Robert Downey Jr.'s Victor von Doom has made his first decisive move in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it involves one of the most powerful beings the franchise has ever introduced. The finale of Disney+'s VisionQuest confirmed that Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) is alive, with Doom personally responsible for her return ahead of Avengers: Doomsday (2026) this December.
The series' second post-credits scene returns to the ruins of Mount Wundagore, where Wanda appeared to sacrifice herself at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). Doom arrives, lifts the debris from her body, and issues a command: “Scarlet Witch, awaken. Your power will be mine.” Wanda opens her eyes, and one of the MCU's longest-standing questions finally has an answer.
What Doom Wants With Wanda
Doom's wording leaves little doubt about his intentions, even if his method remains unclear. He could attempt to control Wanda outright, exploit her abilities for his own purposes, or turn her against the Avengers. Any of those outcomes would make the film's central antagonist considerably more dangerous than a villain operating alone.
Comic readers may already recognize a possible blueprint. Doom plays a part in Wanda's story in “The Children's Crusade,” and Marvel could draw on that storyline as it brings the pair together on screen. Her return also reopens the Maximoff family as territory the studio can explore further.
Why Downey Jr. Changes the Equation
The casting is what gives this development its weight. Downey Jr. helped build the MCU as Tony Stark, beginning with Iron Man (2008), and Stark's death in Avengers: Endgame (2019) appeared to close the door on the actor's Marvel career. Now cast as the Fantastic Four's greatest adversary and one of Marvel Comics' most recognizable villains, he must ensure audiences see Doom rather than Stark.
From a storytelling perspective, however, the role solves a structural problem. Marvel now has a single overarching threat capable of uniting multiple franchises, and with the Scarlet Witch's power potentially at his disposal, that threat escalates considerably.
The X-Men Are More Than a Nostalgia Play
A villain of that scale demands a response to match, and Doomsday provides one through the long-awaited Avengers and X-Men crossover. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, who began his Hollywood career working on X-Men (2000), described the union as the culmination of approximately 25 years of Marvel storytelling.
Speaking to Empire, Feige recalled comments Hugh Jackman (Logan/Wolverine) made long before the meeting was possible: “You see interviews of Hugh Jackman 15, 20 years ago saying, ‘People say it's impossible, but maybe someday the X-Men and the Avengers can all get together.' It just felt right. It just felt like the fun way to culminate a quarter-century of storytelling.”
A newly released still places Cyclops (James Marsden) and Gambit (Channing Tatum) in front of the X-Mansion. Feige suggested that Gambit's move from Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) into the wider MCU will reveal more of the character: “He's a standout. It's fun to see Gambit be as charismatic as he was in Deadpool & Wolverine, and yet in Doomsday it's not all for laughs. He's a fully-rounded character.”
The comments indicate the returning mutants will contribute meaningfully to the Avengers storyline rather than serving purely as callbacks.
The Roster Isn't Finished Yet
The confirmed ensemble spans several generations of Marvel filmmaking. Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Captain America), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier), Paul Rudd (Scott Lang/Ant-Man), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), and Letitia Wright (Shuri/Black Panther) are all involved. Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm/Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm/Human Torch) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm/Thing) lead the Fantastic Four.
Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier/Professor X), Ian McKellen (Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler) and Kelsey Grammer (Beast) join Marsden and Tatum on the X-Men side, while Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Chris Evans (Steve Rogers) and Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter) also return.
That list is not complete. In a The Walt Disney Company press release, Anthony Russo addressed the speculation directly: “The pattern that you're sensing is real. We have absolutely not announced the entire cast. There is more to come.”
Mark Ruffalo's (Bruce Banner) absence from the original announcement stands out most, particularly after footage associated with Avengers Endgame: Encore (2026) showed Banner encountering Doctor Doom. Fans are also hoping for Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange) and Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), while the specifics of Wanda's role following VisionQuest remain unrevealed.
Can Avengers: Secret Wars Hold Its Date?
Avengers: Secret Wars (2027) is scheduled for December 17, 2027, as the second installment of the Multiverse Saga's concluding storyline. Reports that filming could extend into early 2027 have raised doubts, given the film's enormous ensemble and visual effects workload. A shift to 2028 would buy time for filming, editing, and effects, but could disrupt Marvel's broader slate and its exit from the Multiverse Saga. No delay has been announced, and the December 2027 date remains in place.
With Doom moving to claim the Scarlet Witch and the X-Men standing alongside the Avengers and Fantastic Four, Avengers: Doomsday is positioned as a defining chapter for Marvel Studios, and potentially the foundation of a very different MCU heading into Secret Wars.
What do you think the storyline of Avengers: Doomsday will be? Let us know in the comments below!
