A potential Thor 5 could take its cues from the world of Wolverine if one of the original MCU directors has anything to say about it. Chris Hemsworth has played the God of Thunder since 2011, fronting four solo films and a string of Avengers team-ups, and his next outing comes in Avengers: Doomsday this December. There has been no official word from Marvel Studios on a fifth solo film for the character, but a familiar voice from the franchise's earliest days has now thrown his hat in the ring with a very interesting pitch.

Kenneth Branagh, who directed the first Thor back in 2011, told Business Insider he would love to return for one final film with the character, and he wants it built in the mould of James Mangold's Logan, which has already inspired one MCU film. The 2017 Wolverine sendoff closed out Hugh Jackman's run with a R-rated road movie that traded spectacle for character. Branagh sees that same kind of farewell as the right way to send Hemsworth's Thor off into the sunset. 

A set photo hints at a major MCU cameo taking place in The Punisher: One Last Kill. Jon Bernthal's upcoming Punisher special is a spotlight on the life of Frank Castle following the ending of his solo Netflix series and brief return in Daredevil: Born Again Season 1. The 2026 Punisher reboot will release within one week of the Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 finale, and the two projects may be more interconnected than previously expected.

A photo from the set of what seems to be Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 may actually secretly set up a cameo for The Punisher: One Last Kill. An image posted on Instagram by Royce Johnson, who plays Detective Sergeant Brett Mahoney in Daredevil: Born Again, shows a reunion between himself, Deborah Ann Woll (Karen Page), and Bernthal. 

Marvel Television finally confirmed where Mike Colter's Luke Cage is during the events of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, and it confirms a popular theory. Daredevil: Born Again is continuing to ease fans into a full-on revival of Netflix's Defenders Saga in Season 2, having just brought back Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones (now with a daughter, Danielle) after already featuring Jon Bernthal's Punisher last season. Jones' return has come alongside a particular interest in Matthew Lillard's Mr. Charles, the new CIA villain who links to Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin and another MCU Phase 5 villain, along with a beloved Netflix hero.

In Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, Episode 6, Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones revealed that her home had been attacked by a "wetwork" team sent by Matthew Lillard's Mr. Charles. She explained that the CIA operative had been "running guns with Fisk," but, more interestingly, he had been looking to recruit super-powered people, an offer she refused, while "not everyone [she knows] did:" 

"After you called, I did some digging. Found out who's been running guns with Fisk and giving him all this cover... A while ago, this guy called. Obviously agency. Obviously sketchy as hell. He was interested in people like us. I told him to f***. Not everyone I know did."

Marvel Studios isn't ready to hand over the reins to its franchise just yet. Despite Avengers: Endgame seemingly serving as a farewell tour for a good chunk of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, many of them are returning for Avengers: Doomsday. In fact, Thor and Steve Rogers were featured prominently in the trailer for the movie shown to all the lucky CinemaCon attendees.

The new look at the blockbuster film builds the hype for the fight for the multiverse's survival. It turns the heat up about as high as it can go before breaking the thermostat by showing Thor's reunion with the hero formerly known as Captain America, with Mjolnir even leaving its original owner's hand to return to its old friend. But all the talk about a couple of the original Avengers is getting in the way of the conversation surrounding the characters who are about to get their first shot at the big leagues.

Doomsday will mark over a dozen characters' first time appearing in an Avengers film. And each one is going to have an opportunity to leave a mark that puts them in the same league as Iron Man and Co.

A new variant cover for the upcoming X-Men '97 Season 2 prequel comic puts a fresh team of mutant superheroes front and center. The five-issue limited series, titled X-Men '97: Season Two, comes from writer Steve Foxe and artist Salva Espin, the same duo behind the prelude tie-in for the show's first season. It picks up after the Season 1 finale, with most of the X-Men scattered across time and only a handful left to hold the line in the present day.

Marvel's Marvel Animation variant cover for X-Men '97: Season Two #1 reveals three new superheroes joining the animated universe in Season 2: Havok, Wolfsbane, and Multiple Man. All three are members of X-Factor, the government-backed mutant team teased in X-Men '97 Season 1. The cover places them alongside fellow X-Factor mutants Strong Guy and Polaris, in the show's signature animated style, teasing the team's full arrival as a major piece of the new season.

