The Fantastic Four’s main cast it all set. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Marvel doesn’t have many big roles left to fill in the MCU. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any. Recently, Brad Winderbaum, Marvel Studios’ Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, shared which character he would want to green-light an MCU series for immediately if he could. He revealed, “I would wanna do the Danny Ketch era of Ghost Rider. I think there are a lot of people who would be here for some Ghost Rider.”

And he’s right, there are a lot of people who would be here for it. And that includes one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, who still wants to play one of the few remaining standout characters yet to debut in the franchise. Ryan Gosling still hopes Kevin Feige picks him to play Ghost Rider.

Last year, the Oscar-nominated Barbie actor (and star of both Drive and Place Beyond the Pines, it should be noted, considering the character) told Josh Horowitz he wants to play Ghost Rider in the MCU. While interviewing Gosling and Emily Blunt for The Fall Guy, Horowitz pointed out to Gosling he personally relayed the actor’s Ghost Rider dream to Kevin Feige. That means the MCU head honcho knows he has two A-listers vying for the role. Because, another person who would be here for some Ghost Rider is Keanu Reeves. When asked to name his ideal role, Reeves has also said he wants to play the character, too. Reeves has actually wanted to play Ghost Rider since he was 10!

Will Feige choose either when the time comes to cast the role? He should choose both! What’s the point of a multiverse if you can’t have both Gosling and Keanu play Ghost Rider.

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The upcoming Thunderbolts film from Marvel Studios is slated to introduce one of the most powerful characters Marvel Comics has ever produced, the Sentry. Essentially, he’s Marvel’s Superman, but with a dark secret. He’ll be portrayed by actor Lewis Pullman in the upcoming MCU film, and we officially have our first look at Pullman as the character from the MCU’s Thunderbolts* trailer. But who is Sentry, a (relatively recent) Marvel character, and what is his strange origin story, both on and off the page?

The Bizarre Backstory of Marvel Comics’ Sentry

The Sentry began his comic book existence as an elaborate trolling by Marvel Comics editorial. Back in the ’90s, the Marvel Knights line of comics helped save the company after bankruptcy. Edgy titles like Kevin Smith’s Daredevil got critical acclaim and big sales. In 2000, creators Paul Jenkins and Rick Veitch came up with the Sentry series for Marvel Knights, about a superhero in a more classic DC Comics mode than a Marvel one. His costume suggested Superman’s, or Shazam’s. Although he’s not the only analog for Superman at Marvel (Hyperion predates him) he is the most powerful. He may be stronger than Superman himself.

Sentry, The “Lost” Stan Lee Marvel Hero

When the Sentry mini-series was announced, Marvel touted the series as a discovery of a “lost” concept by Stan Lee and a forgotten artist named Artie Rosen from the early ’60s that never made it to print. When Rosen “died” in 1999, writer Paul Jenkins discovered his original creation with Lee, a classic hero named the Sentry. He decided it was time to give the hero a proper Marvel debut in his own mini-series. Marvel EIC Joe Quesada even used the octogenarian Stan Lee himself as part of the promotion, giving interviews to comic book media about how even he had forgotten he co-created this hero. Of course, all of this was complete nonsense. Sentry was a pure creation of Jenkins. The whole backstory was a marketing gimmick.

Sentry Is Marvel’s Superman, with a Dark Side

In the Sentry original limited series, we meet Robert Reynolds. He’s an out-of-shape, middle-aged man living a bleak existence. Reynolds starts remembering a superhero career in his younger days, when he was the Sentry. Having taken “the Golden Sentry Serum,’ an advanced version of Captain America’s Super Soldier Serum, he now had “the power of a million exploding suns.” His arch nemesis was a dark presence called “The Void.” He was a contemporary of early Marvel heroes like the Avengers, Spider-Man, and the Fantastic Four. In fact, he was very close friends with Reed Richards, the Fantastic Four’s genius leader. As he encountered each Marvel hero in the present, they all slowly began to remember him. But why did they forget him in the first place?

After a deadly attack by the Void that resulted in high casualties during his heroic heyday, Sentry disappeared from the Marvel Universe when his mind was wiped, along with the memories of everyone on Earth, to make everyone forget that he ever existed. This was because of Reed Richards and Doctor Strange realizing that the Void was not just Sentry’s arch-foe, he was also a part of him. The only way to get rid of the Void was to make everyone forget that both Sentry and Void existed, including Bob Reynolds himself. So for years, he lived a life of anonymity, forgetting his heroic past entirely.

Sentry Becomes the Mightiest Avenger

In the New Avengers series in 2005, writer Brian Michael Bendis brings Sentry back to the Marvel Universe. We see Reynolds in a cell inside the supervillain prison the Raft, where he has voluntarily imprisoned himself for murdering his wife, Lindy Lee. When a huge jailbreak occurs, the Avengers catch several of the escaping villains. During this time, Daredevil finds the Sentry, and the powerful hero saves several others from Carnage, whom he flies into space and rips in half. Later, the Avengers discovered that X-Men villain Mastermind, who was at fault for Jean Grey’s descent into Dark Phoenix, was responsible for what happened to Sentry. He implanted a psychic virus in Robert Reynolds’ mind that created the delusion of the Void, but it was all really an aspect of his own repressed personality, unleashed by the serum.

Readers learned that the psychic virus does not allow Reynolds to remember his life as he lived it. Instead, he subconsciously implants his memories into the mind of comic book writer Paul Jenkins, a meta-commentary on the real-life creator of the same name who invented Sentry. Eventually, the Avengers show Reynolds that his wife, whom he confessed to murdering, is still alive. Sentry runs away, going to a house in the suburbs he shares with his wife Lindy. The Marvel heroes find him there, and attempt to reason with him. But he insists the Void is coming, and will destroy the world. Ultimately, X-Men telepath Emma Frost frees Reynolds from the psychic virus and restores his memories, and the Sentry joins the Avengers. The rest of the world does not regain their memories of Sentry. To them, he’s a brand new hero and new addition to the Avengers.

The Many Powers and Abilities of Sentry

The Sentry is one of the most powerful superheroes in the Marvel universe, even more powerful than his DC counterpart Superman. His powers supposedly came from a more advanced version of Captain America’s super soldier serum. Later, they revealed that an alien intelligence actually infused itself with the serum, making Reynolds its host body. Whatever the true origins are, Sentry has super strength, enough to subdue the Hulk at his most powerful. He can fly, has super speed, has telepathy, and can even shapeshift. He can also project light and project energy blasts. Sentry can also pass on a portion of his power, as he did to his kid sidekick, Billy Turner, a.k.a. Scout, an amalgamation of DC’s Robin and Captain Marvel. Jr. He even passed on powers to his Welsh Corgi, Watchdog, a riff on DC’s Krypto the Superdog. Sentry is the definition of the phrase “OP.”

Sentry’s Death and Rebirth

Sentry remained an Avenger for many years, although he constantly battled the emergence of the Void, a symptom of his own mental illness. Eventually, he joined former Green Goblin Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers, as Osborn’s secret weapon. Thanks to Norman’s mental manipulations, he is able to break down the barriers that keep Robert Reynolds’ darker Void persona at bay. In the Siege storyline, Osborn and the Dark Avengers, together with Loki, attack Asgard itself. Osborn uses the powers of the Sentry to destroy Asgard, which was hovering above Oklahoma at the time.

The Dark Avenger Ares, the actual Greek god of war, attacks Sentry for his loss of control. Then, Sentry literally rips the god in half. (It’s a pretty gross panel too). Sentry then murders Loki, although he is eventually reborn as Kid Loki. Realizing what he’s done, upon reverting to his Bob Reynolds persona, Sentry asks the Avengers to kill him. Thor obliges, and carries his body to the sun to be cremated. But Sentry is effectively immortal, and can’t truly die. He eventually merges his Sentry half with his Void half, now seemingly more in control, but also elevated to godhood. In the comics, it seems it is the destiny of the Sentry to effectively never die.

Sentry in the MCU’s Thunderbolts* Movie

The MCU Thunderbolts* trailer officially gave us our first look at Lewis Pullman as the Sentry. But we really don’t know too much about him yet. All we know about Sentry in the MCU for now is that he’ll be a part of the Thunderbolts* film. We have no idea what role he’ll play, but we imagine a scenario similar to the comics. We foresee a situation where Sentry is assigned by the government to the Thunderbolts team. Perhaps to be their public face? But when the ultra-powered hero loses control of his darker half, the former assassins will have to find a way to stop him. But that’s just us guessing. We’ll know for sure when Thunderbolts hits theaters in 2025.

Originally published on February 2, 2024.

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WandaVision‘s nosy neighbor turned out to be far more dangerous than most sitcom characters. Now the show’s spinoff starring Kathryn Hahn has introduced its own mysterious witch. Aubrey Plaza is an entirely new Marvel character who clearly has a complicated past with Agatha Harkness. But who is she and what happened between them? And does she really want Agatha dead? Here’s what we know about Agatha All Along‘s black hearted green witch Rio Vidal so far.

What Marvel Comics Character Is Aubrey Plaza’s Agatha All Along Character Based On?

Rio Vidal, who says she has a “black heart,” is an original character with no direct or obvious comic counterpart in name or role. As of now she seems to be an entirely new figure in the world of Marvel.

Because Rio is a Green Witch, some have speculated she could be loosely connected to or even based on Marvel Comics’ villain Dian. He is a powerful evil sorcerer known as the Emerald Warlock. (Get it? Green Witch/Emerald Warlock? You get it.)

Beyond their names and the fact each has lived for hundreds of years (at least), there’s nothing to suggest the two characters are related. If they are, though, Dian’s history does provide some tantalizing possibilities. He once worked with Agatha Harkness and later became a major enemy of the Scarlet Witch, whom he battled with on the Witches Road.

What Is a Green Witch on Agatha All Along?

Agatha’s efforts to form a coven revealed that their are different kinds of witches living in the MCU. Some are divination witches, others are potion witches, and some are green witches. Green witches have a magical connection to the land, as revealed by Agatha using local gardener “Ms. Hart” (her real name is Sharon) as a green witch proxy.

What Happened With Rio Vidal and Agathan Harkness Before Agatha All Along?

Rio Vidal came to Westview to help Agatha escape (the now-dead) Wanda’s spell. It had locked Agatha inside her own mind as Agnes for three years. But once Agatha broke out of her faux police procedural, which Rio appeared in as an FBI agent, suggesting Rio had created that fake realit, the Green Witch, who is also a fierce warrior, attacked Agatha. She said she would have killed the powerless Agatha if not for witch rules that forbid it.

But why would Rio help Agatha break out of her mental prison if she hates Agatha? Was it only so the Salem Seven could finish off Agatha Harkness for her? Or is their love behind that animosity? The two witches violent interaction hinted at a previous romantic relationship that goes back many centuries. Rio also knew that Agatha’s original coven betrayed her, which is why Agatha attacked them.

Does Rio really want to see Agatha destroyed? Or did she show up in Westview to ultimately save someone she loves? Or is she looking for something a little less serious/more fun we wouldn’t expect to see on Disney+?

There’s so much more we have to learn about Aubrey Plaza’s Rio Vidal on Agatha All Along, and we can’t wait to see what other secrets she’s hiding.

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Agatha All Along is finally here after a very lengthy wait. For the past three years, Agatha Harkness a.k.a. Agnes has been living in a Westview preoccupied with her various delusions, including masquerading as a homicide detective. In the show’s first episode, we see a very different yet oddly familiar version of Westview that initially starts as a play on True Detective (and true crime shows in general) known as “Agnes of Westview,” and it includes a handful of familiar faces. Episode two continues to unveil more about Westview and even brings one character along for a wild adventure. Here are all the WandaVision characters who lived in Westview that appear in Agatha All Along. 

Herb (Real Name: John Collins) 

Wanda and Vision’s neighbor Herb is in Agatha All Along. But this time, he’s not rocking an Afro nor catching anyone on the flipside. Instead, he’s been dealing and going along with Agatha’s constant delusions stemming from her entrapment in Wanda’s distorted spell. She imagines him as a forensics investigator who finds Wanda’s dead body in the woods. In reality, Herb is just a neighbor who 1) doesn’t want to see Agatha naked and 2) is probably over all the weird things happening in his town. 

Like everyone else, Herb remembers what happened in WandaVision and knows that Agatha is trapped mentally and cannot really leave. The town seems to go along with her ramblings until Teen and Rio show up to break her from the spell’s slumber. 

Dottie (Real Name: Sarah Proctor) 

The very bougie Dottie from WandaVision is actually a lot more chill and likeable in real life. In Agatha All Along, Dottie is Sarah Proctor, a Westview librarian who gives Agatha a piece of information about a library book checkout card she found near Wanda’s body. (Of course, Agatha still uses everyone’s sitcom names.) Well, not actually, but in her delusional/transfixed state. We later see Dottie and her family, including a daughter and husband Harold, watching Agatha run in the streets naked after she reclaims herself. 

Phil Jones (Real Name: Harold Proctor) 

In WandaVision, Phil Jones is the employee who is fired by Mr. Hart after a “terrible” dinner at his house. I guess that’s what happens when you wear a turtleneck. In Agatha All Along, Phil is regular ole Harold, husband to Sarah. We can assume he’s still a piano teacher, even though he was the chief of police for a bit in Agatha’s true crime loving mind. 

Norm (Real Name: Abilash Tandon)

Vision’s cheerful co-worker Norm is seen in Agatha All Along working at a pawn/repair shop. She stops in and shows him a locket with a piece of auburn hair inside of it. He looks as her oddly as she walks away, probably aware of what’s happening with her grip on reality. We see him later humorously as he runs in the opposite direction of a naked Agatha. Hopefully everything is okay with Norm’s dad and sister, whom he talked about briefly when he wasn’t under Wanda’s spell. 

Dennis (Real Name: Unknown)

Dennis was a pizza delivery man turned mail delivery guy in WandaVision. He is in the library and speaks to Agnes in Agatha All Along, telling her that there was a fire and every copy was destroyed. So technically he is still “just the messenger.” She doesn’t know it until a bit later, but he’s talking about the Darkhold. His cameo is perhaps the strangest of them all.

Señor Scratchy (Real Name:…presumably Señor Scratchy, possibly Nicholas Scratch)

The infamous bunny rabbit that everyone thought was some mage or evil being in WandaVision seemed to be not real. But now we know that Señor Scratchy is real and appears in Agatha All Along. He lives with Agatha and makes a couple of cute appearances before the coven heads off down Witches’ Road. It’s not lost on any of us that Scratchy is similar to her deceased (??) son’s name Nicholas Scratch. Could her son’s spirit be in her familiar’s bunny body. Maybe we will finally get answers about this bun.

Mrs. Hart (Real Name: Sharon Davis) 

The most important WandaVision character to appear in Agatha All Along is Mrs. Hart. She was the wife of Vision’s boss Mr. Hart who came over for that humorous and disturbing dinner in episode one of WandaVision. In this series, she accidentally hits Teen with her car while he’s trying to run from Agatha. This allows her to apprehend him and eventually find out that he wants to go to The Road, also known as Witches’ Road. He wants to discover power on its path and says it is what Agatha is missing.

There are entities coming to kill a magicless Agatha and she’s intrigued by Teen, so she really has no choice. But to do it, she needs a coven of people who are at least witchy adjacent to access The Road. She pieces together a few folks but they remind her that she needs a green witch. There wasn’t a name on the conjured list but there was a black heart symbol. So Agatha goes to Mrs. Hart, who is now a widow and deep into maintaining her garden. She invites Mrs. Hart to a “party” and ends up going right along with the adventure.

As far as we know, Mrs. Hart isn’t a witch in the sense that the others are. But this show will likely give us some surprises. Was she perhaps playing along with Wanda at that dinner? We shall see. 

We don’t know if we will see more WandaVision characters in Agatha All Along. Of course, there’s always the hope to see Wanda, but who knows what will happen. Agatha and her new coven are on their way down Witches’ Road, so a return to Westview probably won’t happen any time soon, if it happens at all. Either way, it was fun to return to the town and once again see it from a weird perspective.

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Former X-Men ’97 showrunner and creator Beau DeMayo has shared what he claims was the original plan for Wanda Maximoff in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. He says that version of the film would have featured Wanda as a great hero rather than the film’s greatest threat. At least she would have been until a shocking ending that saw her kill a beloved MCU character. The abandoned plot line is a fascinating and tantalizing glimpse of what could have been. The question is whether or not DeMayo’s account of the narrative is entirely true.

Marvel Studios shockingly fired Beau DeMayo in March, right before X-Men ’97 premiered on Disney+. Since then the acrimony between the two sides has only increased. That doesn’t mean DeMayo is lying about the original idea for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, though. It just means we can’t take what he says about Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff and Doctor Strange 2 as the absolute truth just yet.

But a lot of what DeMayo says sounds very possible and fits with official reports that aren’t in question. A lot of what he says about Wanda’s narrative also sounds very good.

DeMayo took to social media to comment on a story from ComicBookMovie.com about the scrapped plans for the Doctor Strange sequel. The post covered something said by Twitter/X user @MyTimeToShineH who wrote that concept art teased a dramatically different story than what the MCU delivered. In the first version, Wanda Maximoff and Doctor Strange would have teamed up immediately to chase down the movie’s main villain. Instead of Scarlet Witch, it would have been Nightmare. Ultimately, though, they said Kevin Feige wanted to go in a totally different direction.

While that claim about Scarlet Witch’s story is unverified, it would explain a big change behind the camera that happened. The original film’s director Scott Derrickson left the sequel in 2020. He cited “creative differences” and has since confirmed that’s really what happened.

Sam Raimi eventually signed on to direct, instead, with Loki writer Michael Waldron penning the script. (His own screenplay also underwent major changes.) In the final version of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Wanda Maximoff was the main antagonist from the start. But now DeMayo has added even more behind-the-scenes insights into the original plot of Doctor Strange 2 that flesh out the abandoned idea a whole lot more. It went to a very dark place.

In a series of tweets DeMayo laid out how the “OG drafts” for the Doctor Strange sequel did Wanda Maximoff “justice.” That included a cliffhanger twist that would have served as one of the most iconic moments in MCU history. DeMayo shares the following about Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange 2 in his thread:

Wanda was with Strange recovering after Westview, feeling bad about what she did. She helps him, Wong and Chavez (who she tutors) beat Nightmare across Multiverse, where she also sees her variants happy with her kids.

Still, Wanda resists and she — not Chavez — helps Strange save the day against Nightmare, who turns out to be a Darkhold-corrupted Strange variant. Also, she used her experiences in WandaVision to warn Chavez about abusing her power.

Only after saving the day, unable to resist finding a multiverse where she can be with her kids, does Wanda — sobbing — break from Strange and accidentally beheads Wong, who tries to stop her from fleeing into the multiverse. That was film’s cliffhanger.

…Damn. That all sounds great, including the Nightmare/Doctor Strange Variant twist.

DeMayo also added he thinks this story “made far more sense” than what we ultimately got. “Even when she flees,” he wrote, “Wanda is torn up by guilt in classic comic book fashion and keeps apologizing to Strange as she vanishes and leaves him with his dead friend’s body.”

Whether you agree with DeMayo or not (or don’t believe him), at minimum this is a fascinating “what if.” But even if that Wanda Maximoff plot line would have made for a better film (and sequel), we can all take comfort in one thing: Wong is still with us.

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Nerdist recently sat down with the stars of LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy to chat about the fun and fan-forward new entry in Star Wars‘ world. Gaten Matarazzo and Tony Revolori voice the main characters, Dev and Sig Greebling, in this fantastical new tale. But the duo is also well known for playing two other beloved figures in nerd-favorite properties. Matarazzo brings Stranger Things‘ Dustin Henderson to life, while Revolori is MCU Spider-Man‘s Flash Thompson. Dustin, of course, is a nerd genius himself, while Flash pretends to be cool, but we know he has a nerdy heart. But what would these two characters think about LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy? Matarazzo and Revolori gave us a little insight into that question, and their thoughtful answers also shed some fun new light on their Stranger Things and Spider-Man characters.

Here’s what they had to say:

Matarazzo: I think Dustin is very critical of the stuff that he watches and is a big Star Wars fan himself. But I have a hard time believing that Dustin wouldn’t have secret YouTube accounts where he comments the same mean comment on trailers. But this is when he’s 40, and his kids catch him. His kids are like, “Dad, why do you need nine YouTube accounts all devoted to how bad you think this trailer is? I think that’s what his vibe might be.

Revolori: I think Flash would secretly absolutely love this. He would have a secret tattoo of the brothers, and if anyone asked him about it, he’d be like, “No, no, no. That’s a kid show. No. Yeah, no, it’s stupid.” He’d completely deny it. But he would love secretly it so much.

We’re obsessed with the headcanon of Stranger Things‘ Dustin Henderson being a secret hater of fun. But we bet Steve Harrington would absolutely love LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, much to Dustin’s total dismay. Perhaps you doth protest too much, Dustin. But we love even more Revolori’s vision of Flash being absolutely invested in LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy. This endearing fact makes us like Flash so much more.

All four parts of LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy are streaming now on Disney+.

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At this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel fans were left reeling after Kevin Feige and the Russo Brothers revealed that Robert Downey, Jr. will be returning to the MCU to play the villainous Victor von Doom, a.k.a. Doctor Doom. Questions were immediately raised about how Downey could possibly play Marvel’s next big baddie when he already played its top hero, the dearly departed Tony Stark/Iron Man. This chatter led to theories about multiverse variants.

Not long after, Marvel Comics writer Deniz Camp posted a cryptic tease about his upcoming comic series on X/Twitter, writing, “If you want to understand Robert Downey Jr. as Doom, you MUST read Ultimates 4 on sept 4th.” Now that Ultimates #4 is out in the wild, let’s dig into the issue and see what it reveals about the man in the iron mask who will terrorize Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in the upcoming films Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Ultimates Is About a Twisted Version of the Marvel Universe

Ultimates is a new comic book series about Marvel’s rebooted Ultimate Universe. The Ultimate Universe was restored by a villain known as the Maker. This character is an evil version of Reed Richards from the original Ultimate Universe. In order to ensure his rule of this new world, the Maker used time travel to make it so Marvel’s greatest saviors never became superheroes.

Despite the Maker’s best efforts, some heroes slipped through the cracks. Howard Stark became Iron Man and passed on the mantle to his son, Tony Stark. Tony took on the name Iron Lad and scraped together a team of Avengers to oppose the Maker. One of Tony’s allies is Reed Richards, who in this twisted world became Doom instead of Mister Fantastic. Ultimates #4 pulls back the curtain to reveal how a hero like Reed Richards could wind up like his classic nemesis, Doctor Doom.

