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Avengers: Doomsdayis a big deal, and Marvel Studios is treating it as such. Not only will Doomsday be a key part of Marvel's plans at San Diego Comic-Con, but tickets are slated to go on sale this Sunday. Add in a super-sized runtime, and it's pretty clear that Doomsday is shaping up to be one of the biggest cinematic events of the year. The real draw, according to fans, is the massive cast: not only will veteran Avengers like Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Captain America (Anthony Mackie) be roped into the fight to save the world, but the ensemble casts of The Fantastic Four: First Stepsand Thunderbolts*are getting in on the action. Avengers: Doomsday will also mark the continuation of an unspoken tradition in the Avengers movies.
To date, each Avengers movie has featured Hemsworth, Chris Evans, and Robert Downey Jr.in key roles: namely Hemsworth as Thor, Evans as Steve Rogers, and Downey as Iron Man. Doomsday is shaking things up, with Downey playing the main antagonist Doctor Doom and Evans having hung up his Captain America uniform. No matter what role they're playing, or the status of the characters, the three actors have effectively become the nucleus of the Avengers franchise.
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, & Chris Hemsworth’s ‘Avengers’ Appearances Match Their Characters’ Roles in the Comics
It's no surprise that Downey Jr., Evans and Hemsworth have played key roles in the Avengers movies, especially once you look at the comics. Though the roster of Earth's Mightiest Heroes tends to shift rapidly over the years, Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor are considered key pillars of the team's history, much like Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman make up the core of the Justice League. Thor and Iron Man were founding members of the team, and many comic book fans consider Cap's joining the Avengers to be the moment where the team solidified as a concept. They also have a deep friendship, which grew strained over the years but was eventually restored in the Avengers: Primeminiseries by Brian Michael Bendis and Alan Davis where they stopped Hela from overthrowing Thor's home of Asgard.
The Avengers movies also put Captain America, Iron Man and Thor front and center, as their personal storylines often serve as the crux of the MCU's major events. In The Avengers, Thor must deal with his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) trying to conquer the Earth, while Captain America and Iron Man butt heads. Avengers: Age of Ultron further divides them, with the events of Captain America: Civil War leaving them unprepared for when Thanos (Josh Brolin) attacks in Avengers: Infinity War. Doomsday is sure to put a new spin on this dynamic, as Thor is now a father, Steve Rogers is married, and Iron Man is long dead. While details on Downey's performance as Doom remain scarce, comic fans know that the not-so-good Doctor always has his own agendas and will manipulate others in service of them.
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Is Preparing To Pass the Torch to a New Team
The reunion of Downey Jr., Evans, and Hemsworth might be the last time the three actors unite for an Avengers movie, as Avengers: Doomsday directors Joe and Anthony Russo have hinted that its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, might serve as a potential reboot for the overall MCU. Following Secret Wars, a new X-Men movie from Thunderbolts* director Jake Schrier will debut, meaning that the X-Men could potentially replace the Avengers as the MCU's core franchise. There was a time when the mighty mutants were at the core of Marvel Comics, and thanks to the success of projects like Deadpool & Wolverineand X-Men '97, it wouldn't be a stretch to imagine the next phase of movies being labeled "The Mutant Saga".
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth not only helped the Avengers franchise become must see blockbusters, but also helped establish the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it. If Doomsday and Secret Wars is their last time uniting in an Avengers movie, then it will close out one of the MCU's more underrated traditions.
Avengers: Doomsday premieres in theaters on December 18, 2026.
