A new Avengers: Doomsday theory explains how the Leader could return after Captain America: Brave New World to set him up for another appearance in Avengers: Secret Wars. 2008 was the first year of the MCU. While it is commonly remembered for Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk was also released that year, and Marvel’s latest Captain America movie opened the door for multiple characters from the film to finally have an impact on the franchise. While I wanted to see more of him, I liked how Marvel used Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns, aka the Leader, in the 2025 MCU movie.

The character was one of Marvel’s most intelligent villains, orchestrating global conflicts and revealing Thunderbolt Ross’ dark secrets. I was shocked when Captain America: Brave New World‘s post-credits scene connected the Leader to the events of the MCU’s next Avengers movies. The Leader was revealed to know about the threat that is coming to the multiverse and Earth-616, and I believe that after that post-credits scene and the role the character plays in the franchise, the Leader could take over the role of a Marvel Comics character in the MCU’s Secret Wars.

Who Is The Maker & His Role In Secret Wars Explained

Marvel Comics Has An Evil Version Of Reed Richards

In Marvel Comics, Earth-616 is the home of the main version of Marvel’s heroes and villains. In the multiverse, there was Earth-1610, which was the home of the first Ultimate Marvel Universe, which birthed a line of comics that told different stories with most of Marvel’s iconic cast of heroes and villains. The Ultimate Universe had a tragic storyline reserved for its Fantastic Four. After the death of Franklin Storm, Reed grows disillusioned and eventually transitions into the Maker after killing his family and orchestrating attacks against superheroes upon knowing that his world would end soon — information given by Kang.

As the Maker, the Ultimate Universe’s Reed Richards would grow to become one of Marvel Comics’ most frightening villains. The Maker is one of the few characters aware of the incursions and the end of the multiverse that will be coming soon. Despite that knowledge, he is unable to stop those events from happening. However, the evil Reed Richards does not die with his world. The Maker escapes alongside the Cabal in a life raft they built out of stolen designs. During the events of Secret Wars, the Maker betrays Earth-616’s Reed Richards, being turned into slices by Molecule Man.

Avengers: Doomsday Theory Explains How The Leader Could Take The Maker’s Place In The MCU

Marvel Has Little Time To Introduce A New Major Villain

The Maker played a key role in the 2015 Secret Wars event; however, that does not mean he will do the same in the MCU adaptation of it. The reason for that is simple. Avengers: Doomsday will already have a lot of work to do as the film needs to debut Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom and establish him as a threat to the multiverse. With Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards making his franchise debut in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, there will not be enough time to introduce an evil variant, the Maker, before the Avengers movie.

That is where a new Avengers: Doomsday theory shared on Reddit by user Signal_Expression730 comes in. The MCU’s Leader has some elements in common with the Maker. Both are incredibly smart characters among the few aware that incursions and the multiverse’s collapse are on the way. Instead of building a base called The City like the Maker in the comics, the Leader could escape his cell at The Raft and take over the prison, using technology to transform it into a version of the comics’ Life-Rafts. Instead of the Cabal, prisoners like Zemo and Red Hulk could join the Leader.

How The MCU Could Still Use The Maker After The Avengers Movies

Marvel Can Postpone The Character’s Debut

If the Leader were to take the Maker’s role for a large portion of Avengers: Doomsday‘s story, then the Hulk villain could also take his spot in Battleworld in Avengers: Secret Wars. That would mean the Leader could work alongside Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards, only he wants to steal the powers of the character who will stand in for the MCU’s Molecule Man, which is most likely Tom Hiddleston’s Loki. After the Leader fills in that role for the Maker, the villain could be used in future MCU entries.

There will be plenty of time for the MCU to touch on the Maker in a way that is not convoluted, which his inclusion in the upcoming Avengers movies would be. The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ latest trailer revealed that Reed Richards blames himself for Galactus coming to eat the Earth as he stretched the bounds of space. That could connect with Reed looking for his multiversal variants, leading to the live-action debut of the Council of Reeds. An evil variant like the Maker would then be the perfect villain for such a film after Avengers: Doomsday & Secret Wars.

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

  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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