Summary
- Deadpool & Wolverine introduced the concept of Anchor Beings, which could replace Molecule Man in the MCU's Avengers: Secret Wars.
- Molecule Man and his variants play a huge part in Doctor Doom's plans in Marvel Comics' Secret Wars, so more Anchor Beings will likely be seen in the MCU's future.
- Deadpool & Wolverine teased several connections to Avengers: Secret Wars, so it's speculated the universe-ending incursion will occur between Earth-616 and Earth-10005.
Marvel Studios may have just teased the perfect replacement for one of Marvel Comics' most important characters ahead of Phase 6's MCU projects, including Deadpool & Wolverine, are also directly setting up Secret Wars.
Marvel Comics' Secret Wars events from 1984 and 2015 have been revealed to be some of the Russo brothers' favorite stories. This implies the directing duo, who previously directed The Winter Soldier, Civil War, Infinity War and Endgame, will adapt Secret Wars' storyline as faithfully as possible. This means that some of the stories' most important characters will likely be featured in 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars, including those who haven't yet debuted in the MCU. To that end, Marvel might have just teased the replacement of one of these significant cogs in the Secret Wars machine.
10 Important Secret Wars Characters The MCU Still Needs To Introduce
If Marvel intends to faithfully recreate the comic of the same name, then there are several important Secret Wars characters missing from the MCU.
Deadpool & Wolverine Introduced Anchor Beings As A New & Important Multiverse Concept
Hugh Jackman's Wolverine Was Revealed To Be Earth-10005's Anchor Being
Since the beginning of the Multiverse Saga, many interesting and complex concepts have been introduced to the MCU, including the likes of the Sacred Timeline, incursions, Nexus Beings and Absolute Points in time. Deadpool & Wolverine introduced yet another multiverse concept, as it revealed Hugh Jackman's Wolverine to be the Anchor Being of Earth-10005, the official designation of Fox's X-Men franchise. Wolverine's emotional death in Logan hence spurred the deterioration of his universe, which Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool successfully tried to stop in the MCU's Phase 5.
Since Deadpool & Wolverine's release, there has been some discussion about who could be the Anchor Being of the MCU's primary Earth-616 timeline. Every universe has an Anchor Being, and these characters seem to be of some significance to the universe, just as Wolverine was in Fox's X-Men franchise. Some suggestions have included Tony Stark or Wanda Maximoff, but Earth-616 is not deteriorating, so the MCU's Anchor Being must still be alive. MCU projects could reveal exactly who this is, and could confirm the Anchor Beings' possibly prominent role in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Other MCU characters, such as Doctor Strange, Spider-Man and the Hulk have been speculated to be the MCU's official Anchor Being.
Anchor Beings Fill The Role Of Marvel’s Molecule Man In The MCU
Owen Reece's Molecule Man Is One Of Secret Wars' Most Important Characters
The idea of Anchor Beings in the MCU seems to have borrowed a lot of the lore of Owen Reece, a.k.a. Molecule Man, from Marvel Comics. Originally introduced in 1963's Fantastic Four #20, Molecule Man was better developed in the lead-up to 2015's Secret Wars event, which revealed that him and his variants had actually been created by the otherworldly Beyonders. The Molecule Men were created as singularities across every reality, with the function of being a sort of bomb - if Owen Reece died, so would his universe.
If this sounds familiar, this is exactly the purpose of Anchor Beings in the live-action MCU. If an Anchor Being dies, such as Wolverine in Logan, their respective reality begins to deteriorate. In Marvel Comics, a Molecule Man's death sets off an incursion event that destroys their universe, and contributes to the massive incursions that ravage the multiverse in 2015's Secret Wars. Deadpool & Wolverine could have introduced one of the most pivotal aspects of the Secret Wars storyline, as well as teasing a number of other connections.
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Deadpool & Wolverine Teased Many Connections To Secret Wars
Marvel Comics' Secret Wars #5 Was Seen In Deadpool & Wolverine's First Teaser Trailer
Deadpool & Wolverine seemed to establish a clear connection to Marvel Studios' Avengers: Secret Wars long before the movie's premiere in July 2024. In Deadpool & Wolverine's first teaser trailer, an issue of Marvel Comics could be seen on the ground in the Void that looked like the cover of Secret Wars #5. This issue, taking place primarily on Battleworld after incursions destroyed the multiverse, explored Doctor Doom taking the power of the Beyonders with the help of Molecule Man, and using it to build Battleworld.
Deadpool & Wolverine made it possible for Avengers: Secret Wars' incursion to take place between Earth-616 and Earth-10005 (rather than Earth-1610 from Marvel Comics). The movie also contributed to theories that the Void at the End of Time would be transformed into Battleworld, while the return of classic Marvel movie characters, such as Elektra, Blade and X-23, reinforced speculation that several multiversal variants will return in Avengers: Secret Wars. The introduction of Anchor Beings, replacing Molecule Man, is just the latest in a long line of clear Secret Wars set-up.
Anchor Beings Could Be Pivotal To Doctor Doom’s Plans In Avengers: Secret Wars
Doctor Doom Collected Molecule Men To Battle The Beyonders In Marvel Comics' Secret Wars
If Anchor Beings have been introduced to the MCU to replace Molecule Man in Avengers: Secret Wars, audiences might be about to meet many more Anchor Beings from across the multiverse, as they could be crucial to Doctor Doom's plans. After learning the truth about Owen Reece and his variants in Marvel Comics, Doctor Doom set out to kill each Molecule Man to stop incursions, but realized this wasn't the right course of action. Doom then decided to collect the Molecule Men instead, and used them as a weapon against the Beyonders, allowing him to steal the beings' power.
Robert Downey Jr. previously portrayed Tony Stark's Iron Man in ten MCU movies between 2008's Iron Man and 2019's Avengers: Endgame. His recasting as Doctor Doom has been controversial.
Anchor Beings appear to be those of great significance in the MCU, so it seems likely that they will be at the center of Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom's plans in Avengers: Secret Wars. It's possible Doom could travel the multiverse collecting Anchor Beings, which presents the perfect opportunity for Marvel Studios to bring back classic heroes and feature some exciting multiversal variants. These Anchor Beings may then be pivotal in helping Doctor Doom create the MCU's own version of Battleworld, allowing Avengers: Secret Wars to be as comic-accurate as possible.
Avengers: Secret Wars
- Release Date
- December 17, 2027
- Director
- Joe Russo
- Writers
- Stephen McFeely, Stan Lee
- Prequel(s)
- Avengers: Doomsday
- Franchise(s)
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
Cast
Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic
Vanessa KirbySue Storm / Invisible Woman
Johnny Storm / Human Torch
Ebon Moss-BachrachBen Grimm / The Thing
Avengers: Secret Wars is the sixth Avengers film and takes place during Phase Six of Marvel's Cinematic Universe.
- Studio(s)
- Marvel Studios
