Marvel's Avengers 5 To Bring Back More Than 60 MCU Characters? What We Know

Marvel fans, it’s time for you to rejoice! Marvel Studios is assembling the mightiest heroes on Earth, and quite a lot of them, in Avengers 5. There is also an update regarding Marvel Studios finding a director for the movie.

According to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, Deadpool and Wolverine director Shawn Levy is in talks to helm the project, which was formerly known as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty before the departure of Jonathan Majors as the villainous Kang the Conqueror.

According to reports, Marvel Studio offered Shawn Levy the role to helm the film in mid-March but he turned it down. The reason behind turning the offer down was Levy who was still putting finishing touches on Deadpool and Wolverine and was also working on the final season of Stranger Things.

Moreover, the report also revealed that ‘more than 60 MCU characters could reprise their roles’ in what is being described as an ‘ensemble feature’ and ‘one of Marvel’s largest productions to date.’ While the previous instalments had the six main leads— Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) who have been seen in all of the Avengers movies so far, the new movie will have more than 60 MCU characters returning to the franchise.

The names listed in the report are Original Avengers co-stars Hemsworth and Ruffalo, Doctor Strange’s Benedict Cumberbatch, Shang-Chi’s Simu Liu, Guardians of the Galaxy’s Karen Gillan, and Loki’s Tom Hiddleston.

In 2022, at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios president and producer Kevin Feige officially announced Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars as the end of the ‘Multiverse Saga’ and Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The two movies, originally set to release months apart, were initially dated for May and November 2025, but have since been pushed back. The now-untitled Avengers 5 will bow on May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.

From what is being said is that Marvel’s decision to ‘push the film by several months’ opened the window of opportunity. Shawn Levy is said to have been given the latest script by Michael Waldron but has not given an answer on whether he will come aboard, and other filmmakers are in contention.

Shawn Levy’s first MCU movie, the R-rated Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman-starring Deadpool & Wolverine, also involves the multiverse and has already broken pre-sale ticket records ahead of its July 26 release in theatres.