Avengers 5 just suffered another major blow, but all isn’t lost just yet. Destin Daniel Cretton has departed as director for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, but it’s important to bear in mind that he isn’t departing from the MCU entirely, which is very good news for Shang-Chi.
According to Deadline, the director’s departure from the Phase 5 movie was “amicable,” and he very much remains on board for future Marvel movies. After the explosive success of Shang-Chi And The Legend of the Ten Rings, Cretton signed on to do a sequel, and is also the co-creator of Marvel series Wonder Man, which is set to resume filming after Thanksgiving.
Given Avengers 5 recently moved to a May 1 2026 release date, it’s easy to feel sceptical about the new movie‘s future. Because let’s face it — we don’t want Avengers 5 to end up being the MCU’s equivalent to The Flash.
As we know, the 2023 Writer Strikes and Actor Strikes caused a number of projects to halt production, and Avengers 5 also had its fair share of external issues related to cast members. But we’re choosing to stay positive because 2026 is still a long way away, and perhaps this change of direction will help the superhero movie get back to the drawing board and take a different artistic direction.
Cretton having more time to work on Shang-Chi 2 will also help ensure it’s one of the best movies in the MCU. If we’re being honest, the first movie will be a tough act to follow, but Cretton shifting focus means the sequel has the best chance of success.
It’s also near-impossible to worry now Pedro Pascal is close to being confirmed for the Fantastic Four MCU movie. I don’t know about you, but I’m already getting Tony Stark vibes from his iteration of Reed Richards. With Mr Fantastic around, we’re sure the MCU is in very good (and very stretchy) hands.
Doctor Doom is one hell of a Marvel villain, and is the perfect replacement for Kang who, if we’re being honest, has Variants dropping like flies. While there was arguably a method to Thanos’ madness, Doctor Doom is driven solely by power — and that makes him more despicable and a lot more dangerous. Ultimately, when you think about all the exciting new Marvel characters recently introduced, the future is looking bright for the MCU.
For more on the MCU, check out our guides to all the upcoming Marvel movies in Marvel Phase 6, like Deadpool 3, and learn all about the Captain America 4 release date.