Marvel just experienced perhaps the biggest leak in its 16-year history. A confirmed concept artist for Marvel Studios inadvertently shared exclusive art from the most anticipated films of the MCU’s upcoming slate, namely The Fantastic Four: The First Steps, Avengers: Secret Wars, and more.
Artist Mushk Rizvi shared the leak on their official website, sparking immediate conversation online among eagle-eyed Marvel fans. The art was swiftly taken down from Rizvi’s site. Or more accurately, Rizvi’s entire website went dark, as did every one of their social media accounts, including Instagram, Facebook, and X. One can only assume the Marvel execs, namely Kevin Feige, popped a blood vessel when news of the leak reached their desks.
The MCU has endured a rough couple of years since the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame. The long-running storytelling machine has ran face first into numerous critical and box office hit-or-misses throughout Phases Four and Five, leading fans to question how much gas the studio has left in the tank. In response, the studio has pulled back, throwing up metaphorical “under construction” signs. But somehow, we just got a glimpse through the cracks. If even half of this leaked concept art comes to life, the MCU might just be entering another golden age.
Note: This leak is huge and is a major spoiler for the conclusion of Marvel’s Multiverse Saga. To maintain the theatrical integrity of the films, WGTC has chosen not to embed the links into this article. Instead, we have linked out to them, allowing readers to choose whether they wish to see them or not.
The most detailed leak of the bunch come from what appears to be Avengers: Doomsday, at least according to initial reports; trusted insider My Time To Shine has said the art is actually from Avengers: Secret Wars. The standout image shows Doctor Doom seated on a throne, clad in white armor reminiscent of the Secret Wars (2015) comic run. It looks like Doom rules over a universe of his own making — presumably Battleworld. At first blush, Reed Richards appears absent and all we see is a woman who could be Sue Storm standing beside Doom with, presumably, Franklin by her side. Another woman with a blonde braid down her back holds a thick chain wrapped around the neck (or hands) of a man kneeling at Doom’s throne. That woman shares a resemblance to Yelena Belova, and the chained man may or may not be Reed Richards. If it’s not Reed, it could suggest he is stranded elsewhere, trying to reunite with his family in Battleworld. The image also reveals Doctor Strange’s unmistakable silhouette, which might explain why Benedict Cumberbatch previously stated he won’t appear in Doomsday but will return for Secret Wars.
Another long-speculated decision seems to be confirmed: the introduction of a new Black Panther. The leak all but guarantees a recasting of the role, originally embodied by the late Chadwick Boseman. Given the film’s shifting timelines, Marvel could introduce an older Black Panther, possibly played by Denzel Washington. Those long held rumors could finally be coming true.
Some concept art introduces entirely original MCU ideas that are not rooted in any comic run, making predictions rather difficult. One such image shows Star-Lord sitting on a couch next to White Vision. Another depicts a medieval planet ruled by Hulks, of which we see Tatiana Maslany’s She-Hulk and Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner-Hulk front and center talking to someone who may or may not be Hulk’s son, Skaar. Another image reveals Star-Lord and Wong in a Guardians of the Galaxy-esque bar surrounded by members of the Young Avengers team, of which includes Kate Bishop, Stature aka Cassie Lang, Tommy Maximoff aka Speed, Billy Maximoff/Kaplan aka Wiccan, and Ms. Marvel. The direction of these stories remains unclear, but they hint at major shake-ups.
How will all of this unfold in the final films? We don’t truly know. As Sean Baker said in his Oscar speech for Anora, we’ll just have to head to the theaters and find out.
Published: Mar 3, 2025 03:11 pm