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Doomsday is coming. In the first official synopsis for Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel Studios revealed several key details about the upcoming crossover event, including which worlds will be caught up in Doctor Doom's gambit to take over the Multiverse. Ahead of the first trailer, which is expected to debut at San Diego Comic Con later this week before making its way online, we now know much more about the new Avengers sequel.
The synopsis for Avengers: Doomsday confirms that it will follow heroes from "three distinct universes," who end up on a "deadly collision course" when Doctor Doom kicks off his plan. While the logline doesn't reveal exactly which universes it refers to, other details from various sources confirm which parallel timelines fans should expect to see in the new movie. Here's everything that everyone needs to know before the trailer premieres this week.
Earth-616 Is the Main MCU Universe
The main universe that Avengers: Doomsday will involve is Earth-616, the central timeline for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This timeline is the one by far with the most champions, comprising several superhero teams, including the Avengers, currently led by Sam Wilson/Captain America, and the New Avengers, led by Yelena Belova. It is in this timeline that most of the action is expected to take place in the upcoming film.
Earth-616 was also once known to the Time Variance Authority as "The Sacred Timeline." Because of this status, anything that diverted from the order of events prescribed by He Who Remains, the variant of Kang the Conqueror who founded the TVA, was considered to be a "branching timeline" and subsequently pruned. After the events of Loki, however, Earth-616's status as "The Sacred Timeline" is unclear. The TVA no longer prunes rogue timelines, but still may keep a close watch on the one that was so important to He Who Remains.
From this universe, audiences should expect to see plenty of familiar faces, including Thor Odinson, Ant-Man, Stature, Black Panther, Shang-Chi, the Winter Soldier, Sentry, and many more. There are plenty of other characters from the MCU who aren't confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday but who could show up, including the Hulk, Spider-Man, Hawkeye, Captain Marvel, and even otherworldly heroes like the Guardians of the Galaxy or the Eternals. Essentially anyone who has ever shown up in any of the previous thirty-eight MCU movies or myriad shows and Special Presentations is fair game for this universe.
It is also important to note that Earth-616 shares a name with Marvel's main comic book timeline. Before the Multiverse Saga, fans generally referred to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Earth-199999. With Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, however, Kevin Feige and the rest of Marvel Studios' executives opted to adopt the same name as the comic book universe, officially creating a line of division between the movies and the comics. Anyone who is a fan of both would best keep in mind that the timeline of the movie universe is labelled Earth-616, but is still distinct from the comic book timeline of the same name.
Earth-838 Is the Retrofuturistic Home of the Fantastic Four
Earth-838 is the newest timeline to show up in Avengers: Doomsday. This universe was first introduced in 2025's The Fantastic Four: First Steps and is home to Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Sue Storm-Richards/The Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, and Ben Grimm/The Thing. Together, the Fantastic Four are the sole heroes of their world, fighting everything from grounded threats like the Wingless Wizard, subterranean menaces like the Mole Man, and even cosmic beings like Galactus, Devourer of Worlds.
The Fantastic Four's Earth-838 looks very different from Earth-616, which generally resembles our own universe (albeit with superheroes). This timeline developed into a retrofuturistic society, where the 1960s are littered with high-tech gadgets and technology. Some of this may be due to Reed Richards' scientific genius, which appears to not be present in Earth-616.
Some theories suggest that Earth-838 will be revealed as the home timeline of Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom, who will make his first full appearance later this year in Avengers: Doomsday. This would give the multiversal villain a particularly close connection with the Fantastic Four, as this is a major part of his character in the comics. It would also connect to the end-credits scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which showed a cloaked figure resembling Doom approaching the young Franklin Richards.
The young son of Reed and Sue Richards will also be a major part of Avengers: Doomsday. In the comics, Franklin Richards is shown to be one of the most powerful beings in the multiverse, making him a crucial part of Jonathan Hickman's 2015 Secret Wars storyline, which serves as the basis for the MCU's Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Franklin is shown to have similar powers as an infant in First Steps, hinting at a much larger role in the upcoming crossover event.
One of the most important characters introduced in the Earth-838 timeline is Galactus, an ancient being who devours worlds for sustenance. Although this is the first timeline in which we've seen Galactus, Marvel Studios has confirmed that he is a nexus being, meaning that he has no variants in any other timeline. Any version of Galactus across any timeline is the same being, even if he takes different shapes or forms. If the character were to show up in Avengers: Doomsday, he would undoubtedly remember the Fantastic Four, who defeated him.
Earth-10005 Is the Homeworld of the X-Men Franchise
The final alternate reality explored in Avengers: Doomsday is Earth-10005, the home of the X-Men. Most of the films in Fox's X-Men franchise take place in this reality, though the timeline is ridiculously complicated. The mutant-centric superhero franchise is filled with time travel, retcons, and reboots, all of which technically take place in the same timeline.
After the events of X-Men: Days of Future Past, it looks as though only the events of X-Men (2000) and parts of X-2: X-Men United are considered canon. Elements of X-Men: First Class are still tangentially important, as well as the Deadpool films. Other than that, it is more important that audiences familiarize themselves with the characters than the storylines themselves. Included in those confirmed to return are Professor X, Magneto, Cyclops, Mystique, Nightcrawler, Beast, and Gambit.
Earth-10005 has already shown up twice in the MCU. It first appeared in the end-credits scene of The Marvels, when Monica Rambeau/Photon found herself trapped in the alternate reality after breaching a rip in space-time. It showed up again in Deadpool & Wolverine, where the two titular mutants fought to protect their timeline from destruction by a rogue branch of the Time Variance Authority.
It is also possible that Avengers: Doomsday will retcon certain other Fox-owned Marvel franchises to be a part of Earth-10005. The previous Fantastic Four franchises, as well as 2003's Daredevil and its spin-off Elektra, could easily be lumped together as a package deal. It's currently unclear if any of the characters from those franchises are expected to appear in the Multiverse Saga finale, but given that some already showed up in Deadpool & Wolverine, anything seems possible.
Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.
