Well, it’s finally here! After months of tantalizing teasers and word of mouth on the elusive full-length trailer shown at Cinemacon in April, said trailer for Avengers: Doomsday has finally been released to the masses, and oh boy is there a lot to unpack.
Based on the acclaimed “Time Runs Out” storyline and Secret Wars by Jonathan Hickman, the central villain, as the film’s title suggests, is one of the most famous in comic book history, Doctor Doom. He is to be played by none other than former Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr., whose shock casting in the role was revealed in dramatic fashion at San Diego Comic-Con in 2024.
As such, fans have been salivating for a first look at Downey Jr.’s Victor von Doom, and not only does the trailer deliver on this front – however fleeting and obscured he may be at times – but we are immediately treated to a voiceover showcasing his Eastern-European accent (which is comic-accurate, given that he is from the fictional country of Latveria), where he ominously warns: “Something’s coming. Something we may not be able to deter. Before this day is done, we shall be faced by an unthinkable decision.”
Here, Doom is surely referring to the reality-destroying “incursions” that have been established in the MCU’s post-Endgame multiversal story saga, wherein the boundaries of two universes collide, leading to the destruction of one, or even both. As much is clear in the opening images that accompany Doom’s words, which shows a derelict X-Mansion, while Professor Xavier peers out a window at a calamitous golden light that is likely the incoming incursion of his reality.
Thus, Doom, much like Thanos before him, will have a self-professed higher purpose, though this time around he may have more of a point than the Mad Titan, given that he is likely seeking to prevent the disaster of incursion, but at a cost that the Avengers are unwilling to accept. Yet, Doom appears to be an even greater threat than Thanos, as even the generally unshakeable Thor (Chris Hemsworth) concedes that he has faced “threats that scared me far less than this one,” and that they are “going to need a miracle,” before revealing Steve Rogers at the very end of the trailer, who proves it is indeed him by summoning Mjolnir. Thor is clearly not exaggerating though, as at one point in the trailer he fights Doom alone, who is able to stop the thunderous might of Stormbreaker with a single raised hand. A weapon, remember, that even Thanos struggled against.
While various plot elements are still unclear, circumstances see the Avengers doing battle with the classic X-Men such as Cyclops (played by original actor James Marsden, in the classic outfit that is a live action dream come true), Mystique (Rebecca Romijn), and even Channing Tatum’s Gambit, who faces off with Shang-Chi, played by Canada’s own Simu Liu in his first appearance as the character since his standalone film five years ago. Perhaps these X-Men are fighting for the existence of their own world given the incursion that is seemingly imminent, but why they would be at odds with the Avengers has yet to be revealed.
Outside of these scenes, we also get a look at the Fantastic Four, who are likely from the same reality as Doctor Doom, amongst established heroes such as Captain America (Anthony Mackey), Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), the New Avengers, M’Baku (Winston Duke) and the Black Panther Shuri (Letitia Wright), and a seemingly cantankerous Namor (Tenoch Huerta). Even the TVA’s Loki is shown in the trailer, looking more than a little concerned about current the state of affairs.
How all these pieces truly fit together will remain a mystery until Avengers Doomsday releases on December 18th, and we have yet to see the likes of Sentry (Lewis Pullman), Beast (Kelsey Grammer), Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming), and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), while reports suggest that Jeremey Renner’s Hawkeye will appear. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, who has Brand New Day releasing at the end of this month, has yet to be confirmed, though it’s difficult to imagine that one of the most significant and recognizable superheroes won’t be appearing in Doomsday, which is on track to be one of the most expensive films ever made.