Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Avengers

  • New Report Reveals Major Plans for One Character in ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’

    New Report Reveals Major Plans for One Character in ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’

    If you thought Florence Pugh was just a passing torch-bearer for the Black Widow mantle, think again. According to a fresh report from industry insider DanielRPK, Yelena Belova isn’t just surviving the multiversal chaos of Avengers: Doomsday—she’s being positioned as one of the primary anchors for the grand finale, Avengers: Secret Wars.

    Pugh’s Yelena is reportedly one of the modern MCU characters who will actually drive the core of the story, which is slated to begin production later this year.

    Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) in Marvel Studios’ THUNDERBOLTS*. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2025 MARVEL.

    After beginning the film in the dumps, Yelena ended Thunderbolts* not as a reluctant assassin, but as the de facto leader of a new, albeit dysfunctional, team of Avengers. RPK’s report suggests that her leadership role will somehow extend into the Secret Wars.

    Interestingly, DanielRPK also noted that Pugh and David Harbour (Red Guardian) are currently scheduled for additional photography during the Avengers: Doomsday reshoot window. The insider recently shared the word that the reshoots were largely planned to be “character-dricen” scenes, intended to add emotional beats and narrative clarity to the film.

    In a post-Iron Man MCU, the franchise has struggled to find a human center. Pugh’s performance has been a consistent bright spot, blending high-stakes trauma with the kind of dry wit that fans used to associate with Tony Stark. By making her a major player in Secret Wars, Marvel is betting on her star power to help carry the franchise into whatever comes after the soft reboot.

  • Marvel Reportedly Orders “Character-First” Reshoots for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    Marvel Reportedly Orders “Character-First” Reshoots for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    We’ve seen the reports that the Avengers: Doomsday script was being tweaked during production, and it looks like those rewrites have officially triggered a round of additional photography. But don’t panic—this isn’t a The Marvels level overhaul.

    Avengers: Doomsday is heading back to London soon for additional photography and according to industry insider Daniel Richtman, the goal is to provide “narrative clarity” and “emotional beats” to the project. Sounds like after having spent some time in post-production, the Russos realize that with an ensemble this massive, the audience needs more time to actually care about the new team dynamics before Doom starts tearing them apart.

    Richtman’s report stated that the big set pieces are reportedly locked and that cameras will be capturing “character-driven material” when they roll in the coming weeks. These moments have always been a strength of Anthony and Joe Russo, who have struck gold with unexpected character pairings and groupings in the past such as Thor, Groot and Rocket or Nebula and Tony Stark.

    If they’re going back to set to make sure the “heart” of the movie is beating, that’s a win for the fans.

  • James Marsden Takes His Place on Prestigious List of Marvel Studios’ Liars and Deniers

    James Marsden Takes His Place on Prestigious List of Marvel Studios’ Liars and Deniers

    Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night, James Marsden spoke openly about reprising his role as Cyclops in Avengers: Doomsday. He also admitted to lying about it previously to avoid “Marvel trouble.”

    In doing so, Marsden joins elite company such as Charlie Cox, Andrew Garfield and Paul Rudd, all of whom have lied, denied and otherwise dissembled about their association with Marvel Studios projects.


    Of course, the big takeaway isn’t just the return—it’s the suit. Marsden confirmed he is finally wearing the Jim Lee-inspired comic-accurate costume, moving away from the black leather era of the early 2000s. Since the suit was first leaked in 2025, fans have been excited to see it on screen and the first glimpse of it in one of the film’s short teasers delivered.

    “To put this on felt very cool,” said Marsden, who said he also felt “heroic” and “authentic”, the latter of which fans have been craving and Marvel seems intent on giving them.

  • Marvel’s “Oscars Reunion” Is a Stealth ‘Doomsday’ Marketing Blitz

    Marvel’s “Oscars Reunion” Is a Stealth ‘Doomsday’ Marketing Blitz

    Don’t let the tuxedos fool you—Sunday night at the Oscars is the first unofficial press stop for Avengers: Doomsday.

    The Academy has confirmed a Marvel reunion for the March 15 Oscars. Pedro Pascal, Gwyneth Paltrow (will she know if she was in a movie with any of these folks?), Lewis Pullman, Channing Tatum and, most importantly, Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans are all presenting together.


