At this point, fans already know that big comebacks are bound to happen in the two upcoming Avengers movies, even if Marvel were to try to hide it. The first Avengers: Doomsday teaser trailer alone revealed that Steve Rogers will suit up and jump back into action despite his apparent farewell back in 2019. So, if those are the kinds of returns revealed ahead of time, what other surprises are being kept from us?
For starters, it has been rumored that Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man will have a major role to play in Avengers: Doomsday, while the Scarlet Witch might make her long-awaited comeback during the events of Avengers: Secret Wars. Now, a new report indicates heroes we thought were long gone will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for one more adventure. The best part? We could finally see street-level characters get involved in the ongoing multiversal storyline.
The Defenders and Punisher will reportedly appear in Avengers: Secret Wars
According to insider James Mack, Daredevil, the Punisher, and other Defenders will share the screen with Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Avengers: Secret Wars. While fans expected many MCU characters to appear in the final entries of the Multiverse Saga, it was widely believed that most street-level characters would be missing out on the adventures to come. After all, only Spider-Man and Ms. Marvel have participated in projects that dealt with the multiverse. Besides, many actors behind 'grounded' heroes have stated they won't be back in the MCU in the short term.
Oscar Isaac confirmed that Moon Knight will be missing during the events of Avengers: Secret Wars. Furthermore, Charlie Cox himself denied his involvement in Avengers: Doomsday and hinted that Matt Murdock wouldn't join Earth's Mightiest Heroes for a long time. To add more fuel to the fire, it was previously reported that characters like Punisher, Jessica Jones, and the rest of the Defenders were not going to be part of the upcoming MCU crossovers, as their storylines are mostly isolated. That's without taking into account how little setup there has been for these fan favorites to be part of the larger superhero universe.
To make matters more complicated, Luke Cage and Iron Fist have yet to make their MCU comeback, and Marvel hasn't revealed any plans to include them in future projects. For the time being, it seems their stories came to a definite end with the cancellation of their respective solo series. So, with that in mind, is there really a chance for the Defenders to assemble in Avengers: Secret Wars? Surprisingly enough, there's evidence to suggest that might be the case.
Luke Cage and Iron Fist's return is rumored to happen this March, with the release of Daredevil: Born Again season 2. After all, during the finale of Season 1, Matt Murdock claimed that he'd need an army to defeat Kingpin and his new regime, and there are no better candidates to join him than the heroes he already worked with once before. Furthermore, Marvel has confirmed Jessica Jones is back in the MCU, which opens the doors for other returns as well. Additionally, Luke Cage actor Mike Colter has teased his character's comeback on multiple occasions now, all but confirming we'll see him in action soon.
Renowned insider Daniel Richtman also reported that Daredevil will have a role in Avengers: Secret Wars. So if the Devil of Hell's Kitchen really joins Earth's Mightiest Heroes in their upcoming adventure, chances are the rest of the Defenders will follow his lead into battle. If Marvel does adapt the events of the Secret Wars (2015) comic-book storyline and Battleworld is created on the big screen, it would be easy for the street-level heroes to come into the fold. After all, the creation of one single world constructed from various universes is sure to catch the attention of many beings across the multiverse, including the Man Without Fear, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage.
With a bit of luck, Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 will give us a better idea of The Defenders' status in the MCU and whether they could join the Avengers or not. Fortunately, it won't be long before we finally get to watch new episodes of the beloved series for ourselves.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 will be released on March 24, 2026.