Highlights
- Marvel Studios has released the first trailer for Avengers: Doomsday.
- Robert Downey Jr. makes his first extended appearance as Doctor Doom.
- The preview brings together heroes from the MCU, X-Men and Fantastic Four universes, while saving one major surprise until the end.
Marvel Studios has finally released the first trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, offering fans a glimpse of the next chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While Robert Downey Jr.'s transformation into Doctor Doom dominates the footage, the trailer builds towards a surprise that is already generating widespread discussion among fans.
The film marks Marvel's first Avengers release since Avengers: Endgame in 2019 and promises the studio's most ambitious crossover to date.
Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom takes centre stage
The trailer opens with Doctor Doom preparing to launch an assault across the multiverse, giving audiences their first extended look at Robert Downey Jr. in the iconic villain's armour.
The actor had previously appeared only briefly in the post-credit scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, where his face remained hidden.
Patrick Stewart also returns as Professor Xavier, warning of an approaching threat.
"Something's coming, something we may not be able to deter. Before this day is done, we will be faced with an unthinkable decision."
The footage then expands into a multiverse conflict, bringing together heroes from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the X-Men films and the Fantastic Four franchise.
Familiar heroes unite as worlds collide
Among the trailer's action sequences are Shang-Chi facing Gambit, Mystique disguising herself as Yelena Belova before confronting her, Wakanda's forces battling Namor's Talokan army, and the Fantastic Four crossing paths with the Thunderbolts for the first time.
Tom Hiddleston also makes a brief appearance as Loki in his TVA uniform, hinting at the wider multiverse storyline.
One final surprise changes everything
Although Doctor Doom is positioned as the film's central threat, Marvel keeps one of the trailer's biggest reveals until its closing moments.
Chris Hemsworth's Thor tells the assembled heroes they will need "a miracle" before the footage delivers a long-awaited return that has been absent from the franchise since Avengers: Endgame. The sequence reaches its peak with a moment that many Marvel fans have anticipated for years.
The trailer closes with Thor confronting Doctor Doom directly, only to discover the scale of the villain's power.
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo from a screenplay by Michael Waldron and Stephen McFeely, Avengers: Doomsday features one of Marvel's largest ensembles.
The cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie, Tom Hiddleston, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, Simu Liu, Florence Pugh, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, Alan Cumming and Channing Tatum, among others.
Spider-Man and Wolverine do not feature in the trailer, despite widespread expectations that both characters will appear in the film.
Avengers: Doomsday arrives in cinemas on 18 December, with its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, scheduled for release on 17 December 2027.
