AVENGERS: SECRET WARS Rumor Points to Thanos Making a Brutal MCU Comeback
The Mad Titan might not be finished with the Marvel Cinematic Universe just yet. A new rumor suggests Thanos could be returning in Avengers: Secret Wars, and if it pans out, Marvel Studios may be setting up one of the most savage moments ever pulled straight from the comics.
Josh Brolin first stepped into the role of Thanos in Guardians of the Galaxy, officially taking over after Damion Poitier’s brief appearance as the character in The Avengers post-credits scene.
What started as a tease quickly turned into one of the MCU’s most dominant villains. Thanos became the driving force of Avengers: Infinity War, a film that essentially revolved around his crusade to “balance” the universe.
His story seemed to wrap up early in Avengers: Endgame when Thor took his head, only for a 2014 Variant of the character to arrive and launch an all-out war against Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. That version of Thanos was ultimately erased from existence by Iron Man, closing the book on the character in the main timeline.
Since then, What If…? reminded fans that the Multiverse is crawling with Thanos Variants, and Marvel is even introducing King Thanos via an upcoming Disneyland attraction.
Now attention has turned back to the big screen. With Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars on the horizon, longtime insider Daniel Richtman reports that Brolin is expected to reprise the role in Secret Wars, slated for release in 2027. If true, this opens the door to a moment comic readers have been begging to see adapted.
Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribić’s Secret Wars features a jaw-dropping scene where Doctor Doom, elevated to God Emperor Doom, casually tears out Thanos’ spine. Translating that moment to the MCU would instantly establish Victor Von Doom as an unstoppable force and signal that this saga is playing for keeps.
Brolin has already made it clear he’s more than willing to return if the call comes. Last summer, he said, “Deadpool 2, I was like, I was 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.’
“I talk to Downey probably four to six times a year. I talk to the Russos probably four to six times a week. I talk to Joe a lot. I love both of them.”
The actor also shared his confidence in what the Russo Brothers are cooking up for Doomsday and Secret Wars. “Of course, they’re going to come up with something fun. Who knows? That was a 10-year in-the-building kind of thing, and that was its own bookended deal. I don’t know what they’re going to do, but I’m sure it will be interesting. I think they do that very, very well.”
Anthony Russo and Joe Russo are directing both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars from a screenplay by Stephen McFeely, continuing a creative partnership that defined the Avengers and Captain America films. Michael Waldron, who worked on Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, is also involved in refining the story.
Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on December 17, 2027. If Thanos really is coming back, his return may be short, brutal, and designed to remind everyone just how dangerous Marvel’s next big bad is going to be.