10 Potential Kang Dynasty Title Replacements For Avengers 5

The title of Marvel Studios’ upcoming Avengers: The Kang Dynasty may be changing after recent developments, and there are several brilliant Avengers-level storylines in Marvel Comics that could take its place in the MCU. Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige first announced the development of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty at SDCC 2022, along with a slew of other Phase 5 and 6 projects, including Avengers: Secret Wars. The Kang Dynasty was originally expected to involve a new team of Avengers coming together to battle Kang the Conqueror and his variants, but this may be changing drastically after recent controversies and developments.

Jonathan Majors was expected to be the star of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, which was originally set to be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, and written by Jeff Loveness. However, after Jonathan Majors’ March 2023 arrest and December conviction, Majors was fired, and Cretton and Loveness departed the project. The Hollywood Reporter recently suggested that Avengers 5’s title may be changed, hinting at a different Marvel Comics storyline being adapted for the Phase 6 project. While Marvel Studios could simply title 2026’s Avengers 5 as Secret Wars: Part One, it’s more likely the project will assume a new name completely.

The first of the new Avengers movies, due out in 2026, was initially titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty but will be getting a new title to remove [Kang’s] name, though sources say that even before [Jonathan] Majors’ conviction, the studio was making moves to minimize the character after [Ant-Man and the Wasp:] Quantumania underperformed.

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10 Avengers: Time Runs Out

Marvel Comics’ Time Runs Out Took Place Before 2015’s Secret Wars

Since Avengers 5 is set to release prior to Avengers: Secret Wars, it’s likely that Phase 6’s first crossover event will set up the epic multiversal storyline for the latter. This means that Marvel Studios may choose to adapt the Marvel Comics narrative that directly precedes 2015’s Secret Wars, Jonathan Hickman’s Time Runs Out. This story saw many heroes fighting to prevent a catastrophic incursion, which would fit seamlessly into the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. Time Runs Out has recently been speculated to be the basis for Doctor Strange 3, but it may work even better as an Avengers crossover project.

9 Avengers Forever

Avengers Forever Included Variants Of Kang The Conqueror

If Marvel Studios decides to continue the MCU’s current Kang the Conqueror storyline, though with Jonathan Majors being recast, it’s possible that Avengers 5 could become an adaptation of Marvel Comics’ 1998 storyline, Avengers Forever. This saw popular ally Rick Jones form a team of Avengers from the past, present and future, to battle Kang the Conqueror variant Immortus across a number of different timelines. Immortus appeared in the post-credits scene of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, seemingly as the leader of the Council of Kangs, so could play a major role as the villain of an Avengers Forever project.

8 Avengers: Annihilation

The MCU’s Annihilation Could Be Teased In The Fantastic Four

Adapting Marvel Comics’ Annihilation crossover event from 2006 would take Avengers 5 in a very different direction to what is expected. This storyline featured a number of Marvel Comics’ cosmic heroes, including the Silver Surfer, Nova, Quasar and the Guardians of the Galaxy, fighting Annihilus and his Annihilation Wave. Annihilus is the ruler of the Negative Zone in Marvel Comics, which is an otherworldly, antimatter realm regularly associated with Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four. Pedro Pascal is debuting as Reed Richards in 2025’s The Fantastic Four, which could lay the foundations for Avengers 5 to explore the Annihilation concept.

7 Avengers: House Of X

Avengers 5 Could Introduce The X-Men To The MCU

Even though Disney acquired 20th Century Fox’s properties, including the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, in 2019, there has been no word on when the popular mutant superteam might debut in the MCU. Speculation suggests the X-Men may appear in Phase 7, after Fox’s original X-Men return to bid a final farewell, but it’s now possible that Avengers 5 could introduce the X-Men, perhaps inspired by Marvel Comics House of X storyline. 2019’s House of X introduced the island of Krakoa as a nation-state for mutants, which could make for a brilliant debut for the new species in the MCU.

