At the San Diego Comic-Con 2024, Marvel Studios left fans in awe with major announcements, particularly the surprising return of Robert Downey Jr. to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as Doctor Doom. Downey’s Doom is set to play a central role in both 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars, driving the climax of the Multiverse Saga. However, fans have been buzzing with theories: is Avengers: Doomsday actually a cover for an Avengers vs. X-Men film? Let’s explore how Marvel’s legendary Avengers vs. X-Men comic storyline could influence this upcoming movie.

What is Avengers vs. X-Men?

The Avengers and X-Men have crossed paths and joined forces repeatedly since their debuts in the 1960s. However, 2012’s Avengers vs. X-Men (AvX) presented a unique twist—it focused on a heated conflict between the two groups. The tensions in AvX begin when the Phoenix Force, a cosmic entity of immense power, targets Earth. To the Avengers, the Phoenix represents a threat capable of destroying the planet, and they plan to stop it. But for Cyclops and the X-Men, it represents a chance for mutant salvation after the devastating fallout of House of M, in which Scarlet Witch nearly eradicated the mutant race. The conflict spirals into an all-out war between the two groups.

The AvX story unfolds in three intense acts:

• Act 1: The X-Men try to stop the Avengers from eliminating the Phoenix Force.
• Act 2: Iron Man’s attempt to destroy the Phoenix backfires, splitting the Phoenix Force into five parts, empowering Cyclops, Emma Frost, Namor, Colossus, and Magik as the “Phoenix Five.”
• Act 3: Cyclops, corrupted by the Phoenix Force, ultimately becomes the Dark Phoenix, leading to a final battle that ends with his defeat.

The AvX story provided a thrilling showdown between heroes, showcasing how alliances could shift as heroes struggled with their conflicting loyalties.

How Could the MCU Adapt Avengers vs. X-Men?

Currently, the MCU has introduced only a few mutants, like Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel) and Namor. Additionally, we’ve only encountered alternate-universe versions of classic X-Men characters, such as Professor X and Beast, in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and The Marvels, respectively. Therefore, a traditional Avengers vs. X-Men movie might seem unlikely at this stage. Instead, a possible adaptation could involve the MCU’s heroes facing off against X-Men from an alternate universe, potentially the Fox universe.

Marvel could set up an incursion—a catastrophic collision between two universes, which we’ve already seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. If the MCU’s Earth-616 and the X-Men’s Earth-10005 collide, it could force the Avengers and X-Men into a desperate battle to save their respective worlds, creating an Avengers vs. X-Men-style story with multiverse stakes.

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Doctor Doom’s Role in Avengers: Doomsday

Doctor Doom is a formidable strategist and manipulator who has repeatedly sought to exploit conflicts to his advantage. Doom’s power-hungry nature could make him the perfect villain to escalate tensions between the Avengers and the X-Men, taking advantage of the conflict to weaken both teams. In the comics, Doom was a pivotal figure in Secret Wars (2015), where he absorbed the power of the Beyonders and created the patchwork realm of Battleworld.

In the MCU, Doom could be responsible for the multiverse’s collapse, with Avengers: Doomsday serving as a set-up for Secret Wars, where Doom finally ascends to god-like power. As he manipulates both teams, the stage would be set for an epic showdown between the Avengers and X-Men, whose battle would ultimately play into Doom’s hands.

Avengers: Doomsday as a Prelude to Secret Wars

While Avengers: Doomsday may adapt the Avengers vs. X-Men storyline, it’s likely to take a darker, multiverse-centric approach. This film could pave the way for Secret Wars, where the multiverse collapses, leaving only fragments of reality that Doom merges into Battleworld. In this desolate world, heroes from across the multiverse—including Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man, and other classic Marvel characters—could join forces to overthrow Doom and restore balance.

If Avengers: Doomsday follows the intense, world-ending setup seen in the Secret Wars comics, it would set the stage for Secret Wars to bring a hopeful conclusion to the Multiverse Saga, ushering in a new era for the MCU.

Though still speculative, an Avengers vs. X-Men storyline in Avengers: Doomsday would make for an epic cinematic event. Marvel has yet to officially introduce the X-Men into the MCU’s primary continuity, so a clash between multiverse-spanning teams could be a brilliant way to pay homage to Marvel’s rich comic history while keeping fans engaged. With Doctor Doom masterminding the chaos, the stage is set for an unforgettable battle that could finally bring the Avengers and X-Men together in a true multiverse conflict. Here’s hoping that Marvel delivers the ultimate showdown we’ve all been waiting for.

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