Marvel Studios may be gearing up for a major reset of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Avengers: Secret Wars — one that could finally fold the X-Men and Fantastic Four into the main timeline.
When Disney regained the film rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four from 20th Century Fox, fans immediately began speculating about how Kevin Feige would bring Marvel’s missing icons into the MCU. While we’ve now seen the Fantastic Four of Earth-828 and know that Thunderbolts director Jake Schreier is set to lead an X-Men reboot, the big picture seems much larger: Secret Wars is rumored to serve as the launching pad for a whole new MCU.
According to a new report from The Cosmic Circus, Marvel plans to merge pieces of the multiverse into a single streamlined reality — one that will become the “true” Earth-616.
Earth-616… Or Earth Prime?
The report suggests that what we’ve been watching in the MCU up to now may not have been the real Earth-616. Instead, it’s said to be a version manipulated by He Who Remains, stripped of key heroes who should have existed all along. This would explain odd continuity details, like Doctor Strange recalling the Fantastic Four as a 1960s “band” instead of famous astronauts, or why characters like Magneto and Professor X never emerged in this timeline.
Secret Wars, then, would reset everything — creating a timeline where the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four have always been part of history, and everyone remembers it that way.
This concept isn’t entirely new in superhero storytelling. DC fans might recall Crisis on Infinite Earths from the Arrowverse, which similarly rewrote history to fold multiple worlds into a single timeline.
What Else Changes?
Some additional rumored details include:
- The Eternals won’t appear in the upcoming Avengers films.
- Kang could still return someday, despite the shake-up.
- “Everything is fair game” to bring back — including heroes and villains who previously died.
- Certain MCU events will remain canon, but in slightly different forms, giving Marvel room to retcon storylines where needed.
A Fresh Start for a 20-Year Franchise
By the time Secret Wars hits theaters in December 2027, the MCU will be nearly two decades old. A multiversal reboot could allow Marvel Studios to refresh the saga, recast key roles (including legacy heroes like Iron Man), and set the stage for a new era where the Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Spider-Man share one unified world.
Of course, for now, all of this remains unconfirmed — but if true, the MCU as we know it could be about to change forever.
