Fan theories

Avengers 5 leaks may confirm Tony Stark's terrifying MCU replacement

What name will be on Avengers Tower the next time we see it?

Avengers Tower is one of the defining landmarks of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe — a single building that subtly and visually connects over 20 films (and two Disney+ shows). That being said, the tower has been noticeably absent from many of the more recent Marvel films, especially after Tony Stark sold the building and moved into the Avengers compound full-time following the events of 2016’s Captain America: Civil War.

In the years since its sale, fans have speculated heavily about who the new owner of Avengers Tower could be. Now, one fan theory may provide the long-awaited answer to that very question, with potentially huge implications for Avengers 5.

The Theory — A Reddit post from u/BrokenEye3 suggests that Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 may reveal who bought Avengers Tower after Tony Stark. The Redditor notes that the game appears to have its own version of Avengers Tower in the Manhattan section of its map. And what’s interesting is that the game’s version of the building doesn’t say “Stark” or “Avengers” at the top of it, but “Oscorp.”

Avengers 5: Enter, Osborn

Oscorp Industries as seen in the Amazing Spider-Man films.

Sony Pictures

Up to this point, Marvel has done a very good job of keeping the new owner of Avengers Tower a secret. It’s revealed in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming that the tower has been bought and is briefly seen again in 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, but it’s seen to be undergoing some remodeling and it’s never shown what new name or company logo is being added in place of the Avengers symbol.

Some have speculated that the tower could be turned into the MCU’s version of the Baxter Building — especially with Marvel set to release its first Fantastic Four film sometime in the next few years. However, it’d make sense for it to become a new Oscorp building instead and would be in keeping with Norman Osborn’s whole character to buy out the former Avengers Tower and turn it into Oscorp’s headquarters.

This, of course, isn’t the first rumor or Easter egg suggesting Norman Osborn could be coming to the MCU soon either. Some fans speculate that he’s the villain of this year’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, while others believe he’s part of a plan Marvel has to form the Dark Avengers in the MCU. If this theory proves to be true, then it seems very possible the ongoing Dark Avengers and Spider-Man rumors could end up being correct.

(The Dark Avengers are basically a group of phony superheroes from the comics led by Osborn as the Iron Patriot. The “Wolverine” in the picture below is actually Wolverine’s psychopathic son Akihiro.)

The Dark Avengers.

Marvel Comics

The Inverse Analysis — It should be noted that the LEGO Marvel Super Heroes games aren’t based entirely on stories in the MCU and aren’t directly linked to the cinematic universe either. But they do borrow quite a bit from the Marvel films, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility for them to contain hints or even straight-up leaks of what’s to come in the MCU. It’s not likely, but also not impossible.

More than anything else, though, turning Avengers Tower into an Oscorp building is exactly the kind of twist that Marvel could conceivably reveal in one of the upcoming MCU films, like… say… Spider-Man: No Way Home?

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