Credit: Marvel StudiosMarvel fans have been keeping a close eye on every rumor and update tied to the next era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With Phase 6 beginning to take shape and several major projects on the horizon, even small pieces of information can spark huge conversations among the fandom.
Now, a new report suggests Marvel Studios may already be adjusting course on one of the biggest ideas introduced in recent years.
The update centers on Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), the long-awaited team-up between Ryan Reynolds’ wisecracking antihero and Hugh Jackman’s iconic X-Man. While the film delivered a chaotic, multiverse-heavy story that connected several corners of Marvel lore, it also introduced a concept that seemed poised to become crucial to future MCU storytelling.
But according to a new rumor circulating among Marvel insiders, that idea may not play a role in the next Avengers movie after all.
The timing of the report is interesting, especially as anticipation builds toward Marvel’s next massive crossover event.
Avengers: Doomsday Is Already Looming Over the MCU
Marvel Studios is currently building toward one of the biggest releases in the franchise’s history: Avengers: Doomsday (2026).
Scheduled to hit theaters on December 18, 2026, the film will mark the MCU’s fifth Avengers installment and the second movie in Phase 6. Expectations are already sky-high, particularly after Marvel revealed that Robert Downey Jr. will return to the franchise in a surprising new role as Doctor Doom.
The upcoming film is expected to bring together an enormous cast of characters from across the Marvel universe. Reports suggest that more than 30 actors from both the MCU and earlier Marvel movie franchises will appear in the story, creating one of the largest ensembles the studio has ever assembled.
Because Avengers: Doomsday is set during the Multiverse Saga, the story will reportedly delve deeper into alternate timelines and universe-spanning conflicts than almost any comic-book film before it.
That’s exactly why fans assumed several concepts introduced in recent Marvel projects—including Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)—would become important pieces of the puzzle.
However, the latest rumors suggest Marvel may be simplifying things instead.
Deadpool & Wolverine Brought Multiverse Chaos
When Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) arrived in theaters, it leaned heavily into the wild possibilities of the Multiverse.
The film connected several Marvel timelines, featured characters from different cinematic eras, and leaned into the idea that multiple realities exist simultaneously. That concept has become the backbone of the MCU’s current storytelling approach.
But the movie didn’t just use the Multiverse as a backdrop—it also introduced new rules about how those universes function.
One of the most important ideas introduced in the film was an “Anchor Being.”
Within the story, the character Mr. Paradox, played by Matthew Macfadyen, explains that some individuals are so important to their universe that the reality itself depends on them. He describes Anchor Beings as “entities of such vital importance that when they die, their whole world slowly withers out of existence.”
In Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), Hugh Jackman’s version of Wolverine is revealed to be the Anchor Being for Wade Wilson’s universe. Because Wolverine died in Logan (2017), that reality began slowly collapsing.
This revelation drives much of the film’s plot. Deadpool travels across different timelines searching for another version of Logan who can take the place of the one who died. Eventually, the plan works, and Deadpool and Wolverine manage to save their universe—Earth-10005—while also stopping Cassandra Nova from destroying it.
Given how central that idea was to the movie, many fans assumed Anchor Beings would become a major part of Marvel’s Multiverse storyline moving forward.
But the newest rumor suggests otherwise.
Marvel May Be Dropping the “Anchor Being” Concept
According to a new report circulating online, Marvel Studios may already be stepping away from the Anchor Being concept for Avengers: Doomsday (2026).
One insider shared the rumor on X, who suggested the idea may simply be too complicated for the next Avengers story.
In the post, the source reportedly stated that the “anchor being thing is a mess” and indicated they do not believe the concept will be used in the upcoming Avengers film.
If that turns out to be true, it would represent a significant shift in how Marvel handles the Multiverse Saga moving forward.
The Anchor Being concept plays a major role in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), shaping the entire plot and explaining why Deadpool needed to replace the fallen Logan in his universe. Removing that idea from future films would essentially turn it into a self-contained story element rather than a larger MCU rule.
Still, there may be a practical reason Marvel would choose to simplify things.
The Multiverse Saga Is Already Packed With Ideas
The Multiverse Saga has introduced a huge number of new concepts across both films and Disney+ shows.
From alternate timelines to Kang variants to reality collisions, the storyline already asks audiences to keep track of a lot of information. Adding Anchor Beings into that mix could make the narrative even more complicated.
Because Avengers: Doomsday (2026) is expected to serve as one of the central chapters of the saga, Marvel may be focusing on keeping the core story as streamlined as possible.
There are already plenty of story threads expected to appear in the film. Doctor Doom’s rise as a multiversal threat is one of the biggest. Early reports also suggest the movie may feature a massive confrontation involving the Avengers and the X-Men at the X-Mansion.
That rumor alone has sparked huge excitement among fans, particularly since it may involve appearances from legacy Marvel characters. Reports indicate that Chris Evans will return as Steve Rogers in some capacity.
With so many characters and storylines potentially involved, Marvel may simply not have room to revisit every concept introduced earlier in the saga.
Deadpool and Wolverine Might Play Smaller Roles
Another factor that could explain the rumored shift involves the characters who first introduced the Anchor Being idea.
Deadpool and Wolverine themselves may not play major roles in Avengers: Doomsday (2026).
Several rumors circulating among insiders suggest the two characters could appear only briefly compared to the rest of the enormous cast. If that turns out to be accurate, Marvel may see little reason to bring back a concept closely tied to its storyline.
Without Deadpool or Wolverine taking center stage in the Avengers film, revisiting the Anchor Being rule could feel unnecessary—or even confusing—for audiences who didn’t watch Deadpool & Wolverine (2024).
Instead, Marvel may be focusing on the larger Multiverse conflict that connects the Avengers, the X-Men, and Doctor Doom.
Marvel’s Next Avengers Movie Could Still Be Its Biggest Yet
Even if the Anchor Being concept disappears from the story, Avengers: Doomsday (2026) still has the potential to become one of the most ambitious Marvel movies ever made.
The film will bring together heroes from across the MCU while introducing Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom as a powerful new villain threatening the stability of the Multiverse itself.
Add in rumored clashes between the Avengers and the X-Men, appearances from legacy Marvel actors, and the buildup toward the saga’s ultimate finale, and it’s clear Marvel is preparing something massive.
For fans who loved the chaos of Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), the idea that some of its concepts might not return could feel surprising.
But in a universe this large—and with a story this complicated—Marvel sometimes has to make difficult choices about which ideas carry forward and which ones stay contained within a single adventure.
As the countdown to December 18, 2026, continues, it’s becoming clear that the road to Avengers: Doomsday (2026) may still hold plenty of surprises.