Avengers: Doomsday vs. X-Men?

Marvel Studios Reveals Major Multiverse Plans

San Diego Comic-Con 2024 delivered bombshell announcements about Marvel Studios' future, most shockingly revealing Robert Downey Jr.'s return as Doctor Doom. The iconic villain will play a pivotal role concluding the Multiverse Saga, anchoring both 2026's Avengers: Doomsday and 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars. In another surprise, Kelsey Grammer reprises Beast in Doomsday, continuing his cameo from 2023's The Marvels.

Could there be even more to this story? Evidence suggests Doomsday might secretly be an Avengers vs. X-Men adaptation. But why would these teams fight? Didn't superhero clashes teach us anything from Batman v Superman? Let's examine Marvel's Avengers vs. X-Men comics and their potential MCU adaptation.

The Avengers vs X-Men Rivalry Explained

Marvel's premier teams have clashed since their 1960s debuts, though usually collaborating against greater threats like in 1984's Secret Wars or 2008's Secret Invasion. However, 2012's Avengers vs. X-Men marked a dramatic shift - this time they became bitter enemies.

The conflict arises during mutants' darkest hour. Following Scarlet Witch's actions in House of M (2005), mutantkind dwindled to mere hundreds facing extinction. The X-Men fractured between Cyclops and Wolverine's rival factions when the cosmic Phoenix Force targets Earth.

The Avengers perceive the Phoenix as existential threat, while Cyclops views it as mutantkind's salvation. When Earth's Mightiest Heroes attempt destroying it, mutants see this as war.

The story unfolds in three acts: initial mutant underdogs resisting Phoenix destruction, power reversal when five X-Men become Phoenix hosts, culminating in Dark Phoenix Cyclops killing Professor X before Hope Summers and Scarlet Witch restore mutantkind.

The MCU's Potential Adaptation

Details remain scarce about Doomsday, originally titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty before Jonathan Majors' departure shifted focus to Doom. Currently, neither Avengers nor X-Men teams exist cohesively in-universe.

The X-Men presence is especially limited - only Earth-616 mutants Kamala Khan and Namor appear, alongside multiversal variants like Patrick Stewart's Professor X and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine.

Confirmed MCU Mutants

• Ms. Marvel
• Mr. Immortal
• Namor
• Wolverine
• Ursa Major
• Sabra/Ruth Bat-Seraph

The MCU seemingly needs mutant establishment before staging their Avengers clash. The solution likely involves multiversal conflict with Fox's X-Men universe (Earth-10005), potentially making Doomsday Marvel's ultimate Fox crossover.

The Marvels' post-credits showed Beast caring for Monica Rambeau following an Incursion - destructive multiversal collisions requiring one Earth's annihilation. This could force Avengers and X-Men into existential battle, with legendary matchups like:

• Captain America vs Wolverine
• Hulk vs Colossus
• Thor vs Storm
• Potential Deadpool involvement

Doctor Doom's Pivotal Role

Doom thrives manipulating conflicts for power. Whether stealing abilities or orchestrating mutant decimation, he'd exploit Avengers-X-Men tensions. His Secret Wars comic involvement suggests Doomsday positions him as multiversal collapse architect.

The film may parallel Secret Wars #1's tragic conclusion where heroes fail preventing multiversal destruction during their infighting. This could establish Battleworld - a patchwork reality controlled by god-emperor Doom.

Ultimately, Doomsday may serve as dark prelude to Secret Wars, where surviving heroes from across Marvel's history unite to restore the multiverse.

Originally published 09/02/2024, updated 03/26/2025 with latest Doomsday developments.