Marvel Studios could feature a supervillain civil war in Avengers: Secret Wars, which may be the best way to solve a major problem with Kang in the MCU. Kang the Conqueror and his villainous variants have been set up as the primary antagonists of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, but Jonathan Majors’ 2023 arrest, conviction, and firing threw these plans into jeopardy. This presents a huge problem for Marvel Studios when heading into Phase 6, and setting up stories and characters for Avengers 5 and Avengers: Secret Wars.

There has been a huge amount of speculation in the months since Jonathan Majors’ firing from Marvel Studios as to which direction the MCU will head in. While many hope that Kang and his variants will be recast, allowing them to still present a threat in Avengers 5 and potentially beyond, others have speculated that Marvel Studios could move away from the Kang storyline completely. This leaves the MCU’s upcoming stories uncertain, but a new theory could explain how Kang can remain a threat, while new villains can also take center-stage.

Avengers 6 Could Feature A Battle Between Major MCU Villains Instead Of Focusing Solely On Kang

A new theory posed by Reddit user Ok-Ingenuity9833 suggests that Avengers: Secret Wars may not feature a battle between heroes and villains at all. Instead, Marvel Studios could take note from a storyline such as that in Captain America: Civil War, pitting the MCU’s supervillains against each other, perhaps fighting over who will rule over the multiverse, or Battleworld if this strange location is introduced to the MCU. The Reddit theory suggests Kang, the Beyonder, and Doctor Doom as three main antagonists, but even more could be introduced.

Instead of focusing solely on Kang the Conqueror and his variants, which Marvel Studios may not want to do after Jonathan Majors’ controversies, this theory introduces new levels of complexities into Avengers: Secret Wars’ storyline. Events such as incursions could bring all these characters together in one location, possibly Battleworld akin to Marvel Comics’ Secret Wars, which could then lead to them facing off against each other. This would also be a great way for Marvel Studios to adapt both the 1984 and 2015 Secret Wars​​​​​​​ events into one story.

1984’s Secret Wars saw the Beyonder bring heroes and villains from the Marvel Universe to Battleworld, forcing them to fight each other, while 2015’s Secret Wars dealt more heavily with incursions, the multiverse, and a very different Battleworld.

Several Villains In Avengers 5 & Secret Wars Would Solve Marvel’s Major Kang Issue

Since Jonathan Majors’ firing, it’s been unclear what story will unfold in 2026’s upcoming Avengers 5. Originally titled The Kang Dynasty, Avengers 5 was expected to feature an epic battle between Kang, his variants, and the Avengers, but this all may now have changed. A recent report by Deadline suggested that Avengers 5 could “potentially include multiple antagonists,” though this is still purely conjecture. Nevertheless, the inclusion of several different villains in Avengers 5 and Secret Wars would be a great way to solve the MCU’s Kang problem.

Plot details are unknown, and following Jonathan Majors’ exit from the MCU as Kang following his reckless assault conviction in December, it is unknown who the central villain would be, or if the film could potentially include multiple antagonists.

While it seems likely that Kang will be recast, introducing new antagonists to Avengers 5 and Secret Wars would take the pressure off a new actor in the villainous role. Despite his abhorrent behavior, Jonathan Majors is leaving big shoes to fill as Kang, so shifting the focus onto other villains may be the best choice for Marvel Studios. This could bring the likes of much-wanted villains Doctor Doom and the Beyonder into the MCU, while others could return from past MCU projects, including Ultron, Malekith, and even Thanos, among others.

Secret Wars Theory Puts A Great Twist On The Typical Avengers Storyline

Every previous Avengers project in the MCU has featured Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and their allies battling a villain, and usually coming out on top. Loki, Ultron, Zemo, and Thanos have all been defeated by the Avengers, but this new Reddit theory suggests that Avengers 5 and Secret Wars could tell a very different story. With so many villains potentially returning and debuting in Phase 6’s upcoming Avengers movies, the theory posits that the MCU’s heroes could pick sides, battling alongside villains whose ethics and morals may match up with theirs.

This Reddit theory splits up the MCU’s heroes in a Civil War- style storyline, though it may be more than just Captain America and Iron Man fighting over the fate of Bucky Barnes, rather many heroes and villains fighting over the destiny of the entire multiverse.

While this may seem unorthodox, this could actually solve yet another problem with the current slate of the MCU. So many heroes have been introduced in recent years, and even more are on the way. This has culminated in Deadline suggesting that over 60 MCU characters will return for Avengers 5, and presumably for Avengers: Secret Wars, too. This roster is massive, so it might be a great choice to split the heroes up into groups, with each team joining a villain in their fight, marking an interesting and unexpected way to keep MCU audiences on their toes.