Some of Marvel Comics’ biggest events have already been perfectly set up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Over the last 16 years, Marvel Studios has adapted some of the most memorable moments from Marvel Comics’ history into the MCU, but with over eight decades of storylines and characters to draw from, there are many more that haven’t yet been explored in live-action. Although the MCU will soon explore the introduction of the X-Men, Kang the Conqueror’s attack on the multiverse, and incursion events leading to the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars, several other brilliant Marvel Comics events have also been teased.

Marvel Studios has already brought some of the best Marvel Comics events into the live-action MCU. This includes the likes of 2013’s Age of Ultron, 2006’s Civil War, and 1991’s The Infinity Gauntlet. These epic events, and some of Marvel Comics’ more personal adventures, have contributed to some of the MCU’s most memorable moments, but there is still a huge wealth of content that Marvel Studios hasn’t explored in the MCU. However, some major Marvel Comics events have already been set up in the MCU, suggesting they could play a huge role in the franchise’s future.

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Spider-Man: No Way Home Set Up The Alien Costume Saga For Tom Holland’s Peter Parker

Marvel Comics’ Alien Costume Saga Ran Between May 1984 & April 1985

Ever since Tom Hardy successfully brought Eddie Brock’s Venom into Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, there has been speculation that Spider-Man could finally battle his alien enemy in live-action. This hasn’t yet come to fruition, but Spider-Man: No Way Home ended with the perfect setup for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to embark on Marvel Comics’ Alien Costume Saga. This could see Holland’s Spider-Man get enhanced with his black symbiote costume, which was first seen in Marvel Comics’ original Secret Wars event in 1984.

A piece of Tom Hardy’s Venom symbiote was left in the MCU in Spider-Man: No Way Home’s post-credits scene, teasing the villain’s involvement in future MCU-set Spider-Man stories. If Venom bonds with Spider-Man, the MCU could explore the Alien Costume Saga. In this event, Spider-Man used his powerful new black costume to become a stronger hero, but soon realized the suit had evil intentions, prompting Spider-Man to remove the symbiote.

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Thor: Love & Thunder Could Lead To Redemption For 1 Wasted MCU Villain In The War Of The Realms

Marvel Comics’ War Of The Realms Ran Between April & June 2019

Thor: Love and Thunder is one of the MCU’s most divisive projects, but the Phase 4 movie perfectly set the stage for Marvel Comics’ The War of the Realms to be adapted. Thor: Love and Thunder explored New Asgard, the new home of the Asgardian refugees living on Earth, which is a pivotal location in The War of the Realms. The Dark Elf Malekith, who plays a key role in The War of the Realms, was wasted in 2013’s Thor: The Dark World, but his return could be spectacular.

The War of the Realms, released throughout 2019, included many heroes going up against Malekith and his forces, who hoped to claim Midgard, a.k.a. Earth, as their own. Following the MCU’s exploration of the multiverse, it’s possible a variant of Malekith could embark on this story in the MCU, perhaps contributing to the tonal change for Marvel Studios’ as-yet-unconfirmed Thor 5.

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Blood Hunt Would Mark A Strong Debut For The MCU’s Blade

Marvel Comics’ Blood Hunt Began In May 2024

Kicking off in May 2024, Blood Hunt is one of Marvel Comics’ most recent crossover events and could form the basis for a strong debut for Mahershala Ali’s Blade. Blood Hunt featured a huge vampire attack on Earth from the Darkforce Dimension, and several notable Avengers end up transformed into vampires, with Blade revealing himself to be leading the attack. Upcoming heroes, including Blade, Daredevil, Sam Wilson’s Captain America, and the Fantastic Four, play a huge role in Blood Hunt, so Marvel Studios could be laying the foundations of this huge event.

The importance of the Darkhold in Phase 4 could also prove crucial in setting up the MCU’s Blood Hunt. The Book of the Damned is supposedly the only thing capable of ending the vampires’ attack on Earth. Since Marvel Studios’ Blade has had a tumultuous production period, adapting Blood Hunt could be a fast solution to its problems.

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The MCU’s Cosmic Heroes Could Fight Together In Annihilation

Marvel Comics’ Annihilation Ran Between May 2006 & March 2007

The MCU’s Multiverse Saga has put a lot of focus on the franchise’s cosmic heroes, perhaps hinting at an upcoming cosmic crossover event. This could have set up an adaptation of Marvel Comics’ Annihilation event from 2006, which saw Annihilus and his Annihilation Wave break free from the Negative Zone and wreak havoc on the Marvel Universe. This event heavily features the Guardians of the Galaxy team, Nova, and the Silver Surfer, who have all had (or soon will have) MCU counterparts.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 established a new team, though they don’t currently have a confirmed future in the MCU. With Julia Garner debuting as Shalla-Bal’s Silver Surfer in The Fantastic Four, which could also introduce the Negative Zone, and a Nova project in development, the foundations have already been laid for Annihilation. 2023’s The Marvels almost teased Annihilation even further, as Dar-Benn named Carol Danvers “The Annihilator.”

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Captain America: Brave New World & Thunderbolts* Could Kick Off The MCU’s Dark Reign

Marvel Comics’ Dark Reign Ran Between December 2008 & September 2009

One of Marvel Comics’ most politically-focused events, 2009’s Dark Reign, picked up in the wake of Secret Invasion, which saw Norman Osborn replace Tony Stark as Director of SHIELD. Norman Osborn hasn’t yet been introduced to the MCU, but Phase 5’s Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* will explore the MCU’s political atmosphere following 2023’s Secret Invasion series. These projects are likely to deal with the fallout of major Skrull reveals in Secret Invasion, just as Marvel Comics’ Dark Reign did.

