Marvel Studios has finally announced their plans for the fifthAvengersmovie. Previously titledAvengers: The Kang Dynasty, following the firing of actor Jonathan Majors in the role of Kang the Conqueror, the epicMarvel Cinematic Universecrossover will now be titledAvengers: Doomsdayand will feature Doctor Doom, played by none other than Robert Downey Jr. Scheduled for release in 2026, the movie will be the first Avengers film in seven years followingAvengers: Endgamein 2019.
Fans are excited to see Doctor Doom take on the heroes of the MCU, but another aspect fans are waiting to see is the various character interactions. Yes, the different combos of personalities have truly madetheAvengersfilms fan-favorites, as it is great to see various personalities bounce off one another.
The Infinity Saga did a great job laying out different character dynamics. Still, with no main Avengers teams in the MCU during the Multiverse Saga and many new characters, there are a lot of different character interactions to be explored. Here are 12 key dynamics we want to see explored inAvengers: Doomsdayand its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars.
11The Hulk and The Thing
The HulkandThe Thinghave had a rivalry in the comics dating back to 1963 inFantastic Four#12, the first time the Hulk interacted with the superhero team. The Hulk and The Thing are two of Marvel Comics’ earliest characters that showed a monstrous type of superhero.
The Thing has never been as strong as the Hulk, but that hasn’t stopped him from going toe to toe with him in a fight and holding his own. The Hulk is currently one of the oldest MCU heroes, having debuted in the second film in the franchise back in 2008, while The Thing will be one of the newest asEbon Moss-Bachrach will play Ben Grimm in 2025’sThe Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Man or Monster
The idea of the MCU Hulk and The Thing now meeting carries a bit more weight than usual. While in the comics, it traditionally is a test of strength as The Thing fights an out-of-control rampaging Hulk, the MCU Hulk is one in control.Bruce Banner and the Hulk have merged into one being, and Banner tends to stay the Hulk. Yet this is a choice he has made and he can revert back to his human form when he wants, while Ben Grimm must always remain The Thing.
Would The Thing have a great deal of resentment over Hulk’s ability to go back and forth, or could the Hulk help the Thing learn to accept his appearance? These are just a few of the exciting dynamics that could be explored by putting these two together.
10Spider-Man and Deadpool
Deadpoolhas finally joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe—at least somewhat, as he decided to remain in his own universe of 10005 (the 20th Century Fox X-Men films). He will likely have a key role to play in the Multiverse Saga, particularly followingDeadpool & Wolverine’s massive box office intake. Deadpool has already teamed up with Cable and Wolverine, so the next bigpairing from the comics fans want to see is Deadpool andSpider-Man.
Fast Talking Heroes
Spider-Man and Deadpool share many similarities, as Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld drew heavily from Spider-Man. Both characters are wisecracking heroes in red suits with diamond-shaped eyes on their masks.
Putting Deadpool and Spider-Man together opens up a lot of comedic possibilities, as the pair have teamed up often in the comics, with Spider-Man taken aback by Deadpool’s more raunchy and vulgar humor and excessive violence, while Deadpool shares a great deal of admiration for Spider-Man. Even from a purely cynical commercial point of view, the prospect of Spider-Man and Deadpool would certainly bring in big box office numbers.
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9Moon Knight and Werewolf by Night
Two characters who arecurrently operating on the fringes of the MCU, but characters who could be key players in the upcoming multiversal epic areMoon KnightandWerewolf by Night.
The two characters are closely linked as Moon Knight originated inWerewolf by Night#35 in August 1975. Given that comic book history, it would be a missed opportunity not to have the two share the screen inAvengers: Doomsdayand be the representatives for the Avengers to the supernatural side since the studio is struggling to getBladeoff the ground.
Moon Brings Out the Wolf
Part of the appeal of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is seeing great actors sharing the screen together while playing iconic roles. Gael García Bernal’s Jack Russell/Werewolf by Night sharing the screen with Oscar Isaac’s various Moon Knight personas is one akin to Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner inThe Avengers.
