Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday has a secret purpose that exposes the MCU’s true state. In six months, Kevin Feige’s next crossover blockbuster will finally release — more than seven years since Avengers: Endgame broke records and wrapped up the Infinity Saga. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo with the script written by Stephen McFeely and Michael Waldron, Avengers: Doomsday is exciting on many levels. Aside from the return of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers and the debut of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, it will also mark the first time that legacy Fox X-Men characters will finally share the screen with the Avengers.
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In terms of narrative, specific plot details are still scant about the film. However, unlike Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, which culminated years of build-up of the Infinity Saga, Avengers: Doomsday is being presented as some kind of reset for the MCU. What that looks in practice is currently uncertain, but Robert Downey Jr. offered a clear mandate for the movie outside of how it is going to impact the history of the franchise on the screeen moving forward, telling the attendees at SXSW London that they are “going to try and earn your trust and respect all over again.”
The Russos marked Avengers: Doomsday to be Phase Zero, as it doesn’t build on anything that came before it. Looking at how the Multiverse Saga has played out, this decision makes sense, as there hasn’t been a clear throughline in its story, unlike in the Infinity Saga. Downey Jr.’s comment, however, highlights how much social capital the MCU has lost in the last five years. Towards the end of the 2010s, it was the gold standard in Hollywood; other studios attempted to replicate its business and creative formula, seeing how successful it was. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case.
Can Avengers: Doomsday Really Fix The MCU
To say that there’s a lot going on for it would be an understatement, but the truth of the matter is that public perception of the film wasn’t always positive. Bringing back key creative talents from the Infinity Saga was initially met with skepticicm, with some viewing it as a desperate move to draw people back in. To be frank, there is merit to that. Marvel Studios failed to establish a post-Avengers: Endgame world, and while there are great projects from this era, it comes short in delivering the same overall storytelling quality that the first 11 years of the MCU did.
Ever since the release of the Avengers: Doomsday trailer at CinemaCon 2026, however, the perception has started to turn for the better, with the hype growing for the movie as Disney’s marketing machine ramps up its activity. Desperate as the move may be, it’s difficult to argue its effectiveness. Aside from the glowing comments from the rest of its cast, Downey Jr. and the Russos have been at the forefront of marketing the film; even Evans showed up at CinemaCon to premiere the trailer.
Obviously, the biggest determining factor to how effective Avengers: Doomsday is in terms of course-correcting the MCU is the film itself. All of its marketing would amount to nothing if it ends up being a mess. If anything, it might even mark the death of the franchise. For now, however, it’s clear that Marvel Studios’ current scheme is working.
What’s Next For The MCU After The Multiverse Saga (How Avengers: Doomsday Sets It Up)
Not much is known yet about what comes after the Multiverse Saga. Marvel Studios is following Avengers: Doomsday with Avengers: Secret Wars, which raises the possibility that Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom’s story may not end there. Feige did say that they already have plans for the next three phases of the MCU, but they have yet to share substantial information about them. From previous announcements and the state of the franchise, however, there are expectations about the eventual debut of Marvel Studios’ new X-Men.
Assuming that Avengers: Doomsday ends up being a triumph, and Avengers: Secret Wars also meets expectations, it would guarantee at least another saga for the franchise. It would off the major gamble by relying on its most trusted creative collaborators to end the Multiverse Saga. That said, it’s important to note that this is something that they can only do once, otherwise, it would cheapen Infinity Saga and the MCU’s overall legacy. It’s important that after Avengers: Secret Wars, Marvel Studios start seriously building up a new generation of characters that could carry the universe forward.
Avengers: Doomsday will hit cinemas on December 18, 2026.
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