Is 'The Marvels' Being Retconned? New 'Avengers: Doomsday' Figure Fuels Fan Speculation

A new Hot Toys figure of Kelsey Grammer's Beast in Avengers: Doomsday has reignited speculation about whether Marvel Studios will follow up on the post-credits scene of The Marvels. The character's noticeably different appearance has prompted questions about whether he is the same version of Beast who encountered Monica Rambeau in the 2023 film.

The speculation follows the release of a new Hot Toys figure depicting Grammer's Hank McCoy, better known as Beast, without his familiar lab coat and glasses. Instead, the mutant appears bare-chested, wearing dark blue trousers with yellow trim and a belt featuring the X-Men logo.

While the figure offers a closer look at Beast's appearance in Avengers: Doomsday, it does not confirm that Marvel is rewriting The Marvels or abandoning its storyline. However, the difference has fuelled theories about how the studio plans to connect its expanding multiverse.

Why Is Beast's New Look Raising Questions About 'The Marvels'?

Beast appeared in the post-credits scene of The Marvels, which starred Brie Larson as Carol Danvers, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau and Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan.

At the end of the film, Monica sacrifices herself to close a dangerous breach between universes after Carol and Kamala help defeat Dar-Benn. Monica subsequently wakes up in an alternate reality, where she encounters her mother, Maria Rambeau, who operates as the superhero Binary.

Grammer's Beast appears beside Monica in a hospital, wearing a lab coat and glasses. The scene connected the MCU with characters from Fox's X-Men films and appeared to set up a potential continuation in a future multiverse storyline.

However, the new Avengers: Doomsday figure presents a markedly different version of the mutant. His more rugged appearance has led some fans to question whether the character belongs to the same universe as the Beast Monica encountered.

The difference alone does not establish a continuity change. Marvel has not confirmed that the two versions are separate characters, nor has the studio announced that the events of The Marvels are being retconned.

Could 'Avengers: Doomsday' Feature a Different Version of Beast?

One explanation is that the Beast appearing in Avengers: Doomsday comes from a different universe than the one introduced in The Marvels.

The MCU's multiverse storyline allows different versions of familiar characters to exist across alternate realities. If the upcoming film features a Beast from another timeline, his appearance and circumstances could differ without contradicting Monica's encounter with the character.

The franchise has already brought together characters from different cinematic universes, including returning actors from Fox's X-Men series. Avengers: Doomsday is expected to continue that approach, with Grammer among the returning performers.

The film's promotional material had also revealed Beast's new appearance before the Hot Toys figure was unveiled. Consequently, the redesign is not necessarily evidence of a last-minute change to Marvel's plans.

Another question concerns Monica's fate. Her disappearance at the end of The Marvels suggested that her story would continue in another universe, but her absence from the announced Avengers: Doomsday cast has fuelled speculation about how that storyline will be resolved.

Neither the different Beast design nor the current casting information proves that Marvel intends to abandon Monica's story.

Did 'The Marvels' Box Office Performance Affect Marvel's Plans?

Released in 2023, The Marvels brought together Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan in a team-up that expanded the MCU's cosmic storyline.

Despite following the commercially successful Captain Marvel, the sequel struggled at the box office. It earned approximately $206 million (£156 million) worldwide, compared with the original film's more than $1.1 billion (£829 million) global total.

The disappointing result intensified discussion about Marvel's changing box-office fortunes and the direction of its interconnected storytelling. However, there is no confirmed evidence that the film's financial performance prompted Marvel to change the continuity established in its post-credits scene.

The suggestion that the studio is deliberately distancing itself from The Marvels remains speculation rather than a fact.

Will 'Avengers: Doomsday' Retcon 'The Marvels'?

For now, there is no official confirmation that Marvel Studios is retconning The Marvels. The new Beast figure has encouraged theories about alternate universes and the character's role in the next Avengers film, but it does not establish that Monica Rambeau's storyline has been discarded.

Avengers: Doomsday, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on 18 December 2026. The film is expected to bring together heroes from different corners of the Marvel multiverse as they face Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.