Avengers: Doomsday Movie Preview

Oh, Marvel, you used to be so big. From "Iron Man" to "Endgame": You had us cheering, laughing and crying. The MCU gave us the heroes we craved to see in the movies. But then: the big fall. Constant let downs and no clear direction in sight. Only a few rays of hope suggested that the MCU is not yet lost.

Now all hopes are pinned on the Avengers' grand return: "Doomsday" and "Secret Wars" are set to restore the franchise to its former glory. In this article, you can find out how Marvel intends to accomplish this feat. We provide you with all the information on the cast, the story and the happenings behind the scenes. So enjoy our new KinoCheck Original!

What Avengers: Doomsday Is All About

In typical Marvel fashion, the official plot is being kept under wraps. However, some leaks and hints at Comic-Con as well as interviews give us an idea of where the journey will take us.

Apparently, the events from "Loki", "No Way Home", "Multiverse of Madness" and "Ant-Man 3" have caused instability in the multiverse. This is where Doctor Doom comes into play: he wants to use this chaos to create a new realm, the so-called Battleworld. This reality, familiar from the comics, is a patchwork of destroyed dimensions over which Doom reigns as an all-powerful ruler – partly as a god, partly as a dictator.

This is where fragmented variants of the heroes meet. Alliances and conflicts emerge, and the boundaries between good and evil become blurred. This also matches the post-credits scene in "Thunderbolts*", which already hints at a conflict between the superheroes. "Doomsday" could therefore be less of a traditional "Avengers versus villain" story and more of an existential struggle for identity, reality and morality. A bit like in "Captain America: Civil War".

A core element is said to be the question of whether Doom is really "evil" or if he's simply the only one who can restore order in a shattered multiverse. This would be a fitting parallel to Tony Stark, who also often found himself wavering between hubris and responsibility.

This Is Doctor Doom

Not only is Doom the archnemesis of the Fantastic Four, he is also a power-hungry scientist, monarch of the fictional country of Latveria and master of sorcery. Despite his popularity in the comics, he has so far fallen short of his potential in the movies.

The number one topic of discussion is, of course, the casting of Doctor Doom. At Comic-Con in San Diego, the big revelation was made: none other than "Iron Man" Robert Downey Jr. will be wearing the iconic Doom mask. In interviews, he explained that he wanted to come back, but only if it was something completely new, and that Doom was a fascinating, complex character, perfect for the next chapter.

The Connection Between Tony Stark and Doctor Doom

But why is Robert Downey Jr. playing Doctor Doom? The actor is probably the most famous member of the Avengers and kick-started the entire franchise with "Iron Man".

Unlikely, but not impossible: the casting has no relevance to the story. Actress Michelle Yeoh has also played different roles in "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Shang-Chi". Also, Doctor Doom is best known for his iconic mask. It would therefore be entirely plausible for Downey Jr. to demonstrate his versatility here, particularly through his voice and gestures. However, a lot of fans would probably be disappointed by such a variant: the casting would then mainly look like a mere PR stunt.

However, looking at the comics, there are countless ties between Tony Stark and Doctor Doom that may explain the casting. The two characters have met many times before – in the early 80s, for example, as antagonists in a time travel story at King Arthur's court. There is even a story arc in which Doom himself becomes the so-called Infamous Iron Man and fights for the good. In another story, the characters switched their bodies and Doom was literally in Tony's skin.

The easiest explanation would probably be that we are simply dealing with a multiverse variant of Tony Stark. Many expect Doctor Doom to make his first appearance at the end or in the post-credits scene of "The Fantastic Four: First Steps". After all, he is considered the archenemy of the four heroes and is Reed Richards' former roommate. It is already known that the film will be set in an alternate reality before the Fantastic Four cross over into the world of the rest of the Avengers. So it's entirely possible that the Tony Stark aka Doctor Doom variant will follow them.

Iron Man and Doctor Doom share remarkable similarities: both are brilliant scientists, shaped by traumatic experiences and driven by ambition and ego. While Tony Stark used his near-death experience to redefine himself as a hero, Victor von Doom's tragic past led him down a dark path. This thematic proximity makes it particularly exciting that Robert Downey Jr. will now take on the role of Doctor Doom.