    As cool as it might be, this isn’t just a tribute; it’s a soft-launch for the full-scale marketing of Avengers: Doomsday. With Evans and RDJ on stage together for the first time in years, Marvel has an opportunity to lean into the Steve vs. Doom hype that they simply cannot pass up.

    Rumors are swirling that we might get a surprise drop during the ceremony—specifically, the first footage of Doom and Cap face-to-face. Even if we don’t get a trailer, the optics of  Doom standing next to Steve Rogers is the most powerful marketing image Marvel could ask for. By putting RDJ and Evans center stage, they’re reminding the world that the heart of the MCU is back.

  • Mask On? John Campea Claims RDJ’s Face Won’t Be Seen in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    Mask On? John Campea Claims RDJ’s Face Won’t Be Seen in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    The discourse around Robert Downey Jr.’s Doom just took another turn. Recently, the consensus among the scooper community has been that while Victor Von Doom would keep his mask on when in front of the 616 heroes, the audience would get that meta moment of seeing RDJ’s face—likely to hammer home the tragedy of a man who looks exactly like the hero we lost in Avengers: Endgame.

    However, John Campea is now throwing a monkey into that wrench. On a recent episode of his show, Campea stated that he has confirmed Marvel is keeping the mask firmly in place for the duration of Avengers::Doomsday, saving the face reveal  for the grand finale in 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars.

    One of the rumors about Doomsday that we did confirm for people is that they do not reveal Robert Downey Jr.’s face as Doctor Doom… they don’t reveal Tony Stark’s face or Robert Downey Jr.’s face in Doomsday, and that the repercussions of that and the reasons for that and all that kind of stuff is something they’re saving for Secret Wars.

    -John Campea

    To mask or not to mask, that is the question but it’s hardly a new debate. But with Robert Downey Jr. in the role, it seems hard to believe that Marvel invested that kind of money just for a voice-over performance and a stunt double in a green cape.

    If Campea is right, Marvel is making a bold, narrative-driven choice. By withholding the face, they’re forcing the audience to treat Victor as a separate entity from Tony Stark. It builds tension so  when that mask finally comes off in Secret Wars, it’s a tactical emotional nuke designed to break the heroes, perhaps mirroring the division in Captain America: Civil War.

    This contradicts several other reports that suggested the audience see a scarred version of the 616-Stark-lookalike early on. If Campea’s info holds water, it means the brothers Russos are leaning into the horror of Doom, which does match up with  Film Threat’s Chris Gore’s claim that Doom’s face will be disfigured and, in his opinion, looks to be inspired by the look of creatures from “classic Universal Monster movies.”

    If they’re saving the face for Avengers: Secret Wars, they’re betting everything on a singular moment of shock to carry the entire Multiverse Saga finale.

  • Is Loki the Sacrificial Lamb of ‘AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY’?

    Is Loki the Sacrificial Lamb of ‘AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY’?

    For years, we’ve been tracking the God of Stories. We watched him go from the guy who lost to a “dull creature” in Stark Tower to the man literally holding the fabric of reality together at the center of the Multiverse, finally fulfilling his glorious purpose. It was a hell of an arc. But as we inch closer to Avengers: Doomsday, a new, darker theory is emerging—one that suggests Loki’s new job isn’t a permanent promotion, but a setup for the most violent transition of power in MCU history.

    Fans of Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 Secret Wars run know just how important Owen Reece was to the event. As Molecule Man, Reece was the battery of Doctor Doom’s machine. He was the source of Doom’s godhood, the “living bomb” that allowed Victor to shape Battleworld from the wreckage of the incursions. But in the MCU? We haven’t met Owen Reece. We have, however, spent twelve years with Loki.

    The Stand-In

    Marvel isn’t going to spend time introducing a complex new character like Molecule Man to explain Doom’s power. Instead, they’re looking at the man already sitting on the throne at the end of time.

    Loki’s position as the God of Stories, the man keeping the Multiverse together by sheer force of will, will reportedly make him a target of Doctor Doom. In an interesting adaptation of the Hickman beat, Doom is rumored  to strip Loki of his God of Stories powers effectively using them as the conduit to stabilize his own version of reality, making Loki a stand-in for Owen Reece.

