Avengers: Endgame is already three years old, and as Phase 4 comes to a close, fans are beginning to turn their attention to the MCU's next big team-up. Unfortunately, that's still a while away as Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige just revealed Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars will both arrive in 2025 to round out the Multiverse Saga.
There has been a widespread debate for some time now as to who will be the director to take the lead on Secret Wars. The Russo Brothers have been expressing their interest for a while, but Feige just recently revealed they aren't attached to the project, although they are still in talks for other MCU projects.
To most fans' surprise, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton was just recently confirmed to helm The Kang Dynasty, following the resounding success of his recent MCU debut. However, despite previous assumptions, it now appears another filmmaker will take the lead for Secret Wars.
Avengers: Secret Wars Gets Director Update
According to Deadline's Justin Kroll, Marvel Studios is planning for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' Destin Daniel Cretton to direct Avengers: The Kang Dynasty before another director takes the reins for Avengers: Secret Wars.
With The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars releasing just months apart, most assumed they would shoot back-to-back with the same director, but that clearly won't be the case. The Russo Brothers previously applied this concept with Infinity War and Endgame, having directed both and shot them back-to-back.
The Hollywood Reporter recently revealed Destin Daniel Cretton will take the lead for The Kang Dynasty but offered no mention of Secret Wars. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con that the Russo Brothers are not associated with Secret Wars, despite their previously shared interest.
Who Will Direct Avengers: Secret Wars?
With The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars releasing just six months apart, the two Avengers blockbusters are expected to be a two-part affair and to shoot back-to-back. Marvel Studios previously followed this logic for Infinity War and Endgame, but in that case, both flicks were led by the Russo Brothers.
There’s no telling why Destin Daniel Cretton was only given the keys to The Kang Dynasty, but it may come down to his other Marvel commitments. The director is also working on Shang-Chi 2, Wonder Man for Disney+, and a Ten Rings-centric streaming spin-off to his MCU debut.
Although there are no signs of when Shang-Chi 2 is aiming to release, a previous production update suggested there were aims to film in 2023. Perhaps this may place Cretton to film his martial arts sequel before jumping onto the Avengers ensemble. Cretton has only so far been reported to serve as a producer on Wonder Man, so that’s unlikely to interfere with any production schedules.
Perhaps the director simply isn’t willing to work on three MCU productions in a row, or maybe Marvel Studios is looking for a different feel for Secret Wars. Nonetheless, the directorial debate for the Multiverse Saga-concluding epic can now resume, and there are plenty of contenders still in the mix.
Feige may have already ruled out the Russo Brothers as an option, but Marvel Studios has many other popular directors to pick from. Unless it was for a major director with a consistent track record, whoever takes the lead for Secret Wars will probably have Marvel experience, it’s hard to imagine Feige being willing to risk the fate of his biggest film yet.
Looking at the directors involved with Phase 4, both Black Panther’s Ryan Coogler and The Marvels’ Nia DaCosta may be contenders to tackle Secret Wars, provided Wakanda Forever and the Captain Marvel sequel land with fans. The studio could also look to dig back into its historical directors such as Iron Man’s Jon Favreau, the man who started it all for the MCU.
No matter the case, Marvel Studios will undoubtedly be looking carefully at the directors of its upcoming movies and Disney+ series as it searches for the right filmmaker to conclude Phase 6 and The Multiverse Saga, while also living up to Avengers: Endgame.
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty hits theaters on May 2, 2025; Secret Wars will follow on November 7, 2025.