The Maker Corrupted the Ultimate Doom

Ultimates #4 unveils Ultimate Doom’s backstory and shows how one small change completely altered the fate of the Fantastic Four. As we watch Reed Richards preparing for the team’s first mission to space, the Maker uses time travel to pop into Reed’s lab and sneakily ruin one of his calculations on a whiteboard. The small sabotage has big consequences as it causes the space mission to end in tragedy. Instead of the group gaining wondrous super powers, they each meet a horrific end that aligns with their would-be powers.

The cosmic rays bombarding the space shuttle set Johnny Storm on fire, which kills him. Ben is later found at the bottom of a rock quarry, seemingly dying by suicide. Sue’s health slowly “fades away” in the hospital as she succumbs to radiation poisoning. Reed is the lone survivor but the Maker kidnaps him. The Maker brings Reed to the Dome, his technologically advanced base of operations where he can manipulate the flow of time.

“I can squeeze centuries of pain into just a few thin moments,” he says. The Maker physically tortures Reed with electrocution, melting his face Palpatine-style. He then covers Reed’s face with a burning-hot metal mask. He also psychologically tortures Reed with his perceived failure that brought about the “doom” of his loved ones. Reed eventually snaps mentally and accepts the name Doom to complete the transformation.

How Ultimate Doom Could Explain RDJ Becoming Doctor Doom

The story of Ultimates #4 does indeed appear to offer valuable insight on Downey’s Doom. Even though the comic shows how Reed, not Tony, became Doom, it still demonstrates how a key change in a character’s origin story can drastically alter their life and send them down the path of doom. Perhaps the new character Downey is playing is from a different universe where Tony Stark’s origin story played out differently and he emerged from the cave as an armor-clad villain instead of a hero. Who’s to say he couldn’t reinvent himself by buying a castle in Eastern Europe and taking on the name Victor von Doom? 

Most interestingly, the story of Ultimates #4 asks us to consider the idea that Downey’s character wasn’t supposed to become Doom. Instead, a nefarious force made him Doom. We could see the same thing happen in the MCU. It could be that an evil mastermind saw how Tony Stark became Marvel’s greatest hero in one universe, so they set out to make him its greatest villain in another. If Marvel does go this route for the story, it would mean there’s a secret villain above Doom who orchestrated his creation.

If Marvel wants to wrap up the unresolved Kang the Conqueror storyline, then Kang could take the role of the Maker in this story. He is known for time travel, after all. If Kang does create MCU Doom, then it wouldn’t surprise anybody for Doom to betray Kang and replace him as the next big threat the Avengers must face. Then again, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Marvel introduces the Maker himself who is an evil version of Pedro Pascal’s Mister Fantastic. This could make sense, considering we will meet Mister Fantastic in next year’s Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Will the MCU Really Get Robert Downey, Jr.’s Doctor Doom Origin Story From the Ultimates Comic?

It is tantalizing to think that the secrets of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next big bad Doctor Doom are within the comics pages of Ultimates #4. However, it’s hard to believe that Feige would allow his master plan for Downey’s Doom to be in a comic book before the next Avengers movies have even started production. With that in mind, Deniz Camp may have been implying that his story in Ultimates #4 is more of a thematic preview of Downey’s Doom rather than a literal one. The issue speaks to how the theme of loss is core to Doom’s character.

Ultimate Reed became Doom after losing his friends and family. The classic version of Victor von Doom became Doctor Doom after losing his parents. If there’s one thing Camp wants us to understand about Downey’s Doom, it appears to be that loss will be a key element of his character. One can imagine how Tony Stark would have been a very different person if the likes of Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan met a tragic demise. If they weren’t around to help him become the hero who would go on to form the Avengers and ultimately sacrifice himself to save the Marvel Universe from certain doom, then he could have certainly become Doctor Doom. We will see what actually happens in the future.

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Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga, from 2008’s Iron Man through 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, was one of the biggest success stories in Hollywood history. Over 11 years and 23 films, the MCU scored record-breaking box office numbers and critical ratings. But its follow-up, The Multiverse Saga, has not fared quite as well. Oh, it’s still a huge success, don’t get us wrong. Just look at the billion-dollar box-office for Deadpool & Wolverine. But this saga saw Marvel’s first outright flop, and just too much content all at once. Well, according to Marvel’s Brad Winderbaum, the Multiverse Saga won’t go on as long as its predecessor. 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars will mark its official end. Here’s what he told ScreenRant:

I think that’s [what] Secret Wars is going to be, an amazing culmination to the saga, I think it’s going to make the journey feel like it was worthwhile.

Although it was long assumed that Avengers: Secret Wars would mark the end of the Multiverse Saga, this is the first official confirmation from Marvel. The 2015 comic book version of Secret Wars by Jonathan Hickman brought an end to that specific comic book iteration of the Multiverse, so it makes sense for the MCU to follow suit storywise. With Avengers: Secret Wars marking the end of this chapter, it will have lasted less time than the Infinity Saga (three Phases, but eight years overall) but with many more projects as a part of it. At this time, we count 24, with many more on the way before Secret Wars hit theaters.

So what comes after Avengers: Secret Wars, and whatever the RDJ version of Doctor Doom’s evil plot is? We have no concrete idea yet. However, we suspect “The Mutant Saga” is next, with the X-Men officially folded into the MCU and taking center stage. We don’t think the Avengers brand is going away or anything like that. After all, there are way too many Avengers products and Disney theme park lands to put it on ice. But we have a feeling in Marvel Studios Phase 7, we’re going to see way more mutants on the screen. We’ll know for sure when the Russo brothers’ Avengers: Secret Wars hits theaters in May, 2027.

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For the first time in the history of the Spider-Man movies, a fourth official outing with a particular Peter is on the way. The Tom Holland version of the character is one of the standout characters of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. All three of his solo movies, not to mention his appearances in three others, have made pooploads of money. A fourth movie solo film was inevitable. However, Jon Watts, the director of the previous three, had decided not to return leaving the director’s chair wide open. For whom? Why for Destin Daniel Cretton, it seems!

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cretton, who directed 2021’s Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is in talks to take over webslinging duties. Originally Cretton had been on tap to direct Avengers 5 when it was going to be Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. After Jonathan Majors’ lawbreaking, Marvel changed course, leaving Kang by the wayside in favor of Robert Downey Jr.’s Dr. Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. Cretton stepped aside to give the Russo Bros. room to direct that film. Cretton went back to only working on the Wonder Man TV series and the Shang-Chi-quel.

This is a pretty nice vote of confidence for Cretton’s work on Wonder Man which is in post-production. Shang-Chi was a highlight of the post-Avengers: Endgame landscape of Marvel Studios features. However, the raging pandemic meant not as many people were able to go see it as they might. So if not an Avengers movie, a Spider-Man movie is a pretty great consolation prize.

Marvel’s Kevin Feige and Sony’s Amy Pascal will be back to produce Spider-Man 4, as will Home trilogy screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers. Everyone expects the movie to begin filming early next year. More info as it thwips in.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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Jennifer Kale is one of many powerful magic users in the Marvel Universe. And she’s about to make her live-action debut in Agatha All Along, played by Sasheer Zamata. She’ll be a part of the coven that Agatha Harkness forms when she attempts to get her magical powers back by taking the legendary Witch’s Road. Jennifer Kale may not be a name every Marvel Comics fan knows, but she’s been around for over 50 years now, weaving in and out of different series. And she has quite an interesting history.

Jennifer Kale’s First Appearance Was an Adventure with Man-Thing

Jennifer Kale first appeared in 1972’s Adventure in Fear #1, in a story starring the swamp monster known as the Man-Thing story. Born in Citrusville, Florida, her family were all magic users who lived in the Everglades. Her grandfather, Joshua Kale, was the keeper of the Book of Zhered-na, an ancient mystical tome passed down through the generations. To see if she could wield magic as well as her family members, she stole the Book of Zhered-na and attempted to try spellcasting herself. A novice in magic, she accidentally summoned Thog, one of the Hell-Lords, to our dimension. Luckily for Ms. Kale, the benevolent creature Man-Thing was nearby, and fought the creature off, saving her life.

This adventure started a friendship between herself and the mysterious Man-Thing leading to many adventures together. Eventually, the two even formed a sort of psychic bond. As a result of one of these adventures, Jennifer encountered a 20,000-year-old sorcerer named Dhakim the Enchanter, studying the mystic arts under him. Together with Dhakim, they protected the Nexus of All Realities, which existed in Jennifer’s (and Man-Thing’s) home in the Florida Everglades. As her magical abilities grew, Jennifer eventually learned that she was the reincarnation of an ancient Atlantean sorceress.

Jennifer Kale’s Connections to Ghost Rider, Doctor Strange, and the Midnight Sons

Although primarily associated with the Man-Thing, Jennifer Kale has connections to many mystical Marvel characters. She is blood cousins with two different Ghost Riders, Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch. She continued her magical studies under Dr. Stephen Strange, fighting his arch nemesis Baron Mordo alongside him. She’s even been an ally to Howard the Duck. Jennifer has also been a member of such supernatural teams as the Midnight Sons and the Legion of Night. Her old friend Doctor Strange recruited her, along with fellow spellcasters Satana and Topaz, into a trio simply called the Witches. They headlined their own series for a brief time.

When her brother, Andrew Kale, wound up possessed by the demon Hellphyr, Doctor Strange recruited Jennifer and her fellow Witches to stop him. Jennifer managed to kill him, but it was only then she found out the demon was truly her sibling. This drove a massive wedge between herself and Strange. Victoria Hand actually later killed Jennifer Kale. But death rarely keeps a good witch down. Her spirit uses her knowledge of dark magic to return to the world of the living, although she returned with the flesh missing from one side of her face. Eventually going to the dimension known as Weirdworld, she began a relationship with Deadpool that lasted years, although Wade Wilson ultimately chose to leave her.

Jennifer Kale’s Magical Powers and Abilities

Thanks to her having the Book of Zhered-na, Jennifer Kale has access to immense magical powers. She can project magical energy to fire concussive blasts, create protective shields, open gateways and portals to other dimensional planes, teleportation, and mental powers that include mind control and hypnosis.

Jennifer Kale in Agatha All Along, and the Greater MCU

We already know that Jennifer Kale is joining Agatha’s coven in Agatha All Along. Yet not much else about her MCU iteration. She might be Jennifer Kale in name only. However, she also might have similar origins to her comic book counterpart. We know Man-Thing exists in the MCU already, as we saw him in Werewolf by Night. Could he and Jennifer have a shared history, similar to the comics? Here’s hoping she has a better fate in store in Agatha All Along than her comic book counterpart. We’d hate for her to lose her facial skin or worse, date Deadpool. We’re hoping this version of Ms. Kale is another breakout witch character just like Wanda Maximoff and Agatha Harkness were.

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When the Netflix Marvel shows moved to Disney+, fans hoped they might see some familiar faces incorporated into the MCU’s world. Although there were many good iterations of Marvel characters in the Netflix shows, one hero that fans particularly hoped would return for a solo show or movie was Charlie Cox’s Daredevil. Happily, Marvel Studios didn’t make us wait very long. At San Diego Comic-Con 2022, the studio announced that Daredevil would receive a new MCU series on Disney+, Daredevil: Born Again. Since that announcement, the series had some ups and downs, including an overhaul of its creative team.

For now, a new video celebrating Marvel’s 85th anniversary gives us our first look at Daredevil from Daredevil: Born Again. Check it out above. Additionally, Brad Winderbaum, the head of streaming, television, and animation at Marvel Studios teases us about the brutal action in store.

He offers, “I’ll tell you, some of the most brutal action we’ve ever brought to the screen is coming in Daredevil: Born Again, which isn’t a horror show, but really it packs a lot of power and there’s a lot of visceral action, to say the least.”

Here’s everything we know about Daredevil: Born Again.

Title

The title of the MCU Daredevil series will be Daredevil: Born Again. This is also the title of one of Daredevil‘s famous comic arcs.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s Plot

We don’t yet know much about the exact plot of Daredevil: Born Again. But in the comics, Born Again is a very dark tale for Daredevil. In it, the man without fear faces down Kingpin, who manipulates Matt Murdock’s feelings for a struggling Karen Page in his attempts to destroy the hero. Whether this storyline will find its way into the MCU, we can’t say for sure. What we do know is that Daredevil: Born Again will have eighteen episodes, leaving a lot of room to explore the MCU version of the hero.

According to a report by Variety, Marvel is planning to overhaul the direction of Daredevil: Born Again. The publication shares that “Marvel Studios has recently parted ways with head writers Chris Ord and Matt Corman and is currently seeking new writers to revamp the show. Ord and Corman will still be credited as executive producers.” Additionally, Marvel has released the directors for the series episodes that have not yet already been filmed. Variety reveals that less than half of Daredevil‘s 18 episodes were filmed before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. And that “Some elements of the already shot material will be used going forward, but Marvel is looking to take the show in a new creative direction.”

Behind the Scenes

Originally Daredevil: Born Again was written and executive produced by Matt Corman and Chris Ord. According to Deadline, Clark Johnson was meant to direct two episodes. However, Variety recently reported that Corman and Ord were released from the show and Marvel is seeking new writers and directors for the series.

The Hollywood Reporter shared the superhero crime series has added Dario Scardapane as its showrunner. Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead will direct the rest of the episodes for the first season. Scardapane has experience with The Punisher, while Benson and Moorhead directed episodes of Loki season two.

While Marvel will apparently retain some episodes and other material that was already filmed, Scardapane will add new episodes and new scenes. It’s unknown how many episodes season one will have.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s Cast

So far, Charlie Cox, who, of course, returns as Daredevil, and Vincent D’Onofrio, who will play Kingpin, have signed onto the new series. In addition, Jon Bernthal will reprise his role as Punisher in the MCU series, and Deadline shares that Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye will also make the leap. Additionally, Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson will return as Karen Page and Foggy Nelson.

Also joining the Daredevil show are Nikki M. James, Michael Gandolfini, Margarita Levieva, Sandrine Holt, and  Lou Taylor Pucci. Their roles remain unknown. In addition, Deadline recently cited Carnival Row‘s Arty Froushan as part of the cast. And Genneya Walton will reportedly play “a young journalist with connections to a character from the original series.” Clark Johnson, in addition to directing, reportedly has a recurring role in the series.

At D23, we learned a male White Tiger is coming onto the scene in Daredevil: Born Again. We glimpsed White Tiger in a sneak peek from the series, but no casting information was yet revealed. This White Tiger is likely Hector Ayala who uses ancient amulets to transform into White Tiger, a “master of martial arts.” Perhaps we will see Daredevil defend him this season, as White Tiger is often mistaken for a criminal and gets into tight spots.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s Release Date

Daredevil: Born Again will release in March of 2025.

Originally published January 5, 2023.

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Marvel did not start with Robert Downey Jr. playing Tony Stark in 2008. The superhero company has been around for a very long time. This year marks Marvel’s 85th anniversary. To celebrate that momentous occasion at this year’s D23, Marvel put together a moving video montage that covers everything from its early comic book days to its status as the world’s biggest movie franchise. Now Disney has shared it with everyone. While we love reliving past glories, we can’t help but look to the future this video teases. It this offers some tantalizing glimpse at what awaits fans very soon. It features new MCU footage from Daredevil: Born Again, Ironheart, and its unlikely team of heroes from Thunderbolts*. And it ends with Harrison Ford turning into the giant crimson rage monster Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World.

This celebratory montage is worth watching just for the archival footage of Stan Lee. But the Marvel video also features comments from Kevin Feige and stars of the MCU. Most exciting is that it also provides some sneak peeks at what awaits the franchise.

In addition to new footage from Captain America: Brave New World, Daredevil: Born Again and Ironheart, this promo also shows the upcoming Thunderbolts* team. They appear all together on an elevator looking either like a team of superheroes or a pretty cool looking prog rock band. (If they end up being both in the movie we predict a 3 billion box office and a quintuple platinum album).

Not everyone is having a good time during this celebration, though. It ends with President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross going full Red Hulk at his podium. We’ve seen other brief shots of Harrison Ford’s transformation into the big red menace in Brave New World, but this is the most direct. It’s also the best, as it still looks like the beloved actor if he truly hulked out.

It’s such a great shot it won’t surprise us if Marvel also uses it someday for its 170th celebration video. It very well might. Marvel is bigger than every after 85 years. There’s no reason to think the company won’t still be around by then.

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Steve Rogers is either dead or a very old man, but the world still needs Captain America. Fortunately for Earth, someone just as worthy of that title as Steve took on the job. No, not John Walker. (Definitely not John Walker.) On The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson finally accepted the mantle his friend tried to give him at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Now Anthony Mackie is ready to lead the superhero franchise into the future with the MCU’s fourth standalone Captain America film.

A new Marvel featurette celebrating 85 years of Marvel recently gave us our first good look at Captain America: Brave New World‘s Red Hulk, played by Harrison Ford.

Here’s everything we know about Captain America: Brave New World.

Title

Marvel first announced Captain America 4‘s official title as part of its Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2022. It was originally called Captain America: New World Order. But in June 2023, Marvel changed the movie’s name. It is now called Captain America: Brave New World.

Captain America: Brave New World‘s Plot

We now officially have a synopsis and trailer for Captain America: Brave New World. It reads:

After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, played by Harrison Ford in his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.

You can watch the trailer above.

Additionally, the film’s title echoes both the main conflict of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier and Aldous Huxley’s dystopian classic. Marvel executives have shared some tasty additional breadcrumbs about the movie, though.

That began with Nate Moore, VP of Production & Development at Marvel Studios, talking about how Harrison Ford will replace the late William Hurt as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in Brave New World. In an interview, Moore said:

Well, look, Sam Wilson’s Captain America, he is going to bring his own team to play. It’s no secret that Samuel Sterns is making his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is fantastic because Tim Blake Nelson’s the best. Harrison Ford is taking on the role of General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, and to see Sam Wilson and Thunderbolt Ross, which if you remember actually threw him in prison at the end of Civil War because he violated the Sokovia Accords. There’s going to be some natural sparks there, which I think are going to be really fun.

Behind the Scenes

Malcolm Spellman (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) and Dalan Musson are co-writing the film. Matthew Orton will also contribute to the writing. Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox) is set to direct.

Captain America: Brave New World‘s Cast

In addition to Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier‘s Carl Lumbly will return as Isaiah Bradley. As will Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres.

Additionally, Brave New World will bring back Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) from The Incredible Hulk. Sterns, of course, is also known as The Leader. He will likely act as the film’s villain. Shira Haas will join the film as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore has joined the movie in an unknown role, and WWE wrestler Seth Rollins was spotted in costume on set.

Another original MCU star will also return after a long absence, too. Liv Tyler will reprise her role as Betty Ross. She originated the role in The Incredible Hulk.

Additionally, we know we’ll see the character of Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World.

The trailer for the movie has confirmed this inclusion now, but originally, an ad for a McDonald’s toy line for the movie revealed Red Hulk’s appearance to us in Captain America: Brave New World. We thought it was Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross transformed and SDCC 2024 revealed a teaser clip that affirms this.

Giancarlo Esposito has been teasing for a while that he’ll join the MCU. And in Captain America: Brave New World‘s first trailer, we finally get to see him in action. You can check out our first-look at Esposito in the MCU movie below as Sidewinder, the King of the Serpent Society.

Captain America: Brave New World‘s Release Date

Captain America: Brave New World will fly into theaters on February 14, 2025.

Originally published on February 14, 2023.

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Ever since the big announcement in Hall H at Comic-Con this year that Robert Downey Jr. would be back in the MCU, the reaction has been divisive. Some fans love that the franchise’s signature star will be back. Others are mad that Doctor Doom, arguably Marvel’s greatest villain, will merely be a Multiversal variant of Tony Stark. But what if the answer is more complicated (and simple) than that? What if RDJ’s version of Doom is both a Tony variant and also authentically Victor von Doom? Here’s how Marvel Studios could, and should, handle the Doctor Doom of it all when Avengers: Doomsday arrives.

Avengers: Endgame and Captain America: Civil War May Provide the Answer

Thanks to the time travel plot of Avengers: Endgame, we know Tony Stark was born to Howard and Maria Stark sometime in 1970. We also know, thanks to Captain America: Civil War, that Tony’s parents were assassinated by the Winter Soldier some time in 1991, when Tony was about 21. For unknown reasons, Howard Stark got in Hydra’s crosshairs in a bad way and they wanted him eliminated. Probably so they could infiltrate Stark Industries. For all we know, Obadiah Stane worked for Hydra. He sure seemed the type. But what if that assassination of the Starks came much earlier in a different branch of the timeline?

Imagine a scenario where Howard and Maria Stark, along with their infant son Tony, are on a business trip to the war-torn country of Latveria. Stark was an arms dealer after all. He might have been supplying weapons to its cruel ruler, Baron Vladimir Fortunov, or local rebels. Most likely, the rebels. Howard was ultimately a good dude. It’s possible Hydra sends the Winter Soldier much earlier in the timeline to kill him. Only this time, he’s not alone. He’s with his wife and son. The part of the Winter Soldier that is still Bucky Barnes might not be able to bring himself to murder a child. So he drops off the infant at the doorstep of a local family—the von Dooms. As far as the world is concerned, the Stark family were all killed in Eastern Europe in a terrible accident. No one is looking for baby Tony.

Tony Stark/Victor von Doom: From Riches to Rags to Riches

This means that Tony, now named Victor, grew up in completely different circumstances than his Sacred Timeline counterpart. He would still have Tony’s brain, and his innate scientific genius. Genetically, they are the same person after all. But the Victor variant would have grown up in an impoverished country where he didn’t have access to the perks Tony grew up with. Sure, Tony lost his parents tragically. But he still grew up pampered and rich, living a carefree life of a playboy. Victor von Doom would not have been so lucky.

Victor would no doubt have grown up with the suffering of the Latverians all around him. They were all the subjugated subjects of Baron Fortunov. He would have grown up bitter, angry, and with plans to bend the world to his will. And just like in the comics, he would have used his genius to eventually take over the country, installing himself as its ruler. For saving them, the population of Latveria would practically worship him. His adoptive mother could have also introduced him to the dark arts, giving him an edge over his counterpart, who only knew science. In every way, Robert Downey Jr.’s Victor von Doom would be comics-accurate, except for being the twin of Tony Stark.