The Big Avengers Doomsday Leak: What the Concept Images Reveal

In March, alleged concept drawings for "Doomsday" and "Secret Wars" made the rounds, causing quite a commotion. While Marvel stated that the images had nothing to do with their project whatsoever, there are still doubts to this day. The images fit in too well with the information that is currently known about the new Avengers movies – some of which only came to light after the images were leaked.

Apparently, various regions of the Battleworld could be seen, including several scenes reminiscent of the Middle Ages. Included were: The Hulk, She-Hulk and Hulk's son Skaar. Initial insider reports from the filming in London seem to confirm this.

There are also indications that Franklin Richards, the son of Reed Richards and Sue Storm, will play a role. In the comics, Franklin plays a crucial part in rebuilding the universe after Doom's fall. The film "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" already addresses Sue Storm's pregnancy – therefore, Franklin would not be a total stranger to the Avengers movies. At the same time, this suggests quite a time jump.

There has also long been speculation about a younger Avengers team. The concept images seem to confirm its existence, and Disney is also planning a series about the team, called "Champions". Moreover, the images point to another successor of the next generation: Black Panther. There's a man in the famous costume and current rumors say that T'Challa's son will indeed take over his father's legacy.

A Spectacular Ensemble: Familiar Heroes Meet New Greats

The cast of "Avengers: Doomsday" sounds like a dream come true for every Marvel fan: Chris Hemsworth is back as Thor, who will probably be taking things a little more seriously again after "Love and Thunder". Anthony Mackie returns as the new Captain America, as well as Paul Rudd as Ant-Man. Simu Liu will also reprise his role of Shang-Chi.

Coming from Wakanda are Letitia Wright as Shuri, Winston Duke as M'Baku, and Namor, played by Tenoch Huerta Mejia. Following their recent big screen debut, we can also look forward to a reunion with the Thunderbolts – including their opponent Sentry. And of course, the return of Tom Hiddleston as Loki is also very exciting.
New to the cast are the Fantastic Four in the form of Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, "The Bear" star Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm.

Another highlight is the return of the original X-Men. We will once again see Patrick Stewart as Professor X and Ian McKellen as Magneto. This will finally open the MCU door to the X-Men, after they have been hinted at time and again. Their role is even said to be of central importance this time. They will be supported by the likes of Kelsey Grammer as Beast, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler and James Marsden in the role of Cyclops. Channing Tatum will likewise be back as Gambit after his appearance in "Deadpool & Wolverine".

These Heroes are Missing from the Avengers: Doomsday Cast

Although it's a great cast, some stars that many Marvel fans had hoped for are still missing after the initial announcement. First and foremost, of course, Tom Holland as Spider-Man: according to industry expert Jeff Sneider, "Spider-Man 4: Brand New Day" will take place at the same time as the events of "Doomsday" and the famous spider will therefore not appear in this movie yet. This is not official, however.

Likewise missing from the announcement are other well-known names such as Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk and Chris Pratt as Star-Lord. However, Robert Downey Jr. and Marvel have already hinted that the reveal of the cast will not be the last announcement on the subject. We therefore firmly expect to get plenty more names over the coming months. According to Chris Claremont, author of the "X-Men" comics, Elizabeth Olsen, for example, will be seen as a good version of Wanda.

Direction, Screenplay and Production Info: The Avengers Pros Return

Joe and Anthony Russo, who have already made MCU history with "Infinity War" and "Endgame", are returning as directors. Their sense of humor, dramatic highlights and spectacular action should serve the new film well – even if their last movies such as "The Electric State" were not so well received by audiences. The screenplay was written by Stephen McFeely, another familiar name from the Marvel family. His work includes writing the "Captain America" movies.

Filming is likely to continue into the summer at the famous Pinewood Studios in London. The premiere date for "Avengers 5: Doomsday" is May 1, 2026, followed approximately one year later by part 6: "Avengers: Secret Wars" will be filmed immediately after "Doomsday" – also by the Russo brothers. Here, too, a theatrical release date has already been set: "Secret Wars" awaits us on May 7, 2027.