At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, Marvel Studios unveiled exciting news about the future of the MCU, including the thrilling announcement that Robert Downey, Jr. is returning to the MCU to play Doctor Doom. Doom will play a pivotal role in the climax of the Multiverse Saga, featuring prominently in both 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. Additionally, in a surprising twist, it was revealed that Kelsey Grammer will reprise his role as Beast in Doomsday, expanding on his cameo in 2023's The Marvels.
The announcement has sparked speculation that Avengers: Doomsday might be a covert adaptation of the epic comic crossover, Avengers vs. X-Men. Could this be setting the stage for a cinematic showdown between the Avengers and the X-Men? Let's delve into the iconic comic storyline and explore how it could be adapted for the MCU.
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What Is Avengers vs. X-Men?
The Avengers and X-Men have been intersecting since their inception in the early 1960s, collaborating in epic tales like 1984’s Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars and 2008’s Secret Invasion. However, the 2012 Avengers vs. X-Men storyline is unique because it portrays these two groups not as allies, but as adversaries.
The backdrop for AvX is a dark period for the X-Men, following Scarlet Witch’s actions in 2005’s House of M, which drastically reduced the mutant population to the brink of extinction. Internal conflicts within the X-Men further complicate matters, with Wolverine and Cyclops leading rival factions. Amidst this turmoil, the Phoenix Force emerges, heading towards Earth, setting the stage for a major confrontation.
Art by Jim Cheung. (Image Credit: Marvel)
The Avengers see the Phoenix Force as a dire threat to Earth, while Cyclops views it as a potential savior for mutantkind. This fundamental disagreement leads to war when the Avengers attempt to destroy the Phoenix Force. The narrative is enriched by unexpected alliances, such as Wolverine joining the Avengers despite his mutant heritage, and Storm's dual allegiance to both teams.
AvX unfolds in three acts. Initially, the X-Men are the underdogs fighting to protect the Phoenix Force. However, when Iron Man's plan backfires and splits the Phoenix into five fragments, empowering Cyclops, Emma Frost, Namor, Colossus, and Magik, the newly formed Phoenix Five shift the balance, forcing the Avengers into retreat.
Art by Olivier Coipel. (Image Credit: Marvel)
In the final act, Cyclops, possessed by the Phoenix Force, becomes Dark Phoenix and kills Charles Xavier. However, the story concludes on a hopeful note as Hope Summers, with Scarlet Witch’s assistance, uses the Phoenix Force to restore the mutant gene, providing a new beginning for mutants.
How the MCU Is Adapting Avengers vs. X-Men
Details about Avengers: Doomsday are still emerging, but the shift from Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to Avengers: Doomsday indicates a significant change in the Multiverse Saga's narrative, especially following the studio's decision to move away from Jonathan Majors and focus on Doom. Currently, the MCU lacks a formal Avengers team, and the X-Men are even less established, with only a few mutants introduced so far, including Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan and Tenoch Huerta’s Namor. Other X-Men characters, such as Kelsey Grammer’s Beast in The Marvels and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverines in Deadpool & Wolverine, hail from alternate universes.
Who Are the Mutants of the MCU?
Here’s a quick rundown of every mutant character confirmed to exist in the MCU’s Earth-616:
- Ms. Marvel
- Mr. Immortal
- Namor
- Wolverine
- Ursa Major
- Sabra/Ruth Bat-Seraph
It’s worth noting that Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, traditionally mutants in the comics, have yet to be confirmed as such in the MCU.
The question remains: why adapt Avengers vs. X-Men now? The answer likely lies within the multiverse narrative. We theorize that Avengers: Doomsday could involve a conflict between the MCU's heroes and those from the Fox X-Men universe, building on the post-credits scene in The Marvels where Kelsey Grammer’s Beast cares for Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau, who appears to be trapped in the Fox universe.
Art by Jim Cheung. (Image Credit: Marvel)
This storyline could draw inspiration from both AvX and the first chapter of the 2015 Secret Wars series, where an Incursion between the Marvel Universe and the Ultimate Universe leads to a battle for survival. In the MCU, a similar Incursion between Earth-616 and Earth-10005 might force the Avengers and X-Men into a desperate fight, with the survival of their worlds hanging in the balance.
This setup promises thrilling matchups, like Captain America versus Wolverine, and could explore the internal conflicts of characters like Ms. Marvel and Deadpool, caught between loyalties.
How Doctor Doom Fits In
Art by Bryan Hitch. (Image Credit: Marvel)
Doctor Doom's role in this saga is crucial. Known for seizing power and manipulating heroes, Doom could exploit the conflict between the Avengers and X-Men to further his own ambitions. He might see the X-Men as a tool to weaken the Avengers, making the world more susceptible to his control. Just as Zemo orchestrated the conflict in Captain America: Civil War, Doom could be the unseen hand driving the chaos in Avengers: Doomsday.
Moreover, Doom's actions in the comics contribute to the multiverse's collapse, which could be mirrored in the MCU, setting the stage for the events leading to Secret Wars.
How Avengers: Doomsday Leads Into Secret Wars
Originally titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, Avengers: Doomsday is expected to serve as a crucial precursor to Avengers: Secret Wars, much like Infinity War set up Endgame. Drawing from the 2015 Secret Wars comic, Doomsday might conclude with the multiverse's destruction, leaving only Battleworld, a patchwork reality crafted by Doom.
Art by Alex Ross. (Image Credit: Marvel)
This would lead into Secret Wars, where a diverse roster of Marvel heroes from various realities unites to restore the multiverse and overthrow Doom, setting the stage for a new dawn in the MCU.
For more on the MCU's future, explore why Secret Wars now has the perfect villain in Downey's Doom, and stay updated on all upcoming Marvel movies and series.
Note: this article was originally published on 09/02/2024 and updated on 03/26/2025 with the latest news about Avengers: Doomsday.
