A new theory suggests that a new Avengers team in Marvel Comics could be the perfect representation of the upcoming team’s roster in the live-action MCU. While the Avengers team was a staple of the MCU for many years after their formation in 2012’s eponymous The Avengers, the team has been inactive since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, which took place in 2023 in the MCU’s official timeline. The absence of the Avengers team has been very noticeable, but this will soon be rectified, as a new line-up of Avengers is expected to form in the MCU’s Phase 6.
It’s already been revealed that President Ross will ask Sam Wilson to rebuild the Avengers in 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World, which could lead to the MCU’s new Captain America becoming the team’s official leader. Several other notable heroes, both new and familiar, have also been theorized to join the team ahead of Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. However, according to a new theory, Marvel Comics just provided the perfect roster for the new Avengers in the MCU, shaking up the iconic superhero team completely.
Marvel’s A.E.R.S. Could Tease The Perfect Avengers Line-Up In The MCU
The Avengers Emergency Response Squad Debuted In 2024’s Avengers Assemble (Vol. 3) #1
Operating alongside the official Avengers team, Captain America brought together the Avengers Emergency Response Squad in 2024’s Avengers Assemble (Vol. 3) #1, written by Steve Orlando and penciled by Cory Smith, in an effort to respond to increasing calls for help. This new Avengers team, shortened to A.E.R.S., first came together to battle the Red Skull’s daughter, Sin, setting themselves up for some exciting and dramatic battles in Marvel Comics’ future. Interestingly, the A.E.R.S. comprises several heroes who have recently been introduced into the live-action MCU.
A.E.R.S. Member |
MCU Actor |
---|---|
Captain America |
Chris Evans & Anthony Mackie |
Clint Barton’s Hawkeye |
Jeremy Renner |
Hercules |
Brett Goldstein |
Monica Rambeau’s Photon |
Teyonah Parris |
Shang-Chi |
Simu Liu |
Jennifer Walters’ She-Hulk |
Tatiana Maslany |
Janet van Dyne’s Wasp |
Michelle Pfeiffer |
Simon Williams’ Wonder Man |
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II |
Miguel Santos’ Lightning |
TBD |
Julie Power’s Lightspeed |
TBD |
Dwayne Taylor’s Night Thrasher |
TBD |
Of course, the events of Marvel Comics don’t always translate accurately into the MCU, and seldom have an impact on how Marvel’s live-action stories unfold. However, the fact that She-Hulk, Shang-Chi, Photon, Hercules and Wonder Man have all been recruited into this team after only recently debuting in the MCU (or not yet having debuted in Wonder Man’s case) could hint at the A.E.R.S. and the MCU’s upcoming Avengers team being directly correlated. This could provide the Avengers with the shake-up they need after several years of being inactive.
Why The MCU Avengers Team Needs A Shakeup For Avengers 5 & 6
Avengers: Doomsday & Secret Wars May Introduce A Very Different Avengers Team
Between the team’s formation in 2012 and their final appearance in 2019, the core roster of the MCU’s Avengers remained the same. Heroes were added, but Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye and the Hulk were always involved. While it was great to have this consistency, it’s impossible that this could be the core line-up of the Avengers in Phase 6, as several of these heroes have passed on or retired, so Marvel Studios needs to drastically alter this roster ahead of 2026’s much anticipated Avengers: Doomsday.
Introducing the Avengers Emergency Response Squad would be the perfect way to shake-up Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in Phase 6, spotlighting some of the MCU’s newest heroes. The likes of Shang-Chi, She-Hulk and Hercules haven’t been seen since they debuted in the MCU, so Marvel Studios needs to endear them more to the audience, and featuring them as core members of a new Avengers team is the best way to do this. The debut of the A.E.R.S. does leave the door open for an official Avengers team to also form, which may include the likes of Spider-Man, Thor and Doctor Strange.
Where Could The MCU’s Missing A.E.R.S. Members Debut?
Lightning, Lightspeed & Night Thrasher Haven’t Yet Been Seen In The MCU
Lightning, Lightspeed and Night Thrasher are the only A.E.R.S. members who haven’t yet been seen in the MCU. Lightning was introduced to Marvel Comics as a villain of the West Coast Avengers, who have been rumored to appear in the MCU’s upcoming Vision series. As a member of the Future Foundation, Lightspeed could debut in 2025’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Night Thrasher is a prominent street-level hero in Marvel Comics, so he could fit into the storylines of Daredevil: Born Again or Spider-Man 4, perfectly setting up this new Avengers team for the MCU’s Phase 6.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.