Avengers (film series)

Lore & Background

The Avengers' story in the MCU takes place in the Earth-199999 universe, not Earth-616 (which is the main Marvel Comics universe). In 1995, S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury is inspired by Carol Danvers' U.S. Air Force callsign 'Avenger' to later develop the concept of a team of heroes, though the Avengers Initiative is not explicitly named or created in *Captain Marvel* (2019).

Reader's Guide

The four Avengers films are currently the third highest-grossing superhero franchise and the sixth highest-grossing film franchise of all time, grossing more than US$7.7 billion. The Avengers have received praise as a group from critics, particularly for their dynamic together, with Endgame receiving praise from critics as a conclusion for that iteration of the team. Due to their successful introduction, other film studios decided to create their own shared superhero universes, notably DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Pictures, which announced plans to release a film for the Justice League. Avengers Campus, a series of attractions at various Disney Parks, opened in June 2021 at Disney California Adventure, while an immersive family dining experience called 'Avengers: Quantum Encounter' debuted at the Worlds of Marvel restaurant in the Disney Wish cruise ship in July 2022. Following the formation of Marvel Studios as an independent film studio by Avi Arad, the head of Marvel's film division, producer Kevin Feige envisioned creating a shared cinematic universe to introduce the Avengers, similar to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's comic books in the 1960s. Once Feige became studio chief in 2007 and formed his creative team, his strategy involved creating individual films for each major character in Phase One, beginning with Iron Man (2008) and concluding with The Avengers (2012).

Did You Know?

• The Infinity Saga consists of the first 22 MCU films, not 23.
• Captain America: Brave New World (2025) has not been released, so its plot details are not confirmed canon; stating it 'depicts' the team restarting is speculative.

The Villain's Return: Downey as Doctor Doom

The decision to cast Robert Downey Jr. as Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom represents one of the most significant creative pivots in the MCU's history. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo described Doom as one of the most complex characters in comic book history, and they believed Downey—famous for playing Tony Stark / Iron Man—was the singular actor capable of carrying the role. The Russos acknowledged that Doom's immense power made the character challenging, yet they felt liberated to dig into his vulnerabilities and inner contradictions. Joe Russo noted that Doom occupies a sweet spot where the filmmakers could inject their own original storytelling while honoring the most iconic elements of the comic book version. Downey himself crafted a personal backstory for the character to inform his performance, pitched costume concepts, and committed to delivering the role in a heavily accented voice. This casting followed the December 2023 firing of Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, after which Marvel pivoted its entire Phase Six villain architecture around Doom. The Russos' return as directors, Stephen McFeely's rejoining as co-writer, and the new Doomsday subtitle were all revealed together in July 2024.

A Collision of Universes

The premise of Avengers: Doomsday is built on an extraordinary multiversal convergence. Set fourteen months after the events of Thunderbolts* (2025), the film brings together hero groups from three distinct universes to confront the existential threat posed by Doctor Doom. From Earth-616, the original Avengers, the Wakandans, and the New Avengers assemble. From Earth-828, the Fantastic Four arrive, led by Reed Richards. And from yet another separate universe, the original X-Men join the fray. This structure allows the film to draw on both the existing MCU roster and the legacy of 20th Century Fox's X-Men film franchise, using the narrative device of colliding universes to justify the presence of actors from entirely different cinematic lineages. The result is one of the largest ensemble casts in superhero cinema, spanning characters like Captain America, Thor, Ant-Man, Black Widow, U.S. Agent, Gambit, Magneto, Cyclops, Professor X, and many others. The film is positioned as the 39th entry in the MCU and serves as the direct sequel to Avengers: Endgame (2019), bridging nearly a decade of storytelling into a single, massive confrontation.

An Ensemble of Legends

The cast of Avengers: Doomsday reads like a who's-who of superhero cinema. Chris Evans returns as Steve Rogers, who, after his definitive ending in Endgame where he returned to the 1940s to live with Peggy Carter, is expected to take on the Nomad mantle—a choice Evans and Mackie confirmed aligns with the comics. Chris Hemsworth reprises Thor, while Paul Rudd returns as Ant-Man and Anthony Mackie as Captain America. The Fantastic Four are represented by Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing, and Joseph Quinn as Human Torch. The X-Men contingent includes Channing Tatum as Gambit, Ian McKellen as Magneto, James Marsden as Cyclops, and Patrick Stewart as Professor X. Simu Liu brings back Shang-Chi, described as older and more self-assured than his 2021 introduction. Tom Hiddleston's Loki carries over from the 2021–2023 Disney+ series. Wyatt Russell appears as U.S. Agent, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes. Tatum noted the Russos wanted a more dramatic, serious tone, so he would not repeat his thick Cajun accent from Deadpool & Wolverine.

From Kang to Doom: A Production Reimagined

The road to Avengers: Doomsday was anything but straightforward. In July 2022, Marvel announced two films to close out Phase Six and The Multiverse Saga: The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars. Destin Daniel Cretton was set to direct The Kang Dynasty, with Jeff Loveness writing, and Jonathan Majors was attached to reprise Kang the Conqueror. By November 2023, Cretton had departed, Waldron had replaced Loveness as writer, and Marvel was actively weighing a move away from the Kang storyline, partly due to Majors's legal troubles. Majors was fired the following month. The creative team was then rebuilt: the Russo brothers returned as directors, McFeely rejoined as co-writer, Michael Waldron and the writing team of Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers were brought in, and Downey was cast as Doctor Doom. The new Doomsday subtitle was announced alongside these changes in July 2024. Principal photography ran from April through September 2025 at Pinewood Studios in England, supplemented by location shoots in England and Bahrain. The film is slated for a December 18, 2026 release, with its sequel Avengers: Secret Wars following on December 17, 2027.