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Avengers: Doomsday's release date is fast approaching. Indeed, at the time of this guide's latest update, we're less than five months away from its December 2026 launch.
With the highly anticipated Marvel movie's first official trailer finally making its way online recently, interest has also never been higher in the forthcoming comic book film. So, if you've seen said trailer and want more details on Avengers 5, including the latest on its cast and story, you've come to the right place. Don't delay, then — scroll on to get the full lowdown on one of 2026's hottest new movies.
Avengers: Doomsday release date
December 18th is Doomsday.Experience Avengers: Doomsday on bigger, brighter, & more immersive screens. Tickets are now on sale exclusively for Infinity Vision certified theaters: https://t.co/2HHPv9pj8t pic.twitter.com/xaSgW5rp1JJuly 20, 2026
Avengers: Doomsday will be released worldwide on December 18.
Initially, it was set to come out this May, Marvel delayed Doomsday and its sequel Avengers: Secret Wars over a year ago. And, even though rumors swirled that Avengers: Doomsday's release date could change again to avoid Dune Part III, which is also due out in theaters on December 18, the above poster proves Marvel is sticking with the movie's aforementioned launch date.
Avengers: Doomsday trailer
We were made to wait a long time for a proper look at one of the most anticipated films of the year, but Doomsday's first official trailer was actually released on July 20. I'd expected Marvel to unveil it during its San Diego Comic-Con 2026 presentation on July 25 but, hey, maybe the comic giant was as keen to release it as we all were to see it!
For more on what it teases, check out my Avengers: Doomsday trailer breakdown article. Once you're done, be sure to check out the movie's four mini teasers on the right-hand side of this article, too.
Avengers: Doomsday confirmed cast
Full spoilers follow for Avengers: Endgame. Possible Doomsday spoilers are also discussed.
Originally, we knew that 27 actors would appear in Avengers: Doomsday. Since then, though, two other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) stars have been added to its roster. Here, then, is its currently 29-strong cast:
- Robert Downey Jr as Doctor Victor von Doom
- Chris Hemsworth as Thor
- Chris Evans as Steve Rogers
- Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic
- Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman
- Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing
- Tom Hiddleston as Loki
- Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America
- Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/Falcon
- Sebastian Stan as James 'Bucky' Barnes/The Winter Soldier
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
- David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian
- Wyatt Russell as John Walker/US Agent
- Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost
- Lewis Pullman as Bob Reynolds/Sentry
- Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man
- Simu Liu as Shang-Chi
- Letitia Wright as Shuri/Black Panther
- Winston Duke as M'Baku
- Tenoch Huerta Meija as Namor
- Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier/Professor X
- Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto
- James Marsden as Scott Summers/Cyclops
- Kelsey Grammar as Henry 'Hank' McCoy/Beast
- Rebecca Romijn as Raven Darkholme/Mystique
- Alan Cumming as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler
- Channing Tatum as Remy LeBeau/Gambit
- Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang
The headline news is that Downey Jr, who played Tony Stark and his superhero alias Iron Man between 2008 and 2019, is back in the MCU.
With Stark sacrificing himself in Avengers: Endgame, it seemed that the superstar responsible for spear-heading Marvel's shared universe was done with it.
However, at SDCC 2024, Downey Jr announced his return to the MCU as Doctor Victor von Doom. One of Marvel's most iconic villains and long-time adversary of The Fantastic Four in the comics, Doom will be the primary antagonist of Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
Is that the only character he'll play, though? Last July, Downey Jr sparked a new Doomsday theory over a possible dual role. Then, in November 2025, a new Avengers: Doomsday video teased more ties between Downey Jr's Doom and another character, leading some fans to believe Doom will be a multiversal variant of the MCU's Tony Stark.
For what it's worth, industry insider John Campea, whose track record is mixed at best, has claimed we won't find out why Doom looks like Stark until Secret Wars. Hopefully, though, we'll see him unmasked in this flick, which will surely draw shocked reactions from those MCU heroes who'll instantly recognize him as a Stark variant.
There are bound to be other cast surprises in the final product, too. That much was confirmed by Marvel president Kevin Feige, who recently told Fandango that, for certain scenes, there are over 30 actors on set.
Who could those other individuals be? Hayley Atwell's Peggy Carter is a sure bet, especially if we see more of the life she and Steve share that was teased at the end of Endgame. If we visit the Time Variance Authority (TVA) to check back in with Hiddleston's Loki, Own Wilson's Mobius and Wunmi Mosaku's Hunter B-15 should also appear. Meanwhile, Iman Vellani has practically confirmed her return as Kamala Khan/Ms Marvel (per Brit + Co).
Lastly, an MCU newcomer in the form of Wesley Holloway was namedropped as part of an official Disney CinemaCon 2026 recap piece. Who could he be playing? Some fans think he'll be the grown-up version of Steve and Peggy's son, who we see as a newborn in Steve Rogers' Doomsday mini teaser. Right now, though, Holloway's role is yet to be confirmed.
Avengers: Doomsday cast rumors: Spider-Man, Wolverine, and more
Potentially huge spoilers follow for Avengers: Doomsday.
With Marvel teasing "there's always room for more" cast announcements in mid-2025, fans have spent the past year debating who else might show up in Avengers: Doomsday.
