It was a big weekend for Marvel Studios.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige returned to the hallowed Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday to promote the studio’s upcoming projects with exclusive footage, surprises and more. (Just a couple days earlier, the same Anaheim Convention Center hall was the site of a packed “Deadpool and Wolverine” celebration.)
The presentation highlighted upcoming releases including “Captain America: Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts,” “Fantastic Four” and a pair of “Avengers” films.
Marvel’s biggest surprise was the revelation that Robert Downey Jr. will return to the MCU as Doctor Doom in the next “Avengers” film. After helping kick off the franchise in 2008’s “Iron Man,” Downey portrayed billionaire playboy Tony Stark, one of the leaders of the Avengers, in more than nine films over his 11-year tenure. His last appearance was in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” in which Stark died to save the universe.
But “Avengers 5” doesn’t just mark Downey’s return — it also sees Anthony and Joe Russo back in the Marvel fold. The Russo brothers have previously directed four MCU films: “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (2014), “Captain America: Civil War” (2016), “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018) and “Avengers: Endgame” (2019). It’s almost as if Marvel Studios is doing a bit of a reboot after a rough few years.
These are the most important conclusions from Marvel's presentation.
Marvel is forging its future by exploring its past
By bringing Downey and the Russos back into the fold, Marvel Studios is signaling that it sees its way forward to the halcyon days of its past. The Russos directed two of the MCU’s biggest blockbusters (Avengers: Endgame grossed more than $2.7 billion worldwide during its run) and Downey was the face of the franchise for more than a decade.
It’s no secret that Marvel has struggled to find its footing since “Endgame.” Both Phase Four and Phase Five have been lackluster, with some observers calling them Marvel’s “failure era” after some disappointing releases. To get out of that rut, the MCU is changing course.
The audience response to “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which opened to $205 million at the domestic box office and more than $438 million worldwide, suggests this could be a winning strategy, at least in the short term. “Deadpool & Wolverine,” like “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021) before it, wielded nostalgia as a superpower and was packed with cameos and references to comic book superhero movies past.
The “Avengers: Doomsday” logo was revealed during Marvel Studios’ Hall H panel at SDCC 2024.
(marvel studios)
The Kang dynasty no longer exists
“Avengers 5,” formerly known as “Avengers: Kang Dynasty,” has officially changed its name to “Avengers: Doomsday.” It is expected to hit theaters in 2026.
There were questions about how the film would move forward after Marvel fired Jonathan Majors last year following his conviction on assault and harassment charges. Would the role be recast, or would the entire film (and the trajectory of the MCU) be overhauled?
The new title indicates that the MCU is shifting its focus to a new big villain: Doctor Doom. In the comics, Victor von Doom is an evil genius best known for his clashes with the Fantastic Four, but he's also faced off against the Avengers and the X-Men in their quests to take over the world.
The MCU is leaving Kang in the rearview mirror, at least for now.
Focus on the First Family
Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach were on hand in Hall H to preview their upcoming film, “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” scheduled for release in 2025. The film, which officially begins production this week, will be set in 1960s New York, though its exact place in the Marvel multiverse remains unknown.
It’s also been confirmed that Marvel Comics’ first superhero team will appear in “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars,” meaning the MCU is banking on the Fantastic Four now that they’ve regained the film rights to the characters. Considering the official Avengers roster for the upcoming films remains a mystery, it makes sense to build excitement around the team that will kick off Phase Six of the MCU.
Joseph Quinn, left, Vanessa Kirby and Pedro Pascal, stars of the upcoming film “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” onstage during the Marvel Studios presentation in Hall H at SDCC 2024.
(Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
Does silence say a lot?
One of the most glaring omissions from Feige’s presentation was “Blade,” which was part of a bigger surprise from Marvel Studios at an earlier presentation in Hall H. The film, which will star Mahershala Ali as the eponymous dayswalker, was at one point pegged for a 2025 release date but has undergone some creative changes since then. Yann Demange, the second director attached to the project, dropped out of the film last month.
Also missing from the presentation were upcoming Marvel TV shows like “Agatha All Along,” “Daredevil: Born Again” and “Iron Heart.” Feige may be saving some news for Disney’s D23 Expo convention in August.
