Last updated: 15 November 2026
Avengers: Doomsday opens in cinemas on 18 December 2026. It is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, stars Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, and brings the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the Wakandans, the New Avengers and the original X-Men into one film. This page collects everything confirmed so far and is updated whenever Marvel announces something new.
Table of Contents
Avengers: Doomsday at a glance
| Release date | 18 December 2026 (some countries open a day or two earlier) |
|---|---|
| Directors | Anthony Russo and Joe Russo |
| Writers | Stephen McFeely and Michael Waldron |
| Villain | Victor von Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr. |
| Runtime | Listed at 165 minutes (2 hours 45 minutes) by cinema chains; Marvel could still trim or extend it slightly |
| Sequel | Avengers: Secret Wars, 17 December 2027 |
When does Avengers: Doomsday come out?
The US release date is Friday, 18 December 2026. The film was first dated for 1 May 2026, but in May 2025 Disney moved it back by about seven months and shifted Secret Wars to 17 December 2027 at the same time. Some international listings, including cinemas in Australia and New Zealand, show 16 or 17 December, so check your local chain.
The December slot also puts Doomsday in cinemas on the same weekend as Dune: Part Three.
What is Avengers: Doomsday about?
Marvel has kept the story tightly guarded. What the studio has said is that heroes from three separate universes are pushed onto a collision course and face a threat bigger than anything they have met before. Those three groups are the main MCU’s heroes (the Avengers, the Wakandans and the New Avengers from Thunderbolts*), the Fantastic Four from their own retro-future Earth, and the original X-Men from the Fox films.
The threat is Doctor Doom. How he connects to Tony Stark, whose actor now plays him, has not been explained, and Marvel has not confirmed what Doom actually wants. Anything more specific than that is still speculation.
Avengers: Doomsday cast
Marvel’s official cast list runs to 30 names. Here is who is playing whom.
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Robert Downey Jr. | Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom |
| Chris Evans | Steve Rogers |
| Chris Hemsworth | Thor |
| Anthony Mackie | Sam Wilson / Captain America |
| Sebastian Stan | Bucky Barnes |
| Paul Rudd | Scott Lang / Ant-Man |
| Kathryn Newton | Cassie Lang |
| Tom Hiddleston | Loki |
| Simu Liu | Shang-Chi |
| Danny Ramirez | Joaquin Torres / Falcon |
| Pedro Pascal | Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic |
| Vanessa Kirby | Sue Storm / Invisible Woman |
| Joseph Quinn | Johnny Storm / Human Torch |
| Ebon Moss-Bachrach | Ben Grimm / The Thing |
| Florence Pugh | Yelena Belova |
| David Harbour | Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian |
| Wyatt Russell | John Walker / U.S. Agent |
| Hannah John-Kamen | Ava Starr / Ghost |
| Lewis Pullman | Bob Reynolds / Sentry |
| Letitia Wright | Shuri / Black Panther |
| Winston Duke | M’Baku |
| Tenoch Huerta Mejía | Namor |
| Mabel Cadena | Namora |
| Patrick Stewart | Charles Xavier / Professor X |
| Ian McKellen | Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto |
| James Marsden | Scott Summers / Cyclops |
| Kelsey Grammer | Hank McCoy / Beast |
| Rebecca Romijn | Mystique |
| Alan Cumming | Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler |
| Channing Tatum | Remy LeBeau / Gambit |
Hayley Atwell is also reported to return as Peggy Carter, and The Hollywood Reporter has reported that Sandra Hüller has joined the film in an undisclosed role. Neither is on the official list. For where each character was last seen, read the full cast guide.
Scarlet Witch: the VisionQuest finale on 10 November 2026 ended with Doctor Doom waking Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen. She is not on the official list either, but the scene sets up her return. See Is Scarlet Witch in Avengers: Doomsday?
Trailers and footage so far
- December 2025 and January 2026: four short teasers, released one at a time. They showed Steve Rogers’ return, Thor, the original X-Men, and the Wakandans meeting the Fantastic Four.
- July 2026: the first full trailer, which set up the clash between heroes from different universes and presented Doom as the central threat.
- August 2026: a “Special Look” shown at D23, with more of Doom himself but nothing about his goal.
A further trailer before release has been rumoured for weeks. Marvel has not announced one.
How Doomsday leads into Secret Wars
Doomsday is the first half of a two-film story that ends with Avengers: Secret Wars on 17 December 2027. Doom is the villain of both. The Russos have said the pair draw on both of Marvel’s Secret Wars comic events, and Kevin Feige has described Secret Wars as a reset for the MCU and not a full reboot. How Doomsday ends, and what it leaves for the sequel, is not known.
Avengers: Doomsday FAQs
When is the Avengers: Doomsday release date?
18 December 2026 in the United States. A few countries open one or two days earlier.
Who is the villain in Avengers: Doomsday?
Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr. He is also the villain of the sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars.
Is Robert Downey Jr. playing Iron Man in Avengers: Doomsday?
No. He plays Victor von Doom. Marvel has not explained whether Doom has any link to Tony Stark.
How long is Avengers: Doomsday?
Cinema listings give 165 minutes, which is 2 hours 45 minutes. That is longer than Infinity War (149 minutes) and shorter than Endgame (181 minutes).
Is Avengers: Doomsday the last Avengers film?
No. Avengers: Secret Wars follows on 17 December 2027 and closes the Multiverse Saga.
Who is in the Avengers: Doomsday cast?
Thirty actors are on Marvel’s official list, led by Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth and Pedro Pascal. See our full Avengers: Doomsday cast guide for every character.
More on Avengers: Doomsday
- Avengers: Endgame Encore: the four new scenes that set up Doomsday
- Doomsday vs Kang Dynasty: how Doctor Doom rewrites the MCU’s multiverse
- Avengers: Doomsday release date, Doom’s plan and who is in the film
Sources: Disney, Marvel.com, Variety.