For almost every MCU project, alternate endings were drafted, planned and even filmed, and some of them would have changed the MCU forever.

Some alternate endings that were planned for projects in the Marvel Cinematic Universe would have changed the shape of Marvel Studios’ ever-growing franchise forever. Over the last 16 years, Marvel Studios has created the most successful, expansive and entertaining superhero franchise in history, delivering over 40 projects spanning film, TV and animation, and adapting dozens of complex and vibrant superheroes and villains into live-action. Producing so much content means that, often, stories don’t end up the way they were originally planned, which means that almost every MCU project has alternate endings that would have seen these adventures go very differently.

Currently releasing projects in the MCU’s Phase 5, Marvel Studios has brought some of Marvel Comics’ biggest and most shocking storylines into live-action, fleshing out the world of the MCU with brilliant characters such as Tony Stark’s Iron Man, Steve Rogers’ Captain America and Natasha Romanoff’s Black Widow. Unfortunately, these characters, among many others, have already explored the endings of their stories, but some of the MCU’s most-extreme alternate endings could have altered these moments drastically. As well as bringing back long-dead heroes, the MCU’s alternate endings could have had a major impact on future stories and major villain twists.

10. The Marvels’ Alternate Ending Would Have Killed Captain Marvel

The Marvels (2023)

Marvel Studios’ most recent feature film, The Marvels, brought together Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan, in an epic battle against the Kree villain Dar-Benn, who sought to claim the Quantum Bands. After completing her goal, Dar-Benn was destroyed by power of the Quantum Bands. In an alternate ending for The Marvels, however, not only was Dar-Benn destroyed by the Quantum Bands, but Captain Marvel herself was also killed during their battle. Brie Larson’s future as Captain Marvel is currently unclear, but it’s possible she could still return to the MCU as she thankfully didn’t die in The Marvels.

9. Avengers: Age Of Ultron Almost Debuted Captain Marvel 4 Years Early

Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)

At the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Tony Stark’s Iron Man appeared to retire from the Avengers, while Captain America and Black Widow introduced a new line-up to the MCU. This new team of Avengers included Sam Wilson’s Falcon, Wanda Maximoff’s Scarlet Witch, the Vision and James “Rhodey” Rhodes’ War Machine. However, in an alternate ending, Avengers: Age of Ultron’s new Avengers also included none other than Carol Danvers’ Captain Marvel. This scene was changed as Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige didn’t want to flippantly introduce Captain Marvel, and it would be another four years before she made her debut.

8. Black Widow’s Alternate Ending Gave Natasha Romanoff A More Emotional Farewell

Black Widow (2021)

Black Widow, Scarlett Johansson’s first solo MCU movie as Natasha Romanoff, received criticism for not delving deep enough into Romanoff’s history and character. This could have been solved had she been given a more emotional send-off in Black Widow’s alternate ending. In the theatrical cut, Romanoff left to aid her fellow fugitive Avengers, but in Black Widow’s unused ending, Romanoff traveled back to her childhood home in Ohio. There, she saw children playing as the Avengers, and was met by a child acting as her, proving to her how much impact she has had on the world of the MCU.

7. Captain America: The First Avenger’s Alternate Ending Was Too Expensive For The MCU

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Captain America: The First Avenger always ended with Steve Rogers crashing the HYDRA plane in the 1940s and waking up in the present day, but his final battle against the Red Skull almost went very differently. In an alternate ending for Chris Evans’ MCU debut as Steve Rogers’ Captain America, Rogers fought a giant HYDRA robot, but this moment was cut for being too time-consuming and expensive. This was perhaps for the best, as having Captain America fight a robot would have stripped The First Avenger of its more personal textures and ideological battle between Rogers and the Red Skull.

6. Loki Season 2 Almost Didn’t End With Loki’s Sacrifice

Loki Season 2 (2023)

2023’s Loki season 2 ended with Tom Hiddleston’s former villain becoming a bone fide hero in the MCU, bringing together the infinite branches of the multiverse and resigning himself to an eternity of watching over them. This was an emotional moment of sacrifice, but it almost went very differently, as Loki season 2’s original ending had Loki fix the TVA’s Temporal Loom instead of destroying it and taking its place. While this would have meant that Loki could continue to embark on adventures with his TVA family, this ending would have stripped Loki season 2 of its deeper emotional impact.

5. Doctor Strange Nearly Became Darker At The End Of Multiverse Of Madness

Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (2022)

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ alternate ending simply wasn’t possible as the release schedule for the MCU’s Phase 4 was changed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally, Multiverse of Madness was intended to release before Spider-Man: No Way Home, which would’ve made its original ending of Doctor Strange being replaced by his Sinister Strange variant more impactful, and this would have made sense of Strange’s botched spell and Strange’s more villainous demeanor in No Way Home. However, this became impossible after the projects switched places, as Strange hadn’t journeyed through the multiverse before No Way Home.

Having Doctor Strange be replaced by Sinister Strange at the end of Multiverse of Madness would have also explained Strange’s mysterious third eye, but this instead went without explanation.

4. Captain America: Civil War Almost Reunited The Avengers

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Captain America: Civil War featured the Avengers’ first major loss, as the team was divided following Bucky Barnes’ framing by Zemo, and the reveal that the Winter Soldier had killed Tony Stark’s parents in 1991. While the theatrical cut ended with the Avengers team breaking up, Captain America: Civil War’s alternate ending would have seen the Avengers reunite to face off against an army of Winter Soldiers in Siberia. This would have drastically altered Phase 3, as the Avengers would have presented a united front against Thanos in Infinity War, but the more subdued and intense ending was perhaps favorable.

3. Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania Had A More Impactful Alternate Ending

Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Following its release in 2023, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania became one of the MCU’s lowest-rated projects, but perhaps including the movie’s alternate ending would have helped to increase its emotional impact. At the end of Quantumania, Scott Lang’s Ant-Man and Hope van Dyne’s Wasp defeated Kang the Conqueror and were released from the Quantum Realm via a portal created by Cassie Lang. However, in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’s original ending, Lang and Dyne remained trapped in the Quantum Realm, raising the stakes and leaving their MCU futures uncertain, but the ending that was produced was unfortunately more rushed.

2. Thor: The Dark World’s Alternate Ending Was Better Than What We Got

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Even after the release of recent divisive projects, 2013’s Thor: The Dark World is still considered as one of the MCU’s weakest links, due in part to its rushed and unsatisfactory ending. The Dark World’s ending saw Loki assume the throne of Asgard after somehow resurrecting himself, and Thor and Jane Foster reunite on Earth. However, The Dark World’s alternate ending was more impactful, as Thor and Jane would have broken up, with Jane returning to her science, and Thor assuming the throne of Asgard while Loki remained dead. This would have had huge repercussions for Thor: Ragnarok​​​​​​​ and beyond.​​​​​​​

1. Tony Stark Almost Survived The Events Of Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Perhaps the most transformative alternate ending in the history of the MCU would have seen Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark survive the events of Avengers: Endgame. In the theatrical cut, Stark uses the Infinity Stones and sacrifices his life to eliminate Thanos’ armies, but Endgame’s writers discussed allowing Tony Stark to survive. It’s unclear how this would have happened with the Avengers still succeeding, or what stories Downey Jr. would have embarked on as Iron Man in the Multiverse Saga, but keeping Iron Man alive in Phase 3 would have seriously altered the current narratives of the Marvel Cinematic Universe​​​​​​​.