'Avengers: Endgame' Theory Suggests It Sets Up a 'Secret Invasion' Movie

Many fans are curious about the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the events of Avengers: Endgame, especially with regards to Thanos. After all, is there another villain who could possibly pose a greater threat than the Mad Titan who assembled all of the Infinity Stones?

Some fans think the next crossover movie will tee off the next great Marvel Studios villain, especially since Captain Marvel will be debuting in theaters just two months before Avengers: Endgame. The first Marvel Studios film of 2019 will introduce the Kree-Skrull war and be the first on-screen depiction of the shape-shifting alien race who have been notable thorns in the sides of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Secret Invasion in the MCU theory from r/marvelstudios

The theory mentions Secret Invasion, one of Marvel's bigger crossover events over the last decade (though to be fair, Marvel Comics has gone a little heavy on the crossovers since Civil War so there's really no sense in quantifying how "big" they all are).

While Secret Invasion is a smart bet for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this theory might be a little implausible. After all, it supposes that Captain Marvel — the newest heavy hitter in the franchise — will quickly be replaced by a Skrull. That would take a lot of momentum out of the character's journey from the first film and carrying through to Avengers: Endgame. And yet, that doesn't mean it's entirely implausible.

Fans have been anxiously waiting for any and all details pertaining to the next crossover movie, and finally directors Joe and Anthony Russo opened up about the state of the MCU after Avengers: Infinity War in an interview with Empire Magazine, stating that the galaxy has been united after Thanos' snap.

"These are characters and a story moving forward where Infinity War happened," Anthony Russo said. "The entire universe experienced the same fate, and has been brought together by this experience."

While speaking about Thanos' state, Joe Russo said the character is living a simple life now that he's achieved his goal.

"He's succeeded in the thing he has set out to do," Joe Russo said of Thanos' current state in the MCU. "He's done. He did it. He's retired."

The directors know that expectations are riding high after the events of Avengers: Infinity War. And while they aren't shying away from the challenge, they also won't kowtow to fan expectations.

"Whether we top Infinity War or not, I don't know," Joe said. "But we try to tell the best story we can with these characters. This is bringing to a close the first decade of stories. I think that alone has a dramatic power to it."

Avengers: Endgame premieres in theaters on April 26, 2019.