Avengers: Secret Wars is confirmed, and it is scheduled to hit cinemas on 17 December 2027 — nearly a year after its predecessor, Avengers: Doomsday. The finale of Marvel's Multiverse Saga will be directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, with Robert Downey Jr. returning not as Tony Stark, but as the villainous Doctor Doom. With main characters in Secret Wars already leaking out and filming updates arriving weekly, here is everything we know so far.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Avengers: Secret Wars releases on 17 December 2027, after multiple delays from its original November 2025 date
- Robert Downey Jr. returns as Doctor Doom, confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con 2024
- Directors Joe and Anthony Russo helm both Doomsday and Secret Wars
- Filming on Secret Wars is expected to begin in late 2026, with reports suggesting possible further delays
- The film is the ninth and final instalment of Phase Six and the entire Multiverse Saga
Film summary
Title | Avengers: Secret Wars |
Release date | 17 December 2027 |
Directors | Joe Russo, Anthony Russo |
Writers | Stephen McFeely, Michael Waldron, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers |
Producer | Kevin Feige |
Studio | Marvel Studios / Walt Disney Studios |
Phase | Phase Six (MCU) |
Filming location | Pinewood Studios, England |
Composer | Alan Silvestri |
Is Avengers: Secret Wars confirmed?
Yes — absolutely. Avengers: Secret Wars is an upcoming film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name, serving as a sequel to Avengers: Doomsday. It is the fortieth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the ninth and final instalment of Phase Six and the Multiverse Saga.
On 22 July 2022, Marvel Studios filed five trademarks including one for Avengers: Secret Wars. The following day, at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, Kevin Feige officially announced the film was in development.
The Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars release dates
Avengers: Doomsday pushed its release date from 1 May 2026 to 18 December 2026, while Avengers: Secret Wars moved to 17 December 2027 instead of 7 May 2027.
Originally, Secret Wars was confirmed for 7 May 2027 at Marvel's Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. However, in May 2025, Marvel announced both Doomsday and Secret Wars would be delayed by seven months.
The delays are partly a consequence of the sheer scale involved. Marvel is attempting to release the two films exactly a year apart — Doomsday on 18 December 2026 and Secret Wars on 17 December 2027 — mirroring the Lord of the Rings trilogy approach.
That timeline may slip further. Insider DanielRPK reported that filming could be delayed until November, while another insider suggested January, leaving an incredibly tight window — with a projected wrap in April or May and only seven to eight months for post-production. Disney has not confirmed any further delay.
Main characters in Secret Wars: Who is confirmed?
Actors including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Letitia Wright have confirmed their involvement in Avengers: Secret Wars, though the full cast has not been formally announced — that would spoil who survives the events of Avengers: Doomsday.
Confirmed cast members
Confirmed or semi-confirmed cast members include Robert Downey Jr. (Doctor Doom), Chris Evans (Steve Rogers), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Anthony Mackie (Captain America), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), Paul Bettany (Vision), Letitia Wright (Black Panther), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter), Pedro Pascal (Mister Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (Human Torch), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Thing), Sadie Sink (Jean Grey), and Noah Jupe in an as-yet-undisclosed role.
Actor | Character |
Robert Downey Jr. | Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom |
Chris Evans | Steve Rogers |
Chris Hemsworth | Thor |
Anthony Mackie | Sam Wilson / Captain America |
Benedict Cumberbatch | Stephen Strange / Doctor Strange |
Paul Bettany | Vision |
Letitia Wright | Shuri / Black Panther |
Simu Liu | Shang-Chi |
Florence Pugh | Yelena Belova / Black Widow |
Hayley Atwell | Peggy Carter |
Pedro Pascal | Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic |
Vanessa Kirby | Sue Storm / Invisible Woman |
Joseph Quinn | Johnny Storm / Human Torch |
Ebon Moss-Bachrach | Ben Grimm / The Thing |
Sadie Sink | Jean Grey |
Noah Jupe | TBA |
In an interview with People, Simu Liu confirmed he will reprise his role as Shang-Chi in Avengers: Secret Wars.
When speaking to Screen Rant in December 2025, Letitia Wright confirmed that her character Shuri — also known as Black Panther — is set to appear in Avengers: Secret Wars.
On 1 September 2026, Deadline reported that Noah Jupe had joined the cast in an undisclosed role.
Will the X-Men appear?
It is highly possible that the new X-Men will be involved in Secret Wars somehow. The X-Men cast announced at D23 includes Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Inde Navarette as Rogue, Maya Boyd as Storm, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, and Adam Driver as Mr. Sinister.
What is the plot of Avengers: Secret Wars?
No official plot synopsis has been released, but the comic source material offers significant clues.
The comic book inspiration
Secret Wars is the name of both a 1984–85 comic book crossover event written by Jim Shooter and a 2015–16 storyline written by Jonathan Hickman — both following various Marvel characters who converge on the planet Battleworld.
