Disney and Marvel Studios’ marketing scheme for Avengers: Doomsday has been divisive at best and frustrating at worst, but it isn’t entirely their fault. The success of the Infinity Saga can be chalked up to a clear vision from Kevin Feige and an almost seamless execution. While that period was far from being perfect, Marvel Studios’ ability to pivot and even do retcons to benefit their storytelling was impressive. That said, it would be unfair not to recognize how effectively its marketing plans were for every release. Disney utilized every single avenue to spread the word about its projects, so even those who weren’t knee-deep in the franchise were enticed to check them out.
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Some of the most notable marketing ploys in the MCU thus far include leaning on the conflict between Iron Man and Captain America and Captain America: Civil War, as well as the surprise event in 2014, where Feige hosted a surprise standalone event at Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre to lay out the rest of MCU Phase 3. Those are on top of the traditional junkets and activities that involve talents. Given its track record, it’s curious why the promotional plan for Avengers: Doomsday has regularly been disappointing. From the gradual pace of the cast reveal via the five-hour chair video to the recent trailer false alarm at SXSW London, nothing has been a runaway hit when it comes to effectively promoting the movie, which is set to hit theaters in about six months.
Admittedly, the chair video was a creative way to draw attention to the project. Beyond being the announcement, it was also a great way to gauge people’s investment in the MCU, especially after the divisiveness of the post-Avengers: Endgame era. The scheme required patience from fans, so the succeeding stunts from Disney and Marvel Studios that have continued to ask for more have been risky. Up until now, there’s barely any payoff to the teases, particularly regarding the trailer reveal for the movie. Naturally, people’s patience is already wearing thin, making disappointments inevitable and even intense. The teasers that were previously rolled out, although strategic in nature, are not remotely satisfying enough to quell fans’ thirst for a proper marketing release for the biggest film in the MCU since the end of the Infinity Saga.
Marvel Studios Needs To Set Better Expectations For Avengers: Doomsday
It isn’t like Marvel Studios hasn’t had any chance to reward the public’s eagerness for the movie. There have been a few occasions that they could have released the Avengers: Doomsday trailer after the rollout of snippets from December 2025 to January 2026. More recently, Joe and Anthony Russo’s teases leading up to their SXSW London panel led many to believe that it was finally happening, but obviously, that wasn’t the case.
For what it’s worth, all these frustrations and disappointments aren’t solely on Disney and Marvel Studios. Fans have their own set of expectations despite not being based on any concrete information. Ultimately, it’s better if they don’t get their hopes up on something that hinges on assumptions. On the flip side, it’s also very important for Marvel Studios to set proper expectations. While the Russos are masters in keeping their base engaged, especially when it’s a project that is related to the MCU, the SXSW London coffee shop event was a misstep, considering the payoff didn’t match how much they were hyping up the surprise.
When Avengers: Doomsday Proper Trailer Might Release
What makes this situation worse is the fact that Avengers: Doomsday has a readily available trailer that can be released anytime, as it was already shown at CinemaCon 2026. Considering the positive buzz from the event after seeing the footage, Marvel Studios doesn’t really need to cut an entirely new one for the rest of the public. Granted that there are descriptions of the clip online, but it’s still different actually seeing it.
Looking at what’s ahead, Disney and Marvel Studios have new avenues to finally release the Avengers: Doomsday trailer. There’s the possibility of attaching it to another blockbuster, the same way they did with Steve Rogers’ return teaser being tied to Avatar: Fire and Ash. Another option is to drop it online on a random day, which was Marvel Studios’ modus for some of its biggest releases in the Infinity Saga. Amid all of this, however, arguably the best option is to just wait for the MCU’s Hall H comeback at San Diego Comic-Con at the end of July, so they can make the most out of the event. Watching it in a packed room with fans and then eventually rolling it out for everyone to see will result in the biggest impact in terms of getting the word about the blockbuster out there.
Avengers: Doomsday will hit cinemas on December 18, 2026.
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