Marvel Comics released an Avengers: Endgame-inspired poster that replaced Thanos with an unexpected villain who has ties to the Fantastic Four. Marvel's Ultimate Universe will soon come to an end, building towards a climactic showdown against one of the most powerful villains in the form of the Maker, an evil version of Reed Richards who created this universe in the first place. As a dangerous villain with nothing to lose, the Maker is expected to go all out against the heroes to preserve his universe, much like Thanos was ruthless and more brutal in 2019's Avengers: Endgame.
In July 2025, Marvel Comics released a poster for its event series, Ultimate Endgame, which is a one-to-one copy of Avengers: Endgame's main character poster.
The new Marvel poster replaces seven MCU Avengers, with Ultimate versions of Spider-Man, Black Panther, and a new original hero, Maystorm, taking the place of Thor, Hulk, and Captain Marvel. Aside from the heroes, Thanos was also replaced by the Maker, cementing the evil Reed Richards Variant as the big bad of the Ultimate Universe's story.
As a recurring Multiversal threat, the Maker is more dangerous than fans thought because his goals include preventing notable heroes from emerging. This would make Thanos' mission of killing half of the universe more tame than the Maker's because it involves the complete obliteration of the heroes fans know and love.
Ultimate Endgame # 1 is written by Deniz Camp, with art by Terry Dodson and Jonas Scharf. The upcoming issue promises the eventual culmination of the Ultimate Invasion storyline, but it will come at a cost due to the looming clash between the Maker and her remaining Marvel heroes.
Ultimate Endgame # 1 will be released in comic stores on December 31.
Who Is the Maker & Will the MCU Introduce Its Own Version?
Introduced in the Ultimate Marvel universe, the Maker is essentially a twisted version of Reed Richards consumed by unchecked intelligence, ego, and trauma.
In the alternate universe, this version of Reed suffered traumatic tragedies, such as Sue Storm's near-death experience and the drastic effects of the Ultimatum Wave, which caused the death of Franklin Storm. This said wave revolves around Magneto's efforts to end the world following the deaths of his children, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch.
The final nail in Reed's transformation was the disbandment of the Fantastic Four, putting him over the edge. By embracing the dark persona of the Maker, his ultimate goal is to remake the world according to his vision, making him a formidable Multiversal threat.
The MCU's introduction of its own version of Reed Richards has led fans to wonder if a version of the Maker could appear in the on-screen shared universe. Given that Doctor Doom is already a massive threat on his own, combined with the Multiverse Saga's looming culmination, there is a slim chance that an evil Reed Richards Variant could appear, but there might be a way for the character to show up.
In Doctor Doom's Battleworld in Avengers: Secret Wars, it's possible that Doom may position Reed as the true villain, forcing him to embrace his Maker persona and make Doom the fledgling hero tasked to save the world from his rival.
