Captain Marvel & Shang-Chi May Be The Next Iron Man And Captain America In The MCU

Captain Marvel and Shang-Chi may be the next Iron Man and Captain America of the Avengers in the upcoming The Kang Dynasty film. Just a few years after Avengers: Endgame was released, Marvel Studios announced that the fans will be getting two Avengers movies in 2025.

This confirmation of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars gives the fans a clear roadmap to where the MCU is currently heading, as the Multiverse Saga is building towards the clash between the new version of the Avengers and Kang the Conqueror.

Back in Avengers: Endgame, Captain America, Iron Man, and Black Widow’s time with the Avengers is done, so a new lineup of the MCU superheroes will be needed for the upcoming Avengers 5. Of the original Avengers members, Hulk, Hawkeye, and Thor could still have roles to play in The Kang Dynasty, but it is expected that the newer heroes will receive the spotlight. Captain Marvel, Shang-Chi, Doctor Strange, Ant-Man, Spider-Man, and whoever the next Black Panther is will likely be part of the new Avengers team.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings post-credits scene
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Credit: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | Marvel Studios
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings post-credits scene

The multiverse and Kang-focused story of Avengers 5 might result in Ant-Man and Doctor Strange playing major roles, but now, it seems Captain Marvel and Shang-Chi will likely have important roles too. The director of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Destin Daniel Cretton, has just been announced to direct Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.

Cretton being the director of Avengers 5 could indicate that Shang-Chi will be having a prominent role in the film. Cretton also has a tendency to feature Brie Larson in his films, as Larson starred in two of them, had a supporting role in another film, and even made an appearance as Captain Marvel in the post-credits scene of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Their ongoing partnership should continue with The Kang Dynasty and result in Captain Marvel becoming one of the film’s main characters. Shang-Chi and Captain Marvel may be the next Iron-Man and Captain America figures in the new Avengers team.

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As of now, Marvel Studios hasn’t officially confirmed any cast members for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. However, it is worth noting that Cretton may have already revealed the main Avengers team in the post-credits of Shang-Chi. The scene showed Wong taking Katy and Shang-Chi back to the Sanctum Sanctorum to talk with Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner. They discussed the origins of the Ten Rings weapons. The scene also clearly teased Shang-Chi becoming a member of the Avengers. It seems likely that Captain Marvel, Shang-Chi, Wong, and the Hulk will be the backbone of the new Avengers team.

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is scheduled to be released on May 2, 2025, while Avengers: Secret Wars is scheduled to be released on November 7, 2025.