“New Mask, Same Task”

Doctor Doom is famous for his massive ego, and his inability to let someone else be better than him at anything. In the comics, that’s usually Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four. It’s quite possible Victor learns of his variant, who got to live a life of luxury, become a superhero, and die saving his reality. That is something that would drive him to become an even better version of himself, so he’d be the ultimate incarnation of himself, despite growing up in humble surroundings. As RDJ said at Comic-Con, “New mask, same task.” Victor von Doom will try to save the world from itself like Tony tried to with Ultron. Only he’d go about it in a far more ruthless way. If you thought Ultron was bad, wait until you meet the Doombots.

Robert Downey Jr. has said in recent interviews that he is indeed playing Victor von Doom, erasing any doubt. So this isn’t just a variant of Tony Stark using the infamous Doom name, armor, and costume. Nor will they just handwave away the fact that Doom looks just like the most famous name in the MCU. Sure, many actors have played multiple roles in the MCU already, so there’s precedent for that. But this is someone who is the literal face of the franchise. There’s going to be a reason why Doctor Doom looks just like Tony Stark, even if he’s not the same guy. And we feel this is the most elegant solution. We’ll know what Kevin Feige and Marvel have planned to explain all this when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters in 2026.

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With the promise of a spin-off series to WandaVision focusing on the “Vision” half of that equation, speculation as to who or what might appear has run something approaching rampant. Vision, played by Paul Bettany, has had surprisingly few run-ins with out-and-out villains in his tenure in the MCU. Sure, Thanos killed him, but otherwise he tends to just fight other Avengers. That is, with the exception of his first appearance in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Vision’s evil counterpart in that was the titular Ultron, a nefarious AI voiced by James Spader. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ultron’s back, and so is Spader.

The famously stringless creation of Tony Stark, Ultron proved an especially thorny barb in the side of the Avengers in the 2015 movie. His plot eventually led to the destruction of Sokovia, which in turn led to the eponymous Accords which pitted hero against hero in Captain America: Civil War. Ultron did appear in What If…? but not with Spader’s dulcet tones.

The Vision series, Vision Quest, will follow a rebuilt Vision, in his all-white version, as he searches for meaning following the disastrous events of WandaVision. Presumably this Vision will somehow interact with what remains of Ultron’s programming, if not a fully reconstituted Ultron. This will add an interesting layer of pathos to the proceedings. The divide between Vision’s humanity and his robotity is one of the hallmarks of the character, focusing on what it means to truly be alive.

Running Vision Quest is Terry Matalas who is no stranger to sentient robotics. He wrote for Star Trek: Picard season two and showran the wildly successful and beloved third season. According to reports, the Vision Quest series will begin filming in England in early 2025. In the meanwhile, we have another WandaVision spin-off, Agatha All Along, on the way September 18.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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When Marvel mastermind Kevin Feige first announced the new Ironheart Disney+ series, he said it would feature genius inventor Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart, taking on a mystical villain known as the Hood. It will be a full-on battle of science versus magic for the first time in the MCU. The Hood will be played by actor Anthony Ramos in the show. Riri Williams actor Dominique Thorne confirmed that Ironheart won’t debut until 2025 but, in the meantime, we can get to know her upcoming adversary. Here’s a complete rundown of the origin story, powers, and overall Marvel Comics history of the Hood.

A Brief Explanation of Parker Robbins a.k.a. The Hood

When small-time crook Parker Robbins came upon a cloak of dark magic, he was granted incredible powers and became a supervillain known as the Hood. He used his street smarts and new supernatural abilities to become one of Marvel’s premiere supervillain crime bosses. Despite his small beginnings, he’s risen to become a threat to the Avengers and the entire Marvel Universe. He has been called the “Godfather of all supervillains.” 

The Hood’s Comics Origin Is a Story of Rags to Riches

The Hood first made his comic book debut in a self-titled mini-series in 2002 by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artists Kyle Hotz and Eric Powell. Growing up in New York City, a teenage Parker Robbins witnessed a battle between Daredevil and Electro, but he found himself inspired by the villain rather than the hero. As an adult, Robbins lived a shady life where he lied and stole to get by.

When he needed money to provide for his sick mother and pregnant girlfriend Sara—not to mention his secret mistress—he took a job from his crooked cousin John King to help rob a warehouse. Rather than finding valuable goods inside, they stumbled across the remains of a demonic ritual and came face-to-face with an actual demon. Robbins killed the demon with a gunshot to the head and, not wanting to leave empty-handed, took its cloak and boots.

Soon after, he discovered the boots gave him the power of levitation and the cloak turned him invisible while he held his breath. Robbins used these new tricks to help pull off daring robberies, and the police gave him the nickname “the Hood.” Emboldened by his newfound power, Robbins went on to become a notorious supervillain and the head of a criminal syndicate.

The Hood’s Demonic Powers in the Marvel Comics, Explained

The Hood’s powers and abilities originally come from his magical cloak and boots. The cloak turns the Hood invisible while he’s holding his breath. The boots give him the ability to levitate. After his origin story, the boots were never mentioned again and the Hood’s powers were attributed solely to his cloak.

However, Parker Robbins without the cloak is no slouch in a fight. He’s a great shot with his signature twin pistols. Outside of combat, Robbins is a powerful leader and strategist. He uses his persuasive skills to recruit supervillains to his criminal syndicate and outmaneuver other crime lords to rise to the top as the Kingpin of crime. 

Over the years, Robbins discovered his cloak had additional powers, such as teleportation and resurrection. The cloak also gives him the ability to see through all manner of illusion. During Secret Invasion, he was able to identify who was a shapeshifted Skrull. When battling Doctor Doom and a fleet of Doombots, he could tell which one was the real Doom.

In times of desperation, the Hood transforms his body to become more demonic. His face dons a monstrous guise, his fingers turn to claws, and he gains incredible strength, speed, and magical ability. In his demon form, the Hood can go toe-to-toe with the likes of Wolverine and Doctor Doom. (Speaking of Wolverine, one of the Hood’s most infamous acts is shooting Logan in the crotch during a fight. It didn’t end well for him.)

After some time with the cloak, Robbins began to commune with the source of its demonic power and learned it was none other than Doctor Strange baddie Dormammu. The ruler of the Dark Dimension helped Robbins access more of the cloak’s power. But the longer Robbins wore the cloak, the more he was corrupted by Dormmamu’s evil.

When an exorcism broke the link to Dormammu, Loki made a deal with Robbins to restore his powers with the Norn Stones of Asgardian legend. Loki eventually took back the power of the Norn Stones and left Robbins powerless once more. Robbins wound up in jail until a fellow prisoner told Robbins about the location of an Infinity Gem. So Robbins escaped and almost succeeded in gathering all of the gems before he was stopped by the Avengers. No matter how many times Robbins gets knocked down, he always finds a way to reclaim his power and continue his quest to become the Kingpin of crime. 

The Hood Is a Criminal Mastermind

Since becoming a crime lord in New York City, the Hood has started several criminal organizations and joined the ranks of a few supervillain groups. His first big push to become the Kingpin of crime came in the fallout of Civil War when the superhero community was in shambles. This made it easy for the Hood to amass power and organize a large group of villains to take advantage of the situation.

As the Hood’s criminal empire expanded and he learned more about the dark power of his cloak, he became a major ongoing threat to the Avengers. When Norman Osborn took over the world during the Dark Reign era, the Hood joined Osborn’s ruling council of villains called the Cabal. The Hood started his own evil version of the Illuminati with fellow baddies Black Ant, Enchantress, Mad Thinker, Thunderball, and Titania.

Anthony Ramos Will Deliver a New Twist on the Hood in Marvel’s Ironheart Series

The story of Ironheart sees gifted MIT student Riri Williams return to her home city of Chicago where she reconnects with her roots and tries to rebuild her suit of armor, only to be pulled into a world of danger when she meets Parker Robins, aka the Hood. When the Hood makes his live-action debut in Ironheart, he will be a bit different than in the comics.

Hood actor Anthony Ramos told Entertainment Weekly that his Marvel Cinematic Universe Parker Robbins will be from Chicago instead of New York—specifically the Humboldt Park area of Chicago, which has a large Puerto Rican community. The change makes sense not only because it brings the hero and villain together but creates a personal link between them. “We created this whole backstory with [Parker Robbins’] mom being from the Young Lords and raising him that way [as a gang member-turned-activist].,” said Ramos. “Chicago plays a huge part in the identity of all of our characters and the identity of this show, so I’m really excited for people to experience that.”

Another big change will see the typically heroic Riri Williams joining the Hood’s criminal organization. In the comics, the two characters don’t have any sort of connection, so their relationship will be a brand new element unique to the MCU. As we saw at the end of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri had to leave her shiny new suit of armor behind in Wakanda, which is why Ironheart finds her joining the Hood’s gang to fund the creation of a new one.

“We see this common thread between [Riri Williams and Parker Robbins] where it’s like, ‘How much can I get? I get a little bit and I see how much I can do with this little bit, maybe if I get a little more I might be able to do a little more with that.’ And we see how that affects the characters positively and negatively,” Ramos explained. “And then we start to see how the characters start to use each other to get ahead and to get more, whether that’s more power, more something, more money. It’s really cool to see that journey in how the characters start to interweave between one another’s stories.”

We cannot wait to see what the MCU does with the Hood next year when Ironheart hits Disney+.

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With all due respect to Steve Rogers, some news means not worrying about language. Holy shit. The Iron Man who launched the MCU is returning to the franchise, but not as Tony Stark. Marvel Studios dropped a true stunner at its Hall H panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. Robert Downey Jr. is officially coming back to play Doctor Doom, the big baddie of the next two Avengers movies.

The MCU’s multiverse can be frustrating, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. Today it’s definitely the latter. With Disney abandoning The Kang Dynasty for Avengers 5, Marvel needed an even bigger villain to anchor Phase 6. Who better to fill that role than Victor Von Doom, one of the most famous, best villains in comic book history. And who better to play that role of a brilliant, charming, arrogant larger-than-life figure than Academy Award winner and MCU stalwart Robert Downey Jr. He’ll now be a huge part of the newly named Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, which the Russo brothers will both direct as they are also returning to the franchise.

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Robert Downey Jr. recently opened up about how the casting as Doctor Doom came about. Downey recalls, “[Feige] said, ‘It just keeps occurring to me, if you were to come back… ‘… Susan was like, ‘Wait, wait. Come back as what?’” And that turned out to be the question of the hour.

Robert Downey Jr. adds that he and Feige thought long and hard about how he might return to the MCU, “How can we not go backwards? How can we not disappoint expectations? How can we continue to beat expectations?… And [Feige] brought up Victor Von Doom. I looked into this character. Later on, he goes, ‘Let’s get Victor Von Doom right.” Disney CEO Bob Iger, too, was onboard. “I like it,” Downey recalls him saying.

Like we said: holy sh*t. Sorry Cap, but even you’d forget about language at a time like this.

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Fans who watched the new trailer for Daredevil: Born Again at Marvel Studios’ D23 presentation caught a glimpse of a fearsome-looking character in a white costume with black stripes. The new superhero is none other than the White Tiger. But who is this white-clad warrior and what can we expect when he crosses paths with Daredevil? We’re going to break it all down for you with his comic origin, powers, and more.

Hector Ayala Is the Original White Tiger, Marvel Comics’ First Hispanic Superhero

The White Tiger is a superhero martial artist with powers that come from a set of mystical Jade Tiger amulets. Numerous heroes have held the mantle over the years as the amulets found new owners. The original White Tiger, Hector Ayala, is not only Marvel’s first-ever Hispanic superhero but also the first Latin-American main character in all of American comics. As one of Marvel’s premiere hand-to-hand combatants, White Tiger fights alongside the likes of Shang-Chi, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Spider-Man, and Daredevil. 

The First Marvel Comics Appearance and Origin Story of White Tiger

Hector Ayala made his comic book debut in 1975’s Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19, a series created during the martial arts movie craze of the ‘70s. The series first starred a trio of martial artists known as the Sons of the Tiger. Each of them drew power from one of three magical Jade Tiger pendants. After the Sons of the Tiger disbanded and threw their pendants away, it was Ayala who found them and harnessed their power to become the White Tiger.

Ayala was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico before his family moved to the South Bronx in New York City. This discovery in his new country changed the course of his life and turned him into a costumed crime fighter. As the White Tiger, he used his new powers to take on street gangs and supervillains such as Fu Manchu, Gideon Mace, Lightmaster, Copperhead, and Spider-Man baddie Doctor Octopus.

White Tiger’s Incredible Martial Arts Powers Come at a Price

When all three Jade Tiger amulets are worn by the White Tiger, the magic power of the Tiger God is channeled into the wearer. They are granted the skills of a martial arts master, cat-like speed/reflexes, and superhuman strength and endurance. Though less commonly seen, other powers of the amulets include healing and camouflage. The amulets come from the mystical city of K’un L’un. It is where a magical Jade Tiger statue was stolen by thieves and broken into pieces: a head and two paws. (K’un L’un may sound familiar because it’s where Iron Fist got his powers, but that’s a whole other story.) The great power of the Jade Tiger began to negatively affect Ayala when he developed a severe addiction to it. Eventually he was forced to give up being White Tiger, for a time, and he suffered similar symptoms to drug withdrawal.

The Original White Tiger’s Tragic Death in the Marvel Comics

Despite his heroism, Hector Ayala suffered during his time as White Tiger. He had to live a stressful dual-life, battle addiction, and lose friends and family to violence. He deserved recognition for his good deeds, but he met a tragic end. After a long hiatus, Hector took up the mantle of the White Tiger once more. One fateful day, the White Tiger responded to a routine pawn shop robbery. It soon became a bloody scene where he was wrongfully accused and arrested for the murder of a cop. Despite the best efforts of his lawyer, Matt Murdock, the jury found Hector guilty. Rather than spend the rest of his life in jail for a crime he didn’t commit, Hector tried to escape. He was shot dead outside the courthouse—only for undeniable evidence of his innocence to be brought to light by Daredevil soon after. 

Other Heroes Who Have Taken Up the Mantle of the White Tiger

In addition to Hector Ayala, four other characters have held the White Tiger mantle in Marvel Comics history. The next two characters to call themselves White Tiger have no connection to Ayala or the Jade Tiger amulets, but we’ll still cover them for completion’s sake. The second White Tiger first appeared in 1997’s Heroes for Hire #1. She is an actual white tiger that was given the power to transform into a human woman by the evil High Evolutionary. The third is Kasper Cole, who made his debut in 2002’s Black Panther #50. At first, he started out trying to impersonate the Black Panther. Kasper later became the White Tiger with superpowers derived from a synthetic version of the heart-shaped herb.

The fourth incarnation of White Tiger brought the mantle back to where it started when Hector Ayala’s niece, Angela del Toro, took up the mantle. First appearing in 2005 within the pages of Daredevil #58, Angela inherited the Jade Tiger amulets from her uncle after he passed away. Working as an FBI agent, she had to investigate Daredevil. However, she quit her job to learn more about the magical amulets and her uncle’s superhero legacy. After receiving combat training from Daredevil, who knew her uncle Hector, she suited up as the new White Tiger.

The fifth White Tiger is Ava Ayala, who made her comic book debut in 2011’s Avengers Academy #20. Ava is Hector’s youngest sister. After Angela ended her time as White Tiger, the Jade Tiger amulets were passed on to Ava. When she was young, Ava witnessed the murder of her father, mother, and older sister and was gravely injured herself. They were targeted by the villain Gideon Mace in order to draw out her older brother Hector, the White Tiger. She decided to become the new White Tiger to honor her brother’s legacy as a Latinx superhero.

White Tiger Comes to the MCU in Daredevil: Born Again

Hector Ayala aka, the White Tiger, will make his MCU debut in Daredevil: Born Again. Puerto Rican actor Kamar de los Reyes portrays the live-action version of this character. Sadly, after filming wrapped Reyes passed away in 2023 due to cancer. Marvel has kept a tight lid on the plot details for this series. But it is possible that the show’s first story arc will introduce the White Tiger and feature the trial of Hector Ayala. There have also been whispers that multiple White Tigers will appear in the show. So, we could see the mantle pass down to Hector’s family members just like in the comics. Whatever White Tiger’s role is in the show, Marvel fans can expect him to be a martial arts powerhouse with a sharp sense of justice. 

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In 2020, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced that Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart, would spring to life from comic pages in her own original series starring Dominique Thorne. Ironheart will be part of Phase Five. While details about the series are still pretty scarce, Riri Williams’ comic history will provide its foundation. We finally met Riri “Ironheart” Williams in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, an appearance that set the stage for diving into her story.

At its recent Upfronts presentation, Disney revealed that the Ironheart series would release in 2025. We are incredibly glad to hear it and can’t wat to see Riri Williams again.

In a cast interview with Entertainment Weekly, Dominique Thorne confirmed that Ironheart will go to her hometown of Chicago. “We’re taking it back to her hometown of Chicago, and a bit of a battle ensues as she’s debating between or considering how she wants to use what she realizes is a powerful wealth of knowledge, realizing just how much genius she has in her, deciding what she’s going to do with that,” said Thorne. “We see that play out in the environment when she gets back home as well — she has these options. Who and how am I going to use these things that I now know about myself?”

Here’s everything you need to know about Ironheart. 

Title

The series title is Marvel Studios’ Ironheart. 

Ironheart‘s Plot

Ironheart will focus on Riri Williams, a brilliant Black girl inventor who creates a high-tech metal suit like Iron Man’s. As we discover in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri is a 19-year-old MIT student who is “running” a homework business. Oh, and she also builds a vibranium detection machine that puts her in the path of Namor, the leader of a underwater nation who is willing to kill her to protect his people. Of course, she’s alive and well at the end of the film and heading back to Massachusetts… for now. Right now, there are no solid details about the show. But it is possible that the show will bounce between her native Chicago and MIT, where MJ and Ned also happen to be.

An official synopsis shares:

Set after the events of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Marvel Television’s “Ironheart” pits technology against magic when Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne)—a young, genius inventor determined to make her mark on the world—returns to her hometown of Chicago. Her unique take on building iron suits is brilliant, but in pursuit of her ambitions, she finds herself wrapped up with the mysterious yet charming Parker Robbins aka “The Hood” (Anthony Ramos).

Behind the Scenes 

Playwright, poet, and Snowpiercer writer Chinaka Hodge will lead the show’s writing team as a head writer. According to Deadline, Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes will direct the series. In addition, Proximity, Ryan Coogler’s production company, will serve as one of the show’s producers. Coogler is also onboard the series as an executive producer alongside Kevin Feige. Ironheart finished filming in November 2022.

Ironheart‘s Cast

Dominique Thorne will take on the leading role of Riri “Ironheart” Williams in the MCU. She will be joined by Anthony Ramos of Hamilton and In the Heights fame, who will play The Hood. This Is Us mainstay Lyric Ross will portray Riri’s best friend. In the comics, Riri’s BFF Natalie died way before she became an iron hero but lived on through N.A.T.A.L.I.E. This AI program takes her friend’s form and they work together much like Stark and J.A.R.V.I.S. did. It remains to be seen if this friend will be alive, appear in flashbacks, or operate as AI in the series. Or, perhaps it is not Natalie at all but rather a new character.

Other cast members include Manny Montana, Alden Ehrenreich, Zoe Terakes, Shakira Barrera, Jim Rash, Shea Couleé, Regan Aliyah, Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola, Sonia Denis, Paul Calderón, and Cree Summer.

A new Marvel filing with the U.S. Copyright Office Public Records System also reveals that Sacha Baron Cohen will appear in Ironheart as “Mystery Man.” Very mysterious indeed.

Ironheart‘s Release Date

The Disney+ series doesn’t have a release date yet, but Marvel Studios has confirmed it will release in 2025.

Originally published on March 1, 2022. 

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Deadpool & Wolverine didn’t reveal whether or not Hugh Jackman will return to the MCU. But should he? Or should the box office smash serve as his farewell to Logan? There’s a great case for him to return for more superhero fun, but there’s an equally compelling case for him to put away his adamantium claws for good. So we’re making both. In this piece Mikey Walsh argues why Deadpool & Wolverine should be Jackman’s last time as playing the iconic character. Meanwhile Eric Diaz made the case for why this should only be the start of Jackman’s MCU career.

The best stories end. A definitive conclusion provides a type of satisfaction, meaning, and purpose that open-ended or unfinished narratives can’t. That’s what Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine deserves, an ending worthy of his time in the role, because it’s one of Hollywood’s best, most important stories. And he’ll never get a better, more appropriate chance to close the book on Logan than Deadpool & Wolverine. The movie is one of the most successful films of all-time. It’s also arguably Jackman’s single best performance as the character. But the best reason for him to finally bid farewell to the iconic mutant for good is that it would bring his story full circle in the most fitting way. He’ll say goodbye as the center of the world’s most successful franchise, which only exists because of him.

There is no MCU without Fox’s X-Men movies. Before the original 2000 film no one knew if general audiences would turn out for superhero movies unless they starred the most famous comic book characters like Superman and Batman. Fox took a big risk on Marvel’s mutants. The studio didn’t even think people would accept comic-accurate superhero costumes back then. Without X-Men and its many sequels, the Marvel Cinematic Universe simply wouldn’t exist. At least not the way we know it. Fox’s franchise showed viewers would learn to care about lesser known comic book characters. The series’ many mistakes also provided lessons the MCU learned from to make something even better.

But none of that happens without Jackman, who was a last second replacement as Logan. In a franchise built around a team he was the anchor. Wade Wilson was 100% right in Deadpool & Wolverine when he said Wolverine was “THE X-Man” in his world. Jackman was so important he starred in the only three pure standalone X-Men Fox films.

Without him there’s no X-Men franchise, just one unimportant movie. Without the X-Men franchise there’s no MCU. It’s that simple. So what better place for his story to come full circle and actually end than in a record-setting MCU film where he gives an incredible performance? He’s at the top of the top. There’s nowhere else for him to go now as Wolverine but down. Even if he joins Secret Wars he’ll be just one character of many. He’ll never again own the MCU spotlight like does in Deadpool & Wolverine. Then the multiverse will reset and someone else will take over the role entirely.

Now’s the time—after a movie that not only finally let him wear his comics-accurate suit, but that fully captured why people love the character so much—for him to call it quits. Not because he doesn’t have more to give, or because we don’t want to see him again. (He does and selfishly we do.) The best of the best deserve the best ending, and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine isn’t just an all-time great pairing of actor and character. He didn’t just provide more than two decades of joy for audience members. He changed the course of cinematic history. He’s on the superhero movie Mount Rushmore. Conquering the MCU was the last thing left for him to do in the role. He deserves a superhero’s farewell.

Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is one of the best stories in Hollywood history. More than anyone he deserved to join the MCU, because there are few the MCU owes more than him. And he deserves the very best the MCU can give him. It’ll never give him anything better than a chance to go out when he’s still the best Wolverine.

Are you now convinced Hugh Jackman should finally say goodbye to Wolverine? Don’t make up your mind until you read Eric Diaz’s case for why this should just be the start of his MCU run.

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No one would have been surprised, nor would they have cared, if Deadpool & Wolverine turned Hugh Jackman’s comics accurate yellow suit into an easy joke. The gag seemingly wrote itself, especially in a fourth-wall breaking movie. The original X-Men film, which got its own meta laugh out of him not putting in yellow spandex, provided Wade Wilson with the perfect setup.

“Why are you wearing your costume?”
“What would you prefer, black leather?”

Instead the movie took 20-plus years of anticipation and gave us something so much better than a quippy one-liner. It made the payoff of finally seeing Logan’s comic book costume on the big screen worth the long wait by making his reason for wearing it one of the best parts of Deadpool & Wolverine.

We didn’t need any sort of explanation for why Hugh Jackman wore his character’s comics costume in Deadpool & Wolverine. In the infinite multiverse an infinite number of Wolverines have an infinite number of reasons for wearing a yellow and blue superhero suit. The film also worked in large part because it actively didn’t care about making sense of most things. It was just having fun. And actually seeing Jackman in yellow was a whole lot of fun. The movie successfully turned another longtime comics fan complaint into comedy gold, too. The comic accurate-tall Logan was a fantastic, short visual gag.

But Deadpool & Wolverine opted to do something much more powerful. It gave Logan’s costume real meaning to both the character and the story.

Throughout the film, Wade kept asking Logan why a disgraced superhero would not only wear his suit, but keep it on underneath his normal clothes. Wolverine repeatedly refused to answer, building more and more suspense the film would have to justify. The answer more than did that.

A sad, broken Logan finally explained his attire to Laura, the person in the multiverse who understands him best, while he considered whether or not to fight for Wade’s universe. “Scott used to beg me to wear this suit,” Logan said. “So did Storm and Beast. But I couldn’t have them thinking I wanted to be there. And now it’s too late.”

He didn’t wear the suit because he wanted to. He wore it because he needed to. It brought him closer to the friends he’d lost. That yellow and blue spandex was how he grieved. It was how he showed his love. It was how he remembered the fallen.

But he also wore it as penance for the guilt he carried with him over the mistakes he’d made. If a man with regenerative abilities had simply allowed himself to be vulnerable, to truly let himself be a part of the X-Men, he could have saved all his friends when the humans came for them.

Instead, as with the Wolverine from Fox’s X-Men films, he was too cool for that. So he pushed them away so much that he awasn’t there when his fellow mutants needed them. He failed them all in life. Then he failed them in death when he turned his anger and fury into a search for vengeance.

And yet, that yellow getup was also what he wore when he finally became the man Charles Xavier always thought Logan was. The professor knew the hero that resided inside Logan’s reluctant heart. When that Wolverine finally broke forth it did so through a yellow suit that also represented the best version of him.

That suit represented every mistake Wolverine had ever made, every dream he’d ever had, everyone he’d ever loved and lost, everything he’d always hoped to be, and everything he ultimately proved he was was represented by that suit. It was a symbol of the character in all his faults and glories. It was everything people have always loved about Wolverine – his depth, his contradictions, and his inherent triumph over himself. That’s why the movie had him wear his iconic superhero suit. Not because it was cool to see Hugh Jackman in it after all this time. Not because it was funny or would sell toys. He wore it for the best reason possible, because it had meaning.

We waited a very long time to see Wolverine on the big screen in his yellow and blue suit. The fact he never had was a literal joke from his movie debut. But all that waiting was more than worth it. We got something better than we’d ever hoped for because Deadpool & Wolverine made Logan’s comics-accurate suit truly worthy of the character.

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Get in witches, we’re going covening. It’s time to assemble the squad and make our way down the Witches’ Road. How will we survive without our powers? Well, the way witches always have. You can take a look at Agatha and her coven of new witchy friends in the trailer for Agatha All Along below.

Maiden, mother, crone. It feels like Agatha thinks she’s using the witches around her to get to the end of the road, and presumably her powers. But we’re pretty sure the road we’re actually going down in this Agatha All Along trailer is one that ends with a found family. We do love those.

In addition to the trailer, Marvel Studios revealed a synopsis for Agatha: All Along. It shares:

In Marvel Studios’ “Agatha All Along,” the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…

Agatha All Along releases on September 18. It’ll launch with its first two episodes and stream on Disney+.

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Deadpool & Wolverine certainly had its fair share of cameos but this one would have taken the cake. Paul Wernick revealed in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter that the creative team wrote a scene for Robert Downey, Jr. to return as Tony Stark in Deadpool & Wolverine. And we bet you already know exactly where he would fit in! Wade goes to Avengers Tower to meet up with Happy and asks to join the Avengers and asks if Tony Stark will be a part of the interview. Of course, he doesn’t appear and Happy rejects him from the team. But, in an earlier script, Tony was right there with Happy and certainly would have had a snarky comment about the Merc with a Mouth. 

“There is a script. We have the Downey draft,” confirmed Wernick. The writers left the scene easy to adjust in case Downey declined the cameo or if Marvel decided against it. We aren’t sure exactly why it didn’t happen but we’d bet it is because of Downey’s big MCU return as Doctor Doom. Either way, the Deadpool & Wolverine scene was great, even without Robert Downey, Jr. dropping in for a Tony Stark cameo.

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After the billion-dollar success of Deadpool & Wolverine, officially bringing in the Fox mutants into the larger story, the big question is “What’s next?” for mutants in the MCU? After all, with all the most iconic Fox-era X-Men not showing up in the film, it’s pretty clear that Kevin Feige is saving the A-list X-Men for a more proper farewell. And that solution involves putting the Avengers and the X-Men on screen together at last, almost certainly in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Yes, the return of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom is a big way of keeping this new momentum going for the MCU after Deadpool & Wolverine. But if Kevin Feige really wanted to make the next two Avengers films an event that even the most jaded and burnt-out MCU fans would have to check out in theaters? It will be a proper Avengers/X-Men crossover. Or to be more accurate, an Avengers/Fantastic Four/X-Men crossover, as we now know the FF will star in Doomsday and Secret Wars as well. Certain hints that have popped up recently suggest Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Marvel’s Mutants are headed for a collision course with multiversal ramifications.

The X-Men Hints So Far in the MCU

Since Disney acquired Fox back in 2019, fans have been asking “So when are the X-Men coming to the MCU?” Even She-Hulk asked it in her own show. And so far, Marvel Studios has been playing the long game, not jumping into anything. We got the mutant hint in Ms. Marvel, and Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier in Multiverse of Madness. Heck, we’re not convinced that Evan Peters’ Quicksilver in WandaVision isn’t more than he seems and not just a gag. The biggest, of course, is Hugh Jackman returning as Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine, along with a metric ton of Fox Marvel mutants.

So why do we think the classic Fox X-Men are back for another go-round? First off, The Marvels revealed yet another connection to the X-Men universe with the return of Kelsey Grammar as Beast, working in the X-mansion from the original films. If this is indeed Earth-10005, Deadpool & Wolverine left that universe with a Logan from another timeline in it. Also, Monica Rambeau is stuck there as well. We call those incursion events. With incursion events suggesting a collision between Earth-10005 and Earth-616 is imminent, that can only mean we’re getting an Avengers vs. X-Men project. An announcement of that magnitude would stop all talk of “Marvel Fatigue” dead in its tracks. Just from a mercenary business perspective, it makes sense. But frankly, it’s also a story Marvel fans have waited decades to see.

Will These MCU Mutants Be the X-Men We Know?

The big question is, which X-Men are we dealing with here? Beast was working in a lab that looked identical to the underground medical bay in the Fox X-Men films. The Charles Xavier we saw in Doctor Strange on Earth-838 seemed very reminiscent of the one from X-Men: The Animated Series. But the Scarlet Witch killed that Charles. Obviously, the Charles that the Beast refers to seems to be very much alive. So, this is another hint that Beast is in the classic X-Men movie universe, not Earth-838. Or, at least, a version of the classic Fox X-Men world. And yes, we know his appearance looks different. We remind you that the look of comic book Beast is continually evolving. No reason to think the live-action Henry McCoy would be any different.

X-Men: Days of Future Past May Hold the Answer

Fans of the Fox X-Men films know that the timeline and continuity of those films are a bit of a mess. And that’s putting it mildly. But at the end of X-Men: Days of Future Past, Logan’s adventures in the past caused him to wake up in a new present. Essentially, a “happy ending” future, where Xavier is still alive. The school was open, and former tragically dead X-Men like Cyclops and Jean Grey were alive and well. In fact, Kelsey Grammer’s Beast was there too, in a cameo moment. All of this scene takes place canonically in 2023. The “Winchester Incident,” where Charles Xavier accidentally killed hundreds of people with his powers, as described in Logan, happened in 2028. In the Earth-10005 of Deadpool & Wolverine, a functioning X-Men team is still out there. Probably the same one Beast is a part of in The Marvels.

Given one of the music cues in The Marvels’ post-credits scene is from Days of Future Past, we think that they’re trying to tell us that we’re in that “happy ending” reality from that film. A reality that takes the best elements of the original movies and loses the things viewers hated. Mainly, the random and arbitrary deaths of the main X-Men. Not to mention, comic book-accurate costumes like the ones we saw for Logan and Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine. So, it’s a “new” X-Men timeline, simply made up of bits and pieces of the old one. And part of what it’s keeping is the classic actors. The rest is up to the Russo Brothers.

Deadpool & Wolverine May Set the Stage for an Avengers/X-Men: Battle Royale

Now that Deadpool & Wolverine has come out, we know all the Fox mutants who appeared in it were secondary characters. If this was meant as the fond farewell to the Fox X-Men universe, it seems extremely odd that Kevin Feige didn’t include any of the big guns. Until you realize it’s probably because he’s saving them for Doomsday/Secret Wars. And we understand his reasoning here. If you’re going to bring back the classic X-Men cast, like Patrick Stewart and Halle Berry, it seems only using them in small roles in Deadpool & Wolverine is a waste. No, we think there are much bigger plans afoot.

Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers and Secret Wars Will Likely Be Adapted

The 2015 event comic Secret Wars, and its lead-up Avengers story, “Time Runs Out,” both by writer Jonathan Hickman, began when incursions across the Multiverse resulted in its total destruction. Eventually, there were only two realities left—the classic 616, and Earth 1610, home of Marvel’s Ultimate Universe. Eventually, both of those realities had to do battle with each other to determine which one would get to live. Spoiler alert—neither reality gets to live, and Doctor Doom fuses what remains of them (as well as a few others) together into a new “Battleworld.” And with Doctor Doom confirmed as the main villain of the next two Avengers films, an adaptation of this part of the story seems even more likely than ever.

In Doomsday and Secret Wars, we could get a version of that story. But it would be the MCU Earth vs the Fox X-Men Earth. Earth-616 (The Sacred Timeline) and Earth-10005 (X-Men Earth) battling it out. Somehow, the Fantastic Four will be part of this also. The protectors of each reality would have to fight for the existence of their world. Much like Captain America: Civil War, neither side would be wrong. A scenario familiar to the returning Russo Brothers, as well as writer Stephen McFeely. Who wouldn’t fight to protect everyone they know from total annihilation? In an Infinity Wars-type cliffhanger, we could see both realities fade to white, presumably destroyed. A sixth Avengers film could open on Battleworld, a hodgepodge reality made of elements of both universes. It would be an excuse to bring back anybody they wanted.

X-Men vs. Avengers: A Battle Fans Have Waited Decades to See

From a pure fan point of view, the battles would be cant-miss events. Thor vs. Storm, Wolverine vs. Hulk, Scarlet Witch vs. Phoenix, etc. And yes, an all-star lineup of Avengers vs. an all-star lineup of X-Men is a lot of characters. But let us remind you that Civil War juggled 18 principal characters. Infinity War and Endgame showcased 30, and somehow gave everyone something to do. So an Avengers/X-Men crossover could absolutely work. No wonder Kevin Feige gave Civil War, Infinity War, and Endgame screenwriter Stephen McFeely a call. He, along with his writing partner Christopher Markus, was extremely adept at juggling so many superheroes cohesively, and giving emotional character stakes to these comic book battles.

After Secret Wars, the MCU will almost certainly reboot. Even if it’s a soft reboot. A new X-Men film will likely feature brand-new versions of the characters. But the classics will still get their swan song moment before that happens. The original X-Men films truly started the Marvel superhero craze in cinemas after Blade proved to the general audience that it could be done. It led to Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, and ultimately, the MCU. If Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars are intended to bring an end to not just one era of storytelling, but going back even before the MCU, what better way to go out than with a bang?

Originally published November 16, 2023.

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A new villainous organization called the Serpent Society is making its Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Captain America: Brave New World. They’re a group of snake-themed bad guys led by Giancarlo Esposito’s Sidewinder who have a long and colorful history in Marvel Comics. In 2015, MCU boss Kevin Feige jokingly revealed the title of Captain America 3 to be Captain America: Serpent Society before showing it was actually going to be Captain America: Civil War. But now it’s no laughing matter. The Serpent Society are making their MCU debut for real. Here’s everything you need to know about Sidewinder and the Serpent Society before Captain America 4 slithers into theaters on February 14, 2025.

What Is the Serpent Society? 

Since their comic book debut, the Serpent Society’s group of snake-themed bad guys have made a striking impression on the Marvel Universe. They possess monstrous appearances and a variety of squeezing, paralyzing, and poisoning superpowers. The villainous Seth Voelker, aka Sidewinder, created the Serpent Society to be more than just a group of snake-themed evil-doers. He structured the group like a trade union and made it far more organized than your standard gang of goons. The society offered profit sharing, health insurance, and kept its members out of prison thanks to Sidewinder’s teleportation ability. That’s what has made them such an enduring menace to Captain America and Marvel’s other heroes over the years. They’ve been referred to as the “Avengers of the Underworld” and have been hired as muscle by the Kingpin, the mafia, and HYDRA.

The Serpent Society’s Comic Origins and Evolution

Before we get to the origins of the Serpent Society, we have to talk about its predecessor, the Serpent Squad. In 1972’s Captain America #163, the villain Viper created the Serpent Squad to take revenge on Captain America and the Falcon for imprisoning his criminal brother, the Eel. (Yes, eels aren’t snakes, but they’re close enough to fit the theme so we give this a pass.) They were aided by the Cobra who was previously a villain to Thor. 

After their initial defeat, the team would reform with new snake-themed members joining over the years. They were little more than a group of disgruntled criminals in snake costumes. The team became much more than that when their number later merged into the Serpent Society. They made their big debut in 1985’s Captain America #310. Under the leadership of Sidewinder they became a formidable evil organization resembling a labor union. In the 2014 relaunch of Captain America in which former Falcon Sam Wilson takes up Steve Rogers’ shield, rebranded the Serpent Society. A new Viper (previously Madame Hydra) dubbed the team Serpent Solutions. This iteration offered their services to big corporations to do their dirty work and used legal loopholes to absolve them of any wrongdoing. 

Sidewinder’s Origins

At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, actor Giancarlo Esposito revealed that his Captain America: Brave New World character is Seth Voelker, better known as Sidewinder. In the comics, Seth Voelker started off as an unassuming economics professor from Kenosha, Wisconsin. His life took an unexpected turn when he failed to make tenure, taking a job at the shady Roxxon Oil Company. He discovered the corporation’s illegal activities and volunteered to undergo a mutagenic experiment that changed his physiology into that of a snake.

Sidewinder’s first comic book appearance came in 1980’s Marvel Two-in-One #64. Roxxon hired him to launch a surprise attack on the Fantastic Four’s Thing and his undersea ally Triton in order to steal a mystic artifact called the Serpent Crown. After a stint working for Roxxon, Sidewinder used his business savvy and strategic skills to start and lead his own criminal organization full of fellow snake-like baddies, the Serpent Society. 

Sidewinder’s Powers and Abilities

Even though Voelkner transformed into a snake-man, the extreme change to his body didn’t grant him any super powers. Sidewinder’s powers come from the equipment given to him by Roxxon. A technologically-advanced cape grants Sidewinder the ability to teleport. His bullet-proof armor gives him durability during combat. Sidewinder made great use of his teleportation ability by continually rescuing his teammates from incarceration. Voelkner’s key traits are his shrewd intelligence and his ability as a tactician, which he used to elevate the Serpent Society from a rag-tag group of criminals to an enduring trade union of supervillains.

Other Sidewinders

Seth Voelker is the original Sidewinder, but as is tradition in Marvel comics, other characters have picked up the mantle over the years. One successor was a flash-in-the-pan who made his debut and died in the same issue while trying to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D. We never even learned his real name. The other Sidewinder is Gregory Bryan, who filled the teleporter role in the Serpent Society’s ranks after the original Sidewinder retired. He never took to the position of leader like Voelker. Instead he worked for Viper when she rebranded the business as Serpent Solutions.

Members of the Serpent Society

As one would expect, the Serpent Society’s roster includes many snake-themed villains. Each member’s powers came from their snake of choice. The original team featured the teleporting Sidewinder, superstrong Anaconda, venom-blasting Asp, telepathic Black Mamba, cybernetic Bushmaster, speedy King Cobra, bionic-jawed Cottonmouth, poisonous Death Adder, acrobatic Diamondback, shock-wave emitting Rattler, and electrifying Princess Python. It’s worth noting that Sidewinder’s love interest was fellow member Tanya Sealy, aka Black Mamba. Viper later joined the society with her crew including Black Racer, Boomslang, Coachwhip, Copperhead, Fer-de-Lance, Puff Adder, Rock Python, and Slither. 

The Serpent Society’s Beef with Captain America

The Serpent Squad started out as Captain America villains with a grudge against the Sentinel of Liberty. Though the organization had gone on to become a threat to the greater Marvel Universe, things were always personal when it came to Cap. Sidewinder often found his group in conflict with Captain America, but when the ever-ambitious Viper staged a coup and overthrew Sidewinder, he found himself with nowhere else to turn. Sidewinder decided to team up with Steve Rogers (then known as the Captain) to strike back at Viper. After the whole Viper debacle resolved, Sidewinder retired from the Serpent Society and accepted Cap’s help to raise money to treat his cancer-stricken daughter. 

Serpent Solutions was the first big threat that Sam Wilson faced when he became Captain America. Later in the controversial 2016 Captain America storyline where Steve Rogers declared his allegiance to HYDRA, Serpent Solutions played a part in HYDRA’s rise to power and takeover of the planet. This all happens in the comic event series Secret Empire.

Giancarlo Esposito’s New Take on Sidewinder

“I can finally unleash it. I am the King of the Serpent Society; I am Sidewinder!” Giancarlo Esposito revealed to a crowd of Marvel fans at San Diego-Comic Con 2024. He appears to be playing a new version of Sidewinder that’s quite different from how he’s depicted in the comics. Comic book fans have pointed out that Esposito’s orange jacket collar evokes his snakey comic book costume. But that’s as snake-like as Esposito gets, at least from what we’ve seen so far from the trailers for Captain America: Brave New World.

Esposito isn’t wearing any prosthetics, so he appears as a normal man rather than an anthropomorphic snake. That’s not to say Esposito won’t eventually transform to something a bit more scaly later in the movie. The mad scientist the Leader, played by the returning Tim Blake Nelson from The Incredible Hulk, certainly has the skills to make that happen. We already know Captain America: Brave New World will see Harrison Ford’s President Ross transform into the Red Hulk. So who’s to say Sidewinder won’t turn into a snake-man? 

Sidewinder appears to be more hands-on in the MCU than his comic book counterpart. “I have the ability in this to show not only my brain but to show my physicality. I have the tools; I know how to use them. You’ve never seen me this way,” Esposito told Total Film. Esposito’s character uses guns and knives out in the field, whereas the comics version of Sidewinder tended to stay behind plotting from Serpent Society headquarters and only pop in and out of danger with his teleportation cloak. Curiously, Esposito referred to his character as the “King” of the Serpent Society, which isn’t a title the character ever adopted in the comics. Perhaps it’s an apt moniker for a snake villain because it evokes the deadly king cobra.

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One of the most important parts of being an actor in the MCU is to keep your mouth shut at all times. Revealing any critical information is enough to ruin your career. And the actors in the Marvel Cinematic Universe don’t play about this at ALL, including Robert Downey, Jr. He kept his new role as Doctor Doom a secret from literally everyone, including his fellow Avengers actors. Jeremy Renner, who plays Hawkeye, said in a recent interview that Downey didn’t say a word about his casting as the MCU’s Doctor Doom to the Avengers group chat (sounds so epic). 

“I had no idea. The son of a bitch didn’t say anything to me,” Renner said. “We’re good friends. There’s the Avengers family chat. The original six. He said not a peep. I got online and started blowing up his phone like, ‘What’s going on? You’ve been hiding this from us the whole time?’ It’s exciting news. I’m really, really excited about it.”

Honestly, it was in Robert’s best interest to keep his mouth shut, lest he wants to face Kevin Feige’s wrath. Renner also hinted that he would possibly return in the next two Avengers movies, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. We will see what happens.

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Deadpool & Wolverine introduced an all-new concept to the multiverse. Logan‘s Wolverine was an “anchor being” whose heroic sacrifice sent his entire timeline on a path of natural annihilation. Wade Wilson and “the best” Wolverine managed to reverse Earth-10005’s destruction and save it, but no one at the TVA knows exactly how they managed to do that. They better figure it out soon, though. Otherwise the entire multiverse might collapse. The movie raised an obvious question with potentially huge ramifications for the franchise’s prime universe, Earth-616: Was Tony Stark the MCU’s anchor being?

One of the best things about Deadpool & Wolverine is that it didn’t worry about canon, timelines, or even internal logic. But Marvel Studios certainly does care about all of those things, and the MCU will need to make sense of the movie’s most intriguing-yet-illogical concepts if they come up again. And none of Deadpool & Wolverine‘s ideas are as important as anchor beings. None are as inherently confusing, either.

