Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is set to be the biggest Avengers film to date. While it has recently been revealed that new characters such as Tenoch Huerta’s Namor will be making an appearance in the film, writer Jeff Loveness has confirmed that the X-Men and Fantastic Four won’t be appearing in his film.

This information came out during an interview Loveness had with the Comicbook.com’s Phase Zero podcast, where he revealed that he thinks they’re “being saved for a bit”.

“No, I think all that stuff is pretty far away.” Loveness said “I mean, I know they’re making Fantastic Four, but that’s its own thing. So, no, I mean, look, I’m the biggest X-Men guy in the world… No, no, no. I think that’s being saved for a bit. But, you know, these Avengers are in trouble. They got a lot going on with Kang. They got more than enough to handle.”

This decision comes to a shock for many fans given Marvel’s upcoming Fantastic Four film is set to release before Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Characters from both the Fanastic Four and X-Men have also made appearances in the recent movie Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. However, due to how integral Marvel’s First Family is to the plot of the comic used as the basis for Avengers: Secret Wars, it’s possible we’ll be seeing the two teams collide sooner than Loveness is open to imply.

Two Avengers movies in the same year

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is the first movie in a two-part finale to Marvel’s Multiverse Saga. It will be followed by Avengers: Secret Wars, rounding out Marvel Studios’ Phase 6. Both films are scheduled to arrive in theaters in 2025. Destin Daniel Cretton is set to direct Avengers: The Kang Dynasty with Jeff Loveness attached to write. Michael Waldron will write Avengers: Secret Wars, though there is no director attached to the project.