Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
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Doctor Doom threatens the multiverse as the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men collide. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for December 18, 2026, as part of Phase Six. Below is what we know so far and what to watch before it.
| Directed by | Anthony and Joe Russo |
|---|---|
| Starring | Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh, Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans |
| Expected | December 18, 2026 |
| Runtime | 2h 45m |
| Phase | Phase Six |
| Saga | Multiverse Saga |
| Timeline setting | To be confirmed |
| Part of | Avengers movies in order, X-Men movies in order, Fantastic Four movies in order |
| Post-credit scene | Not known yet |
Why it matters in the MCU
The Multiverse Saga’s climax, part one: Doctor Doom arrives.
About Avengers: Doomsday
Avengers: Doomsday is the fifth Avengers film and the 39th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As the multiverse starts to collapse, heroes from three universes have to work together: the Avengers and Wakandans from the main MCU timeline, the Fantastic Four from the world of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and the original X-Men from yet another universe. Their enemy is Victor von Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr., who returns to Marvel in a completely new role.
Anthony and Joe Russo, who made Infinity War and Endgame, direct from a script by Michael Waldron and Stephen McFeely. The returning cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh, Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby, along with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen from Fox's X-Men films. Filming ran from April to September 2025 at Pinewood Studios in England. As of October 2026, the film is set for release on December 18, 2026, as part of Phase Six. It's the first Avengers film since Endgame in 2019.
Good to know
- The project began as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, with Jonathan Majors as Kang, before Marvel reworked it and announced the new title at Comic-Con in July 2024.
- Robert Downey Jr., who played Tony Stark for over a decade, was cast as Doctor Doom.
- The release moved from May 2025 to May 2026 and then to December 18, 2026.
- Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen return as Professor X and Magneto.
- Its direct sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, is scheduled for December 17, 2027.
How to watch it
At minimum, catch up on Avengers: Endgame, The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Thunderbolts* before this one, since the film brings those groups together. Loki and Deadpool & Wolverine help explain the multiverse side of things, and Fox's original X-Men films are worth a revisit for Stewart and McKellen. Plan on Avengers: Secret Wars as the second half of the story. This is for viewers who have kept up with the Multiverse Saga.
Where it fits in your watch
- Chronological order
- Release order
- Movies-only order
- Full Doomsday cast, character by character
- Doomsday prep guide: what to watch first
- Avengers order
- Doctor Doom order
Avengers: Doomsday FAQ
Who plays Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday?
Robert Downey Jr. plays Victor von Doom. His casting was announced at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024, alongside the Russo brothers' return as directors.
Why was The Kang Dynasty renamed Avengers: Doomsday?
Director Destin Daniel Cretton left in November 2023, and Marvel fired Jonathan Majors, who played Kang, the following month. Marvel then reworked the project around Doctor Doom and retitled it.
Are the X-Men in Avengers: Doomsday?
Yes. The original X-Men from another universe are part of the story, with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen among the confirmed cast.
Can you skip Avengers: Doomsday?
It isn’t out yet. We grade titles once they’re released.
When does Avengers: Doomsday come out?
Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for December 18, 2026.
Does Avengers: Doomsday have a post-credit scene?
We won’t know until it’s out; we’ll update this page after release.
What to watch before Avengers: Doomsday
These earlier titles set up the characters and events Avengers: Doomsday builds on, in release order:
- Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Season 1 (2021)
- Thunderbolts* (2025)
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)
Where to watch Avengers: Doomsday
Avengers: Doomsday hasn’t been released yet. Marvel Studios films usually arrive on Disney+ a few months after their theatrical run.
All streaming options for Marvel movies and shows, by service and country.
