The Marvel Cinematic Universe is officially entering a new era—one that could dramatically reshape the roles of its most iconic heroes and villains.
The MCU’s journey through Phases Four and Five was marked by both triumphs and turbulence. Films like Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) kept Marvel strong at the box office, though others struggled to keep that energy going.
Captain America: Brave New World (2025) was meant to signal a major tonal reset, but audiences were left wanting more. The momentum began to turn with Jake Schreier’s Thunderbolts* (2025), which drew strong reviews and steady ticket sales, helping to rebuild confidence in Marvel’s overarching story.
Phase Six opened with The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), which debuted huge before dropping sharply in its second weekend. Disney CEO Bob Iger still confirmed that Marvel’s First Family will be “central to the future of the franchise.”
After Jonathan Majors’ exit as Kang the Conqueror, Marvel restructured its entire narrative roadmap. His departure after allegations from his ex-partner Grace Jabbari forced the studio to pivot toward a new focal villain: Doctor Doom.
At last year’s San Diego Comic-Con, Kevin Feige announced that Anthony and Joe Russo would return to direct Avengers: Doomsday (formerly The Kang Dynasty) and Avengers: Secret Wars, set for December 2026 and 2027.
In a major twist, Robert Downey Jr. is officially back—but not as Tony Stark. The Oppenheimer (2023) star made his debut as Victor Von Doom in a post-credits sequence from The Fantastic Four: First Steps, setting the stage for a full-fledged comeback as Marvel’s next big villain.
While Kang hasn’t been erased from continuity, his storyline has shifted to the background. His last appearances were as Victor Timely in Loki Season 2 and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023). With Doom taking center stage, Kang’s future remains uncertain.
Oscar nominee Colman Domingo (Rustin, Sing Sing) recently revealed he’s been in talks with Marvel, though “not about a specific role.” Still, the existence of the Council of Kangs suggests possible variants could reappear—just not anytime soon.
The Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal brought together more than 20 major Marvel heroes, from returning favorites to new faces.
The lineup features Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, Sebastian Stan as Winter Soldier, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Kelsey Grammer as Beast, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, James Marsden as Cyclops, and Chris Hemsworth as Thor. They’re joined by Channing Tatum as Gambit, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Danny Ramirez as Falcon, Ian McKellen as Magneto, Vanessa Kirby as Invisible Woman, Lewis Pullman as Sentry, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, Patrick Stewart as Professor X, and Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler.
Other additions include David Harbour as Red Guardian, Letitia Wright as Shuri/Black Panther, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent, Joseph Quinn as Human Torch, Tenoch Huerta Mejia as Namor, Pedro Pascal as Mister Fantastic, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing.
But one notable absence caught fans’ attention: Benedict Cumberbatch.
Since debuting in Doctor Strange (2016), Cumberbatch’s Stephen Strange has guided Thor and Loki (Thor: Ragnarok), battled Thanos (Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame), and fractured the Multiverse in Spider-Man: No Way Home. His last major appearance came in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), ending with Strange’s mysterious third eye.
When asked about his omission during press for The Roses (2025), Cumberbatch told Omelete, “Who knows? Maybe they just didn’t have enough chairs.”
He’s not the only missing Avenger—Mark Ruffalo and Brie Larson are also absent from the current lineup.
Marvel’s Scarlet Witch Takes the Spotlight
Over in comics, Wanda Maximoff is getting a magical promotion.
Marvel Comics announced “Sorcerer Supreme,” a new ongoing series debuting this December, placing the Scarlet Witch at the heart of the mystical universe. Written by Steve Orlando with art by Bernard Chang, it features main and variant covers by Leirix, as well as a new costume design by Russell Dauterman.
Following “One World Under Doom,” Wanda steps up to claim the Sorcerer Supreme title left vacant by Victor Von Doom’s defeat. However, the Vishanti refuse to recognize her and instead appoint Agatha Harkness—setting up a magical showdown between the two.
After their clash, Wanda awakens in Limbo under the rule of Madelyne Pryor, where she must face demonic threats and prove her worth. Orlando explained that once the title was unclaimed, the question became “who hears the artifacts and cries for help?”—and Wanda was the natural answer, per Comic Book Movie.
The new series continues Marvel’s long-running theme of magical succession, following Clea Strange and Doctor Doom before Wanda takes the mantle. “Sorcerer Supreme #1” launches December 31.
Meanwhile, the MCU’s own Scarlet Witch, played by Elizabeth Olsen, has been missing since Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Her fate—and whether this storyline could influence live-action—remains a major question as Marvel pushes deeper into Phase Six and beyond.
