Doctor Doom storms the multiverse in first Avengers: Doomsday trailer
Marvel’s new trailer brings back Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, Chris Evans as Captain America and a lineup spanning the Avengers, X-Men and Fantastic Four.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
3 min read
Robert Downey Jr. is back in Marvel’s biggest sandbox, and the first public trailer for Avengers: Doomsday makes clear he is not suiting up as Iron Man this time.
According to Variety, the newly released trailer puts Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom at the center of a multiverse clash that pulls in Avengers veterans, Fox-era X-Men characters, the Fantastic Four and the Thunderbolts. The footage had previously been shown to CinemaCon attendees in April before Marvel released it publicly.
The film is being positioned as the payoff to seven years of Marvel Cinematic Universe multiverse storytelling since Avengers: Endgame, Variety reported. That 2019 film became the second highest-grossing movie of all time and closed the book on Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, who died while defeating Thanos.
The trailer shows Marvel’s heroes gathering as Doctor Doom prepares for a war across universes, according to Variety. One of the biggest moments has Thor confronting Doom, while also crossing paths again with Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers, marking Evans’ return as Captain America after Endgame.
X-Men enter the Avengers arena
The new footage also brings several Fox X-Men characters fully into the Avengers’ world. Variety reported that Professor Xavier, Magneto, Mystique, Cyclops and Channing Tatum’s Gambit appear among the crossover players.
The returning X-Men cast list includes Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Kelsey Grammer, Alan Cumming, James Marsden, Channing Tatum and Rebecca Romijn, according to Variety.
Marvel is also bringing back two newer MCU teams. After appearing on the big screen last year, the Fantastic Four and Thunderbolts return in Doomsday as part of the fight to protect the multiverse, Variety reported.
The Fantastic Four side includes Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. The Thunderbolts lineup includes Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen and Lewis Pullman, according to Variety.
A very crowded Marvel roll call
Variety reported that Marvel revealed much of the Doomsday cast in March 2025 through a slow-burn promotional stunt showing actors’ names on the backs of chairs.
Among the returning MCU names listed for the film are Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Sebastian Stan, Paul Rudd, Tom Hiddleston, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Simu Liu and Tenoch Huerta, according to Variety.
Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom remains one of the film’s biggest mysteries. Variety reported that the specifics of his new role have not been fully explained, though Doom is likely an Iron Man variant from another universe. The character briefly appeared with his face hidden in a post-credits scene for Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Disney had already been teasing the movie through four previews attached to screenings of Avatar: Fire and Ash in late 2025 and early 2026, Variety reported. Those previews confirmed Evans’ Steve Rogers now has a child, showed Thor with his adopted daughter Love, revealed looks at Professor X, Magneto and Cyclops, and featured Black Panther, Namor and M’Baku meeting the Thing in Wakanda.
Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to open in theaters on Dec. 18, with Avengers: Secret Wars planned for the following year. The Russo Brothers, who directed Avengers: Infinity War, Endgame and two Captain America films, are directing both upcoming Avengers movies, Variety reported.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.