10 Ways The MCU Has Already Set Up Avengers 5

There may be many installments in the franchise scheduled to release ahead of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, but the MCU has already set up the movie in a number of ways. Starting with Phase 4, the MCU began its Multiverse Saga, a narrative spanning multiple MCU TV shows and movies that sees its heroes face the Multiversal threat of Kang the Conqueror and his variants. Much in the same way that Phase 3 ended the MCU’s Infinity Saga, Phase 6 will conclude the Multiverse narrative with two back-to-back Avengers movies, subtitled The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars respectively.

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty

Release Date

May 1, 2026

Director

Destin Daniel Cretton

Cast

Kathryn Newton, Jonathan Majors, Iman Vellani, Mark Ruffalo, Hailee Steinfield, Anthony Mackie, Benedict Wong, Simu Liu, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dominique Thorne, Xochitl Gomez, Chris Hemsworth, Brie Larson

Writers

jeff loveness

Though upcoming Marvel movies will undoubtedly build toward the epic conclusion of the saga, the franchise has already begun setting up the events of The Kang Dynasty. The fifth Avengers movie will see the titular team of heroes face Kang the Conqueror and his many villainous variants who threaten the safety of the multiverse, and the franchise has already introduced many of the main players. In many ways, the MCU has started to lay the foundations of the film’s story, establishing Kang’s motives and character little by little. With that in mind, here are 10 ways that the MCU has already set up Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.

10 Kang’s Introduction In Loki

He Who Remains Was Kang’s First MCU Appearance

Loki saw the titular villain explore the intricacies of the MCU’s movie timeline after being apprehended by the TVA, and his journey eventually led him to the Citadel at the End of Time, where he met He Who Remains. Upon explaining how he came to be there, He Who Remains revealed himself as a variant of Kang, and Loki and Sylvie’s decision to kill him resulted in the powerful villain’s variants being loosed upon the timeline. As the formal introduction of the character into the MCU, He Who Remains marked the beginning of the franchise’s setup for The Kang Dynasty.

9 Rama-Tut Was Referenced Before Quantumania

Moon Knight Hinted At Another Kang Variant

Though it does so with nothing more than an easy-to-miss Easter egg, Moon Knight actually confirmed the existence of another Kang variant in the MCU. The show contains a reference to Rama-Tut, an Egyptian pharaoh and variant of Kang. One of Arthur Harrow’s henchmen wears a jacket emblazoned with the likeness of Rama-Tut, teasing the existence of the prominent variant within the MCU. This was the first indication of other Kang variants in the franchise, continuing the MCU’s slow build-up to Avengers 5.

8 Exploration Of The Multiverse Began

Spider-Man: No Way Home & Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness Opened The Multiverse

Phase 4 saw the release of two movies in the MCU that directly set up the story of The Kang Dynasty. Spider-Man: No Way Home saw the MCU break open the multiverse, with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness then following the franchise’s resident sorcerer as he journeys across multiple realities. The two movies saw an exploration of the true narrative scope of the multiverse and some of the associated perils, introducing a concept that is vital to Kang’s MCU story.

7 The Illuminati Showed Different Universes Have Different/Alternate Heroes

Multiversal Heroes Will Likely Be Needed To Stop Kang

Multiverse of Madness also saw the introduction of a number of heroes from an alternate reality, which subtly sets up a potential narrative element for Avengers 5. The introduction of the Illuminati and Earth-838’s alternate heroes may prove important for the Multiverse Saga’s Avengers movies: if the heroes are fighting a multiversal villain, they may need support from as many variant heroes as possible. It also established the sheer scope of the multiverse’s potential with regard to characters, which may well play a part in The Kang Dynasty‘s narrative.

6 Multiverse Of Madness Sets Up The Beyonders

Doctor Strange Could Lead The Powerful Team Against Kang

Multiverse of Madness‘ ending sees Doctor Strange employ the power of the Darkhold in order to stop Scarlet Witch from stealing America Chavez’s reality-breaking powers. However, the film’s mid-credits scene reveals that Strange’s actions have drawn the attention of Clea, whose introduction sets up the Beyonders in the MCU. The Beyonders are a team of heroes who must protect the multiverse from the danger of incursions – something that Kang’s Multiverse War will undoubtedly cause. Though Strange and Clea may not form the team, Multiverse of Madness certainly teases the possibility.

5 Incursions Establish How The Multiverse War Will Work

Multiverse Of Madness Explained Why Kang’s War Is So Dangerous

Another way in which Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness sets up Avengers 5 is through its introduction of incursions. The film establishes how incursions work and the general rules of traveling the multiverse, also hinting at the dangers of reckless traversal of different realities. Kang’s story is sure to risk multiple incursions that could threaten to destroy reality, meaning that Multiverse of Madness explained exactly why he’s the next Avengers-level threat in the MCU.

4 Kang’s Planned Escape From The Quantum Realm

Quantumania Set Kang Loose

The ending of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania directly sets up the story of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, thanks mostly to the much-anticipated introduction of Kang the Conqueror, the specific variant responsible for the multiversal threat. The film’s ending sees Kang the Conqueror defeated and seemingly killed by Ant-Man, but the events of the film establish the villain as one of the most resourceful and dangerous threats to the multiverse. It also establishes the many variants of Kang willing to wage war across reality, making Quantumania the biggest setup for Avengers 5 in the MCU.

3 Scott Lang’s Ant-Man 3 Cliffhanger

Ant-Man 3’s Ending Will Be Resolved In The Kang Dynasty

Quantumania ends with a subtle cliffhanger that directly teases The Kang Dynasty. After stopping Kang in the Quantum Realm and developing tech to support travel to and from the microscopic universe, Scott Lang realizes that the ending may not be as happy as it seems. He grows concerned that Kang hinted at a much greater threat just as the film comes to a close. Though it’s more of a conceptual setup for the events of The Kang Dynasty, it certainly builds anticipation for the MCU’s next Avengers movie.

2 The Council Of Kangs Join The MCU

The MCU Offered A Glimpse At Kang’s Many Variants

Quantumania‘s post-credits scenes both introduced Kang variants, with the first of the two offering a closer look at the many iterations of the character that exist across the multiverse. The Council of Kangs scene establishes this near-endless army of variants as the true threat, showcasing a handful of specific and important Kang variants from the comics in the process. By confirming the staggering number of Kang variants in the MCU’s multiverse, the short scene is a direct tease for the dangers the Avengers will face in The Kang Dynasty​​​​​​.

1 Avengers 5’s Shang-Chi Connection

Destin Daniel Cretton’s Involvement Hints At Other MCU Links

MCU alumni Destin Daniel Cretton is set to return to the franchise to direct Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. The director’s previous MCU film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is one of the few that doesn’t directly link to the Multiverse Saga. However, Cretton’s involvement hints that the upcoming film will link to Shang-Chi’s story. Though it doesn’t explicitly set up any specific plot point, it seemingly confirms that the hero will play a role in the story of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.