Just days after the movie's announcement, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty has a director in Shang-Chi's Destin Daniel Cretton. Marvel Studios came to San Diego Comic-Con 2022 to give audiences a clear guide to where the Marvel Cinematic Universe was going. This included announcing the complete Phase 5 slate, which begins with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in February 2023 and concludes with Thunderbolts in July 2024. However, Marvel was not done with its surprises, as it detailed the first glimpse of Phase 6. This is where the major announcement of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars came.
The announcement of the fifth and sixth Avengers movies came without many details about them. Marvel did confirm that Avengers: The Kang Dynasty releases in May 2025, and Avengers: Secret Wars comes just a few months later in November 2025. However, there were no casting announcements made to assure audiences that Sam Wilson's Captain America (Anthony Mackie), Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), and others would appear. It was also not announced who would direct either or both of the new Avengers films, but Kevin Feige did shoot down speculation about the Russo brothers returning.
It has now been revealed by THR that Avengers: The Kang Dynasty has a director in Destin Daniel Cretton. The filmmaker joined the MCU in Phase 4 to make Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. He also is developing a Wonder Man series for Disney+ and a Shang-Chi sequel. Now, Destin Daniel Cretton lands one of the biggest directing gigs in the Multiverse Saga, making him the first person of color to direct an Avengers movie.
Destin Daniel Cretton directing Avengers: The Kang Dynasty shows how quickly Marvel Studios is moving forward with the Phase 6 MCU movie. There is currently no writer attached to the film, but a report from Deadline states that meetings are currently underway to find the person who will pen this script. With a May 2025 release date, attaching a director nearly three years out is a bit early in terms of Marvel's usual approach. Since Avengers: The Kang Dynasty will be one of the biggest movies of the Multiverse Saga and the MCU overall, Cretton could be boarding the project this early on due to the massive scale it could have. There is no word on if he is also directing Avengers: Secret Wars.
Marvel's selection of Destin Daniel Cretton as Avengers 5's director should be met with a great reception by fans. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings earned rave reviews and is considered to be one of Phase 4's best movies. While this could mean Shang-Chi 2 is further away from happening if Cretton is too busy with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty prep, the good news is that his involvement likely means a major role for Shang-Chi in the Phase 6 movie. This would even possibly allow for a reveal that the Ten Rings are tied to Kang somehow. In any case, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty should be in great hands under Destin Daniel Cretton's direction.
Source: THR