Let's get some heavy hitters out of the way first, starting with Tom Holland's Peter Parker/Spider-Man. The wallcrawler's next solo movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, will swing into theaters in late July and while it's set before Doomsday, there's nothing to suggest he'll be in the latter. For what it's worth, Holland remained tight-lipped on his possible inclusion during a chat with cinemania.es.
Elsewhere, Elizabeth Olsen has regularly denied Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch is in Avengers: Doomsday and, after initially claiming Doctor Strange will only show up in Avengers: Secret Wars, Benedict Cumberbatch has since left the door open on a possible appearance (per ETOnline).
Speaking on The View , Brie Larson replied "I can't answer" when she was pressed over her possible involvement as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel. Meanwhile, Jeremy Renner has rebuffed suggestions that Clint Barton/Hawkeye will also show up (per The Breakfast Club radio show).
Elsewhere, Hugh Jackman wouldn't be drawn on whether he'll return as fan-favorite X-Men member Wolverine (per The View). Halle Berry says she won't be back as Ororo Monroe/Storm (per the Black Girl Nerds podcast) and Famke Janssen says she wasn't asked to reprise her role as Jean Grey from the original X-Men film trilogy (per Variety), either.
Lastly, what of previous Spider-Man actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield? Speculation abounds that one or both could feature but, with Maguire shunning the limelight and nobody believing a word Garfield says after he cried wolf too many times prior to his return in Spider-Man: No Way Home, we won't know if they're involved until the film is released.
Avengers: Doomsday story synopsis and speculation
Potential spoilers follow for Avengers: Doomsday's plot.
Here's the movie's brief story synopsis: "In Avengers: Doomsday, beloved heroes from three distinct universes will be set on a deadly collision course and face an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered."
Not a lot to go on, then, but the last three MCU movies have given some clues as to where things could go. Read my Captain America 4 ending explained, Thunderbolts* ending explained and First Steps ending explained articles for more details.
Directors Joe and Anthony Russo has also been busy telling – and teasing! – us about its plot.
Firstly, they told me that the next two Avengers flicks will take inspiration from both Secret Wars comic book series. The MCU hasn't directly adapted many storylines from the comics, so it'll be interesting to see what aspects of those literary works are used in Doomsday and Secret Wars.
One thing we'll definitely see in this film is the return of — and narrative expansion on — Incursions. These cataclysmic events occur when the boundaries between two universes breaks down and puts them on a collision course. Unfortunately, there's no way to stop these multiversal catastrophes from occurring, and the only outcome is the destruction of one or both realities.
How will this impact the Marvel Phase 6 movie's story? Initially, it seems that The Fantastic Four and the MCU's heroes will a) unite to stop their worlds from crashing into each other, and b) travel to the Fox X-Men universe to convince them to join their cause. Based on what the official trailer shows, though, the FoX-Men aren't interested and choose to battle the others instead, which is a plot device that Marvel detectives appeared to solve after a new Avengers: Doomsday's image was shared in March 2025.
Later that month, it seemed other story elements had been spoiled when apparent concept art for Doomsday and Secret Wars leaked online. However, the Russos said this artwork doesn't spoil anything significant, so read what you will into their response.
There are myriad other questions that need answering, too, some of which I try to shed light on in my previously linked-to Doomsday trailer breakdown piece. Some of the most pressing ones, though, are: How does Steve Rogers factor into the plot? What is Doom planning? And are these three universes, alongside others that exist in the Marvel Multiverse, all doomed to die?
Given that Doomsday and Secret Wars are a duology in the mould of Infinity War and Endgame's book, it's highly likely that Avengers 5 will ending on a potentially lethal cliff hanger. Speaking at Tokyo Comic-Con 2025, Sebastian Stan heavily implied that not everyone will make it out alive (thanks to the sebstanaddict Instagram fan account for sharing the footage). Cast your votes now on who you expect to bite the dust.
How will Avengers: Doomsday set up Avengers: Secret Wars?
The short answer is: I don't know. Nobody outside of Avengers: Doomsday's cast and crew, plus Marvel executives, know how it'll specifically impact its sequel. For the biggest news and rumors on the final Multiversa Saga film, check out my guide on everything we know so far about Avengers: Secret Wars.
One thing is abundantly clear, though: Avengers 6 isn't being turned into two movies. Indeed, after a rumor spread online that Avengers: Secret Wars would be split into two parts, Feige told the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast that won't be the case.
As for how the Multiverse Saga's duology capper will impact the MCU, the Russos and Feige have confirmed that it'll undergo a soft reboot post-Secret Wars. The former said they're actually telling "a beginning story" with the next two Avengers movies, while Feige has insinuated (via Variety) that Secret Wars will act as a "reset" for Marvel's cinematic juggernaut, rather than a full-scale reboot.
Outside of this "reset" setting the stage for an exciting future that'll be all about the X-Men, it's unclear what form it'll take, or which heroes will populate it. Don't be surprised, though, if the likes of Spider-Man, Thor, Black Panther, The Fantastic Four, and other popular characters join the mutants in this new-look version of the MCU.
For more Marvel coverage, find out how to watch the Marvel movies in order. Then, get the full lowdown on VisionQuest, aka the final live-action Marvel Disney+ show of 2026.
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