Avengers: Doomsday (formerly known as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty), is racing towards us at lightning speed. Originally, Avengers 5 was set to revolve around Kang the Conqueror, but Marvel dropped Jonathan Majors in 2023. Now, Doctor Doom is taking over the reins as the new big bad of the MCU, and we couldn't be more excited!
The upcoming Marvel movie will change the multiverse up for sure as it's the first Avengers movie planned, with Avengers: Secret Wars set to follow in its footsteps. That means that the Marvel team have a story carefully planned out for us all as we enter Marvel Phase 6 later this year with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. It's an exciting time, made even more thrilling by the news that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU – but as Doctor Doom, not Iron Man. We've also got some insights from comic story lines to guess the flick's potentail plot, and trust us, it's a wild time.
So, if want to be fully caught up with all the latest news and details regarding the future of the Marvel timeline, then you've come to the right place. Below you'll find all the information about the Avengers: Doomsday release date, cast, plot, and more. So stick around for everything that you need to know about the long overdue Avengers 5!
Avengers 5 release date
Currently, Avengers 5 (aka Doomsday) has a release date of December 18, 2026.
This is the second delay the film has faced, as it was recently scheduled to release on May 1, 2026. However, according to Deadline, the team has chosen to push back the flick due to the "gargantuan vision" of the production. There has been no explanation on how "big" we are actually talking about here (is it story-based, special effects-related, or something else). But now our expectations are sky high for this flick.
Filming has now started, as announced by the Russo Brothers with a first set picture. "Day one…" the co-directors wrote on Instagram on April 28, alongside a photo of a chair with "Victor Von Doom" printed on it. So hopefully we won't see any more delays. Initially, Kevin Feige confirmed that it would be released in 2025, with Secret Wars to follow in 2026 during Marvel's 2022 San Diego Comic-Con panel. Now, Secret Wars is due on December 17, 2027.
It's been a long wait between Avengers: Endgame and Avengers 5 for sure. But that is partly due to Marvel's focus on Disney Plus content over the last few years. Now that the Avengers are a focus once again, hopefully, we don't see any more changes to Marvel's Phase 6 line-up.
Avengers 5 cast
Thanks to a surprise casting reveal during SDCC 2024, we know that Robert Downey Jr. is coming back to the MCU as Doctor Doom. This is obviously a big shock and has tons of timeline implications, as Downey Jr. famously played Iron Man until the character's death in Avengers Endgame (aka one of the best Marvel movies of all time).
But continuity questions aside, for now, we also know a decent chunk of stars who will be popping up with the ex-Tony Stark. It was also revealed during the event that the casts of Fantastic Four (Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and the Thunderbolts* (Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, and more) would be part of Avengers 5.
More of the heroic cast of Avengers Doomsday was revealed during a surprise livestream from Marvel Studios on March 26, 2025. You can read the current confirmed cast list below:
- Chris Hemsworth as Thor
- Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm
- Anthony Mackie as Captain America
- Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes
- Letitia Wright as Black Panther
- Paul Rudd as Ant-Man
- Wyatt Russell as US Agent
- Tenoch Huerta Mejia as Namor
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Thing
- Simu Liu as Shang-Chi
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
- Kelsey Grammer as Beast
- Lewis Pullman as Sentry
- Danny Ramirez as Falcon
- Joseph Quinn as Human Torch
- David Harbour as Red Guardian
- Winston Duke as M’Baku
- Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost
- Tom Hiddleston as Loki
- Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier
- Ian McKellen as Magneto
- Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler
- Rebecca Romijn as Mystique
- James Marsden as Cyclops
- Channing Tatum as Gambit
- Pedro Pascal as Mister Fantastic
We expect more names to be added to this massive list as well. Thanks to the comics, we know that more people are involved in the Doomsday plot, such as She-Hulk. So stay tuned for more updates.
Benedict Cumberbatch may also be a surprise addition to look out for. The star has said he wouldn't be in the movie, then later said he would be. Expect the unexpected at all times.
Avengers 5 plot
Plot details for Avengers: Doomsday are currently in flux. As we mentioned above, Robert Downey Jr’s casting as Doctor Doom means some multiverse antics need to be explained. So, we will likely see the TVA from Loki fame make an appearance at some point.
However, the film that sounds like it will give us the most clues about the Avengers 5 plot is The Fantastic Four. As many comic book fans know, Doctor Doom made his first appearance in the Fantastic Four comics back in the '60s. Since then, he has been their greatest foe, so it makes sense that he'll be introduced as the MCU's next greatest threat during the Marvel Phase 6 movie. The Thunderbolts* post-credits scene also sets up the Fantastic Four's entrance to the MCU, too.
We also know that Avengers 5 will likely have to address the Kang plotline that Marvel has seemingly chosen to abandon for now. Throughout Marvel Phase 4 and Marvel Phase 5, Kang was set up as the next Thanos figure in the MCU. He made an appearance in Ant-Man: Quantumania and has been a steady presence in the Disney Plus series Loki. So yeah, Marvel Studios needs to clear up that massive character drop before they leave Kang in the Void for good.
We'll keep you updated as more plot details come our way. For now, you can also check out our guide on how to watch all the Marvel movies in order.
Avengers 5 director and writer
SDCC 2024 announced that the Russo brothers will be directing both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. The two are Marvel legends, since they helmed Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, so it's welcomed news to see their return.
"Joe and I truly believed Endgame was the end of the road for us," Anthony Russo said during the event. "In the time since, through a special story, we have come to potentially see a road to take with you all."
Initially, Shang-Chi mastermind Deston Daniel Crettin was down to direct the next Avengers movie. However, in November 2023, it was confirmed that he was stepping down to focus on other Marvel projects, including Wonder Man.
In November 2022, it was confirmed that Michael Waldron will be penning the script, taking over from Jeff Loveness. Waldron, known for his work on Loki and Doctor Strange 2, was already down to write Avengers: Secret Wars.
Is there a Avengers 5 trailer?
Currently, there are no trailers for Avengers: Doomsday. However, we did get a lengthy cast announcement video showing chairs with stars' names on them...so at least that is something. If you are keen to check out that reveal clip, we have it for you above.
In terms of actual teasers, the reality is that we'll be waiting for quite some time before any head our way. While some early filming started in April 2025, it's still a long way off from wrapping. That means that we won't see any teasers until 2026 at the very earliest. We'll keep you posted as we wait for more production news. But at least for no,w we have some chairs to keep us entertained...right?
And that's everything we know about Avengers 5. For much more action check out our guides to all the upcoming superhero movies and all the upcoming movies heading our way this year.
