After a long wait, the time for another Avengers movie is almost here. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is nearing the end of its Multiverse Saga, which means Earth's Mightiest Heroes will assemble once again to defy all odds and try to defeat a powerful new foe. But while expectations are through the roof for the upcoming crossovers (with the Avengers: Doomsday teaser trailers gathering over one billion views), there's no denying that the road to this point has been a little bumpy.
If it weren't for Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, there would have been little to no buildup for what's to come. The franchise's next big bad, Doctor Doom, has yet to make his MCU debut (aside from that little cameo in The Fantastic Four: First Steps). Avengers: Doomsday has a lot of heavy lifting to do, as not only does it have to introduce the ruler of Latveria and make audiences understand his backstory, but it also has to bring back variants of the X-Men from the Fox era. That's without taking into account that the main Avengers team hasn't even formed yet.
The Avengers movies have always had a history of being among the longest projects in the MCU, so it doesn't come as a surprise that Doomsday will look to follow that pattern by having a record-breaking runtime.
Avengers: Doomsday is reported to have a runtime of three hours
It has taken a long time for the Avengers to take over the big screen again, so they will take a long time defending the multiverse from the upcoming incursions. According to renowned and reliable insider Daniel Richtman, Avengers: Doomsday will have a runtime of three hours, making it one of the longest MCU movies ever.
For reference, Avengers: Endgame is the longest film in the franchise with a runtime of 3 hours and 1 minute, being the only one so far to surpass the three-hour mark. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever comes in second place at 2 hours and 41 minutes, and Eternals comes third at 2 hours and 37 minutes. The only other Avengers movie to make it into the top five is Infinity War, clocking in at 2 hours and 29 minutes. That alone gives us an idea of how big Doomsday is set to be.
While it would be easy to imagine that such a lengthy movie will be filled with a lot of exposition and slow moments, it appears that won't be the case. According to John Campea (via Murphy's Multiverse), Avengers: Doomsday "starts with its foot through the floor and shoots you like a cannon out of the gate. There’s no slow start—it’s massive action right from the beginning, the scale is insane, and it doesn’t let up."
It's clear Marvel wants to conclude the Multiverse Saga in an explosive manner, making fans invested in the next chapter to come along the way. As such, it has been rumored that Avengers: Secret Wars could even be split into two parts. The upcoming crossovers are gearing up to be unlike anything fans have seen before, and they can either make or break the MCU. That's why the superhero giant needs to take its time with these projects and not rush through them (as it has happened with other films and TV series).
With a bit of luck, Marvel will make the most of Avengers: Doomsday's runtime and manage to balance storytelling with explosive action. The Multiverse Saga didn't have the best of starts, but it still has the chance to conclude strongly.
Avengers: Doomsday will be released on Dec. 18, 2026.