Matthew Macfayden’s rogue TVA agent Paradox told Wade Wilson that an anchor being “is an entity of such vital importance that when they die their whole world slowly withers out of existence.” In Earth-10005’s universe Logan was that entity. His death put the entire universe on a path of self-destruction. That would have taken roughly 2,000 years, a fate Paradox planned to speed up with a time ripper.

The existence of anchor beings worked just fine for Deadpool & Wolverine‘s purposes, but they raise issues for the MCU at large. The most obvious is that Wolverine was never immortal. He was always going to die at some point, which would means his universe was always doomed. Plus, if every anchor being’s death leads to their world’s death, every single timeline is always destined for self-destruction. (Unless it has an immortal anchor being.)

That’s if you accept an anchor being’s death should even matter at all. As the TVA has shown, universes exist on a time loop. Essentially those entities are both always alive and always dead. Why should it matter “when” they die?

The only way to explain any of that is by focusing on the nature of Logan’s death and what we learned about the nature of the Sacred Timeline from Loki.

Paradox described the self-sacrifice of Earth-10005’s Wolverine’s as “so epic that it sent shivers down the timeline.” Logan’s death was apparently so heroic and so powerful his timeline couldn’t handle the aftershock of what he’d done. It responded by slowly imploding on itself. That’s exactly why how he died is what matters, not merely that he died.

The TVA never discussed any of this previously, but the agency has gone deep on an equivalent calamity. We’ve witnessed universes exploding via chaotic branching that threatened the entire Sacred Timeline. That happens because a special Variant in that universe causes a Nexus Event.

Why do some Variants cause Nexus Events while others don’t? The TVA has never explained this (and possibly doesn’t even understand itself). Sylvie spent her whole life not knowing why the Time Variance Authority wanted to send her to the Void. All we know—and all that has ever mattered—is that a Nexus-causing Variant’s very existence is an existential threat to their universe. Same as an anchor being’s death.

Those are two different sides of the same coin. A specific life can causes a universe to explode and a specific death can cause a universe to implode. But only if that death is so powerful it acts as a reverse Nexus event.

You know, the exact kind of death Tony Stark had on Earth-616. The central universe on the Sacred Timeline, the one that holds the entire multiverse together, was only saved when Iron Man, a father, husband, friend, and hero, gave up his life. And just like Wolverine was “the X-Man” in Fox’s cinematic universe, Tony Stark was “the Avenger” in his, where he launched the entire franchise.

If anyone is/was/will prove to be Earth-616’s anchor being, it’s the late Tony Stark. And if he was, that means the universe he gave his life to protect is now slowly dying because of his sacrifice. And it will die unless Hunter B-15 and the rest of the TVA can figure out how Deadpool and Wolverine saved Earth-10005. Until they do that most sacred universe is also vulnerable to other threats, just as Deadpool’s was to Paradox’s schemes.

So was Tony Stark the MCU’s anchor being? Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige is glad fans are already asking that question. Why wouldn’t he be? Deadpool & Wolverine didn’t care about the logic of anchor beings, but the rest of franchise will. And with Robert Downey Jr. set to return to the MCU as Victor Von Doom, the death of Tony Stark has never been more important to the future of the entire multiverse.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist happy to be on summer break from MCU homework. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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If you graduated anything circa late oughts to early 2010s, then there’s likely one very memorable chord progression that sticks out in your head. Perhaps a soft-spoken “f*ck” that was probably cut out of the slideshow of your friends and family which illuminated the big screen as you prepared to move on to the next chapter of your life. Yes, we’re talking about Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life),” the song that became the defacto anthem for the closing of one book and the opening of another. Well, in Deadpool & Wolverine‘s emotional tribute montage, which plays during the credits of the movie, the nostalgic song denoted exactly that. As Deadpool & Wolverine‘s end credits sequence paid homage to what came before it, Millenials everywhere were taken back to every meaningful ending/beginning in their lives. Well played, Marvel Studios.

Typically, when one enters the credits of a Marvel Studios movie, they expect a tease of what’s to come in the MCU’s future. But the montage of scenes that played during the end credits of Deadpool & Wolverine looked instead to the past, to the legacy of the 20th Century Fox X-Men and other Marvel movies. As mentioned, the dulcet tones of Green Day’s hit “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” teamed up with scenes from the 20th Century Fox X-Men and Marvel movies themselves, as well as behind-the-scenes looks and other featurettes, to create a truly emotional sendoff for the films that arguably began the modern era of superhero movies. There’s nothing like an end credits slideshow to make us sob, and Deadpool & Wolverine‘s really got us.

20th Century Fox’s X-Men was first released in 2000; that’s an incredible two decades ago. And, as the tribute montage in Deadpool & Wolverine‘s end credits suggests, we couldn’t have made it to this point without it. The 20th Century Fox X-Men and Marvel movies weren’t all hits. Some of them were sheer brilliance. Others were flops. But for a whole generation of nerds, they were the movies we grew up with. And there’s a place in our hearts they’ll always hold. Regardless of the quality of each specific movie or character, the 20th Century Fox entries in the superhero world gave us performances and moments that absolutely stand the test of time. And that’s why seeing different hallmarks of the films return in Deadpool & Wolverine was so powerful and so satisfying.

But, of course, as the use of Green Day in Deadpool & Wolverine‘s credits montage suggests, that era of the 20th Century Fox Marvel movies has come to a close. In welcoming these characters into the MCU to live another day, Marvel Studios also gave them their endings. Save for a potential few that might cross from one universe into another in a new form; this chapter has ended. As with all graduations, it leaves a bittersweet taste in our mouths. But at least we can always revisit the end credits of Deadpool & Wolverine and feel all the beautifully painful feelings that saying goodbye to the 20th Century Fox gang left us with.

So thank you, 20th Century Fox Marvel movies; we indeed had the time of our lives.

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The fictional metal known as Adamantium has played a key role in Marvel storytelling for decades. Of course, much of its history centers around the iconic X-Men member Wolverine. The indestructible metal was first introduced in the comics, then it showed up in Fox’s X-Men films. Now Adamantium will become a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe when Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters next year. Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about Adamantium’s history and how it will show up in the MCU.

Adamantium in the Marvel Comics

In the Marvel Universe, Adamantium is effectively the strongest metal on Earth, which allows Wolverine’s Adamantium-coated claws to slice through virtually anything. The metal is especially rare, expensive, and difficult to manipulate because it requires intense heat to liquify it for molding and then can’t become liquid again once it hardens. It’s on par with Wakanda’s Vibranium as one of the most powerful and sought-after substances in the Marvel Universe. 

Adamantium was first introduced in the comics in 1963’s Avengers #66. The issue reveals how the metal is a man-made substance created by metallurgist Dr. Myron MacLain. He accidentally discovered it while conducting an experiment with Vibranium during World War II. (Dr. MacLain is the scientist who created Captain America’s shield.) The Avengers themselves tested the metal’s durability and it withstood attacks from Iron Man, Goliath, and even Thor the God of Thunder. Dr. MacLain thought the indestructible metal could be dangerous if it were used for evil. Sure enough, Ultron commanded Vision to steal the Adamantium and used it to create the armor for his new robot body.

When Wolverine first made his comic book debut in 1974’s The Incredible Hulk #180, fans figured that his metal claws were part of his gloves. It wasn’t until 1991’s “Weapon X” storyline that took place in Marvel Comics Presents #72–84 that we learned Logan’s claws were a part of his skeleton. His bones were bonded with Adamantium in a horrifying experiment. A nefarious secret government organization known as the Weapon X Program did it with the goal of making him an indestructible killing machine. Suffice to say, it was a success.

While Wolverine is the most popular character with Adamantium, other Marvel characters over the years use it. Many characters with connections to Wolverine also have Adamantium skeletons and/or claws. This list includes villains Lady Deathstrike and Sabretooth and both of Wolverine’s children, Daken and X-23/Laura Kinney. During World War II, Adamantium and Vibranium came together to make Captain America’s indestructible shield. After Daredevil paralyzed his nemesis Bullseye in a fight, the sharpshooter had Adamantium plates surgically grafted to his skeleton. Spider-Man villain Hammerhead’s skull had Adamantium, which let him charge into foes like a deadly weapon.

One of the most iconic comic book storylines involving Adamantium is the 1991 X-Men story “Fatal Attractions.” In it, an enraged Magneto ripped the Adamantium out of Wolverine’s body. The moment even made its way into 2024’s X-Men ‘97 animated series’ ninth episode. It is a direct homage to the comics.

Adamantium in Fox’s X-Men Films

Wolverine’s Adamantium skeleton and the Weapon X program are a recurring major plot point in Fox’s series of X-Men films. 

When we meet Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in the first live-action X-Men movie, he’s fighting in cage matches for money. His punches and headbutt against his opponent produced a metal clang sound. Over the course of the movie, the combination of his mutant healing factor and his Adamantium skeleton showcase how he’s virtually immortal. When the X-Men x-ray his body at Xavier’s school they’re fascinated and horrified to discover Adamantium surgically grafted to his entire skeleton. 

The mystery of Logan’s metal skeleton becomes a focal point of the sequel, X2: X-Men United. Logan meets the man responsible for bonding the metal to his bones, Colonel William Stryker, head of the Weapon-X Program. The third act of the film sends the X-Men to the abandoned lab where Logan’s Adamantium-bonding procedure took place many years before. Logan faces off with a deadly woman named Yuriko (Lady Deathstrike in the comics). She underwent the same Weapon X procedure and had Adamantium claws sprouting from her fingertips. In their battle of two indestructible warriors, Logan is only able to end it by injecting Yuriko with liquid Adamantium that instantly hardened and ended her life.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine reveals that Adamantium comes from a meteor that fell to Earth, as opposed to being created by a scientist like in the comics. The film also shows how Logan was tricked into agreeing to the Weapon X Program’s Adamantium-bonding experiment and how he lost his memory from being shot in the head with multiple Adamantium bullets. The film’s final battle sees Wolverine come up with a way to slice through Adamantium by superheating his claws. This allowed him to defeat the Adamantium-laced Deadpool by cutting his head off with red-hot claws. We see this tactic again in the sequel, The Wolverine. The Silver Samurai chopped off Logan’s claws with a blazing robotic samurai blade.

The 2017 movie Logan showed how after many long years Logan’s healing factor weakened. He began to suffer from lethal Adamantium poisoning. It’s the greatest of ironies that the substance that made Logan indestructible for so long is what’s slowly killing him. 

Adamantium in the MCU

Adamantium currently doesn’t have a proper introduction in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Technically Deadpool & Wolverine is an MCU movie. In the film, Deadpool receives a pair of Adamantium katanas from the TVA. But the precious alloy still hasn’t shown up on Earth-616. That’s about to change.
During Marvel Studios’ Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, fans saw a preview of the upcoming movie Captain America: Brave New World.

The footage included a moment where President “Thunderbolt” Ross reveals that Adamantium was inside the Celestial Tiamut sticking out of the Earth after the events of Eternals. It looks like the discovery of Adamantium will kick off a resource war in the MCU similar to what we’ve seen with Vibranium in the Black Panther movies.

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“I don’t get it, are you a baddie now?” That was Gwyneth Paltrow’s reaction to the shocking news that Robert Downey Jr. will be returning to the MCU not to play Iron Man but as the ultimate Marvel villain, Doctor Doom. And honestly? Same, Gwyneth Paltrow. Same.

The big reveal via the Russo Brothers at the end of Marvel Studios’ Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. The directing duo responsible for four of Marvel’s biggest hits (including the last two Avengers movies, Infinity War and Endgame) are also coming back to Marvel to direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. The fan reaction to Downey playing Doom continues to be loud and divisive. Here’s why some fans are hype, others are disappointed, and what Kevin Feige and company could be up to with this unexpected casting.

Robert Downey, Jr.’s Return Could Smooth a Rough Patch in the MCU

It’s easy to get excited about RDJ making his grand return to the MCU after a five-year absence. His fast-talking turn as Tony Stark/Iron Man revolutionized the modern superhero genre. He’s a fan-favorite, from his early days as a solo hero to his sacrifice to save the universe from Thanos. RDJ delivering an incredible performance as Victor von Doom is something pretty much everyone agrees on. What’s rubbing some folks the wrong way is why he was brought back in the first place. 

It’s no secret that the MCU has been going through a rough patch since the Multiverse Saga got underway. The huge influx of new characters, several underwhelming projects, and a lack of an overarching MCU narrative has left some fans feeling disappointed. Even Deadpool didn’t pull any punches when he joked about the Marvel slump in Deadpool & Wolverine. It’s no wonder that Marvel decided to bring back RDJ and the Russos. They are fan-favorites who know how to make a darn good superhero movie. 

Does Marvel Studios’ Decision to Replace Kang With Downey’s Doctor Doom Suggest a Lack of Creativity?

The original plan for the fifth Avengers movie was for Earth’s mightiest heroes battle it out against Kang the Conqueror in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Kang actor Jonathan Majors was fired from the role and left Marvel in a bad spot. Upset fans think it makes Marvel look desperate and creatively bankrupt to simply bring back Downey (and the Russos) in an effort to recapture their pre-Endgame glory. We all figured that RDJ would return to the MCU one day. Downey himself said he would be happy to return; however, this feels far too soon for some fans.

Wait, How Can Robert Downey, Jr. Play Doctor Doom After Portraying Iron Man?

Beyond the casting choice itself, fans are confused as to how Downey can play Doctor Doom in the first place. The same actor has played multiple roles in the MCU before. Gemma Chan played Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel and Sersi in Eternals. Michelle Yeoh also cameoed as Aleta Ogord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 before playing supporting character Ying Nan in Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Most movie-goers probably didn’t notice the repeat use of actors but everyone will recognize Downey.

It feels inappropriate to repurpose the most iconic face in the MCU without a good reason. Some fans are having a hard time accepting the fact that Downey is Doom. In fact, they’re theorizing Downey is just playing Doom for the next two Avengers films. They believe the “real” Doctor Doom will appear with a new actor who depicts the character in a more comics-accurate fashion. The way Marvel explains how Doom could have Tony Stark’s face may be what makes or breaks this decision.

How the MCU Can Use Comics and Heart to Make This Doctor Doom Venture Satisfying for Fans

There’s a lot of dramatic juice to be squeezed from Marvel’s greatest hero dying and having the same man play Marvel’s greatest villain. One can imagine the emotional turmoil the Avengers would go through—especially Peter Parker—if Doom reveals his face and it’s their dearly departed loved one under the mask. Interestingly, the logo for Avengers: Doomsday is green and silver to evoke Doom and the logo for Avengers: Secret Wars is red and gold. We all know those are Iron Man’s signature colors. Optimistically, this implies that Marvel made this choice with a purposeful Doctor Doom/Iron Man theme in mind. Perhaps the story across the next two Avengers films will justify the unexpected casting choice.

There’s plenty of precedent in the comics for a juicy Doom/Stark story. There are numerous instances where Iron Man and Doctor Doom have crossed paths and several specifically feature one becoming the other. After Stark seemingly died in 2016, Doom took up his mantle and headlined a series called Infamous Iron Man. A What If? story from 2010 called Iron Man: Demon in an Armor saw Doom pull a Freaky Friday and swap bodies with Stark. And, in a 2004 issue of Marvel Team-Up, the Tony Stark of Earth-5012 became a version of Doom called the Iron Maniac. He was banished to another universe that just happened to be Earth-616. Perhaps those comics inspired what Marvel has in mind for the upcoming Avengers sequels. 

Is Downey’s Doctor Doom a Tony Stark Variant in the MCU?

The Russos didn’t explicitly say if Downey’s Doom will be a Stark variant or not, which only adds to the confusion around this casting choice. They did say he’s playing Victor von Doom. But they also said it was the “unimaginable possibilities in the Marvel multiverse” that allowed them to make this casting decision. This suggests that he’s a variant. If he’s not a variant and Marvel is expecting everyone to pretend a Doom with Stark’s face is completely normal, then that pill may be too hard to swallow. It would only reinforce the idea that this was all stunt casting rather than an inspired creative choice. 

While some fans need a satisfactory explanation before they get on board with Downey as Doom, others could care less because they just want to see a fun superhero flick. Hugh Jackman proved that even if an actor delivers a seemingly final performance for a beloved Marvel character, then fans will still excitedly show up to watch him return in a new movie as a variant. Deadpool & Wolverine broke numerous box office records and has no doubt reassured Marvel that they made the right choice with Downey’s comeback, at least as a business decision.

Will Marvel Address Doctor Doom’s Romani Heritage in the MCU?

While RDJ’s acting chops are unimpeachable, some fans have shared their reservations about whether he’s a good fit for the character of Doctor Doom. For one, Doom is Romani in the comics and his culture and the prejudice he faces in his youth plays a vital role in his origin. Therefore, casting Downey white-washes the character. Iron Man’s charming snark is worlds away from Doom’s icy and intense demeanor, which is similar to Darth Vader.

Traditionally, Doom’s face is horribly scarred and his vanity is so extreme that he never takes off his mask except on rare occasions. This could work in Downey’s favor because always being masked would help people forget he used to play Tony Stark. That would allow him to and deliver a wholly new kind of performance a la Hugo Weaving’s V from V for Vendetta. However it’s hard to believe Marvel would spend all that moolah on Downey just to cover him up 99% of the time. 

Will Robert Downey, Jr. Play Doom for the Long Run? Probably Not.

Doctor Doom is a rich and complex character with a long history in Marvel’s comics. He is not only a genius-level scientist but a gifted sorcerer. There’s a fascinating story to how he became both. Despite being known as a villain, he’s not pure evil and lives by a code of honor. His ethos sometimes sees him team up with the good guys rather than fight them. He’s a character that comic fans want to see the MCU build up with a nuanced story over a long period of time like Loki. Fans want this Doctor Doom to be done better than the two previous attempts. That means they want to see him rule his home country of Latveria, wield techno-sorcery, and form tenuous alliances with heroes. Fans also want him to develop a passionate rivalry with Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four. 

Doing Doctor Doom’s arc justice in the MCU would take a long time. However, it seems unlikely that Marvel will keep Downey as Doom for years considering he’s one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood. For the fans who have waited years for MCU Doctor Doom, there’s a feeling of being short-changed. It feels like a beleaguered Marvel made an overly cautious bet to protect box office earnings and reinvigorate the brand. At the end of the day, Downey and the Russos may indeed deliver a pair of excellent Avengers movies, but fans will be the ones to determine whether they are worthy of Doom.

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Wade Wilson’s official introduction to the MCU in Deadpool & Wolverine came via a door to the TVA. Matthew Macfadyen’s Paradox tried to recruit the Merc With a Mouth to join the Avengers since Deadpool’s home universe was dying. Even though Deadpool’s world was fading away naturally, the Time Variance Authority agent was trying to speed up its demise with an unsanctioned plan. Why was that world going to vanish in the first place? And why did Paradox want to destroy it immediately? The film revealed new information about the TVA and the multiverse that could have major implications for the MCU going forward.

What Is an MCU “Anchor Being?”

Paradox told Wade the Wolverine of Logan—the one who sacrificed himself to save X-23 and other mutant children—was an anchor being. That’s an entirely new concept for the franchise.

An anchor being is “an entity of such vital importance that when they die their whole world slowly withers out of existence.” Logan lived on Earth-10005, the same universe Wade calls home.

With Deadpool’s universe set to vanish out of existence (eventually), Paradox’s superiors had instructed him to try and recruit that specific, special Merc With a Mouth to join the Avengers of Earth-616, the prime MCU universe. Only, Wade wasn’t going to let his universe die without a fight. That led him to seek out a replacement Logan to serve as his world’s anchor being.

What Did Deadpool & Wolverine Reveal About the Current TVA and Sacred Timeline?

The slow destruction of Earth-10005 revealed that, despite Loki rearranging the Sacred Timeline into the Tree of Life, entire branches of existence can still vanish. As Paradox explained, an anchor being dying in extraordinary fashion “is how a reality dies.” He also laughed at Wade’s replacement plan. You can’t simply replace an anchor being with a Variant.

However, unlike the old TVA under He Who Remains, the TVA no longer prunes branches, not even ones dying naturally. New TVA boss Hunter B-15 had tasked Paradox and his team with overseeing Earth-10005 during its slow demise. That would happen over roughly two thousand years.

The disgruntled TVA agent was not okay with waiting that long. Paradox yearned for agency’s former cold, brutal efficiency. He wanted to speed up the death of Earth-10005. For that he needed a time ripper.

What Is a TVA Time Ripper and How Does it Work?

A Time Ripper is a powerful machine made up of many Reset Charges. Those small devices, as seen on Loki, can “prune the affected radius of a branched timeline, allowing time to heal all its wounds.” The God of Mischief noted that’s a polite way of saying a Reset Charge can “disintegrate everything in its vicinity.”

A Time Ripper consists of many Reset Charges and can destroy an entire timeline in a flash. Paradox thought that was a far more merciful (and personally less taxing) method compared to a universe slowly decaying. But with the TVA outlawing the machine, thanks to its new no-pruning policy, Paradox had to build his own. That took time and resources, because a Time Ripper also requires a tremendous amount of energy that draws on both matter and antimatter.

When Cassandra Nova escaped the Void, she planned on using that Time Ripper to destroy every universe on the Sacred Timeline. Deadpool and Wolverine were able to combine their powers to overcome her tremendous strength, destroying both the machine and Nova in the process. And that’s not all they did.

What Did Paradox’s Secret Plan in Deadpool & Wolverine Reveal About the New TVA?

Paradox ultimately failed to destroy Earth-10005, but he showed it’s still possible for rogue agents to covertly undermine the TVA and annihilate entire universes. The organization, like all any workplace, is still susceptible to unhappy employees with their own agenda and ideas how things should work.

The Sacred Timeline still needs protecting, including from some people at the Time Variance Authority. Fortunately good people like Hunter B-15 are now in charge and focused on saving world rather than destroying them.

More important than Paradox’s failure was Deadpool’s success. Him and Wolverine not only stopped Nova, they healed Earth-10005. After the Time Ripper exploded that entire universe began to heal itself. It’s no longer going to die of natural causes. Wade’s world, which now has “the best” Wolverine calling it home, will continue existing forever. Hunter B-15 didn’t totally understand how that worked, but she said the TVA will investigate.

Earth-616 might need her report sooner than later.

Did Earth-616 Also Lose Its Anchor Being When Iron Man Died?

Paradox said Logan‘s Wolverine’s death was “an act of self-sacrifice so epic that it sent shivers down the timeline,” setting the universe on a path of self-destruction. That immediately raised a major question about the MCU’s own world, Earth-616.

