4 Years After Leaving the MCU, A Key Marvel Director is Reportedly Back in the Running for Avengers 7

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Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr and Scarlett Johansson from Avengers Age of Ultron

John Dodge is an MTV Writer for CBR who specializes in movies, television, comics, and pop culture. He has a deep knowledge of franchises like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Marvel, and DC Comics, along with a passion for indie and horror titles. An expert on obscure productions from the ’80s and ’90s, John is known for his encyclopedic recall of cult classics like Beetleborgs.

Marvel Studios might have their eye on one fan-favorite director for whatever comes after Avengers: Secret Wars.

As reported by fan and industry news account My Time to Shine Hello on X, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige is keen on signing filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretten as director of the seventh Avengers film. That is, assuming Cretton's next feature, the hotly-anticipated Spider-Man: Brand New Day, performs well in theaters as expected.

Cretton is currently best known for indie hits such as 2017's The Glass Castle and 2021's Marvel Cinematic Universe hit, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Following the latter's breakout success, Cretton was signed on to direct Spider-Man: Brand New Day, as well as two episodes of the upcoming Wonder Man series, on which he also serves as an executive producer.

The next MCU crossover film, Avengers: Doomsday, is set to arrive in theaters on Dec. 18, 2026, and will mark Robert Downey Jr.'s proper reintroduction as Doctor Doom following his brief cameo at the end of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. More importantly, Avengers: Doomsday will set the stage for Avengers: Secret Wars, slated to be released in 2027, which will mark what is likely to be the Russo Brothers' final turn at directing an Avengers film for quite some time.

Although it isn't clear yet what a seventh Avengers film might entail, there is little doubt that such a feature will be entering development soon enough, assuming it hasn't already. While the MCU will certainly have a far different landscape once the Multiverse shattering events of Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars have come to a close, fans can rest assured that Marvel Studios has plans for a Phase 8.

What Can Fans Expect from Destin Daniel Cretton's Spider-Man: Brand New Day?

Image via Marvel Studios

Spider-Man: Brand New Day will see Tom Holland return to the titular role for the long-awaited follow-up to 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home, which ended with the entire world having their memories of his secret identity wiped out. The film will also see numerous other MCU mainstays reprise their iconic roles, including Zendaya as Michelle "MJ" Jones-Watson, Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, a.k.a the Hulk, and Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle, better known as The Punisher.

Among the MCU newcomers making their debuts in Spider-Man: Brand New Day are Marvin Jones III as Lonnie Lincoln, aka Tombstone, and Stranger Things star Sadie Sink in a role that has yet to be disclosed. When asked about the part she will be playing in the film during the Stranger Things Season 5 premiere back in November, Sink responded with a simple, "I thought this was the Stranger Things premiere. I wasn't prepared," before adding, "Mmm, no," when pressed further.

More recently, Sink opened up about her first Marvel Studios experience, specifically in regard to how she has handled keeping her role so tightly under wraps. "Tom [Holland] can wave at the fans because people know who he is, but then you get a glimpse of me and I'm like a penguin,” Sink said. “That'll be the situation for a bit, it seems.”

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is currently slated to arrive in theaters on July 31, 2026.