Avengers: Doomsday - A Secret Clash with X-Men?

At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, Marvel Studios unveiled thrilling updates for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), including the unexpected announcement that Robert Downey, Jr. will return as Doctor Doom, a pivotal character in the upcoming climax of the Multiverse Saga. Doom is set to anchor both Avengers: Doomsday in 2026 and Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027. Adding to the excitement, Kelsey Grammer will reprise his role as Beast in Doomsday, following his cameo in The Marvels in 2023.

This raises intriguing questions: Could Avengers: Doomsday secretly be an adaptation of the epic Avengers vs. X-Men storyline? There's growing speculation that this might indeed be the case.

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What Is Avengers vs. X-Men?

The Avengers and X-Men have been intersecting since their early 1960s origins, often teaming up in stories like Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars (1984) and Secret Invasion (2008). However, Avengers vs. X-Men (2012) is distinct because it portrays these teams in opposition.

The storyline unfolds during a dark period for the X-Men, following the near-extinction of mutants due to Scarlet Witch's actions in House of M (2005). The Phoenix Force, a cosmic entity, approaches Earth, sparking the feud. The Avengers aim to destroy the Phoenix to protect the planet, while Cyclops views it as the mutants' salvation. The conflict escalates when Iron Man's weapon splits the Phoenix into five fragments, empowering Cyclops, Emma Frost, Namor, Colossus, and Magik, who become the Phoenix Five.

The Avengers retreat to Wakanda, but Namor's actions lead to its flooding. The Avengers' hope rests on Hope Summers, the first mutant born since the decimation, to absorb the Phoenix and end the Phoenix Five's reign. The climax sees Cyclops, possessed by the Phoenix, becoming Dark Phoenix and tragically killing Professor X. However, the story concludes with Hope and Scarlet Witch using the Phoenix to restore the mutant gene.

How the MCU Is Adapting Avengers vs. X-Men

Details on Avengers: Doomsday are sparse, with the title and cast evolving. Initially announced as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, the focus shifted to Doom after Jonathan Majors' departure. Currently, there's no official Avengers team in the MCU, and the X-Men presence is limited to a few characters like Kamala Khan and Namor, with cameo appearances from other universes.

Who Are the Mutants of the MCU?

Here's a list of confirmed Earth-616 mutants in the MCU:

• Ms. Marvel
• Mr. Immortal
• Namor
• Wolverine
• Ursa Major
• Sabra/Ruth Bat-Seraph

The status of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch as mutants remains unclear.

The MCU's version of Avengers vs. X-Men might involve a multiverse conflict, potentially featuring the X-Men from the Fox universe. This theory draws from the post-credits scene in The Marvels, where Monica Rambeau ends up in the Fox X-Men universe. An Incursion between the MCU and Earth-10005 could be the catalyst for the conflict, mirroring the Secret Wars storyline where universes collide, forcing heroes to battle over their survival.

How Doctor Doom Fits In

Doctor Doom, known for his opportunism and manipulation, could exploit the conflict between the Avengers and X-Men. Historically, Doom has stolen powers and manipulated heroes for his gain. In Doomsday, Doom might see the X-Men as a tool to weaken the Avengers, aligning with his larger schemes. His role in the comic Secret Wars as the instigator of the multiverse's collapse might be mirrored in the MCU, positioning him as the ultimate architect of the heroes' downfall.

How Avengers: Doomsday Leads Into Secret Wars

Originally planned as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, Doomsday is expected to lead into Secret Wars. Like the first chapter of the 2015 Secret Wars comic, the film may end with the multiverse's destruction, setting the stage for Battleworld in Secret Wars. Doom's role as the God Emperor of Battleworld could be a crucial plot point, with the Avengers and X-Men's conflict serving his grand design.

Avengers: Doomsday might adapt the Avengers vs. X-Men storyline loosely, paving the way for a dark new reality where the multiverse is gone, and heroes must unite to restore it in Secret Wars.

For more insights into the MCU's future, explore why Secret Wars has the perfect villain in Downey's Doom, and keep up with every Marvel project in development.

Note: this article was originally published on 09/02/2024 and updated on 03/26/2025 with the latest news about Avengers: Doomsday.