Avengers: Secret Wars is reportedly closely connected to three 2026 MCU projects. The long-awaited ensemble blockbuster will mark the culmination of Marvel Studios' Multiverse Saga and is expected to usher in a new "reset" and soft reboot of the MCU when it arrives in December 2027. Avengers 6 will seemingly be inspired by 2015's Secret Wars storyline, in which Doctor Doom (played in the MCU by Robert Downey Jr.) seized control of all reality.
In the December edition of The Cosmic Circus' monthly Q&A, scooper Alex Perez was asked which MCU projects are "most important to set up" for Avengers 6. In turn, the infamous insider revealed two key 2026 projects that will set the stage for Secret Wars, alongside the obvious, Doomsday.
Avengers: Secret Wars hits theaters on December 17, 2027, one year after Doomsday arrives and introduces Doctor Doom on December 18, 2026. Avengers 6's villainous star, Robert Downey Jr., will be joined by a growing cast of MCU stars, including Pedro Pascal, Anthony Mackie, Tom Holland, and Florence Pugh.
For those who may not be keeping up with every new movie and show coming out of Marvel Studios, these three releases will reportedly be the must-watch viewing list for Avengers: Secret Wars...
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Tom Holland's Peter Parker is reportedly missing out on Doomsday ahead of a major role in Secret Wars. That's not to say that Avengers 5 will be totally webless, as another beloved Spider-Man is rumored to appear in his stead.
Previous reports indicated that Spider-Man: Brand New Day will take place at the same time as Avengers 5, explaining his absence from the Multiversal chaos. But, if Spider-Man does take a starring role in Avengers 6, Brand New Day could become more vital as it depicts what Parker was busy doing in the meantime.
Secondly, Spider-Man 4 will also introduce Stranger Things star Sadie Sink as a mystery MCU character that she will reprise in Secret Wars. Theories surrounding her role have ranged from Gwen Stacy to Jean Grey, but it's easy to see the narrative behind her debut being crucial to understanding her return, regardless.
VisionQuest
VisionQuest's inclusion as an apparent must-watch viewing for Secret Wars is somewhat confusing. Currently, Paul Bettany's Vision hasn't been confirmed for either of the upcoming Avengers blockbusters, nor has any of VisionQuest's cast.
The 2026 Disney+ series will officially reintroduce Vision and Wanda Maximoff's son, Tommy/Speed, now played by Ruaridh Mollica, who could play a role in the next Avengers movies as a member of the Young Avengers.
As Joe Locke's Billy is on the hunt for his brother after Agatha All Along, VisionQuest could tee up a family reunion. With the WandaVision family almost back together at last, their next goal could be tracking down the missing Wanda, leading into Secret Wars as her fully-fledged comeback.
Avengers: Doomsday
Just as fans saw with Infinity War and Endgame, the next Avengers movie will, once again, be two pieces of the same Doctor Doom-shaped puzzle. As such, next year's Doomsday is expected to lead directly into Secret Wars, with star Anthony Mackie already confirming Avengers 5's cliffhanger ending.
Many are expecting Robert Downey Jr.'s Victor von Doom to leave Doomsday victorious, creating Battleworld as the Multiverse is torn apart. If those events play out as theorized, Secret Wars could open on a vastly different new world, ruled over by Doctor Doom and created from the remnants of reality.
Beyond the status of the larger Multiverse, Avengers 5 will, of course, be integral to setting up the major players of the sixth installment. Additionally, just as they did in Infinity War, it's easy to imagine the Avengers suffering some major casualties that they will still be reeling from in Secret Wars as they come to blows with Doom.
