Marvel Studios is gearing up for its most ambitious crossover yet—Avengers: Doomsday—a film that promises to bring together the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Thunderbolts in a battle against an apocalyptic threat. But as excitement builds, one question looms large: Can the MCU’s next era truly succeed without Iron Man, Captain America, and the original Avengers?
The New Avengers: A Bold but Risky Strategy
Marvel’s Phase 5 and 6 have been laying the groundwork for a massive new team-up, with key players including:
- The X-Men (finally entering the MCU after Disney’s Fox acquisition)
- The Fantastic Four (with rumored casting like Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards)
- The Thunderbolts (Marvel’s answer to DC’s Suicide Squad)
- Young Avengers (Kate Bishop, Ms. Marvel, and more)
But while the roster is impressive, fans are still mourning the loss of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, Chris Evans’ Captain America, and Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow. The original Avengers (2012) worked because audiences had years to connect with those heroes. Will these new teams resonate the same way?
The X-Men & Fantastic Four: A Double-Edged Sword
Bringing in the X-Men and Fantastic Four is a dream come true for comic book fans, but it’s also a huge risk:
- Rebooting beloved characters: Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine and Patrick Stewart’s Professor X are irreplaceable to many.
- Overcrowding the MCU: With so many new heroes, will any get enough screen time to matter?
- Fantastic Four’s curse: Previous film attempts flopped—can Marvel finally get them right?
The Thunderbolts: Marvel’s Wild Card
This team of antiheroes and reformed villains (including Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, and Ghost) could be a fresh take, but will audiences embrace a Dark Avengers storyline without a clear leader like Tony Stark?
Will Nostalgia Be Enough?
Marvel is reportedly banking on multiverse cameos (think Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man in No Way Home) to lure fans back. But if Avengers: Doomsday relies too much on nostalgia rather than strong new storytelling, it could backfire.
Final Verdict: Can ‘Doomsday’ Succeed?
✅ Yes, if…
- The new characters are given real emotional depth (not just quips and CGI).
- The X-Men and Fantastic Four feel organic, not forced into the MCU.
- The Thunderbolts deliver a morally complex, Winter Soldier-level story.
❌ No, if…
- It’s just another CGI-fest with no stakes.
- The original Avengers’ absence leaves a charisma void.
- Fans feel superhero fatigue has set in for good.