That world also saw its greatest hero—the one who anchored the entire franchise much like Wolverine did Fox’s X-Men movies—give up his life in an epic act of self-sacrifice. Tony Stark died saving the entire universe from Thanos in Avengers: Endgame.

Was he is Earth-616’s anchor being? Is it now slowly dying because he gave up his life? And if it is, what can the Avengers learn from Deadpool and Wolverine’s team-up? Those are all huge questions the film raised. And those were fair question before Marvel Studios announced Robert Downey Jr. is returning not as Iron Man, but as Victor Von Doom. Could Victor’s story have something to do with Tony Stark being an anchor being? Will Deadpool & Wolverine end up explaining the two seeming Variants connection? It might. And if you think fans are reading too much into that possibility, Kevin Feige is very happy they are.

Deadpool & Wolverine brought two of Fox’s greatest superheroes to the MCU. They mgiht have shown up just in time to save their new franchise’s timeline just like they saved their old one’s.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who has spent a lot of his life thinking about the TVA. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Magneto. Green Goblin. The Kingpin. All are among the most iconic Marvel Comics villains. But the greatest Marvel villain of all time is easily Victor von Doom, better known as Doctor Doom. And after three middling attempts at bringing him to the big screen, none other than Robert Downey Jr. will now play him in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. (And quite possibly in The Fantastic Four: First Steps as well). In the comics, he started out as a Fantastic Four villain, but he went on to become an antagonist to the Avengers, the X-Men, Spider-Man, and just about the whole darn Marvel Universe.

Fantastic Four #5 is the First Appearance of Doctor Doom

Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1962 early in their legendary run on Fantastic Four, Doctor Doom was intended to be the team’s ultimate nemesis. He first appeared in Fantastic Four #5, instantly alerting the team of his genius, thanks to the invention of a time travel platform. Although he was instantly popular with readers, it would be two years before Doctor Doom’s origin story was revealed, in Fantastic Four Annual #2.

The Origin of Doctor Doom

Victor von Doom came from a tribe of Romani people in the fictional Eastern European nation of Latveria. During his childhood, the cruel aristocrat Baron Vladimir Fortunov was Latveria’s ruler. Victor’s mother was a witch named Cynthia von Doom, who the demon lord Mephisto killed when Victor was very young. Victor’s father, tribe leader Werner von Doom, also had extensive knowledge of medicine and arcane practices. When the Baron’s wife began to suffer from an incurable form of cancer, the Baron forced Werner von Doom to come to his castle and cure her. When he couldn’t save her, the Baron declared him a murderer, sentencing him to death. Werner escaped with young Victor, but died from exposure in the forests of Latveria. Victor survived, vowing revenge on the Baron for his cruelty.

Doctor Doom’s Rivalry with Reed Richards

Eventually, young Victor returns to his Romani tribe, where he learns the truth about his mother Cynthia’s witch status. He finds some of her spell books and magical instruments, and learns how to use them. He uses this knowledge to protect his people. Already a genius, Victor combined his scientific know-how with the teachings of magic, hoping to master both. His accomplishments in creating technological devices years ahead of their time became famous. Eventually, he drew the attention of those in the United States. The dean of Empire State University recruited him to study there, hoping he would become an asset of the government. Seeing an opportunity to gain access to sophisticated equipment and state-of-the-art laboratories, Victor agreed to leave Latveria and study in America.

By the time the young Victor came to Empire State University, his ego was already unchecked. Because of this, he became rivals with the only other student at the university whose mind matched his own—Reed Richards. Even though he respected Reed, he always reminded him that his own intellect was the superior one. While at Empire State, Victor built a machine to breach the realm of the dead, so he could communicate with his beloved mother. Reed attempted to warn him the machine was faulty, and needed more work before he used it. Victor dismissed Reed, and attempted to activate it regardless. The resulting explosion scarred Victor’s face, although it was not a very large or disfiguring scar. Nevertheless, the egomaniacal Victor saw any blemish on his face as disfigurement.

How Doctor Doom Gained His Mask and Armor

After the accident, Victor von Doom was expelled. He journeyed across the globe looking to seek new insights that would allow him to perfect his machine. He eventually found himself in Tibet, and collapsed from exhaustion near the retreat of a clan of monks, who took him in. Victor soon learned all of the monks’ disciplines, gaining vast amounts of new knowledge. Victor forged a suit of armor for himself, with an intimidating iron mask, which he placed on his face before it cooled. This process truly disfigured his face, far outdoing the tiny scar he gained as a result of the lab explosion.

Doctor Doom Becomes the Ruler of Latveria

Now calling himself Doctor Doom, he began his quest for revenge in earnest. He returned to Latveria, deposing the Baron, and installing himself as dictator. He ruled from the Baron’s old castle, but he was just as much a tyrant as the Baron in every way. Doom renamed the capital city of Latveria, Hassenstadt, to Doomstadt, and Castle Sabbat to Castle Doom. Despite being a complete dictator, the people of Latveria not only fear him, but adore him with a cult like devotion. This is, perhaps, because Doom freed them from a far worse and more cruel dictator. To the Latverians, he’s practically a god.

Doctor Doom vs. the Fantastic Four

With a country at his disposal, Doom sought revenge against the man he believed was responsible for his misfortunes—Reed Richards, now Mister Fantastic of the Fantastic Four. Doctor Doom attacked Marvel’s First Family repeatedly, starting with his first appearance in Fantastic Four #5. Each defeat at the hands of his rival Reed Richards made him more bitter, and more obsessed with proving how his mind was superior upon their next encounter. Over the decades, the Fantastic Four has fought Doctor Doom and always won, yet Doom has always managed to inflict physical and psychological harm on his rivals.

The Marvel Universe vs. Doctor Doom

Doctor Doom clashed with just about every hero in the Marvel Universe, not just the FF. He tried to recruit Spider-Man, and attempted to turn the Hulk into his mindless servant. When the Avengers traveled to Latveria, this started a rivalry with that team, for daring to set foot in his homeland without permission. He saw any other genius intellect as a challenge to his superiority. Doom always had to be the best at everything. This led to making enemies with Iron Man (a master of technology), Black Panther (a master of science), and Doctor Strange (a master of the mystic arts). Doctor Doom simply couldn’t abide not being the very best at everything. Doom was even chosen as the primary villain for the DC/Marvel crossover Superman and Spider-Man.

Doctor Doom’s Powers and Abilities

Doctor Doom’s powers and abilities are vast, as he has a mastery over both science and sorcery. Doom’s armor gives him superior physical strength, enough to battle Marvel heroes like Iron Man and the Thing to a standstill. He can also fight Spider-Man and Captain America while wearing the armor and hold his own. His armor can generate concussive energy blasts, and create force fields. Like Iron Man’s armor, Doom’s suit allows him to survive underwater and in space for a limited time. Thanks to tutelage from a group of aliens called Ovoids, Doom can transfer his consciousness into other people. Doom has managed to absorb the powers of the Silver Surfer and even the godlike Beyonder, but his own hubris always leads to Doom losing those powers.

The Doombots

Doom’s scientific prowess led him to the create his Doombots, an army of robot duplicates that enforce his will. Thanks to their advanced A.I., over the years many Doombots have believed themselves to actually be Doctor Doom. The Doombots have enforced Victor’s rule in Latveria, and he often blames an errant Doombot for his own past failures. Still, an army of robots with his strength and memories has created a formidable army for him, even if they are often more trouble than they’re worth.

Doom’s Sorcery Skills

Thanks to his studying with the monks in Tibet, as well as a time learning under the sorceress Morgan le Fay, Doom is one of the most powerful magic users in the Marvel Universe. Even Doctor Strange conceded he’s as worthy of the name “Sorcerer Supreme” as he is. Among the magic abilities Doom has displayed over the years are the power of summoning demons, teleportation, dimension-hopping, and weather control rivaling (but not exceeding) the powers of the X-Man Storm. Doom eventually used his magical skills to venture into Hell itself to save the soul of his mother from Mephisto.

God Emperor Doom in Secret Wars

Doctor Doom’s crowning moment as a villain came in the 2015 version of Secret Wars. Although Doom temporarily gained the powers of the godlike Beyonder in the original 1984 Secret Wars, he wasn’t the primary villain of the series. In Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 reboot, after several incursions, every universe in the Marvel multiverse dies, including the “prime” 616 universe. Before his world falls, Doom steals the power of the omnipotent Beyonders, creating his own Battleworld from the remains of different realities.

Now cloaked in all white robes and wielding ultimate power, he declares himself God Emperor Doom. He removes the memories of Battleworld’s inhabitants so they don’t recall their old lives in the previous universes, and makes Doctor Strange his sheriff. He also replaces Reed Richards as the husband of Sue Storm, and father to his two children. Doom even commands his own Thor Corps, a police force made up of Thors from across realities, enforcing his will. After his defeat in Secret Wars at the hands of Reed Richards, Victor von Doom actually tried to redeem himself by becoming a hero. During a time when Tony Stark was presumed dead, Doom took up the mantle of Iron Man. He used a version of his armor that combined Stark tech with his own, including magical properties.

Doctor Doom’s History in Other Media

Doctor Doom has been portrayed in countless TV cartoons. These range from the 1967 Fantastic Four to the ‘90s Spider-Man and Fantastic Four shows. His live-action appearances have never been as faithful. In the 2005 Fantastic Four film, Doom (Julian McMahon) was the CEO of Von Doom Industries, and not Latverian royalty. It was in his space station that the FF gained their powers in a cosmic ray storm. Also present for the storm, he starts turning into organic metal and has the power to control electricity.  

In the 2015 reboot Fantastic Four, Victor (Toby Kebbell) is a genius computer programmer who gained his powers when he journeys to a mysterious parallel dimension. On this world, he fused with his spacesuit and gained telekinetic powers. Both the 2005 and 2015 versions of Doom painted the character as almost a “fifth Beatle.” Someone who gained power at the same time as the Fantastic Four, but misused that power. This element is not in any mainstream Marvel comics.

Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom in the MCU

The only thing we know about Doctor Doom in the MCU is that he will be played by Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. As this is the Multiverse Saga, will this Doom be a variant of Tony Stark? The official Marvel announcement says he’ll play Victor von Doom, but the fact that Robert Downey Jr. is playing him suggests there’s more to it than that. Is Doom in the Fantastic Four’s alternate universe the physical doppelgänger of Stark, but not exactly the same person? The fact he’s playing Doom in an adaptation of Secret Wars suggests we may see RDJ as God Emperor Doom. It certainly would be interesting if the actor who started the MCU now ends it as another character. We’re sure to learn more in the months and years ahead.

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San Diego Comic-Con 2024 is officially over! This year’s convention marked the return of Marvel Studios after skipping last year’s event. And the studio did not disappoint in its big Hall H panel, which focused on three big upcoming Marvel movies. Along with Kevin Feige, the casts of Captain America: Brave New World, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Avengers: Doomsday came out to drop a slate of big news and give fans peeks into what’s coming in these films. Here’s all the big Marvel news at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2024. 

Robert Downey, Jr. Returns to the MCU as Doctor Doom?!

The end of the Marvel Studios panel saved the biggest news of the night (and perhaps all of SDCC 2024) with announcements about the upcoming Avengers movies. We pretty much already knew that 1) the Russo Brothers would come back to direct these films and 2) Avengers: The Kang Dynasty would get a fresh title. Both of those things were true with the Russos joining Feige onstage and the announcement that the next Avengers movie would be retitled to Avengers: Doomsday. The latter left the question of who would play Doctor Doom. And that got an answer when a masked figure came out onstage. The person under that Doom costume was none other than Robert Downey, Jr., who will become an MCU baddie. It was something that literally none of us at Nerdist saw coming but we are glad it is a part of the Marvel news at this year’s SDCC convention. Avengers: Doomsday is coming in May 2026. 

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Gets New Title and Exclusive Teaser 

Fans in the room got a chance to see a teaser for the upcoming Fantastic Four film, which finally got its official title as The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The footage is not widely available but the film will give us a retro-futuristic setting in the 1960s and see Galactus and Silver Surfer target Earth for destruction. The Fantastic Four: First Steps will start production right after SDCC and hits theaters on July 25, 2025. 

Thunderbolts* Drops a Fun Teaser for Fans

Thunderbolts* brought out its main cast, including David Harbour in his Red Guardian getup. The fans also got a scene from this movie, which is yet to become available for all to see. Marvel describes the film as “an irreverent team-up featuring depressed assassin Yelena Belova alongside the MCU’s least anticipated band of misfits.” We love to hear it. Thunderbolts* will hit theaters on May 2, 2025.

Related:

Thunderbolts* First-Look Revealed at SDCC

Captain America: Brave New World Introduces Harrison Ford to the MCU and Reveals Giancarlo Esposito’s Character

This panel gave us some great information, including the big news that Giancarlo Esposito will play Sidewinder, the King of the Serpent Society. There is also a clip that fans got to see in the room and they were delighted for Harrison Ford to take the stage. He will portray President Thaddeus Ross. Here’s a brief description of Captain America: Brave New World from Marvel Studios: 

“The story follows Sam Wilson, who after meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, finds himself in the middle of an international incident. Sam must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.”

This film is coming our way pretty soon on February 14, 2025.

And that’s it for all the MCU Marvel Studios news at SDCC 2024. We expect to hear more about their TV plans at Disney’s D23 event in August.

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The Kang Dynasty is no more. Or rather, it never was. Marvel Studios took to Hall H at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con to make some big announcements about Avengers 5. The MCU’s Phase 6 tentpole isn’t just getting a new title. It’s also getting an all-new villain to serve as the multiverse’s biggest threat. Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is now Avengers: Doomsday. Welcome to the MCU Doctor Doom. More than that, the biggest shock of the event was that Doom will be played by none other than Robert Downey Jr… wait, WHAT?!?!

That might be a big change for the film, but Disney is turning to some familiar faces to lead the way. Marvel also revealed it has named two famous alums have as directors for the next two Avengers films. Joe and Anthony Russo are returning to the MCU for Doomsday and Secret Wars. Reportedly, Stephen McFeely will also return to pen the Avengers Doomsday and Secret Wars scripts.

As for Downey, this is a massive and wild bit of news. The multiverse is real, surely, but what will everyone think when Doctor Doom turns out to look just like Tony Stark? Will he be Tony Stark but from another Earth? WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? In either case, Downey appeared on stage in full green to take his rightful bow. You never leave the MCU, I guess.

Robert Downey Jr. Will play Doctor Doom in Avengers Doomsday, new mask, same task! #Avengers #sdcc #marvel pic.twitter.com/yr1VCtvvPM

— Nerdist (@nerdist) July 28, 2024

Disney fired Jonathan Majors last December following his conviction for domestic violence. He played Variants of Kang the Conqueror on Loki and in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Since then fans have wondered if Marvel Studios would recast his role or change Avengers 5’s villain altogether. Now we know the franchise is going in a whole new direction, with an even more famous comic book villain.

While the film is going in a new Doom direction with its big baddie, it’s going down a familiar path with its directors. The Russo Brothers are coming back to their superhero home. Marvel Studios used Hall H to confirm previous reports the co-directors of Captain America: Civil War, Infinity War, and Endgame are officially returning for more Avengers fun.

Loki creator and Doctor strange in the Multiverse of Madness writer Michael Waldron is penning the script for Avengers: Blank. Marvel has also tasked him with writing Secret Wars, and the two films could reportedly feature more than 60 characters. That’s even more than Infinity War and Endgame, so it’s no a surprise Kevin Feige wants people he knows can handle a massive cast.

The question now is how Earth’s mightiest heroes will handle Doctor Doom.

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As Marvel Studios continues to move through Phase 5 with Deadpool & Wolverine and look towards Phase 6 , the studio is tapping into familiar creative sources for future projects. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Joe and Anthony Russo—also known as The Russo Brothers—were in talks to come back to Marvel and direct the next two Avengers movies. 

UPDATE 7/27/2024: The Russo Brothers confirmed at SDCC 2024 that they will indeed direct the next two Avengers movies.

PREVIOUS: The fifth Avenger movie was under the title of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, but that is now Avengers: Doomsday. The sixth film, Avengers: Secret Wars, will be a game-changing epic that will shift the multiverses (and probably destroy them, too.) The films are expected to hit theaters on May 1, 2026 and May 7, 2027.

It’s no secret that the Russo Brothers know what to do with complex storylines and an ensemble cast in the Marvel universe. The duo even hinted at possibly being involved with a Secret Wars storyline a few years ago. The Russo Brothers directed four of the franchise’s biggest films: Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019). Those movies made literally billions of dollars, so no wonder Kevin Feige gave them a call. Welcome back to the chaos, Joe and Anthony.

Originally published July 17, 2024.

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The Fantastic Four is Marvel Comics’ “First Family,” and their arrival in the MCU has been a long time coming. After a mid-2000s duo of films that met with modest success, a 2015 reboot that totally flopped. Marvel fans have waited patiently for the iconic FF to make it to the MCU. And now, they’re here at last. At San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios presented fans with a special preview teaser trailer of The Fantastic Four film, which has a new official title as The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Production will begin for this film on July 30, which is right after SDCC.

The iconic heroes are here, in all their ’60s glory with Mister Fantastic teaching kids. The entire crew heads to space, seemingly as run-of-the-mill astronauts and blast off for space adventures.

The new Fantastic Four cast is truly a formidable one, with Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, the Thing. Game of Thrones actor Ralph Ineson plays the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus. And as his herald the Silver Surfer is Ozark actress Julia Garner.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will hit theaters on July 25, 2025.

More to come…

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Deadpool & Wolverine delivered a fond farewell to Fox’s era of X-Men and Marvel movies, but it needed some help from MCU stars to say goodbye. Who helped Wade and Logan make the big screen move over to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Here is every MCU character who appeared in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Happy Hogan (and a Picture of Tony Stark)

In 2018, Wade Wilson left his universe of Earth-10005 and traveled to the MCU’s (pre-Snap) prime universe, Earth-616. He was there applying for a job with the Avengers, but he didn’t get to meet with the still-alive Tony Stark. Wade interviewed Jon Favreau’s “Avengers adjacent” Happy Hogan. The former chauffeur-turned-head of security didn’t think Wade was quite ready for the job. That soft-rejection sent Wade into a funk that contributed to his breakup with Vanessa. Meanwhile, we’re left to wonder if Deadpool got the job if he could have helped stopped Thanos from acquiring all the Infinity Stones and dusting half of that universe.

Notably the scene included a memorable picture of Tony Stark with Peter Parker, but Tom Holland’s image was obscured. Disney bought 20th Century Studios, not Sony.

Footage of the Six Original MCU Avengers

Deadpool saw all of the original Avengers on monitors in the TVA. The footage came from the team in action during the Battle of New York along with other famous moments from their own lives/films. Their heroics were a big part of Paradox’s pitch to Deadpool to go along with his devious plan.

The one future “clip” Wade was not supposed to see playing was the one that had him—and us—most intrigued by Paradox’s offer.

Thor

Apparently in the future an emotional Thor (played by Chris Hemsworth) will hold a dying Deadpool in his arms. (In a scene that looks like an absurd Asgardian play.)

Uh…what? When? HOW!? Wade Wilson really wanted to know, and he made reference to that futur a couple more times in the movie. Unfortunately it was, at best, just a tease. It might ultimately prove to be merely a fun gag. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t an actual sign the MCU has plans for a future Deadpool/Thor team-up. We don’t work at the TVA so we don’t know.

Hulk

During his search through the multiverse for a replacement Wolverine, Deadpool found one seemingly engaged in one of the most iconic fights in comic book history: Wolverine vs. Hulk. Unfortunately that for Wade and all of us, we didn’t get to see that epic showdown. The shirtless, feral Incredible Hulk paused his fight with the “John Byrne Wolverine” so he could throw Deadpool back through the TVA doorway.

Hulk not smash. Hulk evict.

Hunter B-15

Paradox and his team had to work on their Time Ripper machine in secret because the new head of the TVA runs things a lot differently than the old one. Loki‘s Hunter B-15 is now in charge at the Time Variance Authority. After Loki season two it no longer condones the pruning of branches, even those destined for a natural destruction.

Deadpool & Wolverine marked Wunmi Mosaku’s debut in an MCU film. Her Hunter B-15 had previously only appeared on the Disney+ show.

Alioth

The film featured the big screen debut of another character introduced on Loki, the Void’s memorable monster Alioth. That terrifying storm beast is still eating up Variants sent to that realm outside of time and space. Only Deadpool & Wolverine revealed it’s possible to negotiate with Alioth. It left Cassandra Nova and her fortress alone so long as she provided Alioth with “food.”

The Dead Giant Body of Ant-Man

Deadpool was wrong, right? The dead giant body of Ant-Man that Cassandra Nova called home means Paul Rudd stopped aging. No one gets older when they’re dead.

Obviously Scott Lang has looked better.

Steve Rogers…’ Fiery Variant Johnny Storm

One of Deadpool & Wolverine‘s biggest surprises was the return of Chris Evans to the MCU. Only, he wasn’t playing a Variant of his MCU character like Wade first thought. (Which the film also wanted us to think.) Instead Evans played a Variant of his original Marvel superhero character, Johnny Storm from the Fantastic Four.

Considering he looked exactly like Earth-616’s Steve Rogers, we think it’s safe to assume he’s a Variant of the original Captain America and therefore worthy of being on this list. That might be a technicality, but what are you going to do about it? Rip off all our skin and turn us into a mush of blood and bones?

….Please don’t.

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Poor Johnny Storm. In Deadpool & Wolverine, the Human Torch Variant managed to avoid capture by Cassandra Nova’s minions until he got mixed up with Wade Wilson and Logan. The Merc with a Mouth couldn’t keep his yap shut while Nova interrogated the three superheroes. Wade made outrageous claims about horrible things Johnny called the powerful Void despot during the drive to her compound. Despite his stringent claims of innocence, she responded by ripping the Fantastic Four member’s skin right off his body. Why did Wade do it? Why would he make up such ridiculous, awful things and endanger the life of someone who just tried to help him? Deadpool & Wolverine‘s only post-credits scene showed he hadn’t. (Probably.)

So what actually happened to Chris Evans’ other Marvel superhero? Here’s what that post-credits scene revealed and why it was both meaningless and really funny.

