Avengers: Doomsday - Secretly an Avengers vs. X-Men Film?

At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, Marvel Studios unveiled exciting developments for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with the most surprising news being that Robert Downey, Jr. is returning to the MCU to play Doctor Doom. Doom will play a pivotal role in the climax of the Multiverse Saga, featuring prominently in both 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. Additionally, in a thrilling twist, we learned that Kelsey Grammer will reprise his role as Beast in Doomsday, expanding on his cameo in 2023's The Marvels.

This announcement has sparked speculation about the nature of Avengers: Doomsday. Could it be a secret adaptation of the Avengers vs. X-Men storyline? There's growing evidence to suggest that this might indeed be the case.

But why would the Avengers and X-Men clash? Haven't they learned from past cinematic hero clashes like Batman v Superman? Let's delve into Marvel's Avengers vs. X-Men comic and explore how it might be adapted into the MCU.

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What Is Avengers vs. X-Men?

The Avengers and X-Men have been crossing paths almost since their inception in the early 1960s. They've collaborated on numerous occasions to save the world, as seen in stories like 1984’s Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars and 2008’s Secret Invasion. However, 2012’s Avengers vs. X-Men stands out as it features a direct confrontation rather than a cooperative effort.

The story unfolds during a tumultuous period for the X-Men. Following Scarlet Witch’s actions in 2005’s House of M, the mutant population has dwindled to just a few hundred, facing extinction. Internal conflicts, such as the schism between Wolverine and Cyclops, have further complicated matters. The arrival of the Phoenix Force from space adds fuel to the fire.

The Avengers view the Phoenix Force as a catastrophic threat to Earth, whereas Cyclops sees it as a potential savior for mutantkind. This disagreement leads to a full-blown conflict when the Avengers attempt to destroy the Phoenix Force, prompting the X-Men to declare war.

A unique aspect of AvX is the unexpected alliances formed. Wolverine, despite his long tenure with the Avengers, initially sides with them, while Storm, who is both an Avenger and a teacher at Wolverine's school, finds herself torn between the two factions. Even Professor X is less aligned with Cyclops than one might expect.

The narrative unfolds in three acts. In Act 1, the X-Men are the underdogs fighting to protect the Phoenix Force. The plot shifts when Iron Man's weapon splits the Phoenix into five pieces, empowering Cyclops, Emma Frost, Namor, Colossus, and Magik, who become the Phoenix Five.

Act 2 sees the Phoenix Five overpowering the Avengers, forcing them to retreat to Wakanda. The situation escalates when Namor floods the country, and the Avengers pin their hopes on Hope Summers, the first mutant born post-House of M, to absorb the Phoenix Force and end the Phoenix Five's reign.

The climax in Act 3 features Cyclops, now possessed by the Phoenix Force fragments, becoming the new Dark Phoenix. The combined efforts of the X-Men and Avengers stop him, but not before he kills Charles Xavier. The story concludes on a hopeful note as Hope, with Scarlet Witch's assistance, eradicates the Phoenix Force and restores the mutant gene, marking a victory even for the imprisoned Cyclops.

How the MCU Is Adapting Avengers vs. X-Men

While details about Avengers: Doomsday remain scarce, the shift from Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to Doomsday, following the studio's decision to part ways with Jonathan Majors, suggests a significant change in the Multiverse Saga's focus from Kang to Doom. Currently, the MCU lacks an official Avengers team, a situation unchanged by the release of Captain America: Brave New World.

The MCU's X-Men presence is even more fragmented. We've seen a few mutants, such as Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan and Tenoch Huerta’s Namor, but classic X-Men characters have only appeared from alternate universes, like Patrick Stewart’s Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Kelsey Grammer’s Beast in The Marvels, and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverines in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Who Are the Mutants of the MCU?

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

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

It's worth noting that Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, traditionally mutants, have yet to be confirmed as such in the MCU.

Given the current state of the Avengers and the absence of an official X-Men team, why would Marvel Studios consider an Avengers vs. X-Men movie? The answer likely lies in the multiverse. We believe that Avengers: Doomsday could be a multiverse story, not introducing the MCU's X-Men to fight the Avengers, but instead depicting a conflict between the MCU and the X-Men from another universe, specifically the Fox universe.

Our theory is that Avengers: Doomsday will expand on the post-credits scene from The Marvels, where Grammer’s Beast tends to Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau, who appears to be trapped in the Fox X-Men universe. This unresolved plot point, combined with the concept of Incursions, sets the stage for a potential war between the MCU's Earth-616 and the X-Men's Earth-10005.

Avengers: Doomsday may draw inspiration from both the AvX comic and the first chapter of the 2015 Secret Wars series. In Secret Wars #1, the Marvel multiverse is collapsing, and an Incursion between the classic Marvel Universe and the Ultimate Universe forces a battle where one Earth must be sacrificed to save the other. This scenario could mirror the conflict between the Avengers and X-Men in the movie, where an Incursion forces them to fight for their respective worlds' survival.

Such a setup promises epic superhero showdowns. Will Captain America's vibranium shield withstand Wolverine's adamantium claws? Who's stronger, Colossus or Hulk? And who truly commands the lightning, Thor or Storm? Even Deadpool might join the fray, adding unpredictability to the mix.

As with the comic, characters may face conflicting loyalties. Ms. Marvel, an Earth-616 native, might struggle upon meeting others like her, while Deadpool's dream of becoming an Avenger could complicate his actions in the conflict.

How Doctor Doom Fits In

While the MCU sets up a potential clash between the Avengers and X-Men, how does Doctor Doom fit into this narrative? As a master manipulator, Doom is always seeking power and often exploits conflicts to his advantage. He might see the X-Men from Earth-10005 as a tool to weaken the Avengers of Earth-616, making the world more susceptible to his schemes.

In the comics, Doom's actions contribute to the multiverse's collapse, and a similar reveal in Doomsday could show him as the instigator of the multiverse's instability. If Doomsday mirrors Captain America: Civil War within the Multiverse Saga, Doom could be the Zemo-like figure orchestrating events from the shadows.

How Avengers: Doomsday Leads Into Secret Wars

Originally announced as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, Avengers 5 has evolved into Avengers: Doomsday, yet it remains crucial for setting up Avengers: Secret Wars. Drawing from the first chapter of the 2015 Secret Wars comic, Doomsday is likely to end in tragedy, with the multiverse collapsing as the heroes fight among themselves.

Similar to Avengers: Infinity War, Doomsday may show the Avengers failing due to their disunity and unpreparedness for the multiverse's collapse. Instead of collaborating to solve the crisis, they waste time battling each other, leaving the multiverse to be destroyed.

If Doomsday concludes like Secret Wars #1, the multiverse will be obliterated, leaving only Battleworld, a patchwork reality crafted from the remnants of destroyed universes. In the comic, Doom becomes the God Emperor of Battleworld, and we anticipate a similar role for him in Secret Wars. Pitting the Avengers against the X-Men may be part of Doom's grand scheme to achieve godhood.

Avengers: Doomsday could serve as a loose adaptation of Avengers vs. X-Men, setting the stage for a dark new reality where the multiverse is gone, and all that remains is Battleworld. In Avengers: Secret Wars, a diverse lineup of Marvel heroes from various universes will likely unite to restore the multiverse and overthrow Doom, echoing the epic scale of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame.

For more insights into the MCU's future, learn why Secret Wars now has the perfect villain in Downey's Doom, and stay updated on all upcoming Marvel movies and series.

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