With just under four months remaining until the release of Avengers: Doomsday, fans have already begun to put forth theories on how the Marvel blockbuster will set up Avengers: Secret Wars.
The latest piece of speculation argues that two Fantastic Four characters will survive the multiversal war against Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. It comes from Michael Patterson of superhero-centric outlet Bam Smack Pow, who has drawn attention to a visual included in both Doomsday trailers. That would be two brief shots of Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) holding his all-powerful nephew, Franklin Richards (the actor playing him has yet to be confirmed), with a dazzling light in the background.
Will Johnny Storm and Franklin Richards Survive Avengers: Doomsday?
The theory goes as follows: Franklin casts a protective force-field around himself and his uncle, keeping them immune from the widespread amnesia caused by Victor Von Doom’s manipulation of reality that leads to the creation of Battleworld.
With Earth’s Mightiest Heroes now serving at the pleasure of God Emperor Doom, it’ll be up to Johnny and Franklin to de-program and reunite the Avengers in Secret Wars. Or so the conjecture goes, anyway.
Perhaps the biggest argument against it is the fact that Doom needs Franklin’s raw cosmic power to carry out his dastardly plans, which are sure to succeed, à la Thanos wiping out half the universe in Avengers: Infinity War.
There’s just no way Doom would allow such a dangerous individual to escape and pose a challenge to his rule. Franklin getting away with Johnny doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, unless his powers are seriously drained by the end of Doomsday and the alleged shield mentioned above uses up the last of his energy stores.
“It’s definitely ambitious,” Quinn teased to Collider in 2025. “It just must be so hard writing for that many characters and a scale of that size, but it’s going for it. I was excited to be a part of something that ambitious.”
Added Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm/Invisible Woman): “You really feel the process that they’ve obviously had for such a long time. It’s like a recipe, and you have all these different ingredients and flavors, and they have to work out exactly which flavors go together in which order. It’s like making a really intricate [dish].”
When Does Avengers: Doomsday Come Out?
Avengers: Doomsday is in theaters Dec. 18. Click here for tickets.
When Does Avengers: Secret Wars Come Out?
Avengers: Secret Wars is currently slated for release on Dec. 17, 2027.
