The original Avengers are down to only three members in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but they could continue in the franchise for many more years, only it would have to happen through other teams. The MCU became a cultural phenomenon when the first of Marvel’s Avengers movies made it to theaters. 2012’s The Avengers united heroes from multiple movies for the first time, showing how a shared cinematic universe could work. Chris Evans’ Captain America, Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, and Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow have since died or retired from the MCU.

However, that does not mean the end for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Chris Hemsworth’s Thor has been announced as part of Avengers: Doomsday‘s cast. Since Marvel confirmed that more names will be revealed for the film, Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye and Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk are likely to appear. Given Avengers: Secret Wars‘ multiversal story, it would even be possible for the original Avengers to reunite one final time in the film. However, as a new Avengers squad takes over after the Multiverse Saga, the three active original Avengers in the franchise could stay in the MCU as members of other teams.

Hawkeye Has Been The Leader Of A New MCU Team

Clint Barton Would Be Perfect For A Darker Team

While Disney+’s Hawkeye introduced Clint Barton’s perfect replacement, Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop, I still think there is a lot Clint could do in the MCU. For starters, Hawkeye could serve as a mentor to the Young Avengers, given how Kate has been recruited by Ms. Marvel to join the MCU’s version of the team. That said, I would love to see Hawkeye continue in the franchise as an active member of a team, and the comics show the perfect path for that to happen. Marvel Studios’ next 2025 movie is Thunderbolts*.

The film features a star-studded cast made up of characters from all over the MCU. Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes is the leader of the team. However, Hawkeye is one of the most famous leaders of the Thunderbolts in the comics. Due to the dangerous nature of the team, the Thunderbolts could have a revolving roster of characters in the MCU, allowing Clint to join the team and even be one of its leaders. Thanks to his past as Ronin, Hawkeye would fit in thematically with the team’s darker heroes, as he would understand them.

Thor Has Formed A Bond With A Fan-Favorite Team

The Avenger Could Come Back To A Cosmic Squad

Thor’s case is a special one. At the moment, he is the only original Avenger still active in the MCU to be confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday. There, he can reunite with his brother, as Tom Hiddleston’s Loki will also appear in the upcoming Avengers film. However, when it comes to his future in the franchise, the best possible way to keep Hemsworth’s God of Thunder around is to make him part of a team that fits his brand of humor and power set, which is the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Thor joined the team in Avengers: Endgame, with the heroes making a brief appearance in Thor: Love and Thunder. While the “Asgardians of the Galaxy” did not work, Thor was not in the right headspace. However, now that he is the adoptive father of the young Love and can reunite with his brother, I think Thor will be a much more stable hero. Given his friendship with Rocket Raccoon and Groot, as well as how he is a cosmic character, I’m convinced Thor would be perfect for the Guardians of the Galaxy, continuing that franchise with a heavy hitter.

The Hulk Could Revamp An MCU TV Team

Bruce Banner Needs More Appearances In The Franchise

Finally, Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk has not had the opportunity to have a project dedicated to him since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. While the character’s complicated rights issue might make a new Hulk movie hard, the CGI nature of the hero allows Ruffalo to stay in the MCU for a long time, and the character could join a new team that tests him in a different way when compared to the Avengers. In the comics, the Hulk was a member of the Defenders, which was a completely different team from its MCU iteration.

In the Marvel franchise, the team features street-level characters, including Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and more heroes from Netflix’s The Defenders Saga. In the comics, the Hulk has been part of different iterations of the Defenders, having teammates ranging from Doctor Strange to Silver Surfer to Ghost Rider and more. With so many heroes in the MCU, after the Multiverse Saga, the Defenders could become a mix of street-level heroes and larger-scale characters, allowing the team to be more dynamic and closer to the comics. The new Avengers can leave the original team behind as the remaining heroes join other squads.

All Announced Upcoming MCU Movies

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  Thunderbolts*

  Release Date

  
  May 2, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  The Fantastic Four: First Steps

  Release Date

  
  July 25, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Doomsday

  Release Date

  
  May 1, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Spider-Man: Brand New Day

  Release Date

  
  July 31, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Secret Wars

  Release Date

  
  May 7, 2027
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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