Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters on December 18, 2026. Robert Downey Jr. is back in the MCU, but not as Tony Stark. He plays Victor von Doom, the armored ruler of Latveria and the most dangerous genius in Marvel history.
This page is your Doomsday HQ. Everything you need before December 18 lives here, and we update it as news drops.
Avengers: Doomsday at a Glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release date | December 18, 2026 (US) |
| Directors | Anthony and Joe Russo |
| Writers | Michael Waldron, Stephen McFeely, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers |
| Villain | Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom |
| MCU slot | Phase Six, The Multiverse Saga |
| Next film | Avengers: Secret Wars (December 17, 2027) |
| Filmed | April to September 2025, England and Bahrain |
Who Is in Avengers: Doomsday?
The cast is huge, with 45+ names announced. The headliners:
- Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom
- Chris Evans as Steve Rogers
- Chris Hemsworth as Thor
- Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, the new Captain America
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
- Paul Rudd as Ant-Man
- Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby as Reed Richards and Sue Storm of the Fantastic Four
- Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen as Professor X and Magneto
That last pair is the big one. The Fantastic Four and the X-Men share a screen with the Avengers, and Doom is the reason they collide.
Why Doctor Doom Is the Perfect Villain
Thanos wanted to balance the universe. Doom wants to rule it, and he is convinced he would do a better job than anyone alive. He is a scientist, a sorcerer and a king, and in the comics he is the Fantastic Four's oldest enemy.
New to Doom? Start with our deep dive: The Comic Origin of Doctor Doom.
The Comics Behind Doomsday
Marvel has pointed to three comic stories:
- Secret Wars (1984-85). A cosmic being called the Beyonder drops heroes and villains on a patchwork planet and tells them to fight. Doom steals the Beyonder's power. Read it: Marvel Super Heroes: Secret Wars.
- Time Runs Out (2015). Universes crash into each other and Earth's heroes run out of options. Read it: Avengers: Time Runs Out.
- Secret Wars (2015-16). Jonathan Hickman's finale. Every universe dies, and Doom builds a new world from the wreckage and rules it as God Emperor. Read it: Secret Wars by Jonathan Hickman.
The full story of that 1984 event is here: The Comic Origin of Avengers: Secret Wars.
Doom Already Crashed Secret Wars Once, in 1997
Before the MCU, Saturday-morning TV did it first. Spider-Man: The Animated Series ran its own three-part Secret Wars in Season 5. The Beyonder pulls Spider-Man to a distant world alongside Captain America, Iron Man, Storm and the Fantastic Four, and makes him lead them.
The finale, "Secret Wars, Chapter III: Doom" (first aired November 21, 1997), is pure Doom. He poses as the builder of a perfect world, then takes the Beyonder's power for himself, the same move he makes in the comics and very likely the move he makes on December 18.
The whole series streams on Disney+. Watch the three Secret Wars chapters before the movie. They are about an hour total, and they show why Doom works best when he wins for a little while.
Your Doomsday Prep Plan
- Short on time? Read the Doctor Doom origin, then watch the three Secret Wars cartoon episodes.
- Want the movies? Our Avengers: Doomsday watch guide ranks what to rewatch first.
- Want the comics? Start with Doctor Doom Epic Collection, then Hickman's Secret Wars.
FAQ
When does Avengers: Doomsday come out?
December 18, 2026, in theaters.
Who plays Doctor Doom?
Robert Downey Jr., who played Tony Stark / Iron Man from 2008 to 2019.
Is Avengers: Doomsday based on a comic?
It draws on Secret Wars (1984-85), Time Runs Out (2015) and Secret Wars (2015-16).
What comes after Avengers: Doomsday?
Avengers: Secret Wars, dated December 17, 2027.
Do I need to watch everything before Doomsday?
No. Our watch guide cuts it down to the essentials.
Want the basics of Marvel comics first? Marvel: Start Here · Your First 10 Comics
Marvel Super Heroes: Secret Wars
Avengers: Time Runs Out (Marvel Premier Collection)