However, Marvel’s worst villain might not have had its last say in the MCU. It seems that Thanos, the villain, might have a role in the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars, and it will mark the first time that the villain makes an appearance since Avengers: Endgame, which marked the end of the Infinity Saga in 2019.
This is exactly what the report is implying, where the Mad Titan is expected to feature in Secret Wars rather than Avengers: Doomsday, based on the level of detail Marvel plans to bring into the second movie. In the first one, the number of characters is already massive, spanning different universes, timelines, etc., and it is implied that were the filmmakers to feature all the important characters in the two movies, the second one would be a mere compilation of all the cameos.
Marvel’s interest in legacy villain appearances
If this report is true, then it is unlikely to be a return of Thanos as we know him. Instead, there are rumors circulating about this being a multiverse take on this villain, namely King Thanos, a take on this villain from the Marvel Comics universe, who had managed to defeat the Avengers using the Infinity Stones, going on to conquer and dominate the universe. This is as opposed to the Thanos we know, who sought to shape the universe according to his ideologies. King Thanos, however, is driven by a desire for domination.
Josh Brolin, best known for playing the Mad Titan Thanos in various MCU installments, was also recently questioned on the possibility of reprising the role. Although he did not confirm, he seemed excited and hinted that negotiations may have begun. Of course, this only fueled the rumors, especially considering the studio’s growing focus on legacy casting and the multiverse.
Of course, there is a bit of a complication regarding the introduction of King Thanos in the MCU, particularly as the film is already expected to include a massive ensemble of Marvel heroes, villains, and alternate universe versions of popular Marvel franchises. By the introduction of a powerful variant of the Mad Titan, the focus of the film might distract from more recent villains in the MCU, or diminish the impact of the fall of King Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. However, there is precedent.
The Marvel Comic book world’s “secret wars” operate on the idea of escalation, excess, and iconic return. The MCU has shown an interest in revisiting closed doors when the multiverse allows it. The extent to which this is more than an abbreviated, symbolic appearance remains to be seen. Until then, of course, no comment has been made on the matter, as it pertains to the world of Marvel Studios, but like any piece of insider information, it should be taken with a grain of salt. Yet, in an overarching conversation concerning an end-of-the-world event like the Secret Wars, the world’s greatest villain, perhaps in a new form, would be hard to argue.
