Summary

Marvel Studios could feature a supervillain civil war inAvengers: Secret Wars, which may be the best way to solve a major problem with Kang in theMCU. Kang the Conqueror and his villainous variants have been set up as the primary antagonists of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, but Jonathan Majors' 2023 arrest, conviction, and firing threw these plans into jeopardy. This presents a huge problem for Marvel Studios when heading into Phase 6, and setting up stories and characters forAvengers 5andAvengers: Secret Wars.

There has been a huge amount of speculation in the months sinceJonathan Majors' firing from Marvel Studiosas to which direction the MCU will head in. While many hope thatKang and his variants will be recast, allowing them to still present a threat inAvengers 5and potentially beyond, others have speculated that Marvel Studios could move away from the Kang storyline completely. This leaves the MCU’s upcoming stories uncertain, buta new theory could explain how Kang can remain a threat, while new villains can also take center-stage.

Kang the Conqueror in the MCU with the superheroes of Marvel Comics in 2021’s Avengers Forever

I’ve Worked Out The Perfect Kang Dynasty Replacement For Avengers 5

I think that one recent Marvel Comics storyline would be the perfect replacement for Kang Dynasty in Phase 6’s upcoming Avengers 5 movie.

A new theory posed byReddituser Ok-Ingenuity9833suggests thatAvengers: Secret Warsmay not feature a battle between heroes and villains at all. Instead,Marvel Studios could take note from a storyline such as that inCaptain America: Civil War, pitting the MCU’s supervillains against each other, perhaps fighting over who will rule over the multiverse, or Battleworld if this strange location is introduced to the MCU. TheReddittheory suggests Kang, the Beyonder, and Doctor Doom as three main antagonists, but even more could be introduced.

Kang shouting and shooting energy in Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania

Instead of focusing solely onKang the Conqueror and his variants, which Marvel Studios may not want to do after Jonathan Majors' controversies, this theory introduces new levels of complexities intoAvengers: Secret Wars’storyline.Events such as incursions could bring all these characters together in one location, possibly Battleworld akin to Marvel Comics’Secret Wars, which could then lead to them facing off against each other. This would also be a great way for Marvel Studios to adapt both the 1984 and 2015Secret Wars​​​​​​​ events into one story.

1984’sSecret Warssaw the Beyonder bring heroes and villains from the Marvel Universe to Battleworld, forcing them to fight each other, while 2015’sSecret Warsdealt more heavily with incursions, the multiverse, and a very different Battleworld.

Thanos in his MCU armor with the Cabal in Marvel Comics

Several Villains In Avengers 5 & Secret Wars Would Solve Marvel’s Major Kang Issue

Since Jonathan Majors' firing, it’s been unclear what story will unfold in 2026’s upcomingAvengers 5.Originally titledThe Kang Dynasty,Avengers 5was expected to feature an epic battle between Kang, his variants, and the Avengers, but this all may now have changed. A recent report byDeadlinesuggested thatAvengers 5could"potentially include multiple antagonists,“though this is still purely conjecture. Nevertheless, the inclusion of several differentvillains inAvengers 5andSecret Warswould be a great way to solve the MCU’s Kang problem.

Plot details are unknown, and following Jonathan Majors’ exit from the MCU as Kang following his reckless assault conviction in December, it is unknown who the central villain would be, or if the film could potentially include multiple antagonists.

Original Avengers team lined up in The Avengers

While it seems likely that Kang will be recast,introducing new antagonists toAvengers 5andSecret Warswould take the pressure off a new actor in the villainous role. Despite his abhorrent behavior, Jonathan Majors is leaving big shoes to fill as Kang, so shifting the focus onto other villains may be the best choice for Marvel Studios. This could bring the likes of much-wanted villains Doctor Doom and the Beyonder into the MCU, while others could return from past MCU projects, including Ultron, Malekith, and even Thanos, among others.

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By introducing one exciting villainous team from Marvel Comics, Avengers 5 can bring back some of the MCU’s strongest and most wasted villains.

Secret Wars Theory Puts A Great Twist On The Typical Avengers Storyline

Every previousAvengersproject in the MCU has featured Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and their allies battling a villain, and usually coming out on top. Loki, Ultron, Zemo, and Thanos have all been defeated by the Avengers, but this newReddittheory suggests thatAvengers 5andSecret Warscould tell a very different story. With so many villains potentially returning and debuting inPhase 6’s upcomingAvengersmovies,the theory posits that the MCU’s heroes could pick sides, battling alongside villains whose ethics and morals may match up with theirs.

ThisReddittheory splits up the MCU’s heroes in aCivil War-style storyline, though it may be more than just Captain America and Iron Man fighting over the fate of Bucky Barnes, rather many heroes and villains fighting over the destiny of the entire multiverse.

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While this may seem unorthodox, this could actually solve yet another problem with the current slate of the MCU. So many heroes have been introduced in recent years, and even more are on the way. This has culminated inDeadlinesuggesting that over60 MCU characters will return forAvengers 5, and presumably forAvengers: Secret Wars, too. This roster is massive, soit might be a great choice to split the heroes up into groups, with each team joining a villain in their fight, marking an interesting and unexpected way to keep MCU audiences on their toes.

Avengers: Secret Wars

Cast

Avengers: Secret Wars is an anticipated installment in Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, serving as the finale of The Multiverse Saga. Scheduled for release in December 2027, the film’s plot remains under wraps, fueling curiosity about its role in the expansive Marvel narrative.