Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Doomsday

  • 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.

  • Marvel Reportedly Exploring Extending the Multiverse Saga Timeline

    Marvel Reportedly Exploring Extending the Multiverse Saga Timeline

    Once upon a time, Marvel Studios ambitiously planned to release two Avengers films in one year. As part of its big Hall H presentation at SDCC ’22, Marvel revealed that Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars were set to hit theaters on May 6, 2025 and November 7, 2025, respectively. It’s 2026 and neither of those films have hit theaters yet and their release dates are now a full year apart, however, a new report claims that the studio may once again be considering double dipping on Avengers films, this time in 2027.

    According to the Hot Mic’s John Rocha, the Russo brothers have put together a Multiverse Saga finale so grandiose that it may require the studio to split it into two parts.

    On the January 23rd edition on the show, Rocha reported that he had been told Marvel was “considering splitting Secret Wars into two parts.” He also shared that his source had “heard that Doomsday could run for three hours and that it’s huge.“

    Of course, this isn’t the first time the possibility of a second Avengers film hitting theaters in 2027 has come up, though the studio abandoned its prime July 23, 2027 date late last year. That doesn’t mean a third Avengers film couldn’t slide into one of the studio’s four 2028 slots, only that the next saga couldn’t kick off until it did.

    Source: The Hot Mic

  • New Details Indicate ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Will Be the Most Action-Intensive Project in Marvel History

    New Details Indicate ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Will Be the Most Action-Intensive Project in Marvel History

    After accumulating over one billions views, it seems as though the four short teasers for Avengers: Doomsday have generated some true excitement for the film, which will hit theaters this December.   Despite some hand-wringing over Steve Rogers’ “central role” in the film and outrage over concerns that the film will just be a “fan service” mash-up, it’s clear that the project already has the attention of the masses. And some new details might begin to move the needle even more.

    With the Russo brothers back in the fold.to direct Avengers: Doomsday, big action seemed a certainty. After all, the pair directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which may remain the MCU’s exemplar for action excellence, as well as Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, each of which feature memorable large-scale battles. It sounds as though the Russos set about the task of outdoing all of those projects when they decided to direct Avengers: Doomsday.

    According to YouTuber John Campea, who has often been a reliable source in the past, the brothers Russo were able to “eclipse everything else Marvel’s ever done” in terms of the “sheer volume of action” in Avengers: Doomsday.

    I have something I haven’t told you yet. What this person indicated to me was the sheer volume of action is going to eclipse everything else Marvel’s ever done.

    -John Campea
    According to Campea, the film “shoots you like a cannon out of the gate” and the “massive action…doesn’t let up.”

    People are going to lose their minds. This movie starts with its foot through the floor and shoots you like a cannon out of the gate. There’s no slow start—it’s massive action right from the beginning, the scale is insane, and it doesn’t let up

    -John Campea

    Given that the film is expected to deal with universe-ending incursions, a potential Avengers vs. X-Men battle and introduce and establish Victor Von Doom as a Multiversal threat, there seems to be more than enough opportunity for the film to be wall-to-wall action. Of course, with extensive additional photography set to take place early this year, it might be a bit too premature to develop any opinion at all about the film given Marvel’s propensity to overhaul projects in post-production.

  • ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Directors Confirm One of the Film’s Central Characters

    ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Directors Confirm One of the Film’s Central Characters

    Steve Rogers will return in Avengers: Doomsday…and despite being absent for the entirety of the Multiverse Saga, he will indeed be a key player.

    In January 2021, Deadline reported that Captain America and Avengers franchise star Chris Evans had made a deal to return as Rogers in an unnamed project with an option to return for a second theatrical project. While it seems as though the failed Nomad project was the former, it is now clear that Avengers: Doomsday is the latter, despite Evans‘ denials that he’d be stepping back into the role anytime soon.

    I’ll never say never, just because it was such a wonderful experience. But I’m also very precious with it. It’s something that I am very proud of. And like I said, sometimes I can’t believe it even happened. And I wouldn’t want the black eye if it felt like a cash grab or if it didn’t live up to expectations or if it just felt like it wasn’t connected to that original thing. So, no time soon.

