventually collapses, resulting in the destruction of all reality.
According to most of those reading this, Phase 4’s main concept is the Multiverse. This next few years of MCU storytelling will likely continue to rely on alternate realities and the many innovative tools they bring with them. This, instead of the stones of the Infinity Saga.
It is necessary to have it in order for the Multiverse to cease to exist and for all realities to cease to exist. With the success of Loki, What If…?, and NWH, fans now have a good idea of what it has to offer.
The Chaos Of The Multiverse
A new piece of critical information was dropped into the storyline with the publication of Loki. This points the story straight toward the Secret Wars movie’s plotline. After years of trying to keep his Variants from starting another Multiversal war, Jonathan Majors’ He Who Remains has finally succeeded. Like Thanos’ fateful snap, this sounds like something that will eventually happen.
Variant(s) Majors feared. Kang the Conqueror, is a character that Majors’ character is very afraid of. The timeline and the Multiverse are far apart from the concepts being taught in the MCU. It’s obvious that the finer points will work differently than what some fans are used to.
He’s clearly going to be a villain in the future, but Marvel appears to be positioning him to be a lynchpin for all of Multiverse as well. Kang, according to Loki writer Michael Waldron, “is probably going to be the next big cross-movie villain.” Waldron previously stated.
Doctor Strange 2 vows to illustrate the more messy side of alternate realities. So far, this has only been hinted at in previous films. In addition, there will also be a major role for Wanda Maximoff.
Foreboding teases in Scarlet Witch’s previous story, WandaVision, hinted at events that, if they come to pass, could threaten the Multiverse’s very existence. This sets the stage for incursions to begin across time and space. Further exploration of the Multiverse will take place after Kevin Feige confirms that the madness will continue after Doctor Strange.
The Future Cameos
After the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home, it is clear that audiences are drawn to nostalgia. A lot of old antagonists and the previous two Spider-Mans were brought back to life in the film, and it made a lot of money. Rumors about who might appear in the Multiverse of Madness as the story progresses have been circulating for months now.
Because of the possibilities presented by the film, viewers may see the original Fantastic Four, Wanda Maximoff, or even the Inhuman king Black Bolt interact with mutants for the first time. Cameo appearances and the joy they bring to fans are clearly recognized by Marvel.
Things like that happen all the time in the Secret Wars movies. Because of the open-ended nature of the concept, creators have a lot of leeway in reimagining the heroes and narratives viewers are familiar with.
Recurring characters like Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield will have an easier time returning, as will Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, and it may even bring to life alternate universes in which entirely different MCU events took place.
It’s a compelling tale that you can’t turn down. Even if Marvel doesn’t adapt Secret Wars for the next movie, it’s tough to fathom a universe without it.
Legacy Characters Taking The Spotlight
Even if it’s just a coincidence, it’s worth noting. A few years prior to the 2015 Secret Wars storyline, there was a nudge for legacy characters to take the lead. Miles Morales played Spider-Man, Sam Wilson played Falcon, and Jane Foster played the God of Thunder, all of whom appeared in this production. Miles may not be a part of the MCU yet. However, he and the other two will be regulars in a few months.
As far as I know, they’re not the only ones. She-Hulk Tatiana Maslany, Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, and Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams are all in the running for legacy sports. Obviously, this is far from a definitive confirmation. In any case, it’s another sign of things to come.
The Russo Bros On Their Toes
It’s safe to say that both Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame are some of Marvel Studios’ most popular and critically acclaimed films. The Russo Brothers, who directed both films, are responsible for their successful outcomes. Marvel is certain to look for an opportunity to work with them again after the success of their work on the Infinity Saga finale. For their benefit, the directors have stated publicly that they intend to direct a Secret Wars movie.
In interviews, the pair have all but clarified that they had discussions with the studio. There is still hope for both brothers, despite the Scarlet Johansson lawsuit, as they have recently stated. The Marvel project they’re discussing with Marvel Studios isn’t confirmed. However, given the brothers’ outspokenness, it’s safe to assume it’s about the Secret Wars movie franchise.
Expanding Marvel Through Disney+
The recent surge in Marvel content can be attributed to Disney+, the studios’ new streaming service. As a result of streaming, studios have been able to release more stories and give more protagonists a chance to shine.
The richness of the storyline is enhanced as a result of this. More MCU content has been released in the last year than in the first nine years of the cinematic universe combined.
What does this have to do with Secret Wars? After the creation of Battleworld in the most recent version of the story in 2015, dozens of spinoff comics were created to examine what life was like in these numerous patchwork universes.
As an example, there is a territory where the action hero Civil War never really ended. This is where a whole world is populated by a police force led by various versions of the God of Thunder, and so on.
Some of these alternative universes could be used in both big blockbuster movie spinoffs and several series on Disney+. This, of course, is only if Marvel Studios makes Secret Wars a multi-part epic movie. When all was said and done, it would help to bring the massive event to life in a way that was previously impossible.
Bringing About The Mutants
Then there’s the issue of Mutants, which is the elephant in the room. It’s been a long time coming for the team of super-humans to appear in the MCU, but it’s finally here. Even after Disney’s acquisition of Fox, there hasn’t been much progression on this front.
There is also the issue of introducing them to the world. There are numerous logistical issues to contend with, and it’s difficult to get them all to work together.
This is probably why Marvel Studios is so tempted to make a Secret Wars movie. As a result, the event could serve as a complete reset for the entire MCU. This would then allow those in charge of story development to completely reimagine existing plot elements like the mutant gene.
A new take on House of M, starring Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch, might be just what the doctor ordered. Even if mutants did exist, the entire premise of their occurrence would have to be rethought.
Marvel Has A Secret Future
All indications are that Secret Wars will be the next big Avengers movie. Similar to NWH, this too is expected to be a huge success. It’s only a matter of time before Marvel Studios has all of the components to put the big event together.
The MCU’s need for Victor Von Doom may delay the event’s adaptation’s arrival. This year’s Fantastic Four, as well as Hickman’s infamous villain, are a major part of Hickman’s story in 2015. Though, as previously speculated, Marvel Studios may choose to outsource those roles to someone else.
Many rumors point to a Young Avengers spin-off, and for all the right reasons this makes complete sense. This is so given the advent of nearly the entire core team over the last year. The next proper Avengers project is still stirring up in the background. As in the comics, the MCU is sure to see a slew of spin-offs from this core group.
