Avengers: Secret Wars – Release date, cast speculation and plot theories
Secret Wars will be the culmination of nearly two decades of MCU stories – with a founding member returning in a new role.
Following a blockbuster San Diego Comic-Con panel, Avengers: Secret Wars has suddenly become one of the most talked-about projects in Hollywood.
Academy Award winner Robert Downey Jr will star in the epic crossover film (and its precursor Avengers: Doomsday) as the legendary villain Victor von Doom.
The announcement provoked a mixed response of excitement and confusion, with fans immediately speculating on whether the Fantastic Four's arch-nemesis will be a Tony Stark variant or allowed to stand on his own.
Whichever the case, Secret Wars looks poised to be one of the most ambitious projects Marvel Studios has ever attempted, with one report claiming more than 60 established characters could appear in the film.
If you're as excited as we are, read on for a round-up of everything we know so far about Avengers: Secret Wars, from release date to confirmed and rumoured cast members.
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Avengers: Secret Wars release date
Avengers: Secret Wars is scheduled for release in cinemas on Friday 7th May 2027, kicking off that year's summer movie season just as Infinity War and Endgame did before it.
The road to the screen for the next Marvel team-up has been a rocky one, facing delays caused by the Hollywood strikes and a rethink at Marvel Studios in the wake of some high-profile disappointments.
However, the splashy announcement of Downey Jr's return has certainly succeeded in reigniting interest in the project, even if some fans are unsure whether the casting makes complete sense.
Who will star in Avengers: Secret Wars? Confirmed and rumoured names
The big news coming out of San Diego Comic-Con 2024 is that Robert Downey Jr will star in Avengers: Secret Wars (and the preceding Doomsday) as fan favourite comic book villain Doctor Doom.
It's yet to be explained how, if at all, this role will relate to his earlier work as Tony Stark (aka Iron Man), with many fans hoping that the two characters will be kept separate and distinct.
The news came along with confirmation that Doom's arch-nemeses, the Fantastic Four, would be following him into the two crossover flicks, with Infinity War and Endgame directors Anthony and Joe Russo at the helm.
Benedict Cumberbatch has also confirmed his involvement in the next Avengers movies (via Entertainment Weekly), following the box office success of Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Here's an overview of the Avengers: Secret Wars cast so far – expect this to grow substantially in the coming months:
Confirmed cast
- Robert Downey Jr as Victor von Doom aka Doctor Doom
- Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange aka Doctor Strange
- Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards aka Mr Fantastic
- Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm aka Invisible Woman
- Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm aka Human Torch
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm aka The Thing
In June 2024, a report by Deadline claimed that Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars could bring more than 60 established MCU characters back into the fray, with the latter entry likely to see the most cameos if the source material is anything to go by.
The Secret Wars comic book sees the universe as we know it destroyed and a surreal new reality known as Battleworld established in its place; essentially a hodgepodge of Marvel multiverses assembled on a single dangerous planet.
The premise would make it possible for numerous Marvel stars, past and present, to return – we've compiled a list of some prominent names below, based on their prominence during phases four and five of the blockbuster franchise.
Rumoured/likely cast
- Chris Hemsworth as Thor
- Simu Liu as Shang-Chi
- Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson aka Captain America
- Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes aka Winter Soldier
- Paul Rudd as Scott Lang aka Ant-Man
- Brie Larson as Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel
- Tom Holland as Peter Parker aka Spider-Man
- Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson aka Deadpool
- Tom Hiddleston as Loki
- Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova aka Black Widow
- Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau
- Chris Pratt as Peter Quill aka Star-Lord
- Danai Gurira as Okoye
- Benedict Wong as Wong
- Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner aka Hulk
- Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters aka She-Hulk
- Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock aka Daredevil
With Secret Wars set to serve as the concluding chapter of Marvel's multiverse saga, some fans are hoping it will be the last hurrah for several actors from the pre-MCU years of comic book cinema.
Particularly high on fan wish lists are Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield (last seen in Spider-Man: No Way Home) as well as Hugh Jackman and other cast members from Fox's X-Men (who were notably absent from Deadpool & Wolverine).
For now, we can only cross our fingers and speculate on whether our personal favourites will appear. We'll update this page whenever official announcements are made.
What could happen in Avengers: Secret Wars?
There have been two major Secret Wars storylines in the comic books, which are very different in style and substance despite sharing the same title.
Starting in 1984, the first Secret Wars saw the most famous heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe transported to Battleworld by a cosmic entity known as the Beyonder, and forced to duke it out for his entertainment.
While commercially successful, the comic event was panned by critics at the time for its shallow story, although it remains a nostalgic favourite among fans who were growing up at the time.
In 2015, a modern take on Secret Wars unfolded to a much warmer critical reception, seeing Earth-616 (the main Marvel Universe) collide with the Ultimate Marvel Universe (birthplace of Miles Morales) in a cataclysmic incursion.
In an attempt to prevent complete annihilation, Doctor Doom harnesses the power of the Beyonders to create a new Battleworld, which is an amalgamation of every alternate reality in the Marvel Universe. Naturally, he also installs himself as Emperor.
The heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe have no memory of their life before Doom's new order, which is why most don't question the strange new reality they find themselves in.
Given the significant role of Doom in the later version, we'd expect this to be the foundation for 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars, but expect the adaptation to deviate in places (as was the case with Captain America: Civil War and Infinity War).
Is there an Avengers: Secret Wars trailer?
Not yet! We'll update this page when footage becomes available.
Avengers: Secret Wars is coming to cinemas on Friday 7th May 2027.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