    -Chris Evans on returning as Steve Rogers, January 2023

    Though Evans was kept out of the studio’s 5-hour cast reveal, insiders were onto Marvel’s ploy, with Daniel Richtman reporting that he would be returning not as Captain America but rather as Nomad, toting Mjolnir and sporting a new outfit. However, it was unclear just how large of a role he might play.

    Now, following the official confirmation of his return via one of four teasers for the 2026 film, Anthony and Joe Russo have revealed Evans‘ Rogers will have a “central role” in Avengers: Doomsday.

    “His central role to the Avengers and the larger narrative of what the MCU has been something that’s very personal to us. We can’t see this narrative without his central role in it,” the directing duo told Empire.

    While fans are already generating pre-emptive hate over Evans‘ return to the MCU, it’s probably worth noting and at least considering that “central” and “large” are different words. Rogers could easily have central role in Avengers: Doomsday without detracting from the screentime of the heroes who have been central to the Multiverse Saga (not that there really are many). Clearly, Rogers’ actions in Avengers: Endgame will be retconned into having some part to play in the Incursions threatening the Multiverse and despite notions to the contrary, there’s no logical reason why they would not.

    Source: Empire

  • Longtime Marvel Creator Claims Another Original ‘X-Men’ Star Will Appear in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    Longtime Marvel Creator Claims Another Original ‘X-Men’ Star Will Appear in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    With nearly a year to go before it hits theaters, Marvel Studios has already begun marketing Avengers: Doomsday and building a good deal of buzz around the film. A series of short teasers have revealed the return of Chris Evans, a more serious Thor, James Marsden sporting a comic accurate look and a meeting between Earth 616’s Wakandans and Earth-828’s Ben Grimm.

    Reactions to the teasers have been largely positive and though they haven’t really provided any real indication of what the film’s story might be, the promise of more character interactions like M’Baku and Thing have fans excited. With additional photography for the project set to get underway this spring, rumors of multiple stars who were not available to film during principal photography, which wrapped in September, have begun to spring up. And according to one of Marvel Comics legendary creators, another of the stars of Fox’s original X-Men trilogy will be one of them.

    In an interview shared by Power of X-Men, Chris Claremont claimed that Famke Janssen will have a role in Avengers: Doomsday.

    This isn’t the first time that Claremont has claimed to know that Janssen would return as Jean Grey in Avengers: Doomsday nor the first time she’s been rumored to be joining the cast, though the actress has repeatedly denied it and stated she’s not interested in revisiting the role. Of course, Janssen would hardly be the first star to deny being in a Marvel Studios project despite being in it and there are plenty of other actors and actresses who are believed to be in the film whose roles have yet to be confirmed. With the X-Men expected to play a large role in Avengers: Doomsday, it does seem as though there would be room for several more characters from the Fox films to appear.

  • Wow! ‘Loki’ Co-Star Reportedly Set for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Return

    Wow! ‘Loki’ Co-Star Reportedly Set for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Return

    Following the conclusion of the Infinity Saga, it was hard to imagine how much more Marvel Studios was going to squeeze out of Tom Hiddleston‘s Loki. Fortunately, Michael Waldron, Eric Martin, Kate Herron, Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead found a way to breathe new life into the God of Mischief, putting together two seasons of an incredible journey into mystery that allowed Hiddleston to fulfill Loki’s glorious purpose.

    As brilliant as Hiddleston was in Loki, the chemistry between him and his co-stars, specifically Owen Wilson and Sophia Di Martino, helped make both seasons work so well. With the L1130 Variant of Loki now set up as the MCU’s keeper of the timeline–the God of Stories, it was no surprise that Hiddleston was among those announced as part of the main cast of Avengers: Doomsday last year. It’s not yet entirely clear exactly what role Loki will play in attempting to stop Doctor Doom from unleashing a “cascading crisis across the entire multiverse,” but according to a new report, he’ll have his best buddy at his side.

    My contribution has been contributed. It is monumental. The centre of the story is absolutely brilliant, and was so surprising when I read it. It just has never been done before.

    -Tom Hiddleston
    According to industry insider Daniel Richtman, Owen Wilson will return in Avengers: Doomsday as TVA timecop Mobius.

