If two new Avengers movies aren’t enough for Marvel fans, a new rumor suggests that we might be in for a third film with the studio allegedly considering splitting Secret Wars into two parts.
Doomsday and Secret Wars are two parts to a larger story, but that might be extended even further with the latter of the two films being split into two parts – think Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part I and Part II. The rumor comes from credible scooper Daniel Richtman, and he reports that the decision to split the film into two parts will be based on audience reception for Doomsday.
Infinity War and Endgame essentially did this without actually being a formal ‘Part I’ and ‘Part II’ even though the second film was at its core a second half for the first film. However, there was a clear difference in narrative between the two films, with Endgame acting as more of a sequel than an actual to-be-continued ‘Part II’. It sounds as if Secret Wars could be one longer film that will instead be split into two parts telling one long extended story. If the film follows the comics, it will most likely involve Doom turning the Earth into Battleworld at the end of Doomsday, and thinking how something like that could be wrapped up in one three hour block might be a little overwhelming.
As of right now, Doomsday and Secret Wars have already promised to be jam packed with more characters than we’ve ever seen in a movie so the idea that the saga might need to be given a third act does make sense. Infinity War and Endgame juggled a ton of characters and did it well, but now with the addition of teams like the New Avengers, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four along with the original Avengers there might not be enough time to tell every characters full fleshed out story, and with Marvel seemingly going all in on these next couple of movies it might be in their best interest. Marvel has a ton of new characters and loose ends to tie up from their missteps during the Multiverse Saga, and adding a second part to Secret Wars could be the solution.
Although Doomsday isn’t going to be in theaters until December, we already have a pretty good idea of what will happen in the movie – it will most likely follow the events from the comic storyline Time Runs Out, bringing together multiple teams of heroes in an effort to stop the Incursions seen in the post credit scene of Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness from destroying the entirety of the multiverse. It’s thought that Robert Downy Jr’s Doom will act as an ally to the teams for a majority of the film only being revealed at the end it was actually his plan to destroy the Earth when ‘time runs out’, turning it into Battleworld and setting up the following film, Secret Wars. The details on how all of this plays out still remain a mystery, but if the films do follow this larger story-arc then we know Secret Wars will be about restoring the planet, and that might be a lot for one three hour film involving potentially 50+ characters.
Marvel fans have not had an Avengers movie since Endgame, so there is a good chance that the box office return for Doomsday will be massive. If it is as massive as most are predicting, then splitting Secret Wars into two films will most likely become a reality. With only one film in 2024 (Deadpool and Wolverine) and three films in 2025 (Thunderbolts*, Captain America: Brave New World, and Fantastic Four) all doing only decently in the critical reception department, Marvel knows it needs to produce a certified banger if they want to maintain themselves going into the next ten years of films. If these next mega-films fall flat then the studio won’t have anymore legs to stand on after recovering from the almost unanimously recieved lunacy of the Multiverse Saga.
For now, we will be treating this as a rumor like we do with most of these scoops, but this one makes a ton of sense and might be in Marvel’s best interest. Anything they can do to wipe the slate clean and give Marvel fans a new table to sit at is nothing to scoff at. With so many new teams and characters to include along with the damage control the movies need to accomplish for the studio, we think fans will want to see a two-part Secret Wars. In normal circumstances I wouldn’t think this is a good plan, but this specific instance with where the studio is at now it really might be a good idea. Let’s just hope Doomsday brings in the box office numbers – and judging by the reception from the first round of character teasers airing before Avatar: Fire and Ash, it seems like the numbers will be promising. Let us know your thoughts down below in the comments!
Avengers: Doomsday comes to theaters on December 18th, 2026 with the follow up Secret Wars (potentially Part I) coming out a year later in December 2027. Are you hypt?!
Source: @DanielRPK and more @ ComicBookMovie.com
