Captain America: Brave New World‘s post-credits scene could be setting up one of the most exciting Avengers: Doomsday theories to be revealed as accurate by the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I hope that is the case. While the MCU’s latest Captain America movie has proven itself divisive, there were many interesting elements in it. The film set up quite a few storylines and teases that could become very important to the MCU in the coming years. That is why I believe Brave New World could receive more love in the future, similar to what happened with Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Among Captain America: Brave New World‘s MCU Easter eggs, connections, and teases are Bucky’s future as a congressman in Thunderbolts*, Adamantium’s debut in the franchise and its X-Men implications, as well as teases related to the next two Avengers movies. By the end of the film, Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson decides to restart the Avengers. While I want Doctor Strange to lead the team, one can never go wrong with Captain America. Brave New World‘s post-credits scene further teased Avengers: Doomsday‘s story through the Leader, but it seems that scene had a goal I didn’t understand at first.

Captain America: Brave New World’s Post-Credits Scene Has A Whole Different Meaning

The MCU Movie Was Talking About A Specific Team Seen Before

In Captain America: Brave New World‘s post-credits scene, when Sam Wilson visits the Leader in the Raft, Tim Blake Nelson’s Marvel villain alludes to future events. In a scene that I thought was eerily similar to Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor talking about Darkseid’s impending arrival in DC’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice — and not in a good way — the Leader mentions that the “Others” are coming. With his superior brain, he has calculated the odds and foreseen the events of the Multiverse Saga’s upcoming Avengers movies, talking about universes colliding — Incursions.

I understood the moment as a tease of the multiverse battles to happen in Avengers: Doomsday, with the others being a reference to different universes and their characters. What I did not get from that moment was that Marvel intended to tease the MCU arrival of a new Illuminati team. Speaking with The Wrap, Captain America: Brave New World director Julius Onah indirectly confirmed that there was going to be an Illuminati team in the movie at some point by refusing to say who would have been in it and that the post-credits is left vague for a reason.

The Illuminati Make Sense As A Major Threat In Avengers: Doomsday

Marvel Comics Explain How The Team Could Return

While I was not exactly a fan of how the Leader’s Avengers movie tease was handled, I think there is a lot of potential in the Illuminati being used again in the Multiverse Saga. The team made its MCU debut in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. That version of the Illuminati hailed from Earth-838, with formidable members, such as Charles Xavier, Reed Richards, Black Bolt, and more. Sadly, most of the members were wiped out by Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch. Still, the Illuminati had managed to stop Thanos before, showing how powerful they were.

The Illuminati teased by Captain America: Brave New World‘s post-credits scene is unlikely to be a new version of Earth-838’s deceased team. Instead, I’m convinced we are getting a multiversal Illuminati based on the Cabal from Marvel Comics. In that medium, Namor broke away from the Illuminati after they decided that going against their values to save their universe was too much. The character goes on to ᴀssemble the Cabal, a darker version of the Illuminati who has no problem destroying other worlds to save theirs from incursions. Based on the Leader’s tease, the Cabal makes sense for the MCU.

Who Could Be In The MCU’s New Illuminati Team?

There Are Some Major Theories Around A Multiverse Team

Robert Downey Jr.’s casting as Doctor Doom has led to several Avengers: Doomsday theories. With Chris Evans also reportedly set to appear in the movie, even though the actor has denied it, the leading theory is that Marvel Studios could be ᴀssembling a team of darker versions of original MCU heroes and stars. So, actors could either be cast in new villain roles, as in Downey’s case, or they could play evil takes on their heroes, which is what many believe Evans’ role will be. I think Captain America: Brave New World‘s Illuminati tease makes that theory more likely.

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In Captain America: Brave New World, the Leader describes the Illuminati, saying, “We’ll see what happens when you have to protect this place from the others.” The Cabal could be led by RDJ’s Doctor Doom — he has been part of an iteration of the team in the comics — and include a darker version of MCU heroes and stars that fits into the Leader’s ominous tease. I think that a multiversal Illuminati team would allow Marvel to keep that aspect of having a team battle the Avengers in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday, as was the plan for the Council of Kangs originally.

All Announced Upcoming MCU Movies

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  Thunderbolts*

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  May 2, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  The Fantastic Four: First Steps

  Release Date

  
  July 25, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Doomsday (2026)

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  
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  Spider-Man Homecoming 4

  Release Date

  
  July 24, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Secret Wars

  Release Date

  
  May 7, 2027
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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