    But Marvel reportedly isn’t stopping there. For those who remember Doom’s confrontation with Thanos in Secret Wars—the one where Victor casually reaches into the Mad Titan’s chest and pulls out his spine—there’s a growing belief that we’re going to see a remix of that moment.

    If Doom is going to establish himself as the undisputed big bad of the Multiverse Saga, he needs a moment, like Thanos had in Avengers: Infinity War, that establishes him as a threat. He needs to kill a fan favorite to show he’s not playing around. If reports are accurate, that will come at the expense of Loki once again. Loki doesn’t just lose his power; he loses his life in a way that mirrors that iconic Hickman panel as his heart is ripped out by Victor…even if it is reportedly off screen. Doom ending the God of Stories isn’t just a power move—it’s a declaration that the Loki Era of the Multiverse is over and that there can be only Doom.

    The Long Game

    Hiddlestans aren’t going to like this. A Thor/Loki reunion would have been enjoyable, as would Loki the Avengers as Avenger Prime. But if the Russos are looking for maximum emotional impact, killing the man who is literally holding the Multiverse together is the fastest way to raise the stakes.

    It’s brutal. It’s efficient. And frankly, it’s exactly the kind of move that makes a villain legendary. As always, keep the salt shaker nearby, but don’t be surprised if the “God of Stories” ends up being the foundation upon which Doom builds his empire.

  • The “Wizard Sidekick” — Is Strange Truly Breaking Bad in Doomsday?

    The “Wizard Sidekick” — Is Strange Truly Breaking Bad in Doomsday?

    The Multiverse is a fickle beast, and if the latest round of rumors circulating about the plot of Avengers: Doomsday are to be believed, its greatest protector might just be its new enforcer. While Benedict Cumberbatch has spent the last year playing coy with the press—famously telling Variety that Doctor Strange is taking a “hiatus” because the character “didn’t align” with the new post-Kang pivot—insiders are spinning a different yarn.

    The Third-Eyed Sheriff

    Fresh reports from industry insiders Daniel Richtman and Jeff Sneider suggest that Robert Downey Jr.’s Victor von Doom won’t be conquering the Multiverse alone. According to Richtman, Doom is flanked by a “Wizard Sidekick” who wears a variation of the Latverian mask, featuring a distinct slot on the forehead for a third eye.

    This wizard reportedly wields a Sling Ring with lethal precision, acting as Doom’s primary enforcer and multiversal navigator. While Cumberbatch’s name wasn’t on the initial official cast list, multiple sources now claim he has filmed “pivotal, high-security scenes” in the UK under a production codename.

    Why the Betrayal?

    To understand why Stephen Strange would align with a tyrant like Doom, we have to look back at the ending of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

    Strange ended that film with a third eye, a physical manifestation of Darkhold corruption), and left with Clea to fix an Incursion he caused. Perhaps during their adventures, Strange and Doom crossed paths and a corrupted Strange chose to team up with Victor.

    On the other hand, in Jonathan Hickman‘s 2015 Secret Wars, Strange serves as the “Sheriff of Agamotto” under God Emperor Doom because he believes Doom is the only one capable of saving any reality from total collapse. If this is the case, Avengers: Doomsday would likely include a flashback that might show us how the unusual pairing of sorcerers came to be.

    Of course, there’s also a strong possibility that the “Wizard Sidekick” isn’t 616 Strange at all, but a variant—perhaps the “Sinister Strange” we met in the Incursion-ravaged universe—who survived and found a new master in Doom. But having such a character hidden behind a mask only to reveal he’s not “our” Strange wouldn’t really drop much of a hammer on the audience.

    Murphy’s Theory: The Secret Wars Setup

    If Strange is indeed the “Wizard Sidekick,” it reframes the entirety of Avengers: Doomsday. Instead of a standard hero-vs-villain romp, we are looking at a tragedy. The Avengers won’t just be fighting a man who looks like Tony Stark; they’ll be fighting a man they fought side-by-side with and trusted to hold the fabric of reality together.

    This betrayal likely serves as the cliffhanger for the film. Imagine the Avengers finally unmasking Doom’s right hand, only to find a corrupted, third-eyed Stephen Strange staring back at them. It sets the stage for a redemption arc in Avengers: Secret Wars, Strange must answer for his choices…just like in Hickman’s Secret Wars.

