Rumor: Avengers 3 may not feature the superheroes from the first two films

Marvel Studios have built themselves a nice little kingdom with a consistent strategy broken into phases, each of which concludes with an AVENGERS film. AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON will cap the second phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and launch into something even bigger for Phase Three. But, what if what we are all thinking will be the plot of AVENGERS 3 is completely off the mark?

Rumors have been circulating that Marvel has been toying with splitting AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON into two films, something beyond ridiculous at this point in the game but something within the realm of speculation. The studio has yet to announce several titles from their upcoming slate and it would stretch the involvement of Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, and more. But, Badass Digest may have found a way to keep those actors involved without burning them out.

Imagine an Avengers 3 without Thor or Captain America, maybe without Black Widow. It's a movie where the secondary characters from the MCU get to stand up and prove their worth, possibly even setting up their own spin-offs. With Guardians Marvel has shown that their brand is the star, and by the time we get to A3 clearly people will be on board with the entire universe. Keep Iron Man – Robert Downey Jr's renegotiated contract seems to specify Avengers 3 as his next film – and you have a new launching pad for characters to take over from the current big guns.

There is no rule stating that the cast of AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON will be the same as AVENGERS 3. There is also nothing saying that AVENGERS 3 has to be the Infinity Gauntlet storyline we have all expected. What if AVENGERS 3 is a totally different team, bringing together Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, and whatever other heroes are rolled out in the next phase? This could also be a way to bring the Guardians of the Galaxy into the fold without cramming the film with too many characters. This could mean that it wouldn't necessarily be AVENGERS 3 but something else with Marvel saving their final round with Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor for another film a few years further down the line.

This is entirely speculation, but rumors are growing that Marvel is going to change their model and introduce newer characters with each new movie and this could be the easiest way to do it. I guess we will have to wait until May 1, 2015 when the credits roll on AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON to know for sure.