'AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY' Trailer: Robert Downey Jr to Return to the MCU as Dr Doom

Following the success of Spider-Man: Brand New Day at the box office, Marvel Studios has just released its new Avengers: Doomsday trailer, sharing the special new look at the annual D23 conference. With only four months left until Doomsday’s December release, expectations are high. Seven years after Avengers: Endgame, MCU fans across the world are excited for another Avengers movie entering cinemas, especially after casting former Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr as the next big villain, Dr Victor Von Doom. 

Last updated: 24 August, 2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1aFkAkFASk

Everything the Avengers: Doomsday trailer reveals

The opening sequence introduces Victor Von Doom as a man whose tragic background led to him becoming Dr Doom, one of the most powerful villains in the MCU. Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm (“Invisible Woman”) begins by describing him as kind and caring before “everything he loved was taken away from him”. 

Doom’s own words to the heroes, “all of you have lived stolen lives”, adds to his setup as a grieving character trying to avenge his losses. Unlike Thanos in Infinity War and Endgame, who desired depopulation on a supernatural level, Doom’s personal stakes drive his dark character arc. He is hell-bent (quite literally) on revenge, deeming it unfair for so many to live happy lives when he had lost so much. 

The trailer reveals countless crossovers from across the MCU, including old and new Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Wakandans, and more. Great excitement followed the official announcement that Chris Evans’s Steve Rogers will return as Captain America, as seen in a teaser where Rogers takes Thor by surprise. There is a strong chance that Peggy Carter may also return alongside Steve Rogers, after actress Hayley Atwell appeared on stage beside Chris Evans at D23.

There is a heavy focus on Thor (Chris Hemsworth) in both Avengers: Doomsday trailers. The first trailer shows him giving the heroes a motivational speech, admitting that what they are facing has never been seen before. His individual fight scene with Doom shows that this new villain is far more powerful than any before, easily disabling Thor’s electrified attack with just two fingers. The focus on Thor and Doom could be a major plot note, as well as a sentimental nod to the special bond that Thor and Tony Stark shared in previous films. 

The full cast list for Avengers: Doomsday is extensive, featuring over forty actors from iconic Marvel projects. It is highly likely that Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds will also feature as Wolverine and Deadpool following their surprise feature at D23. Tom Hiddleston has also been confirmed to return as Thor’s brother Loki, whose ambiguous anti-hero roles keep him a fan favourite.

Chris Hemsworth will return as Thor in Avengers: Doomsday. Image: Marvel Studios.

Is Tobey Maguire in Avengers: Doomsday?

Strong online rumours speculate a cameo from Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man, particularly after multiple leaks circulated online. This fits cleanly with the multiverse collisions seen in the trailers and the ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home, which Marvel acknowledged plays a major role in Doomsday. 

Following his major success this year already with The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it is unlikely—though not impossible—that Tom Holland’s Peter Parker will actively feature in Doomsday. In addition to Holland’s busy 2026 schedule, some rumours suggest Brand New Day occurs concurrently with Doomsday, which also explains Mark Ruffalo’s absence as Hulk. However, the post-credits scene in Brand New Day hints at a future Tom Holland inclusion in Avengers: Secret Wars (2027). 

Confirmed Villains in Avengers: Doomsday

• Robert Downey Jr: Victor Von Doom (Dr Doom)

Confirmed Avengers & Allies in Avengers: Doomsday

• Chris Hemsworth: Thor

• Tom Hiddleston: Loki

• Chris Evans: Steve Rogers (Captain America)

• Anthony Mackie: Sam Wilson (Captain America)

• Paul Rudd: Scott Lang (Ant-Man)

• Simu Liu: Shang-Chi

• Letitia Wright: Shuri (Black Panther)

• Danny Ramirez: Joaquin Torres (Falcon)

Confirmed: Fantastic Four in Avengers: Doomsday

• Pedro Pascal: Reed Richards (Mr Fantastic)

• Vanessa Kirby: Sue Storm (Invisible Woman)

• Joseph Quinn: Johnny Storm (Human Torch)

• Ebon Moss-Bachrach: Ben Grimm (The Thing)

Confirmed: Thunderbolts/New Avengers in Avengers: Doomsday

• Florence Pugh: Yelena Belova (Black Widow)

• Sebastian Stan: Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier)

• Wyatt Russell: John Walker (US Agent)

• David Harbour: Red Guardian

• Hannah John-Kamen: Ghost

• Lewis Pullman: Sentry

Further confirmed X-Men in Avengers: Doomsday

• Patrick Stewart: Professor Charles Xavier

• Ian McKellen: Magneto

• James Marsden: Cyclops

• Kelsey Grammer: Dr. Hank McCoy (Beast)

• Alan Cumming: Nightcrawler

• Rebecca Romijn: Mystique

• Channing Tatum: Gambit

Unconfirmed characters in Avengers: Doomsday

• Tobey Maguire: Peter Parker (Spider-Man)

• Hayley Atwell: Peggy Carter

• Benedict Cumberbatch: Steven Strange (Dr Strange)

• Hugh Jackman: James Howlett/Logan (Wolverine)

• Ryan Reynolds: Wade Winston Wilson (Deadpool)

Avengers: Doomsday is the MCU's biggest crossover event to date. Image: Marvel Studios.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is currently one of the top performing movies in 2026, pulling in over $2 billion at the global box office in less than a month. However, Avengers: Doomsday could overtake that trajectory, as presales are already 65% higher than those for Brand New Day. Doomsday may very well smash Marvel’s $2.8 billion box office record—a title currently held by Endgame, which also holds the spot as one of the top three highest-grossing films in history.

Avengers: Doomsday will release on 18 December, 2026.

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About the Author

Christopher J. Watt is an author, film critic, and cultural essayist. His writing explores the intersections of narrative architecture, cinematic scale, and moral philosophy. Read more of his work at ChristopherJWattAuthor.com.