With Original ‘Avengers 5’ Scrapped, Report Reveals Replacement Storyline
As Marvel Studios pushes deeper into Phase Six—kicking off with The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)—the studio is setting the stage for a dramatic new chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
With Robert Downey Jr. confirmed to return as Victor Von Doom, questions have erupted over what that means for the MCU’s former Multiversal antagonist, Kang the Conqueror.
Downey’s casting as Doom immediately reignited speculation about the franchise’s future after Jonathan Majors’ exit as Kang. While Kevin Feige later confirmed a creative pivot, he revealed that discussions about moving beyond Kang began long before Majors’ legal issues surfaced.
Since Avengers: Endgame (2019), Marvel’s theatrical track record has fluctuated. Massive successes like Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) contrasted with the more modest results of Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* (2025). Majors’ legal troubles—stemming from charges filed by his ex-partner Grace Jabbari—upended plans for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and pushed Marvel to reimagine its next crossover arc.
At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, Feige confirmed that Anthony and Joe Russo would return to direct Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027), establishing Doctor Doom as the new central figure in the Multiverse Saga.
Fresh off his Oscar win for Oppenheimer (2023), Downey’s surprise debut as Doom in the post-credits scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps signaled Marvel’s commitment to reshaping its next era.
Meanwhile, fans continue to debate Kang’s fate after his last appearance as Victor Timely in Loki Season 2. “We had started even before what had happened to the actor happened, we had started to realize that Kang wasn’t big enough, wasn’t Thanos,” Feige told The Hollywood Reporter. “Because of the Fox acquisition, we finally had it, and it was Dr. Doom… I had started talking with Robert [Downey Jr.] about this audacious idea before Ant-Man 3 even came out.”
But not everyone agrees. X-Men ’97 writer Beau DeMayo challenged Feige’s comments, writing on X: “In 2023, I was working on Season 2 of #xmen97, [which] has Kang in it… He is straight up lying. Also, and this should be obvious, Kang has massive connections to the #FantasticFour.”
DeMayo added that Kang was “absolutely the endgame,” suggesting that the shift came later than Feige implied.
The Direction for Avengers 5
Rumors from The Direct and insider Daniel Richtman hint that Avengers: Doomsday could feature multiple versions of Doctor Doom—including female variants—mirroring the scrapped “Council of Kangs” concept. In this version, Doom sees himself as a savior rather than a conqueror, seeking to prevent Multiversal collapse.
Fan speculation has already named actors like Mads Mikkelsen, Henry Cavill, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as possible Doom variants. If true, Marvel could be constructing an army of Dooms, reshaping what once centered on Kang into a redefined Multiverse conflict.
Despite leaving the franchise, Majors recently teased the possibility of returning. “I cannot say anything about that,” he told The Sun U.S. “Well, it’s a Multiverse, so there’s always that.”
He continued, “Disney, Marvel Studios, I love them… Loved working with Paul Rudd, loved working with Gugu Mbatha-Raw.” Though unlikely, the actor’s comments underline that anything can happen within Marvel’s Multiverse.
Doctor Doom’s cinematic legacy stretches back to Julian McMahon’s 2005 portrayal and Toby Kebbell’s darker take in 2015. None, however, fully captured the layered menace of Marvel’s iconic villain. Fans are now eager to see if Downey’s Doom will finally define the character for a new generation.
How do you feel about the direction for Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments down below!
