The MCU Will Break a Major 14-Year Trend Next Year

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a state of flux. In a post-Avengers: Endgame world, nothing is certain. Even major projects with casts that include heavyweights like Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek aren’t guaranteed to move forward in a meaningful way. With the MCU’s approval rating seemingly at an all-time low, Marvel Studios is going back to what works ahead of its biggest movie in recent memory, Avengers: Doomsday. The Russo brothers are back in the director’s chairs, and they’re bringing somebody important back with them: Robert Downey Jr. The former face of the franchise will take on a new role, bringing the iconic Marvel villain Doctor Doom to life. But that won’t be the only thing that’s different about the fifth Avengers movie.

Since The Avengers in 2012, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have had one goal, even if, at times, they didn’t know what they were fighting for. That goal is now a thing of the past, and the MCU will have to fill it with one that’s just as worthwhile. The task isn’t going to be easy because what started nearly 14 years ago kicked off a saga that changed cinema forever.

The Infinity Stones Are No Longer the Greatest Power in the MCU

S.H.I.E.L.D. plays a major role in the MCU’s Phase One, with Nick Fury recruiting the Avengers and keeping tabs on threats using his vast resources. Fury doesn’t put all of his cards on the table when he’s talking with characters like Captain America and Iron Man, though, keeping hidden from them that he’s using the Tesseract, a mysterious object from space, to develop weapons. Loki comes looking for it at the start of The Avengers, wanting to use it to open a portal to allow the Chitauri army to invade Earth. However, the God of Mischief’s benefactor, who turns out to be Thanos, makes it clear that there’s more to the object than meets the eye. The truth comes out in Guardians of the Galaxy, which reveals almost everything there is to know about the Infinity Stones.

There are six gems scattered around the galaxy that contain limitless power, and Thanos wants to get his hands on all of them. Slowly but surely, the MCU begins to reveal each Infinity Stone and where it resides. By the time Avengers: Infinity War rolls around, every single one is accounted for except for the Soul Stone. Of course, the MCU saves the best for last because, to acquire the Soul Stone, one must sacrifice someone they love. This obstacle leads to two of the MCU’s most iconic deaths: the first when Thanos sacrifices Gamora, and the second when Black Widow gives up her life to save Hawkeye.

The other Infinity Stones do their best to pull on the heartstrings as well, with Wanda Maximoff having to blow up the Mind Stone inside Vision’s head to stop Thanos. However, the Mad Titan uses the Time Stone to undo the android’s death and complete his mission. Like Thanos says in Endgame, he’s inevitable. The MCU will have a tough time reaching the heights the Infinity Stones took it to, but it does have a replacement, one that threatens everything and everyone.

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Incursions Could Take the Infinity Stones’ Place in Avengers: Doomsday

While the Infinity Stones are unlikely to be the focus of Doctor Doom’s plan in Doomsday, that doesn’t mean the MCU is out of luck. In fact, it’s already been teasing the thing that the Avengers will be fighting against in 2026. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness centers on the titular hero’s mission to prevent Wanda from killing America Chavez, who possesses the ability to travel through the multiverse. Along the way, Strange learns about his variant from Earth-838, who destroyed another universe by unleashing an incursion on it after dreamwalking. Screwing with reality has serious consequences in the MCU, and it turns out that the last couple of phases feature nothing but heroes playing fast and loose with the rules.

Doom is sure to learn about the power of incursions and use them for his own gain. Like Thanos, he may want to rewrite the universe in his image, and the only way to do that is by trimming the fat. Incursions may not be as colorful and interesting as the Infinity Stones, but they’re even more deadly. That fact will help them make the gems yesterday’s news and hopefully begin a new trend that lasts over a decade.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.

Are you sad that the Infinity Stones aren’t the focal point of the MCU anymore? How do you feel about incursions taking their place? Let us know in the comments below!