The Marvel Cinematic Universe is entering a new era with Avengers: Doomsday, set for release in summer 2026, and its follow-up, Avengers: Secret Wars. Marvel President Kevin Feige announced the studio’s future plans during a weekend press conference. Feige stated that Secret Wars will not only mark the conclusion of a story but also mark the beginning of a new era for the Marvel Universe.

A New Era Begins for Marvel

According to Feige, Avengers: Secret Wars will bring together all the stories Marvel has launched since Endgame, concluding them in a single point. With this, the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be “reset.”

Feige describes this process as a “reboot,” not a “reset.” In other words, the universe will not be reset, but the existing multiple timelines will be finalized and transitioned to a single timeline. The studio’s move means radical changes to both existing characters and the overall structure of the universe.

Kevin Feige stated that Avengers: Endgame is about endings, while Secret Wars will focus on beginnings. It’s stated that the new era will be built not only with new characters but also with new narrative structures and connections.

One of the areas that will see the most significant changes after Secret Wars is the X-Men. Marvel previously announced that former X-Men actors would return in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. However, these actors will leave the Marvel universe entirely after Secret Wars.

The project will continue with a new X-Men cast. The first X-Men film featuring this cast will be directed by Jake Schreier, who also directed Thunderbolts.

After nearly a decade of exploring the multiverse and time travel themes, Marvel is preparing to establish a simpler, more centralized, and restructured narrative universe in the coming years. Secret Wars is considered the most critical step in this transition. No additional announcements have yet been made from Marvel regarding the films’ cast, script details, or filming schedule.