Marvel Studios Confirms New Leader of the Avengers In Doomsday

One of Marvel's top creatives teased who will be the Avengers' new leader when Avengers: Doomsday comes to theaters in 2026. The Multiverse Saga has put Earth's Mightiest Heroes in a strange spot, with multiple teams of heroes having joined forces ahead of a threat nobody will see coming. However, looking at their next movie, the person leading the greater team may not even be in their core universe yet.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman claimed that Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards will be one of the Avengers' leaders in Avengers: Doomsday. Pascal is about to make his MCU debut as Mister Fantastic, who is already recognized as one of the smartest individuals in the greater Marvel universe. Now, before his leading role in The Fantastic Four, he appears to have a major place lined up in the larger story for the MCU.

Speaking with Variety, Shakman discussed Reed's MCU journey, as he goes from "being the nerdy scientist" holed up in a lab, to a husband and father "who'd do anything to protect his family." He followed that up by describing Reed as being on his way to "leading the Avengers" in future outings:

"He goes from being the nerdy scientist who’s locked away in the lab, to the husband and the father who’d do anything to protect his family, to the guy who’s leading the Avengers. I realized that the version we were building had to have all of those elements."

Although Reed's wife, Sue Storm, is set to be the Fantastic Four's leading figure, Reed plays no small part in making the team work, given his next-level genius and impressive body-morphing abilities. Looking ahead, with the Fantastic Four already lined up to be major players in Avengers: Doomsday, it appears Reed will quickly be put in the forefront alongside new teammates like Captain America, Captain Marvel, and the Winter Soldier. Important to note, though, is that it is unclear whether Shakman meant to indicate that Reed will lead the Avengers in Doomsday or whether Pascal is the movie's top-billed actor.

Pascal is one of 27 cast members confirmed for roles in Avengers: Doomsday, the MCU's fifth Avengers movie, directed by Joe and Anthony Russo. While plot details remain under wraps, multiple realities will be thrown into the same story, as legacy heroes and the MCU's best will join forces to take down Robert Downey Jr.'s Victor Von Doom. Avengers: Doomsday is currently filming and will be released in theaters on December 18, 2026.

Why Reed Richards Works as an Avengers Leader in Doomsday

Although Pascal's Reed Richards will only have one movie under his belt upon showing up in Avengers: Doomsday, seeing him quickly become a leader for the Avengers makes plenty of sense. With multiple teams of heroes joining forces to fight Doctor Doom in this movie, a handful of the universe's biggest heroes will have to help guide this massive group of protagonists, and Reed has plenty of qualities that fit the bill of a leader.

Reed is one of Marvel's most brilliant characters, as John Krasinski's Reed Variant from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was even described as "the smartest man alive." While the Avengers are chock-full of geniuses (albeit one less with Tony Stark's death), Reed's smarts will undoubtedly be needed to win their next battle.

Also important to remember is that Reed will most likely have more knowledge than anybody else about Doctor Doom, depending on whether Doom is from Reed's home universe (recently dubbed Earth-828). Should Reed have some insight into what makes Doom tick or what his plan ends up being, it may give the Avengers' roster an advantage in this expectedly brutal multiversal war.

No matter how this all plays out, seeing Reed Richards finally take his place alongside the rest of Earth's Mightiest Heroes will fulfill fantasies Marvel fans have had for decades when Avengers: Doomsday arrives.