It's been a long time coming but Avengers: Doomsday is almost upon us. Easily the most highly-anticipated movie of the year, it serves as the 39th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise and will feature the long-awaited MCU comeback of Robert Downey Jr., who now dons a different mask as the movie's primary villain Doctor Doom.
The upcoming event film is once again directed by Joe and Anthony Russo (who helmed the two previous Avengers movies) and it will kick off the conclusion to the franchise's Multiverse Saga, allowing the storyline that has been building since WandaVision back in 2021 to reach its boiling point - just as the double act of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame did for the MCU's Infinity Saga back in 2018 and 2019. To do that, it will build a collective of heroes from Marvel's past, present, and future - faces that have both been a part of the Multiverse Saga and others who were on our screens long before that. Needless to say, there has been a lot of excitement about that.
There has been a lot of mystery surrounding the long-awaited film, particularly with regards to its cast, plot, and the big reveals from the first two trailers. It has been that way ever since Marvel Studios officially rebooted the film formerly known as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, announcing Downey Jr.'s casting along the with new title, but as the film draws closer that mystery, anticipation, and hype increases on the daily. And, with that, here's everything you need to know about Avengers: Doomsday.
Avengers: Doomsday release date
Avengers: Doomsday arrives in movie theaters on December 18, 2026. This makes it the first Avengers movie to release during the festive season (as all four previous outings were summer blockbusters) and it will undoubtedly see out what is shaping to be a major year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a characteristically epic fashion.
That being said, the film recently made headlines as it was revealed that it would release in the UK two days earlier, arriving on screens across the water on Wednesday, December 16. So if you live in the US, you best stay off the internet to avoid those spoilers!
The film was originally set for a global May 1 release before Marvel Studios made the decision to delay it until later in the year (and was replaced on the calendar by juggernaut The Devil Wears Prada 2). This was simply down to the fact that the studio wanted to take more time to improve the film and ensure it's the epic, long-awaited experience it's supposed to be. This is a wise choice considering that some more recent MCU projects have received criticism for feeling "unfinished" and it allows for reshoots to take place, ensuring that the previously-filmed footage and the new content is as seamless as possible.
The Russo Brothers directed four critically-acclaimed Marvel classics (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame). There's no reason to think that this streak won't continue for another two runs with the pair's next two MCU movies. More on those shortly...
There have been six Avengers: Doomsday trailers (so far)
Marvel Studios doesn't do things by half and that has certainly been clear with the Avengers: Doomsday promotion. Although the studio kicked the initial wave of marketing off in Christmas 2025, they have ramped it up significantly since the summer - dropping two major trailers within a month of each other, giving fans a rather significant glimpse into what's coming from the larger-than-life blockbuster.
We'll start with the most recent one, which surfaced at the D23 Entertainment Showcase. Titled "A Special Look", it spotlighted the villain of the piece, Doctor Doom, who had been more of a vague presence in the first trailer. This one takes us into his backstory, and the result is pretty haunting.
Watch it below:
As Doctor Doom hasn't directly appeared in any MCU movie (with the exception of the uncredited post-credits scene cameo in The Fantastic Four: First Steps), it's important that Marvel tells us how much of a threat the future MCU villain is before we head into Avengers: Doomsday. That already came across in the first trailer, but it was particularly evident here as an emotional Sue Storm recounts how Victor von Doom used to be kind and decent before he evolved into an all-powerful monster looking to destroy the multiverse through a series of incursions.
Just how powerful is Doctor Doom, though? Well the ability to stop Thor's axe and raised Sentinels from the ground suggests that he's pretty darn strong indeed. And that is also particularly clear in the first trailer too, despite his limited appearance in that one. But the God of Thunder is shook... and so are we.
Watch the first teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday below:
This trailer was released just ahead of San Diego Comic-Con to coincide with tickets going on sale in the US, and it features the first look at Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom and some more of those epic crossovers we teased - including Cyclops vs. Shang-Chi, Mystique masquerading as Yelena Belova, and Thor going face-to-face with Doctor Doom himself.