With how much Jack Russell seems to be emersed in the supernatural world, he might know all about Moon Knight and the various other “Fists of Khonshu” throughout history, and the specific relationship between the Werewolf and the moon makes for a great deal of conflict but also potential kinship.
8Shuri and the Wasp
ShuriandWaspare two of the greatest minds in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Shuri has been thrust into the spotlight following the character becoming The Black Panther and the real-world tragedy of star Chadwick Boseman passing away.
Meanwhile, Hope Pym/Wasp has been a character that Marvel Studios has fumbled a bit so far, the only dynamic they have given her is her relationship with Scott Lang’s Ant-Man, her father, Hank Pym, and her mother, Janet Van Dyne. Despite becoming a superhero inAnt-Man and the Wasp, she was dusted in the film’s post-credit scene, soshe was not given the chance to develop any new friendships or relationships in the MCU, but with Shuri, she could have a real kinship.
Move Over Science Bros
Shuri and Wasp are two of the smartest minds in the MCU, and the two could become the successor to Tony Stark and Bruce Banner’s science bros fromThe Avengers. The science sisters' friendship could help both of them grow, as it helps Shuri grow more connections outside of Wakanda, while Hope Pym can gain an ally and friend outside of her family circle.
Mixing Shuri’s knowledge of Vibranium with Hope’s skills with quantum mechanics and pym particles could be a powerful mixture when taking on Doctor Doom and also saving the multiverse.
7Wolverine and the Hulk
Despite a small tease inDeadpool & Wolverine, fans want to see a full-on showdown between The Hulk and Wolverine. It felt like the two things Hugh Jackman never got to do when he was Wolverine were to wear the classic yellow costume and fight the Hulk, so with one of those off the list, it only makes sense to complete the other one.
Wolverine debuted inThe Incredible Hulk#181 back in 1974, so that is part of the reason the two heroes have always been so linked together, but there is also the similarity that both heroes are known for losing their temper in combat, be it the Hulk’s smashing or Wolverine’s berserker rage.
A Showdown Years in the Making
Pitting theHulk vs. Wolverine togethermight be a great way to wrap up both character’s stories. Hugh Jackman will likely only return as Wolverine inAvengers: Doomsdayand/orAvengers: Secret Wars, and after nearly twenty years, it might be time to wrap up the Hulk’s story.
Giving the two characters a chance to do battle finally feels like a great final fan-service moment for both characters before the MCU introduces their own version of Wolverine while they can let the Hulk’s story end and put She-Hulk and other heroes in the spotlight.
6Ms. Marvel and Shang-Chi
The two new faces of the Marvel Cinematic Universe,Shang-ChiandMs. Marvel. Many people assumed that Shang-Chi’s ten rings and Ms. Marvel’s quantum bands had connections to Kang the Conqueror, but with that storyline dropped in favor of Doctor Doom, that doesn’t mean the connection between the two characters should be.
While Ms. Marvel will likely be put with characters like Kate Bishop, Cassie Lang, Riri Williams, andother Young Avengers, given how popular Iman Vellani is in the role, she will likely have a big presence in upcomingAvengersfilms. After already meeting Captain Marvel, Shang-Chi might be one of the most interesting character dynamics.
New Faces to the MCU
Both Ms. Marvel and Shang-Chi are new to the world of The Avengers, with right now only a brief connection through contacts like Captain Marvel. Yet both are newer heroes who are entrusted with powerful ancient items that have been passed down through their families.
They also mirror one another in interesting ways, as Kamala Khan is very close with her family, who supports her, while Shang-Chi has a more complicated relationship, likely amplified by his sister, who is now leading The Ten Rings. As the two new faces of The Avengers, the two would likely have a great deal in common.
5The Human Torch and Spider-Man
In the comics,Spider-ManandThe Human Torchare two close friends because both are teenage superheroes. It is unclear if theMCU Human Torch, played by Joseph Quinn, will be a teenager, but he likely could be a little older than Tom Holland’s Peter Parker.
The two could develop a rivalry as they attempt to one-up the other while also forming a friendship. This is a pairing fans have wanted to see translated on film for years, but due to rights issues, they never could, and now that is possible.