In the original comics, a villain called The Beyonder sends heroes to Battleworld, where they are trapped and pitted against a horde of villains, with the winning side promised whatever they desire.
The MCU adaptation seems set to draw more heavily from the 2015 run, which saw the destruction of the Prime Marvel Universe. In that storyline, beings called the Beyonders attempt to collapse the Multiverse through Incursions — events where universes collide and become unstable.
Will Secret Wars reboot the MCU?
Almost certainly yes. Marvel's latest announcements have officially confirmed that the MCU is getting a soft reboot after Avengers: Secret Wars.
The Russo brothers have been candid about this. In an interview, Joe Russo explained their mindset:
"What's compelling about these two new Avengers movies is they're a beginning. It's a new beginning. We told an ending story, now we're going to tell a beginning story."
Early rumours suggest Secret Wars' story may feature the Battleworld concept from the comics, following Doctor Doom's victory in Doomsday.
Why did the Russo brothers return for Secret Wars?
Although Joe and Anthony Russo are responsible for some of Marvel's biggest hits, they initially turned down the offer to reunite with the studio to direct Doomsday and Secret Wars.
Joe Russo has said: "Then Robert tried to talk us into doing ['Doomsday' and 'Secret Wars'] and we said 'no'. We just didn't have a story. We didn't have a way in. We were resistant for a while."
The breakthrough came from screenwriter Stephen McFeely. Joe Russo added: "One day, Stephen McFeely said, 'I have an idea.' We went, 'That's the story! That story has to be told; it's a really powerful story!'"
Anthony Russo described the moment the idea clicked in an interview with Empire magazine:
"Really what happened was, we ended up stumbling upon an idea that activated all of us. You couldn't see it coming until it came, and once it came it was like, 'Well, that's a story we need to tell.'"
Joe Russo has also said in a separate interview with GamesRadar+ that they plan to "outdo" Infinity War and Endgame with both new films.
On the ambitious story they have crafted, Joe Russo told The Hollywood Reporter:
r"I think these movies are gonna be a surprise to people. We found a way into the story that's very exciting to us, but, we think, very radical, and I think it's going to challenge audiences."
Production and filming updates
Both films are being produced at Pinewood Studios in England. Filming for Doomsday took place from April to September 2025, and filming for Secret Wars is scheduled to begin in mid-2026.
The screenplay credits are shared across Michael Waldron, Stephen McFeely, Chris McKenna, and Erik Sommers, with music composed by Alan Silvestri.
Latest news on Avengers: Secret Wars
As of October 2026, filming has not yet officially commenced. Marvel insider Daniel Richtman claimed that Secret Wars would reportedly start filming in early October 2026, but his latest update suggests production may not begin before November 2026.
Avengers: Doomsday started filming in spring 2025, wrapped in September 2025, and entered post-production — a roughly 20-month process from start to its December 2026 release.
Doomsday and Secret Wars were not filmed back-to-back, raising significant questions about whether a December 2027 release date remains achievable given the latest delay reports. Forbes reported on 1 October 2026 that insiders now consider a one-year gap between the two films "implausible".
A trailer for Avengers: Secret Wars is not expected until after the release of Avengers: Doomsday.
FAQs
- Is Avengers: Secret Wars confirmed? Yes. Kevin Feige officially announced the film at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, and Marvel has since confirmed a 17 December 2027 release date.
- What is the Avengers: Secret Wars release date? It is currently scheduled for 17 December 2027, after being delayed from its original May 2027 date. Further delays are possible, according to insider reports as of October 2026.
- Who are the main characters in Secret Wars? Confirmed names include Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, and members of the Fantastic Four and Thunderbolts.
- What happened to the Avengers: Kang Dynasty title? The fifth Avengers film was originally announced as Kang Dynasty, featuring Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror. Following Majors' dismissal from Marvel Studios, the film was renamed Avengers: Doomsday, with Robert Downey Jr. recast in a new villain role as Doctor Doom.
- Will Secret Wars reboot the MCU? All signs point to yes. The Russo brothers have described the two films as "a new beginning", and Marvel's own announcements have confirmed a soft reboot of the universe following Secret Wars.
- Who is directing Avengers: Secret Wars? Joe and Anthony Russo, the directors of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, are directing both Doomsday and Secret Wars.
- What comics inspired Avengers: Secret Wars? Joe Russo has confirmed the films draw loosely from both the 1984 Secret Wars by Jim Shooter and the 2015 run by Jonathan Hickman, both of which feature Marvel heroes transported to a planet called Battleworld.
- When does filming on Secret Wars begin? Principal photography is expected to begin in late 2026, though insiders suggest it may not start until November 2026 or even January 2027, putting the December 2027 release date at risk.
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