All that being said, the trailers above weren't our first ever look at the movie. Considering the levels of hype surrounding Avengers: Doomsday, it's no surprise that Marvel Studios has opted for a more long-term marketing strategy. As we said above, that has involved launching marketing for the movie as early as December 2025, kicking things off with four character-focused teaser trailers designed to tease its arrival a whole year out from its release date.
All four of them were initially exclusive to theaters, attached to the theatrical release of Avatar: Fire and Ash, debuting weekly throughout its $1.6 billion run. They were then released online on a weekly basis as well, with each one coming one week after their respective theatrical releases.
Watch them all below:
The first one spotlighted Chris Evans' return as Steve Rogers, a.k.a. the original Captain America, confirming that he would be back in the role (as the original cast list announcement had intentionally left him out). Although there had been plenty of rumors, Marvel Studios had not confirmed Evans' comeback until this trailer.
The teaser clip features Steve Rogers back in the house he shares with Peggy Carter, looking at his Captain America suit before revealing that he and Peggy have had a child in the years since we saw them reunite in Avengers: Endgame.
The second teaser trailer came the very next week and it featured another famous Chris from the MCU, as it spotlights Chris Hemsworth's return as Thor.
The God of Thunder talks to his father Odin, praying to him in the hopes that he will be strong enough to do battle with what's coming - summoning up the hope, strength, and will to defeat Doctor Doom and protect his adoptive daughter Love.
The third Avengers: Doomsday trailer spotlighted three returning X-Men. Showcasing a broken and destroyed X-Mansion, the teaser allows us to see Sir Patrick Stewart return as Professor Charles Xavier, Sir Ian McKellen back as Magneto, and James Marsden return as Cyclops - pulling off his visor to unleash a massive optic blast.
We knew that Marvel's Mightiest Mutants from the Fox X-Men movie series would be making an appearance due to the cast announcement in March 2025, but seeing them again - this time in their comic-accurate suits was something truly spectacular.
The fourth teaser from the 2025 / 2026 trailer releases takes us to Wakanda, catching us up with Letitia Wright's Shuri, a.k.a. Black Panther, and Winston Duke's M'Baku as they cross paths with none other than Ben Grimm, a.k.a. The Thing, from The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Needless to say, this is just one of the epic crossovers that Avengers: Doomsday will be able to bring us. We can't wait to see the rest of them!
Avengers: Doomsday full cast is a dream come true for Marvel fans
It's one thing to call a major movie star-studded, but when we say that the Avengers: Doomsday cast is star-studded, we mean star-studded. A who's who of Marvel icons from both the MCU and the earlier Marvel movies, the studio first announced the stunning line-up in a five-hour livestream that broke all kinds of records for the MCU. Yes, Marvel fans waited around through a five-hour cast announcement to watch set chairs - each reveal confirming another major name that joined the cast.
Since the San Diego Comic-Con announcement in 2024 that confirmed Robert Downey Jr. would be returning to the MCU in the brand new role of Doctor Doom, it was clear that Avengers: Doomsday would be full of recognizable faces from across the Multiverse Saga, the MCU, and the wider Marvel movie landscape. And since this super-sized cast announcement, there have been a few more cast reveals - particularly the Chris Evans one in the Avengers: Doomsday trailer, which literally broke the internet for a day.
With all of that in mind, here are all of the CONFIRMED cast members in Avengers: Doomsday thus far, consisting of MCU legends, the stars of Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. and the X-Men movies:
- Robert Downey Jr. as Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom
- Chris Evans as Steve Rogers
- Chris Hemsworth as Thor
- Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm / The Invisible Woman
- Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Captain America
- Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier
- Letitia Wright as Shuri / Black Panther
- Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man
- Wyatt Russell as John Walker / US Agent
- Tenoch Huerta Mejia as Namor
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm / The Thing
- Simu Liu as Shang-Chi
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
- Kelsey Grammer as Hank McCoy / Beast
- Lewis Pullman as Bob / Sentry
- Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / The Falcon
- Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm / The Human Torch
- David Harbour as Red Guardian
- Winston Duke as M'Baku
- Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr / Ghost
- Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter
- Tom Hiddleston as Loki
- Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier
- Ian McKellen as Magneto
- Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler
- Rebecca Romijn as Mystique
- James Marsden as Cyclops
- Channing Tatum as Gambit
- Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic
- Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang
- India Hemsworth as Love
- Mabel Cadena as Namora
- Alex Livinalli as Attuma
- Wesley Holloway (in a mystery role)
Additionally, there are more Marvel stars expected to appear in the film based on high-profile reports, statements made by the actors themselves, or accidental slip-ups that suggest an appearance could be likely.
