Can Secret Wars Save the MCU?

TL;DR

Secret Wars faces an uphill battle due to behind-the-scenes chaos, lack of established heroes, and no coherent narrative setup.

Key Points

• 1.Marvel's pivot from Kang Dynasty to Doomsday signals desperation. After Jonathan Majors' legal troubles and failing Phase 4-5 characters, Kevin Feige replaced Kang with Robert Downey Jr. returning as Dr. Doom — not Tony Stark — for Avengers: Doomsday.
• 2.On-set chaos and mid-production rewrites threaten Doomsday's coherence. Rumors of a Reynolds-Downey argument and rewrites sidelining Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards, combined with significant scheduled reshoots, mirror the troubled production of Captain America: Brave New World.
• 3.Marvel failed to build a new generation of heroes to carry the franchise. Characters like Shang-Chi, the Eternals, and Sam Wilson's Cap were neglected, and now Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, and Downey's returns will crowd out newer characters entirely.
• 4.Secret Wars faces a release-date crisis and possible split. Doomsday is scheduled for December 18, 2026 — the same date as Dune Part 3, which has IMAX screens booked — forcing Marvel to potentially delay, while Secret Wars may be split into two films.
• 5.Secret Wars can only save the MCU if Doomsday succeeds first. If Doomsday underperforms, Secret Wars risks delay, retooling, or massive reshoots; unlike the Infinity War/Endgame buildup, there is no established Avengers team or clear villain setup to support a two-part finale.