The Marvel Cinematic Universe is clearly in a weird limbo, and it looks like fans will have to wait until Avengers: Secret Wars for things to fully click again.
But before we even get there, Avengers: Doomsday is shaping up to be a beast of a film. And if rumors are true, this next chapter could deliver something fans have been dreaming of for over a decade – the ultimate Avengers vs. X-Men showdown.
According to scooper Daniel Richtman, the production for Avengers: Doomsday is currently filming an all-out brawl between the Avengers and the X-Men. Yeah, seriously. Not just any X-Men either, we’re talking comic-accurate costumes and all. If this turns out to be legit, it could be the single most hyped MCU moment since Cap lifted Mjolnir. That said, don’t expect the full A-list X-Men squad just yet. Some of the bigger names are reportedly still MIA, but we’re inching closer to that massive crossover that’s been teased since Disney bought Fox.
This isn’t just about mutants fighting Earth’s Mightiest Heroes either. There’s more chaos brewing behind the scenes. Word is Marvel Studios might also be quietly developing a live-action Annihilators movie. For those not knee-deep in comic lore, that team includes cosmic powerhouses like Silver Surfer, Quasar, Beta Ray Bill, Gladiator, and even Ronan the Accuser and Cosmo. Yeah, the talking space dog from Guardians of the Galaxy. The lineup alone would make it Marvel’s weirdest and most cosmic team-up to date.
The Annihilators movie sounds like the perfect launchpad to introduce fan-favorite characters like Nova, especially since his solo TV series has apparently been benched. It also creates room for some old favorites to return – think Star-Lord, maybe even a few Guardians who didn’t get the spotlight they deserved.
On top of all this chaos, Anthony Mackie, who’s busy promoting Captain America: Brave New World, dropped a few mutant-related wishes of his own. Turns out, Mackie is a massive Cyclops fan. Like, high-school-keychain-level fan. He even said he wants Sam Wilson to share the screen with Cyclops, Xavier, Beast, and especially Nightcrawler. And his vision? Sam and Nightcrawler tearing it up in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. We don’t hate it.
But let’s talk about that Avengers vs. X-Men stuff again. The rumors go deeper. Actor Alan Cumming, who played Nightcrawler in X2, has hinted that Nightcrawler could end up fighting Pedro Pascal’s Mister Fantastic. That tiny nugget adds more fuel to the theory that Doctor Doom is somehow involved and maybe even orchestrating the whole war.
If that’s not wild enough, Robert Downey Jr. recently shared a behind-the-scenes pic from the Doomsday set. His face was dotted up with motion capture markers, which has fans wondering if he’s about to return as either a multiverse Tony Stark or as part of Doom’s Iron Man-inspired armor. Some concept art floating around even shows Doom rocking a mask that looks suspiciously like Downey Jr.’s face – either that or we’re about to see Doom’s actual scarred mug, which is just as chilling.
Let’s be real – this all sounds incredibly ambitious, but with the Russo Brothers reportedly coming back to direct Avengers: Doomsday, anything feels possible. These guys brought us Infinity War and Endgame, and now they might be cooking up the biggest battle the MCU has ever attempted.
The film, set to drop on May 1, 2026, will lead right into Secret Wars, which is slated for May 7, 2027. The buzz is building, the rumors are flying, and honestly, it finally feels like Marvel Studios might be back on its game.
If Avengers: Doomsday actually delivers on these fights, brings in the mutants, launches a cosmic Annihilators movie, and gives Doom his proper live-action moment, we could be looking at the true rebirth of the MCU.
Stay tuned. This ride’s about to get insane.
