The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in transition, and a recent wave of announcements points to a bold new direction—one that puts Robert Downey Jr. back at the center of the action in a very different role.
After a decade of dominating the box office, Marvel has been navigating an uneven stretch. Successes like Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) kept momentum alive, even as other releases faltered.
Captain America: Brave New World (2025) was expected to reignite the MCU but failed to fully deliver. The studio regained footing with Jake Schreier’s Thunderbolts* (2025), which earned strong reviews and renewed audience confidence.
Phase Six began with The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025). Despite a steep second-week drop, Bob Iger confirmed that Marvel’s First Family will remain “central to the future of the franchise.”
The franchise’s biggest adjustment came after Jonathan Majors’ exit as Kang the Conqueror. Following allegations from his ex-partner Grace Jabbari, Majors was dismissed, prompting Marvel to refocus its long-term arc around another classic villain: Doctor Doom.
At San Diego Comic-Con, Kevin Feige confirmed that Anthony and Joe Russo will return to direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, slated for release in December 2026 and 2027, respectively.
In a striking twist, Robert Downey Jr. returns to the MCU not as Tony Stark but as Victor Von Doom. The Oppenheimer (2023) actor’s Doom debuted in a Fantastic Four: First Steps post-credits sequence, setting up his role in the next Avengers chapters.
Though Kang hasn’t been erased entirely—his last appearances were in Loki Season 2 and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)—his presence has been reduced. Oscar nominee Colman Domingo (Rustin, Sing Sing) revealed he’s been in talks with Marvel, though “not about a specific role,” leaving open the possibility of new variants.
Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday announcement brought together a massive roster of stars.
Robert Downey Jr. headlines as Doctor Doom, joined by Sebastian Stan, Paul Rudd, Simu Liu, Kelsey Grammer, Florence Pugh, Tom Hiddleston, James Marsden, and Chris Hemsworth. Other additions include Channing Tatum, Hannah John-Kamen, Danny Ramirez, Ian McKellen, Vanessa Kirby, Lewis Pullman, Rebecca Romijn, Patrick Stewart, and Alan Cumming.
Also on board are David Harbour, Letitia Wright, Anthony Mackie, Wyatt Russell, Joseph Quinn, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, Pedro Pascal, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. But Benedict Cumberbatch’s name was nowhere to be found.
Since Doctor Strange (2016), Cumberbatch’s Stephen Strange has been a key player across the Avengers saga, guiding Thor and Loki in 2017's Thor: Ragnarok and shaping the Multiverse in Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).
Asked about his absence during a press junket for The Roses (2025), Cumberbatch quipped to Omelete, “Who knows? Maybe they just didn’t have enough chairs.”
He joins Mark Ruffalo and Brie Larson among major stars currently outside the Doomsday lineup.
Wanda Maximoff’s New Role in Marvel Comics
In comics, the Scarlet Witch is stepping into her own era of power.
Marvel announced a new ongoing series, “Sorcerer Supreme,” launching in December. Written by Steve Orlando with art by Bernard Chang and covers by Leirix, the book repositions Wanda Maximoff as Marvel’s new mystical leader.
Set after “One World Under Doom,” the story begins with Victor Von Doom’s downfall and Wanda’s decision to claim the Sorcerer Supreme title. The Vishanti reject her claim, instead choosing Agatha Harkness, sparking a rivalry that carries Wanda into Limbo under Madelyne Pryor’s rule.
Writer Steve Orlando said, via Comic Book Movie, that once the title was left open, “who hears the artifacts and cries for help?” became the core question—and Wanda was the natural answer.
Following previous mantle-holders like Clea Strange and Doctor Doom, Wanda now takes the lead. “Sorcerer Supreme #1” arrives December 31, continuing Marvel’s legacy of passing magical power between generations.
In the live-action MCU, Wanda’s fate remains uncertain following Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where she appeared to sacrifice herself. Whether “Sorcerer Supreme” influences her cinematic return remains to be seen—but for Marvel, both on page and screen, a new balance of power is taking shape.
