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Marvel fans, assemble! The first Avengers: Doomsday trailer is finally here, and it somehow lived up to all the hype. After months of cryptic teases and way too much overanalyzing every little Marvel post, we got our first real look at what could be one of the biggest superhero movies ever.
As a lifelong X-Men fan, this trailer had me grinning from start to finish. Wolverine and Storm have always been two of my all-time favorite Marvel heroes, so seeing the X-Men finally sharing the spotlight with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes feels like something I’ve been waiting forever to see. (I may or may not have immediately replayed the trailer … more than once.) And if you’re anything like me, you probably finished watching with one thought: Wait … what did I just miss? Marvel loves hiding clues in plain sight, and this trailer is packed with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments.
Whether you spotted a few clues or missed them all, read on for a breakdown of the biggest Avengers: Doomsday Easter eggs hidden throughout the trailer.
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What is the plot of Avengers: Doomsday?
Marvel is still keeping most of the story a secret, but Avengers: Doomsday will see the franchise’s remaining heroes reunite after the events of Avengers: Endgame to face their biggest challenge yet. This time, they’ll be teaming up with the X-Men and other familiar Marvel faces from across the multiverse to take on Doctor Doom—the Fantastic Four’s legendary arch-nemesis. A genius inventor, powerful sorcerer and ruler of Latveria, Doom is one of Marvel’s most iconic villains. (Think of him as Marvel’s answer to DC’s Lex Luthor, but with magical powers.)
The movie also draws inspiration from Marvel’s Secret Wars comics, which center on multiversal battles and Doctor Doom’s rise to power. Adding to the excitement, Robert Downey Jr. is making his highly anticipated return to the MCU—but instead of reprising his role as Iron Man, he’s taking on the role of Doctor Doom in one of Marvel’s most shocking casting surprises ever.
What did the trailer reveal?
Without giving too much away, the trailer makes one thing crystal clear: This isn’t just another Marvel movie—it’s an event. The trailer, clocking in at a little more than 2 minutes long, is narrated by Thor, giving it an emotional, almost mythic feel as it sets the stage for what’s to come.
The footage offers fans their first real look at several of Marvel’s biggest heroes sharing the screen, including members of the Avengers, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men. Familiar faces like Thor, Sam Wilson’s Captain America, Bucky, Ant-Man and fan-favorite mutants—including Professor X and Magneto—make appearances, teasing the massive crossover fans have been waiting for.
Plus, there are plenty of unexpected team-up shots, like The Thing greeting some of Wakanda’s mightiest warriors, including Shuri, the current Black Panther.
What Easter eggs are hiding in the trailer?
One quick watch is enough to get you excited, but a second (or 10th) viewing reveals just how many callbacks and comic book references are hiding in plain sight. Here are the biggest Easter eggs we spotted.
Loki’s TVA badge connects directly to the Loki finale—and maybe Steve Rogers
If you look closely at Loki’s TVA ID badge, you’ll notice something familiar on the back: the multiversal tree. That’s no random design choice. It’s a direct callback to the emotional Season 2 finale of Loki, where the God of Mischief sacrificed his own freedom to become the guardian of the multiverse. His sacrifice weaved together countless branching timelines into the tree that now holds reality together.
There’s another intriguing detail in the same scene. The curtains behind Loki closely resemble the ones in the home where Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter shared their long-awaited dance at the end of Avengers: Endgame. It makes us wonder: Did Loki visit Steve after Endgame to warn him that Doctor Doom was coming?
Three Earths are on a collision course
One of the trailer’s most important clues is hiding inside the newly renovated Avengers Tower. In the background, three connected globes appear on display—not just as cool set dressing, but as a visual representation of the three realities at the heart of Avengers: Doomsday. Those worlds are believed to be Earth-616, the main Marvel Cinematic Universe; Earth-828, home of the Fantastic Four; and the original X-Men universe.
Comic fans know that when universes begin colliding, it’s called an incursion—a catastrophic event where two (or more) realities start occupying the same space. Unless someone finds a way to stop it, entire universes can be wiped out.
H.E.R.B.I.E. quietly sneaks into the X-Mansion
During the battle inside the X-Mansion, you might have spotted H.E.R.B.I.E., the Fantastic Four’s lovable robot assistant, tucked away in the background. It’s a fun nod to the character’s origins in the 1978 Fantastic Four animated series, where H.E.R.B.I.E. was created because Marvel couldn’t use the Human Torch. His appearance is another clue that Marvel is fully embracing the Fantastic Four as part of the larger MCU.
Is that really Captain America … or Captain Hydra?
One of the trailer’s biggest jaw-dropping moments comes when Steve Rogers steps out of the shadows with long hair and a beard—recreating his iconic Avengers: Infinity War entrance almost shot for shot—before lifting Mjolnir once again. But this isn’t the same hammer Steve wielded against Thanos in Endgame. After Thor: Love and Thunder, the reforged Mjolnir belonged to Love, Thor’s adopted daughter, leaving all of us wondering how it ended up back in Steve’s hands.
That mystery has sparked another wild theory: Is this even the Steve Rogers we know? Some comic readers believe Marvel could be teasing Captain Hydra, an alternate-universe version of Steve who was able to wield Mjolnir after Hydra altered the hammer’s enchantment. Others think it’s simply a nod to Steve’s beloved Nomad era from the comics. Either way, Marvel clearly wants us hitting the pause button.
Comic-accurate costumes finally take center stage
Marvel also appears to be leaning harder into the comics than ever before. James Marsden returns as Cyclops, but instead of the black leather uniforms made famous by Fox’s original X-Men films, he’s finally sporting the classic blue-and-yellow suit fans have wanted for decades. There’s also Namor’s black suit with shimmering blue scales—a strong resemblance to his moisture suit from The Sub-Mariner #67 (1973), which was designed to help him stay hydrated while on land.
Mystique’s new look is another standout—and so is Rebecca Romijn’s return to the role. The original X-Men star is back as the shape-shifting mutant, this time sporting a design that’s even closer to the comics, complete with vibrant blue skin, striking yellow eyes and a sleeker, more comic-accurate look than we’ve seen in previous live-action films.
What other fun details were in the trailer?
Those aren’t the only hidden gems. Doctor Doom speaks with a subtle Eastern European accent, marking the first time a live-action Marvel adaptation has honored his Latverian comic book roots. There’s also a satisfying bit of poetic justice when Thor charges Doom with Stormbreaker—the very weapon he famously aimed at Thanos’s chest instead of his head in Infinity War. This time, though, Doom casually stops the ax with nothing more than his fingertips, instantly showing how powerful he really is.
When is the movie coming out?
Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters on Dec. 18, 2026, which means we’ve still got a little while to wait. But if this first trailer is any indication, it’ll be worth every second. Between now and opening night, we’re crossing our fingers that Marvel drops a few more trailers (and maybe a couple of sneak peeks) to keep the hype train rolling. Until then, we’ll be doing what every Marvel fan does best: rewatching the trailer, spotting new details and cooking up wild multiverse theories.
As for me? I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that Halle Berry’s Storm makes an appearance, because I refuse to give up hope until I see the end credits roll.
Sources:
- Super Hero Hype: “Avengers: Doomsday Trailer Hid Several Easter Eggs You May Have Missed”
- Screen Crush: “Every ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Trailer Easter Egg and Secret You Missed