6 Avengers: Siege

Siege Has Already Been Set Up In Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion

Marvel Comics’ Siege released in 2010 in the wake of the Secret Invasion and Dark Reign storylines, marking Norman Osborn’s rise to power, and the emergence of an evil Avengers team. This would be a great storyline to explore in the MCU’s Avengers 5, particularly after President Ritson declared war on extraterrestrials living on Earth at the end of 2023’s Secret Invasion series. Adapting Siege for 2026’s Avengers 5 would add more meaning to Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion, which many would rather forget, as the storyline saw Norman Osborn waging an all-out attack on New Asgard with his villainous Avengers.

5 Avengers: Illuminati

Doctor Strange May Form A New Illuminati Team In Avengers 5

First seen in 2005, the Illuminati are a team of superheroes in Marvel Comics, comprised of the leaders of the Earth’s various superpowered teams. Formed in the wake of the destructive Kree-Skrull War, the Illuminati formed so each team could share pertinent information with others, though the society was kept secret. Doctor Strange met a version of the Illuminati from Earth-838 in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, so may be prompted to form his own team in the MCU’s Avengers 5, but could be opposed by the Avengers as the Illuminati are many times in Marvel Comics.

4 Avengers: Coming Of Galactus

Galactus Has Been Rumored To Be Debuting In The MCU’s Phase 6

In Marvel Comics, Galactus is one of the greatest threats facing Earth and its heroes, as the cosmic being travels the universe searching for entire planets to devour. In recent months, Galactus has been rumored to debut in The Fantastic Four, with Javier Bardem being a popular fan-cast for the looming villain. If Galactus does make his grand debut in The Fantastic Four, there’s a chance that he could be featured as the primary antagonist for 2026’s Avengers 5​​​​​​​, too, as the dangers posed by Galactus would certainly constitute all the Earth’s heroes banding together to try and stop him.

3 Avengers: Devil’s Reign

The MCU’s Devil’s Reign Has Been Set Up In Phases 4 & 5

While the MCU continues to explore the concept of the multiverse, several projects have also been expanding on the franchise’s more grounded, street-level stories. Hawkeye, Moon Knight, Echo and the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again are all smaller-scale stories, potentially building up to an adaptation of Marvel Comics’ Devil’s Reign event. This saw Wilson Fisk become Mayor of New York and outlaw vigilantism in the city, which was teased in the post-credits scene of 2024’s Echo. This would be a fantastic storyline for Avengers 5, veering away from Kang the Conqueror, but making Kingpin an even greater threat in the MCU.

2 Avengers: World War Hulk

Avengers 5 Could Be Marvel Studios’ Only Opportunity To Adapt World War Hulk

For quite some time, Marvel Studios has been dropping hints that Bruce Banner’s Hulk may become the focus of a live-action World War Hulk adaptation. This Marvel Comics storyline from 2007 saw the Hulk return to Earth from Sakaar following the death of his wife, to wreak havoc on the heroes who exiled him there in the first place. While Mark Ruffalo has recently noted that he will likely never get a solo Hulk film in the MCU, there’s nothing stopping him from appearing in Avengers projects, so Avengers 5 is the perfect opportunity to finally adapt World War Hulk​​​​​​​.

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1 Young Avengers

2023’s The Marvels Finally Hinted At The MCU’s Young Avengers Team

After years of young heroes and legacy characters being introduced to the MCU, 2023’s The Marvels finally revealed that the Young Avengers team will soon form. However, while Kamala Khan’s Ms. Marvel and Kate Bishop’s Hawkeye may have already connected, there’s been no word on when other members will reappear. This means that Avengers: The Kang Dynasty could be the perfect opportunity to explore the formation of the Young Avengers. This could even link to the Kang the Conqueror storyline with the introduction of Iron Lad, though only time will tell what Marvel Studios decides for the Phase 6 project.