I’m even more hopeful that Avengers 5 will redeem the MCU after recent reports that the Phase 6 movie will feature over 60 returning Marvel Studios characters. It seemed a bold decision for Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige to forego the typical Phase-ending Avengers movies in favor of two massive Avengers crossover events concluding the entire Multiverse Saga. I have missed seeing Earth’s Mightiest Heroes join forces to battle villains like Loki, Ultron, Zemo, or Thanos, but any concerns I had may have now been assuaged following a recent report regarding the cast of Avengers 5.

Kevin Feige first announced the development of Avengers 5, originally titled The Kang Dynasty, in 2022, revealing that Avengers 5 and its 2027 sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, would end the Multiverse Saga. I’ve been worried about the future of Avengers 5, particularly after the movie’s initial director and writer departed from the project. However, as the MCU inches closer to Avengers 5’s scheduled May 2026 release date, my excitement is finally beginning to rise, thanks in part to unexpected new details about the Phase 6 crossover movie.

Avengers 5 Pulling Off A Colossal Cast Right Would Be A Perfect MCU Redemption

In June, Deadline reported that Marvel Studios had offered Shawn Levy the role of director for the next Avengers movie, but also revealed several other major updates concerning Avengers 5. This included the reveal that “more than 60 MCU characters could reprise their roles,” which would make Avengers 5 the biggest Marvel Studios project to date, almost doubling the roster from Avengers: Endgame’s final battle. Deadline didn’t report all the names expected to return, but the simple idea that Avengers 5 could include over 60 characters from the MCU’s history has got me very hopeful.

Sources close to both the project say more than 60 MCU characters could reprise their roles, including everyone from Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth and Benedict Cumberbatch to Tom Hiddleston, Simu Liu and Karen Gillian. Unlike the first four films in which there was a core group that consisted of Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Hemsworth and Ruffalo, many of the characters in this film would have equal footing, making it more of an ensemble feature instead of a handful of characters leading the team.

It’s undeniable that Marvel Studios hit a bit of a lull after Avengers: Endgame and the conclusion of the Infinity Saga, contributing to the MCU receiving more criticism than ever before in Phases 4 and 5. The expansion of the MCU onto Disney+ caused a noticeable drop in narrative quality, visual effects, and writing, so Marvel Studios is in need of redemption, building back its stellar reputation. Several highly-anticipated upcoming MCU projects will help this, but Avengers 5 handling a cast of over 60 characters correctly could seal the deal, putting Marvel Studios back on top.

Avengers 5’s Huge Cast Tease Could Make The Strongest Parts Of The Franchise Stronger

Pointing out the issues with Marvel Studios’ recent output doesn’t mean I haven’t been impressed with many parts of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. Sam Wilson’s hesitation and evolution into the new Captain America was poignant, Wanda Maximoff’s descent into darkness paid off years of build-up, and several MCU TV shows, including Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, Loki, and Echo have captured my imagination. It’s brilliant to see several elements of the Infinity Saga still being continued and developed in the MCU’s recent projects, too, and Avengers 5 can take this to the extreme.

With a cast of over 60 returning MCU characters, Avengers 5 has the perfect opportunity to act as an emblem of the strongest parts of the franchise. Characters from the Infinity Saga who we perhaps thought we’d never see again could reprise their roles, while the best heroes and villains of the Multiverse Saga can take center-stage. Sam Wilson’s Captain America may lead the New Avengers, the Scarlet Witch may return from the dead, and beloved heroes who may have passed on could return through the magic of the multiverse, making Avengers 5 perhaps the MCU’s most exciting installment yet.

Avengers 5’s Cast Tease Could Make It The Kind Of Comic Adaptation I Didn’t Think Was Possible

One of the things I find most exciting about Avengers 5’s colossal cast is that this number of characters will give the Phase 6 movie a scale as massive as some of Marvel Comics’ biggest storylines. Marvel Studios has often dulled-down certain wide-reaching comic adventures for their live-action adaptations in the MCU – namely Secret Invasion, which included almost every hero in Marvel Comics, but very few in the MCU. However, it seems Avengers 5 will throw away its restraint, and let almost every hero and villain from the MCU’s 16-year history loose.

In comparison, Avengers: Endgame’s final battle featured almost 40 characters, and even this felt like it had been taken straight out of Marvel Comics. Avengers 5‘s cast rumor would blow this out of the water, though it’s unclear whether all 60 characters will be fighting together as they did during the Battle of Earth. Nevertheless, the fact that Marvel Studios could finally be putting all of its newly-introduced heroes and old familiars to work in Avengers 5 has me very excited for the upcoming movie, and very hopeful that the MCU is finally moving in the right direction.