It's fair to say that Marvel's Multiverse Saga hasn't quite lived up to its full potential. Audiences have rarely explored alternate dimensions or timelines, and few heroes are aware of the dangers of incursions. Instead, the Marvel Cinematic Universe opted to introduce new supernatural characters, cosmic heroes, and street-level vigilantes, all with their own unique but separate storylines. On the bright side, the studio is looking to close out its ongoing chapter on a high note with the release of both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
At long last, the multiversal narrative will live up to its full potential, with characters from other dimensions, such as the X-Men, making an unexpected appearance. But while we've slowly unraveled the surprises of Avengers: Doomsday from its casting announcement and trailers, we don't know what to expect yet from its follow-up. While nothing is set in stone just yet, fans suspect Avengers: Secret Wars will feature even more unexpected multiversal cameos, and a new report doubles down on this idea by revealing an unlikely Marvel character will be back in action.
A member of Josh Trank's Fantastic Four will reportedly return in Avengers: Secret Wars
If you don't remember Josh Trank's Fantastic Four (2015), I don't blame you. The infamous film (often referred to as Fan4stic) was released to an extremely negative reception from critics and fans alike. To make matters worse, there was a lot of behind-the-scenes drama when crafting the project, and a day before its release, director Josh Trank said the "fantastic" vision he had for the movie would never see the light of day. But against all expectations, we may not have seen the last of this iteration of Marvel's first family.
According to industry insider James Mack, there will be one sole survivor from the Fan4stic universe, and they will appear in Avengers: Secret Wars. The only question remaining is, who will that be? While a concrete answer still eludes us, the most likely candidate is Miles Teller's Mr. Fantastic.
Back in September 2024, scooper Alex Perez revealed that Marvel was toying with the idea of including the Council of Reeds in either Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars, with Ioan Gruffudd's Mr. Fantastic set to be a member of the group. If this concept materializes, then it would explain how Miles Teller's Reed Richards could be back in the picture.
While the Fan4stic universe was never well-received, many superhero fans agree that Miles Teller would be the perfect actor to bring The Maker to life on the big screen. This ruthless Marvel villain is an evil alternate version of Mr. Fantastic who has committed no shortage of atrocities in the comic book world. Interestingly, after The Maker's universe was destroyed during the Secret Wars (2015) storyline, it became his personal mission to create another world where he could reign supreme.
The Maker created a new version of the Ultimate Universe and made sure people like Peter Parker never obtained superpowers to ensure no hero could rise against him. With that in mind, maybe there's a chance that Marvel will try to adapt a similar storyline on the big screen, especially if Miles Teller's Reed Richards is back in action and his home universe is destroyed.
We know very little about Marvel's next saga, which means we have no clue yet about who its main antagonist will be. However, The Maker has proven to be a force to be reckoned with in the comic book world, even acting as an instrumental part in Venom's iconic King in Black storyline. As such, he would be a perfect candidate to be the next big villain to fear after the events of Avengers: Secret Wars.
Granted, nothing has been confirmed by Marvel yet, so it's best to assume Miles Teller's Reed Richards won't appear in Avengers: Secret Wars until stated otherwise. And even if he makes a comeback, there's also a chance that his appearance could be relegated to a simple cameo. On the bright side, we're just a little over a year away from finding out all the answers.
Avengers: Secret Wars will be released on Dec. 17, 2027.
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