We could also see the return of Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, as the actor has made differing remarks over the past few years, indicating that he may or may not be involved in the film (and recent reports suggest that Doom's Latverian Witches, and a sorcerer may have ties to Strange himself). It's also being reported that we will once again see Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, with insiders suggesting she will have a smaller role as the character reacts to Tony Stark's multiversal doppelganger. And it's now likely that Iman Vellani could appear as Ms. Marvel, after Andy Serkis made a comment suggesting her involvement.
Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds' returns as Wolverine and Deadpool are also expected at this point as the pair have been humorously involved in the marketing campaign for the movie, begging Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and the Russo Brothers for a role in the movie. There had previously been conflicting reports about whether Ryan Reynolds will reprise his role as the Merc With A Mouth but more recent updates have suggested it's possible. Meanwhile, a recent report suggests that we will now see Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man in a cameo appearance at some point throughout the movie.
There is also speculation that we could see Tom Holland return as Spider-Man as a post-credits scene in this summer's Spider-Man: Brand New Day suggested that the webslinger will be going off-world in the near-future. And Avengers Endgame: Encore seemingly just suggested that Mark Ruffalo's Hulk, Owen Wilson's Mobius M. Mobius, and Ke Huy Quan's OB may all make appearances too.
That doesn't even take into account the other stars who are rumored to appear as well. These names are expected to have some kind of role just based on both leaks and insider information but, as Marvel has yet to confirm their involvement (and will likely leave it as a surprise), they will have to remain rumors for now.
They are: Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye, Joe Locke as Billy Maximoff / Wiccan, Ruaridh Mollica as Tommy Maximoff / Speed, Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop / Hawkeye, Benedict Wong as Wong, Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters / She-Hulk, Paul Bettany as Vision and potentially even Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord based on previously-leaked Avengers: Doomsday concept art.
Right now, it's unclear if Elizabeth Olsen will return as the Scarlet Witch herself, Wanda Maximoff. The star has repeatedly denied that she is in the movie, while insiders have claimed that she is. Right now, it's looking like it could be a smaller role to set up her eventual return in sequel Avengers: Secret Wars, but we will have to wait and see. And after those Latverian Witches leaks, it's highly possible that Wanda will make some kind of appearance after all.
The plot will set up sequel Avengers: Secret Wars
While much of Avengers: Doomsday's plot remains a mystery, the film will focus on the beginning of the end of the multiverse itself as the arrival of Doctor Doom. The incursions, seemingly caused by the events of the Multiverse Saga - including the arrival of the three Spider-Man stars (and Peter's spell) in Spider-Man: No Way Home as well as Doctor Strange's dimension-hopping in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - with potentially break down barriers between worlds, allowing Doctor Doom to "save the day" with a self-serving plan of his own.
Like Avengers: Infinity War, the film will set up a direct sequel so it is going to end of a cliffhanger, setting the stage for 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars to pick things up and ultimately conclude the Multiverse Saga. While that one remains even more of a mystery for MCU fans, it will be based on the Marvel Comics storyline of the same name and undoubtedly feature a multiversal extravaganza of a final battle between the heroes of the Marvel Multiverse and Doctor Doom himself.
The first film reportedly has a budget of $400 million, which means that it will need to reach around $1.5 billion - $2 billion in order to break even. Not only does that suggest that the MCU movie is going to go all-out in terms of visuals, story, and all-around theatrics, it means that Marvel Studios is going all out to ensure that the film delivers on every single front. It needs to, and that will undoubtedly make the whole thing so much more of an edge-of-seat experience. And if that's what Avengers: Doomsday is costing, you can imagine that the budget for Avengers: Secret Wars will probably be even higher.
Avengers: Doomsday arrives in movie theaters on December 18, 2026.
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