When does Avengers: Doomsday come out, and who is in it?
Avengers: Doomsday opens in US theaters on December 18, 2026, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. Robert Downey Jr. plays Doctor Doom. The cast pulls in the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the Thunderbolts team and the original X-Men actors. Two trailers are out, the runtime is reported at 165 minutes, and Avengers: Secret Wars follows in December 2027.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail | Status |
|---|---|---|
| US release date | December 18, 2026 | Confirmed (Marvel Studios) |
| Directors | Anthony and Joe Russo | Confirmed |
| Doctor Doom | Robert Downey Jr. | Confirmed |
| Trailers | Hall H (SDCC, July 2026) and D23 (August 14, 2026) | Confirmed |
| Runtime | About 165 minutes | Reported (The Hollywood Reporter, via ticket plans) |
| Premium tickets | Infinity Vision screens, on sale since July 20 | Reported (The Hollywood Reporter) |
| Next film | Avengers: Secret Wars, December 17, 2027 | Confirmed |
| Scarlet Witch | Not confirmed for the film | Rumored |
When is the release date, and are tickets on sale?
December 18, 2026. It opens against Dune: Part Three, which has locked up IMAX screens for three weeks, so Disney is leaning on its own premium format, Infinity Vision. Tickets for those screens went on sale July 20, per The Hollywood Reporter. That’s about five months early, which is unusual even for Marvel. Standard showtimes will come later.
What’s in the Avengers: Doomsday trailers?
There are two, but they overlap. Marvel showed the first at San Diego Comic-Con’s Hall H in July and released it online soon after. A second version played at D23 on August 14, introduced by Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell and Kevin Feige. Variety says the D23 clip largely mirrors the Hall H one, so treat it as the same footage in a bigger spotlight.
The footage is built around Doom. Sue Storm warns a room of heroes about him, Reed Richards faces him in the wreckage, and Thor fails to break his armor. The official logline says heroes from three universes are on a collision course with a threat none of them has met.
Who is in the Avengers: Doomsday cast?
These names appear on Marvel’s own cast page or in the studio’s cast announcements.
| Group | Actors (characters) |
|---|---|
| The villain | Robert Downey Jr. (Doctor Doom) |
| Avengers and MCU | Chris Evans (Steve Rogers), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson), Paul Rudd (Scott Lang), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Danny Ramirez (Joaquín Torres), Kathryn Newton (Cassie Lang), Letitia Wright (Shuri), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Winston Duke (M’Baku), Tenoch Huerta Mejía (Namor) |
| Thunderbolts / New Avengers | Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes), Wyatt Russell (John Walker), David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Lewis Pullman (Sentry) |
| Fantastic Four | Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm) |
| X-Men | Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Kelsey Grammer (Beast), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler), Channing Tatum (Gambit) |
Marvel’s page also lists Mabel Cadena. Hayley Atwell was on the D23 stage. Marvel has said more casting could be announced.
Rumored: Elizabeth Olsen has previously denied that Scarlet Witch appears in the film (TechRadar). That’s the last word we can source, so don’t read anything into it either way.
Is Doctor Doom the villain, and who is he in the comics?
Yes, Downey Jr. plays Victor von Doom. He isn’t playing Tony Stark. Doom is the ruler of Latveria, a scientist and a sorcerer, and he first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 (1962) by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The comics have given him several versions, from armored dictator to God Emperor Doom in Jonathan Hickman’s Secret Wars (2015). Marvel hasn’t said which version the film uses.
Go deeper: Doctor Doom complete guide, most powerful Doom versions, ranked, Doom vs Sentry and RDJ’s Doctor Doom first look.
The X-Men side of the story is covered in X-Men and Doomsday’s villains.
What does Doomsday mean for Secret Wars?
Speculation: Doomsday is the setup film, and Secret Wars is where the Multiverse Saga ends. The comic Secret Wars stories are the likeliest source material, but Marvel hasn’t said how closely it will follow them. For what we expect the reset to look like, see MCU Secret Wars reset characters and MCU multiverse rules explained.
How long is Avengers: Doomsday?
About 165 minutes (2 hours 45) according to The Hollywood Reporter’s account of Disney’s ticket plans. That would make it longer than Infinity War (149) and shorter than Endgame (181). One outlet quotes Anthony Russo at roughly 150 minutes, so the number may still move. Reported, not confirmed.
Avengers: Doomsday FAQ
Is Avengers: Doomsday out yet? No. It opens December 18, 2026.
Is Robert Downey Jr. playing Iron Man? No. He plays Doctor Doom.
Are the X-Men in the movie? Yes. Marvel’s announced cast includes Stewart, McKellen, Marsden, Grammer, Romijn, Cumming and Tatum.
Do I need to watch anything first? Nothing is mandatory, but Thunderbolts, The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Endgame are the closest setup. See what to watch before Doomsday for the full list.
Is there a post-credits scene? Unknown. We’ll cover it on release day.
Updated October 23, 2026