Following the tremendous success and satisfying payoffs of Avengers: Endgame, it’s going to be tough when Marvel eventually decides to make Avengers 5. Earth’s mightiest heroes disbanded at the end of Endgame, with the death of Tony Stark and the retirement of an elderly time-traveling Steve Rogers, but as long as the Marvel Cinematic Universe is charging ahead, they won’t remain disbanded forever.
With Captain Marvel, Black Panther, and Doctor Strange leading the way, the Avengers will undoubtedly be back in the future. So, here are 10 ways that the MCU’s Phase 4 slate might be setting up a fifth Avengers movie.
Sam Wilson’s Captain America Could Re-Establish The Avengers
In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, it seems as though the American government will appoint its own new Captain America, U.S. Agent. Apparently, the government is unhappy with Steve Rogers’ decision to give the title to Sam Wilson.
Of course, at some point, just like in the comics, U.S. Agent will reveal himself to be evil, and the government will reluctantly call on Sam for help. After becoming Cap in an official capacity, Sam could re-establish the Avengers as the team’s new leader.
The Eternals Could Introduce A Thanos-Level Cosmic Threat
Later this year, the Eternals will be joining the MCU in their standalone big-screen debut. The film will reportedly span eons of existence as we see the Celestials creating the Eternals, and later creating their mortal enemies, the Deviants.
Along the way, another Thanos-level threat could be introduced the way that the Mad Titan himself was teased throughout 2012’s The Avengers.
An Interdimensional Version Of Loki Could Return To Earth
In Loki’s forthcoming Disney+ series, we’ll likely be introduced to a bunch of interdimensional versions of the trickster god. The one who turned good and redeemed himself in Thor: Ragnarok was killed in Avengers: Infinity War.
The one who disappeared into a new timeline with the Space Stone in Avengers: Endgame was the evil one who summoned the Chitauri and instigated the Battle of New York as a favor to Thanos. There’s a chance that an evil Loki will come back to wreak havoc on Earth’s mightiest heroes.
Killing The Mandarin Could Put Shang-Chi On The Avengers’ Radar
In his upcoming 2021 solo movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Shang-Chi is set to face the real Mandarin. Marvel fans were woefully disappointed by Iron Man 3’s revelation that the Mandarin is a beer-swilling, soccer-loving actor named Trevor Slattery, so this is a chance for a do-over with a more accurate portrayal of the Mandarin, who is set to be played by Tony Leung.
Since Tony Stark was once obsessed with bringing down the Mandarin, taking on the true incarnation of this villain could put Shang-Chi on the Avengers’ radar.
Spider-Man’s Identity Leak Could Bring The Heroes Back Together
At the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, just when things seemed to be going well for Peter Parker, his secret identity was leaked to the public by the InfoWars-style Daily Bugle, along with his framing for Mysterio’s attack on London.
Now, in his upcoming 2021 solo threequel, Spidey is screwed. This could bring the Avengers back together. Some fans have suggested that superpowered lawyers Matt Murdock or Jen Walters could offer to represent Peter in court.
Ms. Marvel And Kate Bishop Could Set Up The Young Avengers
Carol Danvers’ underling Ms. Marvel and Clint Barton’s successor Kate Bishop will be getting introduced to the MCU via their own Disney+ series in Phase 4. This could pave the way for the Young Avengers. Now that Cassie Lang is a teenager, she can take on her superhero alter ego “Stature,” and join them.
They could also be joined by Riri Williams’ Ironheart, Monica Rambeau’s Photon, and — although it’s a stretch, what with Sony’s stranglehold on the rights — Miles Morales’ Spider-Man.
Scarlet Witch Could Rip Open The Fabric Of Reality
After Marvel have kept schtum on plot details for WandaVision, and the trailers have provided more confusion than clarity, it remains unclear what’ll happen in the Disney+ show. All we know is that it will somehow lead Wanda Maximoff into a co-starring role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
In the comics, when Wanda loses her kids, she alters the fabric of reality to bring them back, creating serious problems for the universe. She could do the same to bring back Vision — and possibly her brother, Quicksilver — and end up tearing a hole in the fabric of reality, necessitating the intervention of the Avengers.
New Asgard And Wakanda Could Join Forces
As long as the Avengers have disbanded, Earth is in need of a new last line of defense. Wakanda has the resources, but they can’t fend off Thanos-sized villains alone.
The Asgardians have set up shop in Norway, so they could join forces with the Wakandans to provide Earth with security. They could create the suit of armor around the world that Tony Stark wanted to create to prevent Thanos’ arrival.
Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor Could Join Earth’s Mightiest Heroes
In Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder, Thor will relinquish his title as the God of Thunder to his old flame, Jane Foster, who will take on the title of “Mighty Thor.”
With Odinson losing his powers, he could be out of the Avengers for good, hanging up the hammer and taking a backseat. So, Mighty Thor could take his place as the team’s resident Norse god.
Nick Fury’s S.W.O.R.D. Could Link The Cosmic Avengers To The Earthbound Avengers
In the post-credits scene of Spider-Man: Far From Home, we saw that Nick Fury hadn’t been in the movie at all, and he’d in fact been Talos in disguise. Fury had been on a command ship in deep space with some Skrulls, possibly establishing S.W.O.R.D., S.H.I.E.L.D.’s intergalactic equivalent.
Going on the assumption that everyone featured in Endgame’s final battle is now an honorary Avenger, there are members of the team on Earth (Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Spider-Man etc.) and members in space (Captain Marvel, Thor, the Guardians etc.). If Fury is setting up S.W.O.R.D., he can establish a link between the Cosmic Avengers and the Earthbound Avengers.