Marvel Studios is pulling out all the stops with Avengers: Doomsday. The upcoming film is set to kick off the long-awaited conclusion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Multiverse Saga - a moment that has been over five years in the making. It hasn't been smooth-sailing for the Hollywood titan as a number of shortcomings in recent titles (and overexposure) has resulted in a more muted excitement when compared to the buzz of 2018's Avengers: Infinity War. So, to combat that, Marvel has come out of the gate swinging in 2026.
Avengers: Doomsday will star Robert Downey Jr, who returns to the MCU franchise in the new role of villain Doctor Doom. The studio knows that this is one of the film's biggest selling-points, so it intentionally started its marketing campaign without even referencing that. As a result, four first trailers were released between the end of 2025 and the start of 2026 to promote other elements of the film instead. And, needless to say, all four of them had the internet shook.
But which of these new previews are the best of them all? Which one truly broke the internet? And, perhaps most importantly, how do you rank them when all of them delivered? Let's find out!
4. The Fantastic Four / Wakandans trailer
The fourth of the Avengers: Doomsday trailers brought forth a crossover few of us saw coming. Shuri, a.k.a. the Black Panther herself, is accompanied by M'Baku as they head out into the desert to cross paths with the Fantastic Four. Although we didn't see the entire quartet of heroes, we do get to see Ben Grimm, a.k.a. The Thing, officially introduce himself in a moment that is as light-hearted as it is pivotal to the MCU.
As it currently stands, the Fantastic Four exist on a separate earth. However, it's looking like Doctor Doom might originate from that earth too. We also know that the fantastic foursome are on their way to the MCU due to the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene. So knowing that they might arrive on Wakanda? That's very exciting indeed.
It seems unfair to call this one the "worst" of the Avengers: Doomsday trailers as it is, like the rest of them, an extremely satisfying preview for the film. It was just dealt a difficult hand coming after the three previous ones.
3. The Thor trailer
Ironically, the second Avengers: Doomsday trailer leaked out onto the internet a whole two weeks before it was officially released by Marvel Studios. And, off the back of the first confirming Steve Rogers' comeback, this one brought back another original Avenger: Showcasing Chris Hemsworth's return to the role of Thor for the first time since 2022's Thor: Love and Thunder.
This one teases a different direction for Thor. After the God of Thunder's previous film received a ton of criticism for its unserious tone, this trailer suggests that Thor's arc will be more dramatic this time around as he prays to Odin in the hopes that his adoptive daughter Love will be safe from the storm that is coming to the MCU's Multiverse Saga. He also promises to do everything he can to protect her.
It's a bittersweet moment with the larger-than-life superhero that highlights the major role that the longest-standing original Avenger will have in Avengers: Doomsday. Fans have been concerned about Thor's fate beyond the upcoming film (and its 2027 sequel Avengers: Secret Wars) and this trailer certainly didn't ease those concerns.
2. The X-Men return trailer
We knew they were coming. We knew it was happening. And yet, there was still something incredibly awe-inspiring about seeing the X-Men back in live-action after so many years. To see it happen in a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie - and an Avengers trailer! - is just the icing on the cake.
To say that this sent the internet into a meltdown would be an understatement. Seeing Ian McKellen back as Magneto, Patrick Stewart back as Professor Charles Xavier, and James Marsden back as Cyclops; it's all just so unbelievable. What was even more unbelievable was the first look at their comic-accurate appearances.
The sight of Cyclops - the most underutilized member of the original X-Men cast of characters - dropping to his knees and ripping his visor off to unleash an optic blast as the X Mansion burns in the background is one that will live in Marvel Studios fans' minds for a long time to come. The fact that Marsden's hero was sporting his comic-accurate look as he did so is something so special. It goes without saying that this increased fan anticipation for the movie in a way that no other group of heroes could have.
1. The Steve Rogers trailer
Chris Evans has said many times that he's not in Avengers: Doomsday. In our interview with the MCU star, he reflected on his one-and-done return in Deadpool and Wolverine (albeit as Johnny Storm in that movie) but he never once hinted that he would be back again as Captain America. So it was never clear as to whether it would actually happen. That is, until it did.
Marvel Studios spoiling Steve Rogers' return to the franchise in the upcoming movie was a bold move, but it was one that worked like a dream when it came to increasing fan anticipation for the film. The studio had not announced Evans as part of the ensemble cast so his return to the MCU was used as the main hook for the first trailer, and considering how quickly it sent the fans into a spiral - one week before it was officially released online might I add - it's safe to say that the experiment worked like a dream.
It's also successful in subtlety. We don't know how the Captain America star will be involved yet. All we do know is that he and Peggy Carter's happily ever after has led to a child. Yes, Steve is a father now, and that will make his involvement in the upcoming Doom War all the more personal. And nobody knows how to take the fight to bullies more than the original Cap.
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