Avengers 5 writer Michael Waldron is rumored to have left the production, adding to the challenge of not having a director or confirmed villain.
It looks like Marvel Studios’ next big project has hit another hurdle in its path. According to the latest rumors, writer Michael Waldron has left Avengers 5, leaving the production in good shape without a writer, director or actor for the main villain.
Challenges for the Avengers 5 series
In the year Since its announcement in 2022, then titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, the film has lost key people: director Destin Daniels-Cretton (Shang Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings), head writer Jeff Lovens (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Kuntumania), and Actor Jonathan Mears was set to play the formidable Kang Conqueror.
Now, Next Point news portal reports that Waldron has also left the project. While no specific reason for his departure was given, Waldron may have completed a draft of the script or was close to doing so. Unless Marvel decides to start the story from scratch, this opens the door for another writer to revise or adapt the existing script.
Problems in Avengers 5
The film is scheduled to begin filming in March 2025, with a release date set for May 1, 2026. This schedule will allow some time to reorganize, although it depends on how much Waldron’s departure affects the plans. In the past, new screenwriters have come in very close to the start of production, so not all is lost.
Last May, Deadpool and Wolverine director Sean Levy was reportedly in talks to direct the film. Marvel offered him the position in mid-March, but he turned it down at the time when Levy was finishing Deadpool and Wolverine and working on the final season of Stranger Things. Negotiations continued but did not come to fruition and other filmmakers were mentioned as candidates.
The future of the victorious Kang
Despite Majors shooting, Kang is expected to continue to appear in the film, albeit less prominently. Following Majors’ guilty verdict, Marvel and Disney cut ties with the actor and indicated that they are awaiting the verdict before making a final decision. However, some insiders believe that the studio never intended to continue Majors as Kang, regardless of the trial.
Rumors have not mentioned the new actor who will play Kang, but suggest that the film may feature multiple antagonists. More than 60 MCU characters could return, including figures such as Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston, Simu Liu and Karen Gillan. Unlike the first four Avengers films, which had a core team led by Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson, this new installment focuses on an ensemble approach with multiple characters playing equally important roles.
The challenge of protecting the legacy of the Avengers
Waldron’s departure adds a new challenge for Marvel Studios, which is already dealing with the absence of key people and the need to redefine its antagonists. Including a larger cast may be a strategy to keep the franchise interesting and fresh, but it also represents additional complexity in terms of narrative and coordination.
As the filming date approaches, it will be crucial to see how Marvel handles these changes and what decisions will be made to ensure that Avengers 5 remains one of the most anticipated films in the MCU. Fans are eagerly waiting for more news and believe that the studio will find the formula to overcome these obstacles and deliver another amazing installment of the Avengers.
With all these challenges on the horizon, Marvel Studios must once again demonstrate its ability to adapt and reinvent itself, ensuring that the Avengers legacy remains as strong as ever.