Joe Russo, co-director of the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday, announced that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is effectively resetting to square one with the new project. Russo delivered the news during a panel at SXSW, an appearance covered by The Hollywood Reporter. He warned audiences to prepare for significant shifts and changes in Doomsday, a film that casts former Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. as the villain Dr. Doom.
“So, get ready for it. Look, we were with Rob [Downey Jr.] earlier today. We were both talking about this concept that we are back to phase zero. This is starting over from scratch. We want to make sure everybody feels like this isn’t leaning on anything from the past.”
The MCU has historically operated on a six-phase structure. The first three phases formed The Infinity Saga, while phases four through six comprised The Multiverse Saga. This framework began in 2008 and was scheduled to run through 2027. Phase Six was set to begin with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which is anticipated to hit theaters in 2025. Most observers had assumed that the December release of Avengers: Doomsday, the summer 2026 installment Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and the 2027 finale Avengers: Secret Wars would all fall under Phase Six. Russo’s remarks now point toward a different trajectory, suggesting a phaseless reboot beginning with Doomsday.
Russo maintains that the new film is not leaning on the past, yet the cast includes several beloved figures from the original Avengers lineup. Chris Evans returns as Steve Rogers, and Chris Hemsworth plays Thor again. The central question remains what this so-called Phase Zero actually means for the MCU’s long-term trajectory. One possibility is a wave of fresh young talent stepping into Avengers and other Marvel roles while the franchise clears out its established stars.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige hinted at this type of reset last year. He confirmed plans to recast the X-Men when the team finally gets its standalone MCU film, citing the 2015 Secret Wars comics as the blueprint for overhauling the universe.
“We’re utilizing that [story] not just to round out the stories we’ve been telling post-Endgame, just as importantly – and you can look at the Secret Wars comics for where that takes you – it very, very much sets us up for the future.”
“Endgame, literally, was about endings. Secret Wars is about beginnings.”
Reports indicate Marvel is prioritizing an X-Men film with younger actors to help control budget costs. Black Panther 3 remains in development as well. The studio seems less urgent about moving forward with Blade or Deadpool 4 at this time. Tom Holland has opened up about Spider-Man’s MCU path and hinted at setting up the next chapter for Miles Morales, which aligns with this broader push toward new faces.
Anticipation is building as the studio prepares for its most significant transformation yet. A former Fortnite boss recently teased that an Avengers: Doomsday trailer could drop soon. Marvel fans have been anticipating a trailer since the Avengers: Doomsday logo dropped, and the mounting clues suggest a major shift in the franchise’s timeline and storytelling approach.
