Jonathan Hickman Confirms His Involvement in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Secret Wars’
Marvel Studios has never hidden where its next two Avengers films are drawing from. The colliding Earths, the collapsing Multiverse, and Doctor Doom at the center of it all trace directly back to a specific run of comics published a decade ago. What fans didn’t know was how closely the man who wrote those comics has been involved, and the Jonathan Hickman Marvel Studios relationship turns out to run deeper than anyone assumed.
His credentials in this space are enormous. Hickman wrote the 2015 ‘Secret Wars’ miniseries with artist Esad Ribić, which picked up from the ‘Time Runs Out’ storyline running through his ‘Avengers’ and ‘New Avengers’ books, and the event reshaped the entire Marvel Universe.
Speaking to Bleeding Cool ahead of his first appearance at Lucca Comics & Games, Hickman revealed the extent of his studio work. He said he doesn’t know that it’s common knowledge, but he consults for studios and reads almost all the movies they’re making while they’re in development.
The timeline is the striking part. Hickman said it has been fascinating watching the project change over the past 2 and a half years since he’s been reading scripts for it, which places his involvement in early 2024.
He also pinpointed a turning point. Hickman identified the return of the Russo Brothers and Stephen McFeely, alongside the announcement of Robert Downey Jr.’s return, as the moment the project shifted significantly.
He used to be different. Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters everywhere December 18. Get your tickets now: https://t.co/J5PUbxvAkc https://t.co/OUutSMZneq
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) August 15, 2026
That script has passed through many hands. Along with McFeely, Michael Waldron, Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers have all worked on ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, meaning Hickman has read multiple distinct versions of the same film. Hickman has been careful about the limits of his access. He said he has not seen a final cut, but he has seen work in progress.
The process itself fascinated him for an unexpected reason. He said the most interesting thing was that he had never seen a movie being worked on without CGI involved, describing scenes with no special effects added, then seeing the final version 2 months later.
The source material connection is unmistakable. Recent ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ footage showing multiple Earths colliding comes straight from his ‘Fantastic Four’, ‘Avengers’ and ‘New Avengers’ work that fed into ‘Secret Wars’.
New promo for ‘AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY’ featuring the New Avengers Tower. https://t.co/bJub4DpFEm
— Avengers Updates (@AvengersUpdated) October 9, 2026
Marvel Studios has acknowledged the debt directly. Kevin Feige wrote a foreword for a new collection of the Hickman and Ribić run, addressing how the comic event is inspiring the two-part MCU climax and highlighting the multiversal reset that followed it.
The publishing side is leaning in too. Marvel will republish the 2015 ‘Secret Wars’ as Facsimile Editions starting January 2027, running monthly through issue 9. Hickman’s consulting role extends well past these two films, given his comment about reading almost everything in development. That positions him as something closer to an institutional resource than a one-off adviser.
New promo for ‘AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY’ featuring the New Avengers Tower. https://t.co/rjnz3fj7ZV
— Avengers Updates (@AvengersUpdated) October 20, 2026
He remains busy on the page as well. Hickman is reinventing the X-Men with the ‘Midnight Universe’ line, having previously overseen Marvel’s Ultimate Universe imprint from 2023 to 2026. On questions about revisiting past work, he was less forthcoming, saying future X-Men plans stay holstered and that he avoids returning to books he has left behind.
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ arrives December 18, 2026, with ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ following December 17, 2027. Filming on ‘Doomsday’ ran from April to September 2025, with the sequel scheduled to begin shooting in mid-2026.
Does Jonathan Hickman’s behind-the-scenes involvement make you more confident in Avengers: Doomsday?
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