Time Is Running Out
It is unclear if Sony Pictures will still allow Spider-Man in the MCU following his inclusion in one of theAvengersmovies. They already attempted to pull out of their deal with Marvel Studios in 2019 followingSpider-Man: Far From Homebutwere able to make a deal with Marvel Studios for two more appearances. One of those wasSpider-Man: No Way Home, with the other likely in one ofThe Avengersmovies, so this could very well be the last time that the Human Torch and Spider-Man get to share the screen together.
4The Invisible Woman and Namor
Mr. Fantastic andThe Invisible Womanare two of the most stable couples in all of the comics, but there has always been one figure trying to break them up, and that isNamor. Ever since Namor first laid eyes on Sue Storm in his return to comics inFantastic Four#4 in 1962, he has been infatuated with Sue Storm and has made multiple attempts to woo her.
While Sue loves her husband, she is somewhat attracted to Namor, but she has never pursued him romantically. The dynamic between the Invisible Woman and Namor has been explored in the Ultimate Universe,theLifestoryseries Marvel recommended that fans read before the new Fantastic Four film, so it makes sense for it to be hinted at inAvengers: Doomsday.
Might Be Difficult To Adapt This Comic Romance
There is one big factor that might also be the relationship dynamic between Namor and Sue Storm in the MCU. Namor, played by actor Tenoch Huerta, has been reimagined as a descendant of the Yucatán' people and seems to have adeep-seated hatred for surface dwellers, seeing the horrors of colonization.
That means the idea of Namor falling in love with a blonde-haired, blue-eyed white woman like Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm can be incredibly problematic and clashes with the MCU’s characterization of him to fit with the comic book history. There likely could be a way or even a slight wink at the idea, but that question on whether they should even broach the relationship dynamic is an exciting reason to put Namor and Sue Storm in a scene together.
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3Captain Marvel and Doctor Strange
Captain MarvelandDoctor Strangeseemed poised to be the two new leads of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as both seemed designed to fill the roles of Captain America and Iron Man within the next stage of the franchise.
Yet the two characters have not interacted or shared a scene. Both were inAvengers: Endgamebut never spoke to one another and so far, Captain Marvel has had more interaction with Wong than Doctor Strange himself. This feels like a big oversight as both Carol Danvers and Stephen Strange were new heroes introduced in Phase 3, whoshould be the core characters the MCU is building the franchise around.
Captain Marvel and Doctor Strange are characters who wield incredible power from two different corners of the Marvel Universe, cosmic and magic, respectively. They are also characters with big egos and have difficulty taking directions while feeling right so that clash of personalities would make for some exciting drama.
Both will likely want to approach the threat of Doctor Doom and the incursions in the multiverse in different ways, which could lead to a fractured Avengers team. There is also the chance that the two get along very well and share great respect. It feels like fans should know more about what these two characters think of one another, and we don’t, but now Marvel Studios can correct that.
2She-Hulk and Deadpool
She-HulkandDeadpoolare just obvious. These two are meta-joke-making, forth-wall-breaking Marvel superheroes. While Hulk and Wolverine are seen as characters who would fight, it is assumed their two more comedic counterparts would get along.
There are already a lot of possibilities for their dynamic, with a funny possibility being that Deadpool could defendShe-Hulk from many of the sexist and troll commentsthat are often leveled at the character She-Hulk, making him her biggest ally.
Fourth Wall Breaking Heroes
She-Hulk and Deadpool are often positioned as competing characters, withShe-Hulk frequently judged more harshly than Deadpool for making similar jokes. Yet putting them together in the MCU and having them share a scene together, even one where they both acknowledge the other one’s ability to break the fourth wall, not only makes for an excellent comedic setup but a strong bond that could form between them.
IfAvengers: Secret Warsadapts the comic storyline of Doctor Doom remaking reality into his patchwork world called Battleworld, it would be fitting if the two characters with the ability to break the fourth wall are the ones who are aware something is wrong and become key players in undoing Doctor Doom’s plans.
