It's still a while before Avengers: Secret Wars hits our screens, but that doesn't mean we know nothing about the upcoming Marvel Phase 6 movie. It will act as the conclusion to the Multiverse Saga, and as a result, we're pretty sure it's going to have huge consequences on the MCU going forward. While things remain up in the air, we've compiled all we know about Avengers: Secret Wars so far below, from our guestimations at what the plot might involve (using the comics as our guide), to the exact release date after its delay.
No director has been confirmed just yet – though many are predicting Ryan Coogler, director of Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, could helm the film – but there's still tons to check out below. Sam Raimi has also thrown his hat in the ring as a potential director too. So, for the lowdown on Secret Wars, look no further than the ultimate guide right here.
We can expect something of Endgame proportions when the movie finally releases, too, so if you're looking to get up to speed on everything there is to know about Avengers 6, you've come to the right place.
Avengers: Secret Wars release date
Avengers: Secret Wars will be released on May 7, 2027.
It was originally announced for May 1, 2026, but that got pushed back amid strikes-related delays. The sixth Avengers movie follows on from Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (or Avengers 5 as it is now called) which is now in the 2026 spot.
"When we were doing Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3, there were [fewer] projects over more years," Feige previously explained of the six-year gap between Avengers: Endgame and the next Avengers movie. "They were smaller projects and individual character stories, and it felt appropriate at that point, that after every two or three years that it took for a phase, we would do an Avengers film."
The Marvel boss also suggested that the larger output from Marvel, including the MCU shows on Disney Plus, lessens the need for a new Avengers film every year – which makes sense given that Avengers members Hawkeye and Wanda, as well as the Avengers-adjacent Loki, were given their own solo show. Each Disney Plus show has set up lore and canon that becomes an official part of the MCU and makes its way into the larger film projects.
Avengers: Secret Wars director
Currently, Avengers: Secret Wars doesn't have a director. For a while, it was thought that Marvel was looking for a different director Avengers 5 as they had locked in Shang-Chi's Deston Daniel Crettin for that one. However, now that he's no longer attached, and The Kang Dynasty is without a director, this might not be the plan anymore.
So far, Marvel has kept consistency with their Avengers directors: the first two Avengers movies were both directed by Joss Whedon, while Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame were helmed by the Russo brothers.
Speaking of the Russos, they've long said they would want to bring Secret Wars to the screen. However, in an interview with MTV, the brothers confirmed that they have not yet had discussions with Marvel about taking on the project. "We haven't had conversations with those guys about anything that they're up to because we've been intensely busy with our own schedule," Joe Russo said. The duo's currently expanding The Gray Man universe for Netflix, and working on their Prime Video show Citadel's expansion, which will likely take up the majority of their time. We'll update this section when a director is announced.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has also addressed calls for Black Panther and Wakanda Forever helmer Ryan Coogler to direct Secret Wars. "Well, I would want Ryan to do anything at any time because he's a singular talent and a great person to spend years with," Feige told Variety. "But no, in all honesty, there've been no conversations. We've not spoken to him about Secret Wars."
Sam Raimi, who directed Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, has also said he'd be keen. Speaking at WonderCon (via Screen Geek) he said: "I love 90% of the Marvel heroes that I’ve read in the great Stan Lee Marvel Universe comic books. I would love to work with Marvel again. They haven’t reasonably asked me to. I hope they had a good experience with me. They haven’t asked me yet. I hope they do."
The movie has, however, found its writer: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Loki writer Michael Waldron has been tapped to pen the script. Of course, he's also writing the script for Avengers 5 too.
Avengers: Secret Wars cast
With Avengers: Secret Wars being so far off, there's no word on who to expect in the cast. However, the 2015 Secret Wars comics that the movie looks set to be heavily based on featured Thor, both Miles Morales and Peter Parker, Wolverine, Captain America, She-Hulk, the Fantastic Four, and so many more. The Beyonder, The Lizard, Magneto, Doctor Doom (in his most powerful form as God Emperor Doom), Molecule Man, and Kang the Conqueror were also big-time villains in the Secret Wars storyline.
Now, Kang's future in the MCU is a bit unclear at the moment. This is because Jonathan Majors has been dropped by Marvel Studios and will no longer play Kang. It's possible he'll be recast, but we've had no confirmation on that one yet. In terms of other antagonists, Doctor Doom, The Beyonder, and Molecule man serve as the main three who seek destruction – but it's possible that the storyline will change in order to feature Kang as the ultimate supervillain who condemns the heroes to an eternal fight. We know also know that Galactus is joining the MCU in Fantastic Four, could they be another contender?
It's also possible, that, because all realities are now possible within the Multiverse, we may see the return of Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and Chris Evans as Captain America, though either actor coming back feels like quite a stretch. Kevin Feige has ruled out that potential but this is Marvel, so it's hard to know who do believe at the moment.
We can probably presume, though, that Superheroes with solo projects in Phases 4 through 6 – such as Shang-Chi, Doctor Strange, Thor, Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, and Fantastic Four – will show up to try and save Earth. We might even get the Young Avengers too, considering that The Marvels ending scene.
Avengers: Secret Wars plot
There have been two prominent Secret Wars storylines in Marvel comics, the first of which launched in 1984 as part of a collaboration between the comic book-maker and toy manufacturer Mattel, the intention being that they would launch a line of toys alongside a huge crossover event in the comics. The first Secret Wars is therefore considered the first ever official Marvel crossover event with the 12-issue series billed as the ultimate showdown between the most powerful heroes and villains in the Marvel Universe.
The story sees a villain called The Beyonder send our heroes to a planet known as Battleworld, in which they are trapped and locked into (seemingly) eternal battle with other villains. Many heroes' storylines are drastically altered, including Spider-Man, who receives his famous all-black costume that ends up being a living alien symbiote – which attempts to take over Peter's mind before attaching itself to Eddie Brock and becoming Venom.
While the original Secret Wars is a much-loved, the MCU seems set to be more akin to the 2015 comic book run that saw the destruction of the Prime Marvel Universe (Earth-616) as we know it. Essentially, The Beyonders – there are many of them – are trying to collapse the Multiverse through Incursions, which is when universes collide and become unstable. The Beyonders are doing this all by using Molecule Man, the only person who exists in basically the exact same context and identity in every world. He's essentially a failsafe whose powers can be activated by the Beyonders, destroying that universe.
However, the Beyonders are foiled by Doctor Doom. However, being a dastardly villain, Doom then reconstructs Battleworld using elements of different universes. Many heroes were drastically changed in the process, though the Avengers eventually come out on top and defeat Doom, who is known as God Emperor Doom. You can read much more about the Secret Wars comics here.
We've already seen the groundwork for this story being laid out. In Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, Doctor Strange of Earth-838 causes an incursion, destroying his universe and another. The Multiverse itself has now been well-established thanks to the Doctor Strange sequel and Spider-Man: No Way Home, which featured multiple Peter Parkers. The theme continued into Loki season 2 as well The Marvels, and we're guessing we haven't seen the last of that yet either.
That's everything we know so far about Avengers: Secret Wars, For much more on the MCU, be sure to check out our full breakdown of all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows coming soon.
