Marvel Studios' Loki showrunner Michael Waldron provided a major clue on when to expect Thanos' MCU return after Avengers: Secret Wars. Thanos was introduced as the main big bad of the MCU's Infinity Saga after his introduction in the post-credits scene of The Avengers. The villain's chilling tease gradually built up throughout the Infinity Saga, with meaningful appearances in Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers: Age of Ultron before being unleashed as a full-blown threat in Avengers: Infinity War. After winning by successfully collecting all six Infinity Stones and finally being defeated by the Avengers in Avengers: Endgame, alternate versions of Thanos still managed to return in the Multiverse Saga in What If...? and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
An April 2026 report from insider Daniel Richtman claimed that Thanos will make an appearance in Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027, potentially marking his full live-action comeback after Endgame. While many would assume that Secret Wars is the last Thanos appearance, a new interview with Loki showrunner and Avengers: Doomsday writer Michael Waldron could prove otherwise.
Speaking in an interview with The Wrap while promoting Chad Powers Season 2, Michael Waldron seemingly confirmed Thanos' next appearance after Secret Wars, revealing that Marvel Studios' upcoming Nova movie has to address Thanos' decimation of Xandar, which took place off-screen in Infinity War.
The Wrap: "The Nova Corps obviously kind of got wiped out (in ‘Infinity War’), so that’s something that a story is going to have to reckon with, I’m sure."
Michael Waldron: "They would have to reckon with that. Yeah."
The Wrap: "They. They sure would."
Michael Waldron: "They, yeah, someone would have to reckon with that."
In July 2026, Waldron was reportedly attached to Marvel Studios' Nova movie as a writer, but details about the project remain scarce. The studio has yet to confirm the project, so naturally Waldron had to play coy about his involvement in the same interview with The Wrap, admitting, "I don't know if I can say anything about anything I'm doing with Marvel."
"I don’t know if I can say anything about anything I’m doing with Marvel. But I will say, I love Nova. I love Rich Rider. However we expand the cosmic side of the MCU will be really cool."
When asked about his favorite Richard Rider story from Marvel Comics, Waldron said that Annihilation is the clear answer while discussing the ways to make the character's arrival unique on-screen:
"‘Annihilation’ is, I mean, I guess that’s the go-to, right? But the character spans a lot of generations, and I think maybe that’s why it’s taken some time to get him to the screen, is figuring out, where do you start that story? Do you start him on Earth? Do you start in space, as part of the Nova Corps? Whoever does it, I hope they do a good job."
To this day, Xandar's off-screen destruction in Avengers: Infinity War was considered by many as one of the missed opportunities in the MCU, but Thanos' potential return in the Nova movie could fix that by unveiling what truly happened to the planet and how the Mad Titan retrieved the Power Stone.
Showcasing Xandar's destruction in a key flashback sequence is essential in Nova as it would directly launch Richard Rider's origin in the MCU. Even in a brief role, seeing Thanos again after Avengers: Secret Wars would connect the Infinity Saga to the Mutant Saga while also closing any lingering gaps from the past and looking ahead in Richard Rider's bright cosmic future.
In August 2025, Josh Brolin said that he would be open to returning as Thanos in any capacity, noting that he'd be back as soon as Marvel Studios calls him:
"I've said it, 'Deadpool 2,' I was like 'I'm glad it was one experience.' The Thanos thing, if they called me in London right now and said, 'Let's do this.' I'd be like, 'I'll be there tomorrow.'"
Brolin's potential return as Thanos, even for a brief role in Nova, would enrich the film and the Mad Titan's lasting legacy in the MCU.
Why Thanos' Return In Marvel Studios' Nova Benefits the MCU's Cosmic Side
Seeing Thanos again after Avengers: Secret Wars in the Mutant Saga, particularly in Marvel Studios' Nova movie, would give the MCU's cosmic corner a much-needed boost after being largely ignored due to the Multiverse Saga's incursion-heavy stakes.
Seeing Xandar's destruction unfold on-screen, with Thanos as the main culprit, would instantly reanchor the franchise's cosmic side by using this pivotal moment as the backbone of Richard Rider's origin story, rather than introducing him as an entirely fresh hero with no ties to prior conflicts or stories.
Doing this would also turn Rider into the living consequence of Thanos' decimation, and he would potentially use this as a way to gain the trust of the same MCU heroes who fought the Mad Titan at the end of the Infinity Saga.
Tying everything back to Thanos in Nova would also help sell a relatively new character like Richard Rider to general audiences, giving Phase 7's cosmic stories a sense of continuity rather than signaling a soft reboot.
