Marvel Studios: Is Avengers: Doomsday Quietly Retconning The Marvels?

The MCU’s Strategic Pivot: Is Marvel Studios Distancing Itself from ‘The Marvels’?

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is no stranger to plot twists, but the biggest shake-up might be happening behind the scenes. Following the disappointing performance of The Marvels, evidence suggests that Marvel Studios is quietly implementing a retcon to distance its future blockbusters from the film’s legacy.

The focal point of this theory? The upcoming cinematic event, Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for December 18. While the film promises an epic clash featuring Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, a specific character redesign has fans questioning the continuity of the Multiverse.

The Beast Redesign: A Clue in the Details

One of the most exciting reveals for Avengers: Doomsday is the integration of the Fox-universe X-Men. Specifically, Kelsey Grammer’s Beast is set to play a pivotal role. However, recent leaks and merchandise suggest a drastic change in his appearance.

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• The Marvels Version: In the post-credits scene, Beast appeared as a gentle, intellectual figure wearing a lab coat and glasses.
• The Doomsday Version: New Hot Toys collectibles and Hasbro figures reveal a much more feral, aggressive Beast—bare-chested with a rugged X-Men aesthetic.

This shift isn’t just a costume change; it’s a narrative signal. The aggressive look aligns more with a world at war, potentially placing this version of Beast in a different universe than the one Monica Rambeau encountered.

The Multiverse Loophole: Earth-10005 and Beyond

How can Marvel Studios justify this change? The answer lies in the Multiverse. During the re-release of Avengers: Endgame Encore, a TVA sequence highlighted the collision of Earth-10005 (the Fox X-Men universe) and Earth-1127. As Ouroboros noted, “The multiverse is collapsing.”

If Avengers: Doomsday features a Beast from a timeline plagued by incursions and survivalist warfare, it effectively nullifies the significance of The Marvels‘ ending. By utilizing a different variant, Marvel can move forward without being tethered to the storylines of their most recent box-office struggle.

The Financial Reality Behind the Narrative Shift

It is impossible to ignore the numbers. While 2019’s Captain Marvel was a powerhouse, earning over $1.1 billion, its sequel suffered a historic decline. The Marvels became the lowest-grossing MCU movie to date, plagued by a massive second-weekend drop and poor word-of-mouth.

For a project as ambitious as Avengers: Doomsday, linking the plot to a critical and commercial failure is a risk Marvel Studios likely wants to avoid. The absence of the lead trio from The Marvels—Teyonah Parris, Brie Larson, and Iman Vellani—from the current Doomsday promotional cycle further reinforces the idea that the studio is hitting the reset button.

Final Thoughts: A New Era for the MCU

Whether this is a formal retcon or a clever use of multiverse variants, one thing is clear: Marvel Studios is prioritizing a fresh start. By pivoting away from the missteps of the Multiverse Saga, they are clearing the path for the X-Men and Doctor Doom to reclaim the franchise’s former glory.