Avengers: Doomsday may be leading right into Avengers: Secret Wars, but one major character in the latter storyline will reportedly be missing. The MCU was originally planning to cut arguably Secret Wars' most important character, as Jonathan Majors' Kang was set to replace Doctor Doom. Many will be aware that Doom sits at the heart of Secret Wars, as his mission to stop the Incursions that are destroying the Multiverse leads him to create Battleworld - a patchwork reality of its remnants where he rules and the story takes place.
While abandoning Avengers: The Kang Dynasty in favor of Avengers: Doomsday has fixed that problem, bringing Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom to the forefront, the MCU is still missing some key Secret Wars characters. Both Molecule Man and the Beyonders play major roles in that storyline, but are yet to be introduced under Marvel Studios, sparking fears they may be replaced with others who already exist in the MCU ahead of Avengers 5 and 6.
During a recent Q&A on The Cosmic Circus, scooper Alex Perez was asked whether Molecule Man, a major figure in the Secret Wars comic storyline, would feature in Avengers: Doomsday. The scooper responded with a simple, "No," sparking confusion on how the MCU will cut such a key player.
Lab technician Owen Reece became one of the most powerful beings in existence thanks to the power from the Beyonders. The nigh-omnipotent race that exists outside the Multiverse created a Molecule Man in every universe, with the caveat that when he dies, his universe dies with him.
Effectively serving as a universe bomb, the deaths of these Earths would, after years of build-up, cause the Multiverse to contract, thus creating the Incursions. Of course, these devastating Incursions were by design, as the Beyonders were simply conducting an experiment to destroy the Multiverse.
In 2015's Secret Wars storyline, Earth-616's Molecule Man teamed up with Doctor Doom, initially believing they would thwart the Beyonders' plans to destroy the Multiverse by killing his Variants - which, of course, only caused destruction.
Ultimately, they would instead confront the Beyonders, whom Molecule Man was able to kill and take their powers to give to Doctor Doom. Having seen himself as the saviour of all reality, Doom used these powers to create Battleworld, pulling together what was left of the Multiverse in his image.
When it comes to theaters on December 17, 2026, Doomsday will begin the one-year journey to Secret Wars' release on December 18, 2027. While Alex Perez ruled out Molecule Man appearing in Avengers 5, there could still be room for him in Avengers 6, which has already confirmed 14 cast members.
In terms of those who won't be missing out on Doomsday, 61 characters have already been confirmed and reported to feature in the massive ensemble cast that will be headlined by Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.
How the MCU Might Be Making Big Changes to Secret Wars
The MCU often makes changes to storylines and replaces certain characters to match its universe. With no sign of Molecule Man joining the MCU ahead of Secret Wars, at least some of his major role could be replaced by other uber-powerful characters, such as Scarlet Witch, Sentry, Loki, and Franklin Richards.
After Doctor Doom approached the Franklin in The Fantastic Four: First Steps' post-credit scene, there's every chance Franklin is being set up to fill the Molecule Man role, ultimately giving Doom the power to create Battleworld.
Alternatively, with Loki holding the Multiverse together, he may be a candidate, especially after a report revealed Tom Hiddleston's vital role in Avengers 5, as the movie will supposedly be a "race to see who gets to Loki first."
Currently, there is no sign of the Beyonders existing in the MCU, meaning even the cause of the Incursions could be changed for the big screen. Then again, that complicated concept could still be introduced in Avengers: Doomsday or the mystery movie released between it and Secret Wars in July 2027.
In terms of those Multiversal bombs causing the Incurisons, Deadpool & Wolverine might have already revealed the MCU's equivalent. The movie introduced Anchor Beings as a key figure in every universe whose death would set about its destruction, with Tom Holland's Spider-Man rumored to be Earth-616's.