When Deadpool met Cassandra Nova, he immediately (over)shared what Johnny Storm had supposedly told him about Charles Xavier’s evil twin. Deadpool regaled her with a vivid, highly-specific, over-the-top fountain of insults, profanities, threats, and boasts. The more Wade spoke, the more a desperate, scared Johnny promised Nova he hadn’t said any of that. He claimed his innocence right up until she turned him into a skinless mush of human meat and bones.

Why did Wade say any of that even as Wolverine told him to shut the f*** up? Why would Deadpool lie about someone who just tried to save him? He didn’t! In the Deadpool & Wolverine post-credits scene, Wade returned to the TVA to show the audience footage from that trip to Nova’s lair we didn’t get to see originally. It revealed Johnny really had said every horrible thing about Nova exactly as Wade claimed.

Was Wade lying after the fact? Had he deep-faked a Johnny video to get himself off the hook? Was the footage just more bullshit to cover up the bullshit that got the Human Torch de-skinned? The very good, very funny joke only works if Johnny really did say all those things to an idiot who wouldn’t know when to keep them private.

There’s reason beyond the humor of both scenes to believe Wade, too. Wolverine never disputed anything Deadpool told Nova. He merely recognized Wade was putting Johnny’s life in danger and tried to make him stop. Plus, it’s not exactly a stretch to think the brash, arrogant Johnny Storm might run his mouth. He just didn’t know not to do that in front of the Merc with an even bigger one.

What does this scene ultimately mean for Deadpool and the MCU? Nothing, really. This was an extra gag post-credits scene rather than one that works as MCU serialization. If you insist on a bigger meaning, though, it revealed Deadpool can still break the fourth wall even though the film closed the door on the Fox era of Marvel movies. That means he might continue to do so if he ever shows up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe agains.

That Johnny Storm just won’t be around to see what Wade Wilson does in the MCU. Hopefully other Human Torch Variants stuck around for Deadpool & Wolverine‘s post-credits scene to learn why they should keep their yap shut if they ever meet a hero with an even bigger mouth.

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Matthew Macfadyen’s Paradox made Wade Wilson an intriguing proposal in Deadpool & Wolverine. The TVA agent tried to get the Merc with a Mouth to abandon his universe by offering Deadpool something he desperately wanted: a chance to join the Avengers. That sales pitch included showing past achievements by Earth-616’s mightiest heroes. But Paradox accidentally showed Deadpool something he wasn’t supposed to see.

Deadpool wasn’t supposed to see it because it hasn’t happened yet. Deadpool saw himself gravely wounded while an emotional Thor comforted him. It was a memorable promise, one Wade himself made reference to later in the film. Only that meeting never happened. That left MCU fans with an obvious question: will Deadpool and Thor actually join forces in a future film, or was that moment nothing more than a fun gag?

There’s no way to know because Marvel Studios probably doesn’t know yet, either.

Thor and Deadpool’s possible future together in combat was brief yet revealed a lot. The two heroes appeared to have a close, personal relationship. An emotional, worried Thor was very upset at Deadpool’s condition. When that moment happens, they will already share a close bond, suggesting they will spend meaningful time together before that. How? Why? In what movie or Disney+ show? We want to know more than Wade did.

There are also questions about that short sequence itself. Where are they? (Both in terms of planets and universes.) What year will it take place? Who will they be fighting? Is that a potential scene from Secret Wars or another upcoming Avengers movie?

Will Deadpool also really be at death’s door? Maybe not. That brief footage on the TVA monitor was reminiscent of the over-the-top Asgardian plays seen in Thor films. The Merc with a Mouth and the God of Thunder might have a meaningful relationship at that point, but we might ultimately learn that moment isn’t as intense or dangerous as it seems. It might prove to be nothing more than a silly interaction between two characters known for big screen foolishness.

We do know how it was possible for Deadpool to see that interaction with a superhero he doesn’t even know. The TVA exists outside of time and space. In that realm the past, present, and future aren’t linear. They all exist at once. But that’s also why that moment might never actually happen. Things can change on the Sacred Timeline dramatically. Variants go to the Void and vanish forever. The TVA also monitors every branch of every multiverse, so that might have been footage of a totally different Deadpool with a totally different Thor, neither of whom we’ll ever meet.

Or we might never see that scene because it was nothing more than a funny Deadpool & Wolverine joke. That “tease” might have just been director Shawn Levy teasing fans he knew would be desperate for signs about the MCU’s future. It’s an even funnier gag if it never gets a payoff. People will wait for it to happen forever, and the longer they do the funnier it’ll get.

So which is it: a future promise or meta MCU joke? Does Marvel Studios already know exactly when that Deadpool and Thor scene will take place and in what movie? Or are there no current plans to ever revisit that scene and there never will be? The film didn’t commit to either possibility, leaving every option on the table. The gag works entirely on its own and always will, so Marvel doesn’t have to do anything. But even if that is the plan right now, Kevin Feige and cohorts can always decide to make it real later. They have the freedom to pay it off.

Even if the MCU has exact plans for Deadpool and Thor, that doesn’t mean it’ll happen. Scripts change. Executives cancel movies all the time. But that’s exactly why someday someone can also decide to make something that was only a funny gag into an actual plot point.

Marvel probably doesn’t know what the future holds for Deadpool and Thor anymore than we do. But we definitely hope the future includes them teaming up.

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We’ve always suspected that Deadpool & Wolverine was going to be a cameo-fest from Marvel movies past, especially those coming from Twentieth Century Fox. And we were totally right. Many Marvel characters from pre-MCU films appeared in the Multiversal trash heap world known as The Void. It is a place at the end of time where elements from obsolete timelines go to die. The evil Cassandra Nova, sister of Professor X, rules this Void, as a rag-tag group of forgotten heroes from past Marvel films oppose her. The movie refers to them mainly as “the Others.” But we could just as easily call them “the Avengers of the Void.” Here are the surprise heroes who made the cut for the MCU’s weirdest super team ever.

Elektra (Jennifer Garner)

Jennifer Garner returned as Elektra Nachios, the ninja assassin she played in 2003’s Daredevil and her own spin-off film, Elektra. Neither film became a hit with critics or fans. But we must confess, she was pretty awesome in Deadpool & Wolverine. She kicked the asses of Cassandra Nova’s goons with her twin sai swords, reminding us a bit of the glory days of Alias. She also got the best laugh in the movie, with a joke at the expense of her former co-star/former husband Ben Affleck, who famously played Daredevil alongside her.

Blade (Wesley Snipes)

The man who truly proved Marvel heroes could work in movies made a very welcome return in Deadpool & Wolverine. Wesley Snipes once again played The Daywalker, Blade. The half-human/half-vampire badass was subject of the first successful Marvel film in 1998. Blade helped kick off a cinematic revolution we’re still living in today. Snipes’ return was a bit of a shock, for several reasons. He allegedly did not get along with co-star Ryan Reynolds in Blade Trinity. Not to mention, the Blade films came from New Line Cinema, not Twentieth Century Fox, which Disney now owns. Thank goodness old grievances were let go, and Snipes could return to do what he does best.

The Human Torch (Chris Evans)

Audiences gasped when Captain America, the heart and soul of the MCU, returned in Deadpool & Wolverine. Except, it wasn’t actually Cap. Yes, Deadpool & Wolverine marks the return of Chris Evans to the MCU, but he played his original Marvel role, that of Johnny Storm, a.k.a. the Human Torch in The Fantastic Four. We’re not sure what became of the rest of his family in the Void (probably nothing good), but Johnny fought side by side with the Avengers of the Void—until Cassandra Nova ripped the flesh from his bones and killed him. But at least we got to see Evans shout “Flame On!” one last time. And also say a lot of curse words that would make Steve Rogers blush bright red.

Gambit (Channing Tatum)

Thought those cameos were shocking? How about an actor that never even got to play the Marvel role he coveted? Channing Tatum appears as the ragin’ Cajun X-Man known as Gambit, wearing his full Jim Lee-designed costume, made famous by X-Men: The Animated Series. Does the costume, and Tatum’s Cajun accent, all read as ridiculous in live-action? You bet. And that’s what made Tatum’s performance so delicious. This role was a very long time coming for Tatum, a huge Gambit fan. He was first announced to play the card-throwing Remy LeBeau in 2014, for a solo film. It kept getting delayed and delayed, until Disney bought Fox, and killed the project. We’re glad Marvel Studios finally let Tatum play his dream role at last.

X-23 (Dafne Keen)

The heart of this makeshift Avengers team, however, is Dafne Keen, who returns to the role of Laura Kinney/X-23. She’s the same daughter of Wolverine she played in Logan, only now she’s a young woman and not a kid anymore. She fights just like her father Logan taught her, and helps the Wolverine in this film reconnect with the hero he once was. After all, her Logan sacrificed himself to save her, and many other mutant kids. She knows this Logan is made of the same stuff. Her moments with Logan in the film are fantastic, and we hope she finds a place on any future MCU X-Men team.

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Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s MCU debut raised some obvious questions. How does their team-up connect to Fox’s X-Men movies? What did the film reveal about the TVA, the Void, and the Sacred Timeline? And when, where, and how did this crossover take place in the multiverse? Deadpool & Wolverine provided the same answer to all those questions and more: it doesn’t matter, because making sense of timelines and canon is not the point of the movie. Deadpool & Wolverine only cared about delivering a wildly entertaining, fun farewell to an entire era of superhero stories.

If you spend any time trying to “figure out” Deadpool & Wolverine‘s finer technical points—the kind we normally obsess over—you’ll quickly realize a lot of it doesn’t make sense. For example, Ryan Reynolds’ Prime Deadpool lives in the same universe, Earth-10005, as the Wolverine of Logan. That Wolverine was also that universe’s “anchor being,” and his death began (what would have been) Earth-10005’s eventual collapse. Yet that Logan died in the year 2029, five years after the setting of Deadpool & Wolverine. So if Wade could use a TVA TemPad to travel to the future and dig up that Logan’s corpse, why didn’t Wade jump to a point in the timeline where Logan was still alive instead?

Because it doesn’t matter. Just like it doesn’t matter if Earth-10005 is where every Fox era film took place in regards to the MCU. (Speaking of timelines that don’t make sense.) Nor does it matter how the end of Deadpool 2, when Wade used Cable’s time travel device to change the past, fits into anything. That’s as irrelevant as why Wade applied for a job with the Avengers on Earth-616. To focus on any questions about canon, connections, and timelines after Deadpool & Wolverine, in regards to either cinematic franchise, is to miss what Deadpool & Wolverine was actually about.

Director Shawn Levy’s movie utilized the multiverse, but it wasn’t concerned with how the multiverse works. It didn’t even really care why Deadpool or Wolverine was now in the MCU at all. (Neither did it care if either will be part of it moving forward. The movie could easily serve as both Reynolds and Jackman’s final time as their characters.)

Instead Deadpool & Wolverine was about closing the book on the Fox X-Men/Marvel cinematic universe. That’s definitely over and done with, even if certain actors (like Patrick Stewart and Kelsey Grammer) are playing their X-Men characters’ Variants in the MCU. Any questions about the Fox timeline or how it fits within the MCU simply do not matter. The only explanation we need for why Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool is now in the MCU at all is as simple as the one the Merc With a Mouth repeatedly referenced in the film: because Disney bought Deadpool’s movie rights. It’s a meta answer in a meta movie headlined by a fourth-wall breaking character. It makes perfect sense.

Maybe you hate that the film actively didn’t care about official canon or even logic. But Deadpool & Wolverine didn’t care because its focus was entirely on telling an entertaining, hilarious, emotional story that served as a celebration of an entire era of superhero movies. Its many surprise cameos work as well as they do because they weren’t included to establish those characters (or actors) in the MCU. The movie included them solely because they were fun, the single overarching ethos of Deadpool & Wolverine. This movie wanted to offer a fun experience you “felt” rather than something you had to make sense of.

Making sense of canon, timelines, and minor plot points is often the complete opposite of fun. It can be tedious and frustrating, often because it’s nearly impossible. That’s true even for the people who make these movies. Avengers: Endgame‘s directors and writers didn’t even agree on how time travel works! In an era where people use the word “homework” to describe watching most cinematic universes, especially the MCU, Deadpool & Wolverine was summer break. It was as though the film said, “School’s out! Have a blast during your time off and we’ll see you in the fall!”

That approach worked. Deadpool & Wolverine is a better movie because it actively didn’t care about unimportant details. And that meant we didn’t have to, either. Instead of questioning the logic of Wade Wilson using Logan’s skeleton, we got to merely enjoy it. Just like there was no reason to let logic prevent Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan from showing up for an absurd job interview. That was a great scene! It was simple, unencumbered fun. That’s what the movie cared about giving us rather than explaining what Wade’s failed application in a different universe might mean for his MCU future. We can worry about that in the future if it ever matters.

Deadpool & Wolverine didn’t let the “rules” of cinematic universes with all this canon and timeline stuff stop Channing Tatum from finally playing Gambit. It didn’t let logic, canon, or anything else keep Chris Evans, Wesley Snipes, and Jennifer Garner from reprising their old superhero roles. And it definitely didn’t care if the reason Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman finally got a chance to do a good Wolverine and Deapool team-up made total sense or connected movies. It didn’t do any of that because none of that mattered. The only logical explanation the film, or any of us, needed for why this movie exists is the only one the movie provided: because it could. And the only thing that matters is that it sure was fun to see.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist happy to be on summer break from MCU homework. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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George Washington “G.W.” Bridge is a character that first appeared in Marvel Comics’ mutant heyday of the ‘90s, although he’s a regular non-superpowered human. But who is this gray-haired badass who can hold multiple gigantic guns just like Cable does? Here’s the Marvel Comics history of G.W. Bridge.

G.W. Bridge Debuts in X-Force #1

G.W. Bridge has the distinction of debuting in X-Force #1, which is still the second biggest-selling comic book of all time, behind only 1991’s X-Men #1. Artist Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza co-created Bridge. They portrayed him as an African-American man, a bit on the older side, who was a Vietnam War veteran. In that first appearance, he had since become an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, with the rank of Commander. Bridge preferred the name “G.W.” or just “George,” thanks to the fact that his full name George Washington Bridge embarrassed him since childhood.

Bridge Is Both Ally and Enemy of the Mutant Cable

When Cable took command of the New Mutants and turned them into X-Force, S.H.I.E.L.D. tasked G.W. Bridge with keeping tabs on them. This was due to a somewhat complicated past that Bridge had with X-Force’s leader Cable. Years earlier, G.W. Bridge was a member of the mercenary team that went by the name the Six Pack. This team was put together by a time-traveling Cable. He not only hired Bridge for the team, but also future X-Men like Domino.

The Six Pack took on all kinds of jobs, but their primary goal was to stop Stryfe, Cable’s clone who had followed him into the past. Although the Six Pack broke up with many members at odds, Bridge eventually patched things up with Cable, and was an unofficial liaison between X-Force and S.H.I.E.L.D. In the years after S.H.I.E.L.D., he also battled the urban vigilante Frank Castle, a.k.a. the Punisher. Bridge was married, but the supervillain Basilisk tragically murdered his wife Sandy. Fridging is a real dick.

G.W. Bridge’s Powers and Abilities

George Washington Bridge has no known super powers to speak of. However, he has formidable combat skills and is a military strategist of incredible efficiency. However, it’s possible he might have some kind of power that we’ve been unaware of until now. A villain named Microchip killed him, and he later returned to life, with his mysterious resurrection unexplained. Is he a mutant too? Or was the Bridge that died merely a Life Model Decoy? Seeing as Bridge worked for S.H.I.E.L.D., we’re leaning towards Life Model Decoy.

G.W. Bridge in The MCU

We’re not entirely sure what role G.W. Bridge will play in the larger MCU going forward. Rumors circulated that Giancarlo Esposito was playing him, but that’s since been debunked. He might take over Nick Fury’s role in S.H.I.E.L.D., now that Fury is off in space. Since he has much comics history with mutants, it’s also possible he has a role in the upcoming MCU X-Men movie. Bridge is both an ally to Marvel’s heroes as much as he’s an opponent, so it’s anyone’s guess. Regardless, we have a feeling this is a character we’ll eventually see on the big or small screen at some point down the line.

The post Who G.W. Bridge? His Marvel Comics History, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

The great Kathryn Hahn just spent her week filling in as guest host on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Typically that job is about promoting other celebrities upcoming projects. But the Agatha All Along star made sure to get in a “shameless plug” via some good old fashioned “corporate synergy” during her last night in the late night chair. Normally those terms make us recoil, but this was the best kind of sales job. Hahn helped ease viewers worries about having to see every MCU release before Agatha All Along by singing the entire history of the MCU.

WandaVision‘s villain is set to lead her own Disney+ spinoff this fall. Hahn and a quartet of MCU costumed singers made sure to remind viewers of her spinoff’s upcoming release with a big catchy musical number about everything in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that has already happened. Hahn sang her way from the events of Phase 1 all the way into the franchise’s current Phase 6.

Obviously with “like 800 more movies and shows” to get through, Hahn had to skip a few stories and characters. That made all of the people and events she did include even funnier. We can’t really disagree with any of them, either. Especially not the part where she admires Steve Roger’s most enduring trait. Obviously she didn’t mention his bravery or honor. Hahn paid homage to America’s ass.

That wasn’t the only thirsty reference in this song. Not by a long Hawkeye shot. From the banKability of the OG Avengers to Thanos’ unfortunate chin, this song makes the MCU sound way less sexless than it really is. Actually, this musical number has us wondering if that’s actually true. The franchise is nothing but good looking people running around in spandex. Isn’t the whole thing thirsty?

It is, right? Guess we just needed Kathryn Hahn to sing about that to notice. That’s why it’s the kind of “shameless” plug we can support.

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The trailer for Agatha All Along just introduced us to several new witches to join Kathryn Hahn as the titular Agatha. Among them are Patti Lupone, Aubrey Plaza, and Heartstopper star Joe Locke as a male member of the coven. From the moment they announced his involvement, rumors ran rampant that he will play none other than the Young Avenger known as Wiccan, a character who also happens to be the son of the Scarlet Witch (more or less). Wiccan has become a major Marvel character since his 2005 debut, one of its most powerful magic users, and one of its most prominent LGBTQ heroes. Here’s everything you need to know about Wiccan before his (very probable) MCU debut in Agatha All Along.

Wiccan’s Young Avengers Marvel Comics Debut

The first thing to know about Wiccan is that his name wasn’t even originally Wiccan. Debuting in 2005’s Young Avengers #1, this new teen hero, created by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung, originally teased the character as related to Thor. Billy Kaplan’s hero name was Asgardian, and the creators led readers to believe he had ties to the God of Thunder. However, Billy had ties to another famous Avenger instead, Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch, and to a certain extent, the Vision.

Wiccan, the Son of Scarlet Witch and the Vision

The true origins of Wiccan actually go back to ‘80s Marvel Comics. This was when husband and wife Avengers the Scarlet Witch and the android Vision left the team. Wanda and Vision moved to the suburbs and started a family, after Wanda gave birth to twins, William and Thomas. After a few years, they revealed that Billy and Tommy were only magical constructs, a mystical creation of Wanda’s. She subconsciously created both children from lost fragments of the soul of the demon Mephisto. They were never truly “real.” They eventually disappear, with the witch Agatha Harkness wiping Wanda’s memory of their existence. This was all loosely adapted in WandaVision.

Nearly two decades later, the Scarlet Witch nearly decimated the Avengers. This was in the 2004 event Avengers Disassembled, which saw Wanda lose control of her power. In the aftermath, the Vision activates a protocol to recruit new young heroes as the next generation of Avengers. Among those heroes is a teenager named Billy Kaplan, who could wield potent magical powers. At first, his spells allowed him mainly to fly and create lightning. So he emulated Thor in his superhero career, naming himself Asgardian. When he met the other Young Avengers, the gay teen hero met and fell in love with Teddy Altman, a.k.a. Hulkling, a teen Skrull who emulated the Hulk. Billy soon changed his codename to Wiccan.

How Can Teenage Billy Kaplan Possibly be Wanda Maximoff’s Son?

Billy Kaplan believed he was the eldest of three sons born to doctors Jeff and Rebecca Kaplan. And he was, in a manner of speaking. His soul, however, was the transposed soul of Wanda’s child, also named William. Whether he was the actual reincarnation of Wanda’s child, who somehow went back in time and was reborn to another family, or if he was the soul of Wanda’s son who took over the existing body of teenager Billy Kaplan, all remains a mystery. One prevalent theory is that the real William Kaplan died, possibly in an accident. Then the soul of William Maximoff “moved in,” retaining all of the original Billy Kaplan’s memories. This remains just a theory of Wanda’s however.

Wiccan Finds His Twin Brother, Speed

As a member of the Young Avengers, Wiccan’s powers grew rapidly. He had similar reality-altering, chaos magic powers as that of his mother. This fact scared many other heroes in the Marvel Universe. Billy eventually found his soul twin Tommy, now Tommy Shephard, the super-fast hero called Speed. He joined the team as well, and eventually, Billy and Tommy went on a search for the Scarlet Witch. They eventually found her, and she confirmed they were indeed the reincarnated souls of her lost children Billy and Tommy.

Wiccan’s Magical Powers

Wiccan has incredible magical abilities which allow him to warp reality, similar to his “soul mother,” Wanda Maximoff. Wiccan’s spells work by stating intent, focusing on that outcome, and making it happen. If he says “Iwanttolevitatethiscar,” he merely has to repeat that over and over, focus on levitating the car, and it happens. Among the spells Wiccan has cast are tracking spells, teleportation spells, illusions, concussive blasts, telekinesis, and astral projection.

Wiccan Becomes the Demiurge, and Prince Consort of the Kree-Skrull Alliance

Over the years, Wiccan’s powers have grown. The Asgardian Loki believed him to be something called the Demiurge, a reality warper with nearly godlike powers. Loki was correct in his assertions, as Billy eventually evolves into Demiurge status. As the Demiurge, he had the power to view the past, present and future, as even alter the universe at will. He eventually relinquishes the power to remain mortal, believing it would corrupt him. Doctor Strange himself has called Billy Kaplan one of the most powerful sorcerers on Earth, and believes he will eventually assume the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme.

Wiccan has stayed with his boyfriend Teddy through thick and thin. The pair served together on teams like the Young Avengers, Idea Mechanics, and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Eventually, they joined the proper “grown-up” Avengers squad. After many years of courtship, Billy married his longtime boyfriend Teddy Altman/Hulkling, who is the ruler of the Kree/Skrull Alliance. He became Prince Consort, and Court Wizard of the Alliance.