Norman Osborn uses his new position in Dark Reign to enact nefarious deeds with the Cabal, a group of powerful villains. He also forms the Dark Avengers, who have been speculated to appear in Thunderbolts*, especially after confirmation that the Sentry will appear in the Phase 5 movie. Exploring Dark Reign in various MCU Phase 5 projects could set up even bigger crossover events for the franchise’s future.

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Secret Invasion Perfectly Set Up Marvel Studios’ Siege

Marvel Comics’ Siege Ran Between December 2009 & May 2010

Marvel Comics’ Dark Reign event led directly into Siege, a major crossover storyline that saw Norman Osborn and the Dark Avengers lead an assault on New Asgard, albeit manipulated by Loki. This event was perfectly set up thanks to 2023’s Secret Invasion, which ended with then-President Ritson declaring war on all extraterrestrial species living on Earth. Speaking specifically about the shape-shifting Skrulls, this could have also encapsulated the Asgardian refugees in New Asgard.

Osborn and the Dark Avengers’ attack on New Asgard in Marvel Comics’ Siege prompted the reformation of the Avengers team, which has been rumored to occur in the MCU’s Phase 5. Siege could also contribute to the much-wanted tonal change for the MCU’s Thor 5, with an all-out war breaking out in New Asgard. Siege could be an expansive storyline that runs throughout Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and potentially even Avengers 5 in Phase 6.

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The MCU May Already Be Living In The Scarlet Witch’s House Of M

Marvel Comics’ House Of M Ran Between June & November 2005

Marvel Comics’ House of M event focused on mutants and the X-Men, who haven’t yet been introduced en masse to the MCU. However, one popular Scarlet Witch theory suggests the MCU may already be living in a similar world to that depicted in House of M, though inverted, ridding the world of mutants instead of making them superior beings. Marvel Comics’ House of M saw Earth’s heroes enter a world created by the Scarlet Witch, with no memory of their previous lives.

WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness borrowed from House of M, primarily in Wanda Maximoff’s creation of a fake world and the exploration of her grief. The Scarlet Witch’s appearances here could have teased a bigger adaptation of House of M. Avengers: Secret Wars, the Multiverse Saga’s final project, could revert her actions, allowing mutants to join the MCU with little explanation in Phase 7.

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Kingpin Will Be Embarking On The Devil’s Reign Storyline In The MCU’s Future

Marvel Comics’ Devil’s Reign Ran Between December 2021 & May 2022

Marvel Comics’ Devil’s Reign is perhaps the biggest street-level crossover event that Marvel Studios has set up for the MCU. Devil’s Reign saw Wilson Fisk’s Kingpin, the Mayor of New York City, outlaw vigilantism in the city, impacting a huge number of superheroes operating in New York. Following Vincent D’Onofrio’s return as Kingpin in the MCU’s Hawkeye and Echo shows, Devil’s Reign is the perfect next step for the MCU, especially since Echo teased Kingpin’s evolution into New York’s Mayor.

Devil’s Reign featured heroes who were introduced in Netflix’s Defenders Saga, which has recently become canon to the MCU. Most notably, Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock will be returning alongside Kingpin in 2025’s Daredevil: Born Again, making the series the perfect place for Devil’s Reign to be explored. Since Kingpin establishes Thunderbolts units in Devil’s Reign to enforce his laws, this event could be a major storyline throughout the MCU’s Phase 5.

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World War Hulk Is The Best Next Step For Bruce Banner

Marvel Comics’ Ran Between May & December 2007

A live-action version of 2007’s World War Hulk storyline has been long-speculated, given the fact that several elements of the Marvel Comics event have already been teased. Thor: Ragnarok borrowed massively from Marvel Comics’ Planet Hulk, which immediately preceded World War Hulk, with Bruce Banner’s Hulk being exiled to Sakaar by the Illuminati. In the MCU, this was self-imposed exile, but could still lead to the exploration of World War Hulk.

The MCU’s Bruce Banner hasn’t had a solo movie since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk due to rights disputes. However, after the Illuminati’s debut in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Skaar’s appearance in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, there have been too many hints for World War Hulk not to be explored. There is speculation that World War Hulk could become an Avengers crossover movie, bringing back the savage version of the Hulk that many have been missing.

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The Multiverse Saga Has Been Setting Up Avengers Vs. X-Men Brilliantly

Marvel Comics’ Avengers Vs. X-Men Ran Between March & October 2012

Marvel Studios has recently provided major updates for the MCU’s X-Men reboot, with Michael Lesslie joining the project to pen the script. However, several X-Men members have already been seen in the MCU, perhaps setting up an adaptation of Marvel Comics’ Avengers vs. X-Men crossover event from 2012. This event saw the mutant Cable enact a plan to take out the Avengers in the past to negate the death of Hope Summers, culminating in an epic war between the Avengers and the X-Men.

X-Men teams from various alternate realities, including those seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, The Marvels, and the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine, could play a larger role in the MCU’s future. The Avengers have already caused problems for these various teams, including killing Professor X on Earth-838, so Avengers vs. X-Men is a real possibility for the near future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.