In the image, Strong Man rocks his classic yellow and purple gear, with Havok beside him in the X-Factor uniform he wore in the original X-Men: The Animated Series. Polaris floats just above them, while Wolfsbane crouches in her hybrid wolf form. Three identical figures of Multiple Man also fill out the rest of the image.

The Spider-Verse just confirmed a replacement for Gwen Stacy in its next series. Following the success of the animated films Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse, Sony is expanding this world with an experimental new live-action series, starring Nicolas Cage as his Spider-Verse character, Spider-Man Noir. The new series Spider-Noir takes place in an alternate universe where Ben Reilly serves as New York City's friendly neighborhood Spider-Man and private investigator during the Depression Era.

The Spider-Noir series has already introduced several changes to classic characters in this alternate universe, including variations on Tombstone and Black Cat. But when it comes down to it, Spider-Man Noir/Ben Reilly is an alternate version of the same character, and his story follows many similar patterns to Peter Parker's. This includes a Gwen Stacy-like character in Reilly's life, who was revealed in the Prime Video show's latest trailer.

The newest trailer for Spider-Noir confirms that Reilly once loved a woman named Ruby, who seemingly drowned in a car accident after he failed to save her. Ruby's death is something that has haunted Reilly, with his friend, Robbie Robertson (Lamorne Morris), reminding him, "You've been in a hole ever since Ruby died."

Avengers: Doomsday will deliver something completely different for Chris Evans upon his return to the MCU. After a couple of years of reports, Evans was finally confirmed for Doomsday's cast in the film's first trailer, giving the veteran his 13th appearance in the expansive Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, after Steve Rogers moved on to a new stage of his life in Avengers: Endgame, he will go through some major adjustments moving forward.

Marvel Studios released a new trailer for Avengers: Doomsday for attendees at CinemaCon 2026, which was not released publicly. The end of this trailer featured Chris Evans in his return to the MCU as Steve Rogers, which comes after he passed the Captain America mantle to Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson at the end of 2019's Avengers: Endgame.

At the end of this trailer, Chris Hemsworth's Thor exclaims in despair that he and the Avengers will "need a miracle" in the fight against Robert Downey Jr.'s Victor Von Doom. Looking off-screen and holding his hammer, Mjolnir, Thor then says, "It's not possible" in astonishment as Evans makes his glorious return as the former Captain America.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has just revealed its newest female hero, and she's already left quite an impression. Female heroes like Black Widow, Captain Marvel, and Shuri/Black Panther have become standouts in Marvel Studios' recent phases. Now Daredevil: Born Again has given the MCU its latest major female superstar. 

Episode 6 of Daredevil: Born Again reintroduced audiences to Jessica Jones, played by Krysten Ritter. The super-strong, bad-ass private investigator was previously the lead of her own Marvel Television-produced Netflix series, Jessica Jones, and participated in the team-up series, The Defenders, but this is the first time Ritter has played the character in a Marvel Studios production.

Ritter's return came with style in Episode 6 of Daredevil: Born Again, as agents were seen converging on a suburban house, only for them to be taken out painfully by an unseen combatant. This turned out to be none other than Jessica Jones, who used her super strength to dispatch those who were threatening her home and her daughter, Danielle. 

Disney+ is going to have a huge month in May 2026 with new episodes (and an exciting special) from Marvel Studios and Star Wars. Disney+ recently brought back its best feature in April, with Star Wars and MCU original series dueling back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday nights through Maul: Shadow Lord and Daredevil: Born Again. 

The official Next on Disney+ blog post for May confirmed what fans can look forward to in the coming weeks. May 2026 will be a bittersweet month for Disney+ as it kicks off with the climactic finales of two major original series. That will begin on Monday, May 4, better known as Star Wars Day. The Clone Wars sequel, Maul — Shadow Lord, drops its final two chapters, ending a successful five-week run. 

New data has indicated that the MCU's Disney+ strategy change isn't working yet. In the early days of Disney+, Marvel Studios was developing its TV series like movies, swerving traditional showrunners and show bibles while leaning into limited series that could link to the wider MCU. After mixed reactions to many MCU shows, Marvel Television has split into its own division under Brad Winderbaum and is instituting a "slowdown" in output to favor quality over quantity. 

