Scarlett Johansson might be able to come back to the MCU if what this insider says is true. We learned in July that Marvel boss Kevin Feige intends to reset the universe after Avengers: Secret Wars, rather than reboot it entirely. Recently, insider Alex Perez was asked about the MCU reset (via The Cosmic Circus).
A fan asked him whether the new universe would erase all the events that had happened so far in the MCU. Perez shared that it would probably be a “quick scrub” of details that bothered fans and Kevin Feige. He shared that a good percentage of the original timeline would remain intact. He shared:
No. It’ll just be a quick scrub of details the MCU wants to sort of forget and redo. This will involve the resurrection of some heroes and villains as well as the erasure of some minor events that bother fans (and Kevin Feige), but all in all, it will be like 75-80% the original timeline, with some minor changes.
When the insider suggests scrubbing storylines, it also hints that storylines where certain heroes died could be erased from the universe. In that sense, the Vormir adventure, where Johansson’s Black Widow sacrificed herself, could be removed from the timeline.
It isn’t just Johansson who could be brought back to the MCU. Robert Downey Jr. could reprise his Iron Man role. T’Challa’s death in the MCU could be erased, and the role could be recast.
Kevin Feige’s Potential Plans for MCU Reset After Avengers: Secret Wars
Ahead of the release of The Fantastic Four movie in July, Kevin Feige revealed his plans after Avengers: Secret Wars. He made it clear that he was not looking to reboot the franchise after Secret Wars. He shared during an interview (via Variety):
Reboot is a scary word. Reboot can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Reset, singular timeline – we’re thinking along those lines.
Feige further shared, “Endgame, literally, was about endings. Secret Wars is about beginnings.” It appears that Marvel Studios is set to make major changes to the X-Men after Secret Wars. After bringing Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and James Marsden into the universe, Marvel will probably recast them after resetting the universe. This will pave the way for the new X-Men movie.
The new timeline will likely include the Avengers (and the Thunderbolts), the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and Spider-Man. The Fantastic Four and X-Men will be integrated into the main MCU timeline after the reset.
Scarlett Johansson Insists That Black Widow Is Dead in the MCU
While the MCU reset theory gives hope for Scarlett Johansson’s return, the actress is not so sure about that. Fans wanted Black Widow to show up in a cameo in the universe, but Johansson shared that she wanted to honor the character’s sacrifice. During a recent chat with InStyle, she told the outlet:
Natasha is dead. She is dead. She’s dead. Okay? They just don’t want to believe it. They’re like, ‘But she could come back!’ Look, I think the balance of the entire universe is held in her hand. We’re going to have to let it go. She saved the world. Let her have her hero moment.
Johansson clearly has no intention of coming back, which means that Feige will probably have to keep Black Widow’s sacrifice storyline intact. Moreover, Johansson might still be holding resentment over how things ended with Disney.
What do you think of this MCU reset theory? Let us know in the comments below!
Avengers: Doomsday is set to release worldwide on December 18, 2026.