  • Rumor: Stephen Strange to Serve as Doom’s Right Hand in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    Rumor: Stephen Strange to Serve as Doom’s Right Hand in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    As the Marvel Cinematic Universe hurtles toward the collision of realities in Avengers: Doomsday, the power vacuum left by the Multiverse’s decay is beginning to fill with some familiar, yet formidable, faces. While fans have been catching up on plot leaks detailing Victor von Doom’s plans, a new report from industry insider Daniel Richtman suggests that Doom won’t be ruling alone.

    According to Richtman, Stephen Strange is set to serve as Doom’s primary lieutenant—a move that mirrors one of the most iconic dynamics in modern Marvel Comics history. Richtman’s report claims that “Doom’s right-hand man is “a wizard who can use a sling ring. He wears a mask similar to Doom’s, but with a slot for a third eye on his forehead.”

    For those well-versed in Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 Secret Wars, this development feels like destiny. In that storyline, Strange takes on the mantle of Sheriff Strange, the high justice of Battleworld who serves at the right hand of God Emperor Doom. Strange’s decision wasn’t born of a heel turn, but of a desperate pragmatism; he believed Doom was the only being capable of stitching together the fragments of a dying multiverse. If this rumor holds true, Avengers: Doomsday may find our Master of the Mystic Arts making a similarly impossible choice—sacrificing his morality to preserve what’s left of existence.

    Strange’s absence from the recent round spoilers left many with questions about why the only 616 hero with intimate knowledge of Incursions was nowhere to be found in the action. Richtman’s report would go a long way in explaining this, while setting up what would likely be a key reveal either late in Avengers: Doomsday or in its follow up, Avengers: Secret Wars.

  • ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Promo Provides Detailed Look at Doom’s Iconic Mask

    ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Promo Provides Detailed Look at Doom’s Iconic Mask

    Soon, Marvel Studios’ stars will be back in London preparing for additional photography on Avengers: Doomsday ahead of the film’s December release. A series of short, character-driven teasers for the film successfully built much-needed hype, though fans are still eagerly awaiting a true teaser trailer.

    As much as we run at fun in terms of what these films can be, we also run at the complexity and difficulty of what these movies can do at a narrative level. I think we’ve found a new level of that in Doomsday.

    -Anthony Russo via Empire Magazine

    Despite the lack of said teaser, fans have had ample opportunity to get a peek at the film’s villain (and protagonist), Victor Von Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr. And with just 10 months until the film hits theaters, those opportunities will continue to increase as marketing begins and merchandise hits shelves. And right on cue, a new piece of promo art for the film has provided a detailed look at Doctor Doom’s iconic mask.

    According to reports, the mask will be hiding a disfigured Victor whose look was inspired by “classic Universal monster movies.” In an interesting twist, it’s been rumored that Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will not see Doom’s face, though the audience will, keeping a potential reveal to the Avengers in place for the follow up film, Avengers: Secret Wars, which will hit theaters in December 2027.

    Avengers: Doomsday is set for release on December 18, 2026.

  • Another Infinity Saga Star Reportedly Set to Return to the MCU in ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’

    Another Infinity Saga Star Reportedly Set to Return to the MCU in ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’

    As rumors, speculation and reports about the Russo brothers’ plans for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars begin to give MCU fans an idea of what to expect from the two-part (or will it be three-part) Multiverse Saga finale, it’s becoming fairly apparent that the directing duo has no intention of holding back. Though fans are bemoaning “fan service” moments 11 months before the debut of Doomsday, the four teaser trailers for the film generated some serious excitement. As the Russos prepare for additional photography on Doomsday ahead of principal photography on Secret Wars, an interesting bit of casting information has emerged.

    According to industry insider Daniel Richtman, Josh Brolin will return as Thanos in Avengers: Secret Wars.

    This isn’t the first time that Brolin‘s return as the Mad Titan has been in the news. In late 2024, ComicBookMovie.com claimed that Marvel Studios had plans for Thanos to return in the Multiverse Saga finale. While there’s never been any confirmation of it by Marvel, Brolin has never denied it and has remained open to reprising the role.

    Fans of the comics will remain hopeful that the presence of Thanos in the film will lead to the recreation of the moment shown above from Jonathan Hickman‘s 2015 Secret Wars. In it, God Emperor Doom quickly and easily dispatched of Thanos, establishing himself as THE ultimate power in the universe.