Furthermore, Winderbaum has been open that the MCU's streaming strategy has changed to "[make] television more in a traditional style" with multiple pilots and show bibles in the works at once before deciding what to produce. Part of the switch-up is a focus on shows that can "last multiple seasons" and "brew in the culture" for years to come. The first true live-action product of that change is Daredevil: Born Again, which was renewed for a second season before the first even landed on Disney+, while Season 3 is similarly already in production. 

According to an exclusive report from ComicBook, based on data provided by Luminate, Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 has, unfortunately, dropped by roughly half compared to last season. That not only paints a worrying picture for Born Again's overall interest, but also the MCU's larger TV strategy as a whole.

Avengers: Doomsday's first trailer left out an important character crucial to the movie's Multiverse storyline, but it made complete sense. The MCU's highly anticipated crossover event will bring together the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men as they team up for the first time ever to try and prevent the Multiversal reign of terror of Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom. While marketing has heavily featured these superhero teams, even spoiling the return of Chris Evans' Steve Rogers in Doomsday's first teaser, one key character has yet to appear in the movie's promotional footage. 

Avengers: Doomsday's official CinemaCon trailer did not feature Tom Hiddleston's Loki or the Time Variance Authority (TVA). The lack of Loki is notable, mainly because Hiddleston is confirmed to return as the God of Stories in Doomsday after being part of the much-talked-about chairs casting announcement in March 2025. 

Loki's omission makes sense given what transpired at the end of Loki Season 2, when he ascended to become the God of Stories and the one holding the Multiverse together. This pivot retroactively positioned Loki from being the first Avengers villain to the MCU Multiverse's savior. 

VisionQuest remains undated in Marvel Studios' calendar right now, but a merchandise listing may have narrowed its release window. The upcoming Disney+ series is the third in a trilogy of shows that began with WandaVision in 2021, and continued in 2024's Agatha All Along. VisionQuest will shift the focus to Paul Bettany's android, Vision, who was brought back to life as the amnesiac White Vision in WandaVision, and must now seek out his memories. 

VisionQuest received its first trailer at New York Comic-Con in 2025, confirming it would be released in 2026, but Marvel Studios has refrained from setting a specific release date for the series. However, a listing for VisionQuest's Funko Pop tie-ins may have given a new indication on that front. The Funko Pops, which are currently posted without images, are available for pre-order on 1001hobbies.com, and are listed as being available at the end of August 2026. 

Based on the release dates of past first-wave Funko Pop tie-ins for MCU shows, the premiere for VisionQuest would therefore likely also take place at the end of August, possibly in the last week of the month, or even in early September. This aligns with estimates that VisionQuest will be released in Fall 2026 on Disney+, placing it between the other MCU releases this year, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday.

Marvel sent off one of its most recent dead MCU villains with a tribute unlike anything ever seen in this franchise. The MCU is no stranger to killing off its villains over the years, with only a few antagonists still standing in the greater Marvel universe 18 years into its run. However, following the most recent death, fans saw the studio's social media feed do something much different than anything past villains have gotten.

Marvel Studios released a tribute image to Ayelet Zurer's Vanessa Fisk following the character's death in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2. The image showed a funeral pamphlet with Vanessa's picture on it, complete with a heartfelt message honoring her death after she passed away in the hospital in Season 2, Episode 5:

"In loving memory of Vanessa Fisk

Audiences got their first real look at Avengers: Doomsday and its massive ensemble cast when Disney debuted the film's trailer at CinemaCon 2026. The footage, shown exclusively to exhibitors, journalists, and influencers, has since ignited widespread excitement among the MCU fanbase, with many clamoring for an online release soon. Before then, it's time to go a bit deeper by ranking each character's screen time in the exclusive footage.

Having watched the trailer firsthand at CinemaCon 2026, The Direct's character screen time rankings are based entirely on our own in-room tracking of the footage. 

While a public release of the trailer remains uncertain, with the film still roughly eight months away from its theatrical debut, what was shown to the CinemaCon crowd left little doubt about which heroes are being positioned front and center in Avengers: Doomsday. Among the most buzzed-about moments from the presentation was the formal introduction of Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom and the continuation of Chris Evans' return as Steve Rogers, with both stars taking the stage in person to introduce the footage. 

There have been plenty of set photo leaks from the filming of Daredevil: Born Again Season 3, not only spoiling the return of The Defenders but also new villains that Charlie Cox's Murdock will have to stop. However, another Netflix alum may be preparing for her return sooner than many expected.