Wiccan in the MCU

How they will portray Wiccan in the MCU on Agatha All Along will no doubt be very different from his comic book appearances. We know Joe Locke is part of the witches coven from the trailer for the series, but that’s it. We also know the young actor who played preteen Billy on WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is obviously not playing him. So how can this be Billy Kaplan/Billy Maximoff?

Our best guess is the MCU is going with the “transposed soul” theory for Billy (and eventually, Tommy). We think the soul of Billy Maximoff took hold of Billy Kaplan’s body, after the hex on Westview fell. Perhaps Billy Kaplan “died” in some kind of incident, and Billy Maximoff’s soul took residence. He might not even know what he really is. Hopefully, with The Marvels teasing a Young Avengers project, we’ll see Wiccan suit up as a hero before too long. We’ll have to wait and see when Agatha All Along premieres on Disney+ this fall.

The post Who is Wiccan? The AGATHA ALL ALONG Character’s Marvel Comics History, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

Like any good long-running fictional universe worth its name, the MCU has a metric ton of iconic objects throughout its 16 years of films and TV series. Of course, there are obvious things everyone knows, like Cap’s shield, or the Tesseract. But the MCU has many other objects we all want on our shelves too. Even if they are smaller versions. Thanks to the folks at Fanhome and their new subscription service, we can now turn your home into something of a Marvel Cinematic Universe Museum.

Fanhome specializes in subscription-based collections and models, and is bringing a collection of iconic replica items from the MCU to fans and collectors with the launch of the Marvel Movie Replicas collection. Among these items are Doctor Stange’s Eye of Agamotto, plus helmets for Loki, Iron Man, Cap, Black Panther, Ant-Man, Star-Lord, and Spider-Man. There’s an Infinity Nano Gauntlet, and even Thor’s mystic hammer Mjölnir. You can check out images of the first Marvel Movie Replicas in the collection in our gallery below:

Click To View Gallery

Produced from the Marvel Studios Movie archives, the’ve recreated the replicas in this collection with incredible detail. Each one is based on original production materials and constructed from metal and ABS plastic components. Throughout the subscription, collectors and MCU fans will deepen their knowledge about all these artifacts with an informative magazine that comes with each month’s shipment. You’ll be able to go behind the scenes with Marvel creators like Matt Fraction, Salvador Larroca, and Brian Michael Bendis.

At various stages throughout the subscription, collectors also will receive exclusive gifts from Fanhome. Among these are three full-color frame-worthy posters from Marvel (60x80cm / 23×31 inches), a ceramic mug with the Marvel logo, a light-up miniature of Tony Stark’s ARC Reactor, and a miniature metal replica of Thor’s hammer (15cm / 6 inches). Fans that upgrade to the Marvel Movie Museum Premium Subscription will receive several exclusive Iron Man helmets as well. And we all know that Tony had a lot of variant Iron Man helmets. For more information and sign-up details, click here.

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There was much speculation about whether the MCU’s The Fantastic Four movie would be a period piece after its first piece of artwork was revealed. The poster certainly did evoke a certain ’60s sensibility. However, Marvel Studios did not comment further about whether the movie would be set in a previous era at the time. Now, though, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige has confirmed on The Official Marvel Podcast that The Fantastic Four will indeed be a period piece set in the 1960s. You can take a look at the poster that kicked off all the speculation below and then see what Feige has to say exactly about The Fantastic Four and its setting.

When asked directly if The Fantastic Four would be set in the ’60s, as hinted, Feige said, “Yes, yes, very much so. It is a period.” However, we don’t yet know which version of the 1960s exactly we’ll see on screen. Feige teased that while The Fantastic Four might be a period piece, it won’t necessarily be set in the 1960s as it takes place on Earth in the main MCU timeline.

Feige notes, “There was another piece of art we released with Johnny Storm flying in the air, making a four symbol. There was a cityscape in the corner of that image and there was a lot of smart people who noticed that cityscape didn’t look exactly like the New York that we know and the New York that existed in the ’60s in our world. And those are smart observations, I’ll say.”

It sounds like Feige is hinting that though we can expect a period piece, the MCU will certainly turn the setting of The Fantastic Four on its head. That could mean more than a few different things, including alternate dimensions, time travel shenanigans, or other generalized multiversal mayhem. We’ll have to stay tuned to find out.

Feige also noted that The Fantastic Four will begin production on July 29, 2024, just after San Diego Comic-Con. The Marvel boss reveals his excitement for the film, sharing: “I’m extremely excited by it because I think those characters are mainstays, are legendary pillars of the Marvel universe that we’ve never got to play with or explore in any significant way, apart from Multiverse of Madness and a few fun teases before. In the way that we’re doing it in that film.”

The Fantastic Four will release on July 25, 2025. It will star Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, a.k.a. the Invisible Woman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing, and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, a.k.a. the Human Torch. We can’t wait to see what kind of period piece The Fantastic Four brings to life.

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A recent report about Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy being offered a fifth Avengers movie contained a spicy nugget of information. The next film is said to be bringing back a whopping 60 characters. You thought 30 main characters in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame was massive? Marvel is going to try and outdo that. Now, we have a suspicion it’s 60 characters spread across two films—The Kang Dynasty (or whatever Avengers 5 is called) and Secret Wars. Regardless, 60 is a lot. And here are our best guesses on who makes the cut. And who doesn’t, and why.

The Variants

A lot of marquee Avengers are currently dead, really old, or exist in another studios’ universe, like Sony’s Spider-heroes. This is the Multiverse Saga though. We fully expect these variants from other realities to appear, if not in Avengers 5, then in Avengers: Secret Wars.

1. Iron Man/Tony Stark

The Tony Stark of the 616 universe might have died saving reality, but we’d be shocked if his variant, played by Robert Downey Jr., did not return. He recently said he’s “surprisingly open-minded” about a return. That tells us all we need to know.

2. Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff

Just like Tony, Nat died saving reality. But a variant of her must exist out there, ready to be Black Widow again. We expect Scarlett Johannson to return for an OG Avengers actor reunion.

3. Captain America/Steve Rogers

Technically, the 616 Steve is still alive. He’s just very, very old. But we want to see Cap in his prime throwing the shield, and the only way to do that is to get a young Cap variant from the Multiverse.

4. Loki

Technically, the Loki we meet in his own Disney+ series is a variant, even if Tom Hiddleston’s character is now the God of Stories, keeping the Multiverse functioning.

5. Spider-Man I

Since No Way Home, we’ve learned that the Tobey Maguire Spidey from the Sam Raimi films is a variant. So we expect to to see the classic cinematic Peter Parker show up in Avengers 5.

6. Spider-Man II

Everything we just said about Tobey’s Spidey applies to Andrew Garfield’s as well.

7. Thanos

The “Big Bad” of the Infinity Saga may have died, but another version exists out there. We expect to see John Brolin return as a version of the Mad Titan, even if he’s not the primary villain.

8. Captain Peggy Carter

Although the version of Captain Carter from Earth-838 was killed by an angry Scarlet Witch in Multiverse of Madness, the What If…? series showed us another is out there. We’d love to see her fight alongside Steve Rogers.

The Mighty Avengers

9. Thor

The God of Thunder is one of the primary core Avengers. No way Chris Hemsworth won’t come back for a reunion.

10 Hulk (Bruce Banner)

Mark Ruffalo is always game to play Bruce Banner. We can’t imagine the Jade Giant sits this one out.

11. Hawkeye (Clint Barton)

Clint Barton might be retired, but he’ll always come calling if the Avengers need him. Jeremy Renner seems like a shoo-in.

12. Nick Fury

The greatest spy on Eath’s solo series Secret Invasion may have disappointed most, but he’s an eternal presence throughout the MCU. Samuel L. Jackson needs to be there.

13. War Machine (James Rhodes)

After being wasted in Secret Invasion, here’s hoping we see Don Cheadle in the suit again in Avengers 5 and 6. Also, we will never believe the War Machine in Endgame was a Skrull. Stop trying to make Fetch happen.

14. Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers)

At the end of The Marvels, Carol Danvers has moved back to Earth, ready to be called to action. We can’t imagine Carol won’t return as Captain Marvel. Brie Larson’s cosmic protector is too powerful to leave benched for a big event.

15. Captain America (Sam Wilson)

Our new Cap, Sam Wilson, is definitely going to be on an Avengers team in whatever the new iteration of the team is. Count on seeing Anthony Mackie on the roster.

16. Ant-Man (Scott Lang)

Ok, so the third Ant-Man film didn’t set the world on fire. We still love Scott Lang, and Paul Rudd needs to be there for whatever happens in Avengers 5. And not just as a giant corpse, like in Deadpool & Wolverine.

We should note, we didn’t include Wasp, as Evangeline Lilly has announced she’s retired from acting for now. It is unlikely they’d recast her. We also think both Hank and Janet Pym have earned a happy retirement. Besides, those iconic actors, Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer, are expensive for the relatively tiny roles they’d play.

17. Vision

We expect an emotional reunion between Paul Bettany’s android who cries and his beloved Wanda in Avengers 5, after the events of his upcoming solo series.

18. Monica Rambeau

We’re not sure what her superhero codename is yet (Captain Marvel II? Photon? Spectrum?) But Teyonah Parris definitely needs to return for a fifth Avengers movie.

19. Spider-Man III (Peter Parker)

The friendly neighborhood Spider-Man of Earth 616, played by Tom Holland, is gonna be a key player. We fully expect this Peter Parker to have a big role in the Avengers going forward. And we are dying to see that Tony Stark/Peter Parker reunion.

The Mystics, and Those From Mystic Lands

20. Doctor Strange

He may not be Sorcerer Supreme anymore, but he’s still Earth’s most powerful mage. Benedict Cumberbatch will almost certainly return as Stephen Strange to help save reality once again.

21. Wong

The current Sorcerer Supreme, there’s no way Benedict Wong’s character won’t pop up. He will have to be there, wielding his sling-ring.

22. Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)

Yeah, we know. Wanda Maximoff supposedly died in Multiverse of Madness. However, no body, no death. Those are comic book rules. We expect to see Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlet Witch, decked out in red again.

23. Clea

Oscar winner Charlize Theron appeared in the end credits tag after Multiverse of Madness, but nothing has been done with that little cliffhanger. Now would be the time to call in Clea from the Dark Dimension.

24. Namor

We haven’t seen the undersea ruler since Wakanda Forever, but he’s been an Avenger in the comics. Now would be a good time for him to join up.

25. Shang-Chi

Carol Danvers and Bruce Banner welcomed Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi into the world of the Avengers at the end of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and it’s time to pay that off.

The Young Avengers

26. Cassie Lang

The daughter of Ant-Man, the now teenage Cassie has dad’s powers, and is a superhero in her own right. Hopefully, we’ll see Kathryn Newton suit up as a Young Avenger.

27. Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan)

At the end of The Marvels, we see young Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) approach Kate Bishop about forming a Young Avengers team. We imagine if the Young Avengers are formed, they’ll play a part in Avengers 5, with Kamala leading the way.

28. Hawkeye II (Kate Bishop)

The arrow-shooting heroine is a lead Young Avengers hero in the comics, so we think Hailee Steinfeld will have to appear in this film, alongside her buddy Clint Barton.

29. Wiccan (Billy Kaplan)

Although not 100% confirmed, it seems that Joe Locke from Heartstopper is playing Wiccan in Agatha All Along. As a very powerful Young Avenger, we expect him in a big league Avengers film.

30. America Chavez

The dimension-hopping teen (Xochitl Gomez) played a big role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. With the Multiverse being a big deal going forward, we doubt that she’ll miss Avengers 5.

The World of Wakanda

If there’s a reality-shaking event, then the citizens of Wakanda should be in the thick of it. We think some characters have earned a rest, like Nakia, but we expect most of these major players to be alongside the Avengers.

31. Black Panther (Shuri)

The current Black Panther, Princess Shuri, played by Letitia Wright, has to represent Wakanda in whatever world-shaking events will take place in the future Avengers.

32. M’Baku

At the end of Wakanda Forever, Shuri left M’Baku as the steward of Wakanda, until T’Challa II comes of age. So whatever big events happen that involve Wakanda, Winston Duke’s character will have to return.

33. Black Panther (T’Challa II)

We think thanks to time travel or Multiversal shenanigans, we’ll see an older version of T’Challa’s son take his place as the Avengers’ Black Panther in this movie.

34. Okoye

Although no longer head of the Dora Milaje, the Wakanda national is now a Midnight Angel. Time for this angel to join the Avengers on their next big screen

35. Ironheart (RiRi Williams)

Another character who debuted in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, this inheritor of the Iron Man legacy is set for her own Disney+ show soon. And we expect her to be part of a new Avengers movie.

The Streaming Series Stars

Ever since Netflix, and now Disney+, there have been several heroes who star in streaming series who need to make the jump to the big screen. We left off Jessica Jones and Punisher, only because their worlds are so extra street level, as to not fit into an Avengers story.

36. Moon Knight (Marc Spector)

We don’t know what the deal is with Moon Knight season 2, but we feel Oscar Isaac’s Avatar of Konshu should be there for whatever big Multiversal event takes place.

37. Daredevil (Matt Murdock)

The original Marvel Neflix star, the blind vigilante/lawyer is now officially a part of the MCU. Even if it’s just a cameo, we expect Charlie Cox to be swing by and knock a few bad guys out.

38. Luke Cage

The venerable hero of Harlem, we last saw Mike Colter’s bulletproof badass at the end of season two of his self-titled Netflix show. It’s time for him to join the big leagues and become an Avenger.

39. She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters)

We’re currently not sure if the gamma-powered lawyer is going to get another season of her Disney+ series, but Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) definitely needs to lend her considerable strength to the Avengers for whatever is coming next.

40. Wonder Man

His show has yet to debut, but this longtime Avenger (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen) needs to fight alongside his comic book teammates at some point. Why not Avengers 5 and 6?

The Thunderbolts

We have a strong feeling that many of the Thunderbolts won’t survive their own upcoming movie. But if any two are going to make it out alive, and into an Avengers 5, it’s these two.

41. The Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes)

The former Hydra assassin and BFF of Steve Rogers, should the Winter Soldier survive the events of the upcoming Thunderbolts, actor Sebastian Stan should definitely to the role, and appear alongside the Avengers.

42. Yelena Belova

The adopted sister of Natasha Romanoff, Yelena Belova, played by Florence Pugh, has appeared in Black Widow, Hawkeye, and soon, in Thunderbolts. It’s time for her to graduate to Avengers status.

The Cosmic Heroes

After Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, many of the original Guardians have earned their retirement from superheroing. Also, Zoe Saldana and Dave Bautista have made it very clear they are done with Gamora and Drax, respectively. Nebula has chosen to remain on Knowhere with Drax. And Mantis just wants a different kind of life now. This is why we didn’t include them.

43. Star-Lord (Peter Quill)

The former leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, he returned home to Earth after decades to live with his grandpa. Now that he’s on Earth, Chris Pratt’s space hero will likely team up with the Avengers, and probably his former Guardian friends, one more time.

44. Rocket Raccoon

The irritable raccoon creation of the High Evolutionary, he now leads a new team of Guardians. If the Multiverse is in danger, we expect Rocket to show up and help save it. And maybe steal some stuff.

45. Groot

He is Groot.

46. Adam Warlock

A major Marvel hero with a relatively minor role in the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, an upcoming Avengers film might be the best plan to let a golden-skinned Will Poulter shine.

47. Valkyrie

The current King of Asgard, Valkyrie is always itching for battle. So we say let Tessa Thompson pick up the sword one more time and fight on the side of her buddy Thor and his fellow Avengers. Maybe bring that flying horse again.

The Marvel Mutants

48. Deadpool

With Shawn Levy in talks to direct Avengers 5, having completed Deadpool & Wolverine, we are pretty sure he’ll bring in Wade Wilson in a major role. We simply can’t imagine Ryan Reynolds not appearing in some capacity.

49. Wolverine

We don’t buy that Hugh Jackman’s Deadpool & Wolverine performance as being his last as Logan. Fool us once, good sir. He’ll be popping those claws as an Avenger. Or at an Avenger.

50-59. The X-Men

Yes, we think all of the original Fox X-Men are appearing in the last Avengers movies. We’re talking Cyclops (James Marsden), Storm (Halle Berry) Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), Rogue (Anna Paquin), Beast (Kelsey Grammar), Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) Professor X (Patrick Stewart), Magneto (Sir Ian McKellen) and Mystique (Rebecca Romijn), and Stefan Kapičić as Colossus.

60. Kang the Conqueror

Oh yeah, this movie needs a villain. Whether Avengers 5 is called The Kang Dynasty or something else, we are pretty sure the time-controlling villain will play a part. We’re also sure he won’t be played by Jonathan Majors this time. But some variant from the Multiverse will fill his shoes.

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What was once Avengers: Kang Dynasty now has a big question mark around it. Recently, it was announced that the now-reconceived fifth Avengers movie would be written by Michael Waldron. And now it seems that Marvel Studios is tapping another familiar name for the new Avengers movie, Deadpool & Wolverine’s Shawn Levy.

Deadline reports that Levy “may be the studio’s choice” for directing the upcoming Avengers film. The MCU movie remains in very early phases of development, so we’ll have to wait and see what exactly will become of it.

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Giancarlo Esposito is a veteran working actor who ascended to “TV’s greatest villain” thanks to his roles in Breaking Bad, The Mandalorian, and The Boys. And he’s long made his intentions very known about wanting to be a part of the MCU. For a long time, he campaigned to play Professor X in the MCU’s X-Men reboot. But now it seems he snagged another MCU role, one he described as appearing briefly first (probably a post-credits cameo) and then in a larger capacity in a Disney+ series. Here’s what he said:

I cannot promise you it’ll be Professor X, because here’s what I think. I think that there’s something about being original. We’ve seen different versions of Professor X. Wouldn’t you like to see me play a character in a Marvel movie who is original, and new, and fresh? So, mark my words: This will happen sooner than you think.

Thanks to a photo of Giancarlo Esposito in costume that appeared online, it seems Esposito is showing up first in Captain America: Brave New World. Based on these criteria, these are our guesses for Esposito’s upcoming MCU role. A reminder, Esposito said “new and fresh,” which makes us think he’s not a previously established Marvel movie character. Yes, we also realize all of these are villains or adversary-type roles. At this point, it’s clear Esposito has no problem leaning into his talents at playing Machiavellian villains. This is a guy who loves playing baddies, so we’re taking that into account.

Henry Peter Gyrich

Recent set photos show Giancarlo Esposito on the set of Captain America: Brave New World, looking very much like himself and not in some Mocap suit, only strapped with knives and wearing a jacket and sunglasses. He definitely looks like some kind of government agent type. Could he be playing Henry Peter Gyrich? That character in the comics has a long history of being an adversary to both the X-Men and the Avengers. In X-Men lore, he helps fund the robotic Sentinels through Project: Wideawake, who try to destroy mutantkind.

In the classic X-Men: The Animated Series, Henry Gyrich even tries to assassinate Charles Xavier. In the comics, before he became an X-Men villain, he was the government stooge attached to the Avengers, who tried to control their membership limits and who was on the team. The way Esposito is working those sunglasses, he could be Gyrich. He’d appear first in Captain America, before perhaps playing a bigger part in a future mutant-related Disney+ series. We know Esposito stressed this was a new role, and Gyrich appeared in X-Men in 2000. That appearance was just a cameo though, so we think it doesn’t really count. Right now, Gyrich is our #1 choice.

Baron Blood

First appearing in 1976, Baron Blood is a vampire villain who often fought Captain America. In the pages of Marvel Comics, John Falsworth was a British aristocrat, who during the early part of the 20th century was transformed into a vampire by Dracula himself. He fought Captain America and the Invaders during World War II, and eventually, he (and those who succeeded him in the title) became an enemy of Blade, the Vampire Hunter. We could see Esposito playing a version of Baron Blood, perhaps having a supporting vampiric role in the eventual Blade reboot, before starring in a potential Midnight Suns series as the lead villain. If you saw Abigail, you know Esposito was born to play the undead. Maybe he appears as Blood in the modern-day in Captain America: New World Order first? Although, those set pics show him in broad daylight. Another Daywalker?

Mister Sinister

Almost all of the major X-Men villains have appeared in live-action during the Fox era. So when Kevin Feige reboots Marvel’s mutants for the MCU, there is going to be a lot of new versions of classic characters. Yet one major X-Men villain has never shown up in live-action, and he’s rumored to be the “Big Bad” of the MCU X-Men, and that’s Mister Sinister. The nearly immortal, 19th-century geneticist (real name Nathaniel Essex) is the perfect erudite and scheming villain that Esposito has made his name playing. And with Sinister, he’d be introducing a role to live-action, not having to do a part someone else made famous already. We could see him cameo first in his Nathaniel Essex persona, before appearing in a Disney+ X-Men related series.

The Mad Thinker

First appearing as an adversary in Fantastic Four, the genius scientist the Mad Thinker was infamous for creating one advanced A.I. after another. These machines ranged from the android Quasimodo to the Awesome Android. Julius (his only known name) was a recurring thorn in the side of the FF. Yet with his robotic know-how, he could be a real threat to someone like the Vision. We think it’s possible that Esposito is cast as the Mad Thinker, who may appear in Captain America: New World Order, then later perhaps in Fantastic Four. Then later, he could become the primary antagonist in the upcoming Vision series for Disney+.

Originally published on May 28, 2024.

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For just over a decade, if anyone could claim to be the center of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was Robert Downey Jr. His Tony Stark began the whole franchise in Iron Man and remained its wisecracking core up until his bombastic final bow in Avengers: Endgame. That ending seemed pretty definitive, and we certainly didn’t expect he’d return to the role ever. But, movie and comic magic is a real thing. Yet, on a recent installment of Variety‘s “Actors on Actors” series (h/t: ComicBook), he said he’s “surprisingly open-minded” about putting on the suit again.

Downey told fellow Oscar nominee Jodie Foster “It’s just crazily in my DNA. Probably the most like-me character I’ve ever played, even though he’s way cooler than I am. I’ve become surprisingly open-minded to the idea… It really is crazy because we look pretty good. I was actually looking at the stills we were taking, making sure: “Do we still look kind of OK?” I’m like, ‘We look pretty good.'”

The royal “we,” evidently.

With a Secret Wars movie still in the cards, it’s highly likely Kevin Feige will find a way to bring some of the old guard back. That saga merges universes, after all. Who says other Iron Mans aren’t still kicking out there, if the price is right. Robert Downey Jr. don’t come cheap. Either of them.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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