Following the record-breaking release of Deadpool & Wolverine, fans have a number of burning questions. IGN has a list of burning questions, too. But there’s one in particular that has sparked a number of exciting fan theories that could help explain where the Marvel Cinematic Universe is heading in 2025 and beyond.
Warning! Spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine follow:
During Deadpool & Wolverine, the Time Variance Authority (TVA)’s rogue operative Mr. Paradox explains the concept of an “anchor being.” It appears to be a new name for the previously referenced “nexus being.” The idea is an anchor beings anchor their universe, and if they die, their universe slowly dies without them.
In Deadpool & Wolverine, Logan’s death is causing the destruction of Deadpool’s universe, dubbed Earth-10005. Thus Deadpool sets out to find a replacement Wolverine from another universe who can stop the rot.
So, this raises the inevitable question: who is the anchor being in the main MCU? That is, who is the anchor being in the “Sacred Timeline?” This is the timeline in which the main events of the MCU, including the various Avengers-led movies, are set. It’s the one in which Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, dies while defeating Thanos, and Steve Rogers finally finds peace in the past.
Tony Stark seems like the obvious choice, but if that’s the case, the Sacred Timeline is already dying following his death at the end of Avengers: Endgame. And this is where the fun fan theories come in.
X/Twitter user @AaronBaileyArt suggested one theory, viewed over 2.2 million times on the social media platform, that Tony Stark is indeed revealed as the “anchor being” of the Sacred Timeline, which is then confirmed to be dying (following the rule set out in Deadpool & Wolverine). So, to save their universe, The Avengers try to repeat Deadpool’s trick and pull a Stark variant from another universe into their own. The only problem is, this Stark variant isn’t quite like the Stark who so heroically saved their universe. This Stark variant is slowly revealed to be Doctor Doom.
Robert Downey Jr.'s dramatic reveal as the actor behind Doctor Doom was the highlight of San Diego Comic-Con 2024, and fans are wondering how the surprise casting will be explained in future MCU movies including next year’s The Fantastic Four, which is set in a retro futuristic 1960s, as well as the upcoming Avengers movies, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
Other candidates for the Sacred Timeline anchor job include Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers, Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, and Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange. Lending credibility to the Doctor Strange theory is what were once considered innocuous comments from Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige about Cumberbatch when the actor received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame back in 2022.
“You've always seen the tremendous potential in this character,” Feige says during his speech, with Cumberbatch standing next to him. Because of that, you’ve become the anchor of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the only actor capable of guiding us through the madness of the Multiverse.”
Kevin Feige calls Doctor Strange “The Anchor” of the MCU ?
— Austin Medeiros (@austin_medz) July 29, 2024
Did he mean the actual Anchor Being though? ? pic.twitter.com/fcFodpdsji
Feige playing an extremely long game of 4D chess with MCU fans here seems unlikely (although not impossible!). Fast forward to the present day, and Feige played his cards close to his chest when asked by ComicBook if Iron Man was the anchor being of the MCU.
“The fact that you even asked that makes me happy, and that the term has ignited your imagination to even ask that question,” Feige replied, giving little away.
For now, fans are firmly rooted in the realm of speculation, and it may be some time before we get any meaningful answers. The Fantastic Four, due out July 25, 2025, is perhaps the first MCU film that will tease Stark as Doctor Doom, but we may have to wait until May 2026, when Avengers: Doomsday is due to release, for genuine clarity.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