Elodie Yung recently posted two videos on her Instagram Stories of herself working out with a dumbbell. With her show, The Cleaning Lady, having ended last year and no other projects on her schedule, fans could only come to one logical conclusion: Yung is returning as Elektra in Born Again Season 3.

Half a dozen villains from Amazon Prime Video's Spider-Noir series took the spotlight in a new look at the show. Making Nicolas Cage the oldest actor to ever play Spider-Man, this series will take fans back a century in the timeline to give Ben Reilly his own 1930s-set solo adventure in New York City. Providing a new look at this world-famous character, Spidey will get his shot to fight some iconic villains from his long history in the comics.

Prime Video (via IGN) released a new trailer for Spider-Noir that highlights six of the show's villains. While Cage's Ben Reilly will naturally be the main focus of the story, Spider-Man is known for having, arguably, the greatest rogues' gallery in comic book history. Some of his most iconic villains will be brought into play for this period piece opposite Cage's hero, including some that have never been featured in a live-action setting.

All 6 Villains Featured in New Spider-Noir Trailer

Marvel Television's The Punisher: One Last Kill officially recasts a major character tied to Frank Castle's past, and the decision makes a ton of sense. The Punisher: One Last Kill is a reboot of Frank's MCU story after his significant team-up with Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock in Daredevil: Born Again Season 1. The Special Presentation will revolve around Frank's attempt to find meaning and purpose beyond his endless cycle of violence, allowing the show to explore the guilt over his family's death and his struggle to leave the Punisher mantle behind.

At the 0:31 mark of the official trailer for The Punisher: One Last Kill, a brief flashback shows a young Lisa Castle, Frank's deceased daughter, marking the character's continued integration into the MCU following the Netflix Punisher series. However, the role has been recast with a new, currently unconfirmed young actress. 

Avengers: Doomsday may set the X-Men up for a scary moment, if their trailer is to be believed. Doomsday, which hits theaters on December 18, will give the X-Men the resurgence they have needed for years, offering them their most comic-accurate depiction ever alongside multiple other Marvel hero teams. However, considering the state of doom fans expect to see in this movie, it is almost no surprise that the mutants will find themselves in serious trouble as well.

Marvel Studios released the third trailer for Avengers: Doomsday in late December 2025, this one centered on the legacy X-Men joining the film's cast. Specifically, it featured Sir Patrick Stewart's Professor Charles Xavier, Sir Ian McKellen's Magneto, and James Marsden's Cyclops in a new version of the X-mansion.

Every image unveiled so far from Spider-Man: Brand New Day paints a picture of what's to come for Marvel's beloved web-slinger. Tom Holland returns for his fourth outing as Spider-Man when the film swings into theaters worldwide on July 31. With a few early promotional materials, spotted posters, and images pulled from the first trailer, fans have plenty to analyze, with Brand New Day trying to live up to the hype following 2021's No Way Home.

Marketing for Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now in full swing, and it's only picking up steam. Just weeks after the first trailer dropped, fans are already hungry for more, with many eyeing CinemaCon next week in Las Vegas as the next potential release of new details. This would be fitting given that last year's CinemaCon was where the Brand New Day subtitle was first unveiled to the world. 

What's already out there is plenty to get excited about, with the earliest batch of images spotlighting the film's stacked cast, including Zendaya, Mark Ruffalo, Jon Bernthal, and more. 

The spiritual successor to Captain America: Civil War is coming this year, but this time, new teams of heroes will be fighting. In 2016, Marvel Studios pitted its heroes against each other following the fallout from Avengers: Age of Ultron. This created two teams: Team Captain America and Team Iron Man. Ten years later, and fans are still arguing about which team, or leader, was right. In 2026, not only are Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans back in the MCU, but Marvel is launching a new movie that pits its heroes against each other yet again.

One thing the Multiverse Saga missed was an event like Civil War, which kicked off Phase 3 and acted as an "Avengers 2.5" movie. A real miss that Phases 4-6 have had is the absence of any Avengers-level crossovers, but in 2026, that all changes. Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, going head-to-head against rival studio Warner Bros.' Dune: Part Three. What fans have yet to realize is that while Doomsday is Avengers 5, it's also shaping up to be Civil War 2.