    We have different styles. You’re a man of action, which is fine. I take a more slow, deliberate, cerebral approach because I see everything. I notice everything.

    -Mobius

    When last seen in the Loki series finale, Mobius had left the TVA to enjoy the freedom to live his own life free from the machinations of He Who Remains. However, it was made pretty clear that there was room more Mobius and, with the Multiverse at stake, it sounds like it’s time for him to get off the couch.

  • Rumors Suggest the Russos Brothers May Have Cleverly Sown Chaos into the Mix in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    Rumors Suggest the Russos Brothers May Have Cleverly Sown Chaos into the Mix in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    Slowly but surely, fans are starting to believe that Avengers: Doomsday might not be so bad after all. Teaser trailers featuring Steve Rogers, Thor, Magneto, Charles Xavier and Cyclops have all generated significant buzz and it sounds as though the studio plans on keeping the momentum going with additional teasers yet to come.

    The marketing for the film has cleverly appealed to multiple different demographics but there’s one large sect of the fandom that hasn’t had reason to be excited just yet. However, a new rumor may be about to change that and get the Wandas back in the game.

    John “The Outlaw” Rocha shared an update on an old rumor about Avengers: Doomsday featuring multiple Doctors Doom. According to Rocha’s source, “Doom has a female sidekick [who] also has a mask. This person thinks it is a female Doom. You’ll get a male and female Doom team.”

    A “female Doom” is interesting enough on its own but it’s also not something that would seem to serve the story well when there are so many other options available to the Russo brothers that would.

    As Rocha’s news makes its way around the usual spots, social media scoopers and leakers and bullshitters have begun chiming in about the true identity of Doom’s masked “sidekick.” While some have suggested it’ll be Lucia Von Bardas–Latveria’s Prime Minister in the comics–her inclusion wouldn’t really move the needle for fans. However, another rumor about who is behind the mask that seems to be gaining traction would indeed move the needle, perhaps to 11: Wanda Maximoff.

    There really is so much more to explore. We still haven’t touched on many of her core storylines from the comics. I don’t know that we saw her under rubble? I saw a tower coming down, and a little red flash. I don’t know what that means.

    -Kevin Feige

    Though Elizabeth Olsen has denied her involvement with the project, Marvel Studios One Above All, Kevin Feige, previously made it clear that there Marvel would always bring her back for more and that there is “so much more to explore” with the Scarlet Witch. Adding her to the mix in Avengers: Doomsday as the mysterious masked counterpart of Doom might just be the best option as it would not only tie up several threads left hanging over the course of the Multiverse Saga but allow for an adaptation of a comic project that has long been rumored to be on Marvel Studios radar.

    Prior to Bob Iger’s return to Disney, Olsen was rumored to be at the center of a pair of projects: an adaptation of Alan Heinberg’s limited series, Avengers: The Children’s Crusade, and a Scarlet Witch solo film.

    On the surface, adapting The Children’s Crusade provides the perfect opportunity to continue the story of Wanda Maximoff in the MCU. Following her multi-year arc as a villain which concluded in House of M, Wanda Maximoff lived powerlessly and without her memories for years. It wasn’t until her son, Billy Maximoff, aka Wiccan, began to lose control of his own immense powers that a search began for her in earnest.

    While it’s hardly the same sequence of events, Wanda’s heel-turn as the Scarlet Witch over the course of WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and her apparent death in the final act of the latter provide the opportunity for a similar story to be told within the shared tapestry of the MCU,. especially once Billy and Tommy are reunited, presumably by the conclusion of Marvel Television’s upcoming D+ streaming series VisionQuest.

    Revealing the “female Doom” an amnesiac Wanda would retcon Doctor Doom’s presence in the MCU back to the conclusion of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, provide a reason for the Young Avengers/Champions to become involved in the plot(s) of Avengers: Doomsday and/or Avengers: Secret Wars and get one Marvel’s most talented stars involved in the two biggest projects of the decade. Obviously it’s nothing more than a barely-sourced rumor (and likely just a guess) at this point but it makes more sense than any other option in terms of the story-telling possibilities it opens up.

    Source: The Hot Mic