The MCU’s post-Secret Wars future needs to leave The Avengers behind

As Marvel fans, we’re starting to gear ourselves up for the end of this current Saga for the MCU. Really, the end started when Jonathon Majors became embroiled in a controversy that was set to dismantle years of planning by Marvel writers and executives. The once prosperous Kang Dynasty was then justifiably shelved shortly before Majors was found guilty of two misdemeanours for assault and harassment against his ex-girlfriend.

The Kang Dynasty was over before it laid much more than a foundation and any appearances of Majors were swiftly paved over, leaving Marvel with, seemingly, only one option.

Now, three months on from Robert Downey Jr being hailed as the saviour of the MCU for a second time, with the actor coming back to play villain Doctor Doom, this whole Saga may yet be saved, but the end has been in sight for a while. With the announcement of Doctor Doom and the duology of Avengers films - Avengers: DOOMSDAY and Avengers: Secret Wars, fans began to speculate how it will all end. And end it will.

Kevin Feige has not been shy when discussing the next steps for the MCU as Marvel now finally has the rights back for the X-Men. Both fans and creatives want to see what Marvel does with the mutants now they can do everything on their own terms. With the next Saga rumoured to be called the Mutant Saga, it shows that the X gene is our future and if that’s the case, I think Marvel needs to forget everyone else and focus only on mutants.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Avengers: Secret Wars comes out in 2027 according to the plans set out by Disney, which means the MCU as we know it will likely begin its end then and work towards a soft reboot. Let’s say that the first big X-Men film, likely to be titled simply, X-Men, comes out a couple of years later, in 2029, that gives us four-ish years to wrap up stories for the likes of Captain America, Black Panther, Doctor Strange and anyone who would or could be branded an Avenger, then allowing Marvel and Disney to focus on only telling mutant stories.

Let’s be honest, superhero movies are such big business we will end up with several origin stories for the big name X-Men. You can bet that plans are being laid for solo outings for Wolverine, Professor Xavier, Rogue, and perhaps others. Then they’ll come together, essentially copying the formula we saw back in phase one.

You may think that some X-Men couldn’t carry a solo film, and you’re likely right, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t get buddy films with a couple of mutants finding each other before Professor X rolls out of the shadows and tells them he’s putting a team together.

Okay, I’m making light of things a little, but I think it’s worth Marvel distancing themselves from the Avengers and the typical Avengers heroes for a while. Especially if the events of Avengers: Secret Wars does act as some kind of reboot, changing the heroes in drastic ways.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

As much as it can be frustrating at times, comic books are about change. Of course, the hero and villain names stay the same, but we’ve had several Spider-Man runs with new people putting on the suit - and we all know Miles Morales is on his way to the MCU soon - all of the characters have changed over the years, and it would be no surprise if the MCU films did the same. At some point far down the line it would be nice to see new actors and actresses take on these iconic roles that have become staples for film fans.

I’d like to see Marvel usher in the X-Men and play in the sandbox with them for a while before giving over more time to the superheroes we’ve grown used to over the past decade. There’s nothing stopping them creating the Young Avengers a few years after the X-Men, and then perhaps building up to the inevitable Avengers Vs X-Men that so many want to see. Though I’d argue many more stories need to come before that, and the last hero vs hero film from Marvel was tepid at best.

I think it’s clear the MCU needs to breathe a while. With the advent of Disney+ there was such a flurry to get stuff out and the waters got a little muddy with the quality dropping significantly. I want to see Marvel and Disney scale back a little. The next push to finish the Saga and wrap up stories is understandable, and hopefully it pays off. But I don’t think it’s a bad idea to let the MCU revolve around the new mutant presence for a good few years.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Sony will likely still dabble in the odd Spider-Man film, if Disney doesn’t swing for full control of Spidey via a big buyout. And there will always be a place for a hero as versatile as Spider-Man. Though I’d argue that if Miles Morales steps in, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker moves to more of a mentor role and this could be left for an eventual Young Avengers run.

But what about the Fantastic Four? I hear you barking, big dog. For a start, we don’t know how long the actors of Marvel’s first family have signed on for. Marvel are rumoured to have stopped issuing such long contracts, which comes as no surprise. And, given that several of the Fantastic Four’s most famous villains and enemies are appearing in Fantastic Four: First Steps or the Avengers duology, perhaps they’re a short run appearance.

Secondly, there’s nothing stopping Marvel breaking the MCU in two and telling a Cosmic story where the Fantastic Four would thrive, which keeps the interest of those who love the complexities of multiverse-esque stories, and then leaving the other half to the X-Men until it all collides at some obvious point for a crossover.

I suppose, in an ideal world there would be room for everyone, but recent years show that’s not the case and superhero fatigue is a very real thing. Of course, everything I’ve said here is my ideal and if I were to carry that on I’d like to see mutants reign after a rebooted MCU with characters like Captain America, Black Widow, Iron Man, newly casted, popping up as cameos in several years to start another Avengers era, much like how we’ve seen the odd mutant appear in the MCU of late.