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If you want to get technical, then "Avengers: Doomsday" is officially part of Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which, along with fellow superhero flicks like last year’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” and this summer’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” is set to serve as the climactic conclusion to the franchise’s The Multiverse Saga.
However, before you start getting worried that you’ll need to catch up on (checks notes) a whopping 37 films to understand what the heck is going on in the upcoming blockbuster, directors Joe and Anthony Russo have assured both Marvel maniacs and fairweather fans that the latest MCU movie will take things back to “Phase Zero.”
During a recent panel at SXSW London, the brother filmmakers discussed how, following the seeming finality of “Avengers: Endgame,” it was an idea from screenwriter Stephen McFeely that “reignited” their desire to return to the MCU. “He came up with this creative idea that reignited [the project], and I can’t talk about that creative idea because it’s the basis for 'Doomsday,' but that [idea] all of a sudden broke the skies open for us, and we saw all new kinds of possibilities with that idea,” Anthony Russo revealed, per The Hollywood Reporter.
“That serial shifting and changing and surprising you and then reinventing itself and then shifting and changing and then surprising you — that’s exciting and I think you’re going to see some shifting and changing [with 'Doomsday']. So, get ready for it,” Joe Russo added.
“Look, we were with Rob [Downey Jr.] earlier today. We were both talking about this concept that we are back to Phase Zero. This is starting over from scratch. We want to make sure everybody feels like this isn’t leaning on anything from the past.”
Robert Downey, Jr., of course, will be making his grand return to the universe but in an entirely different role from his Tony Stark/Iron Man days; instead, the Oscar-winning actor will be donning the dark cloak of iconic supervillain Victor von Doom, better known as Doctor Doom.
The upcoming blockbuster, which is scheduled to swoop into theaters worldwide on Thursday, December 18, 2026, will be a massive crossover event, bringing both legacy heroes and fresh faces from “The Avengers,” “The Fantastic Four,” the “X-Men” movies, the Wakanda franchise and more to face RDJ’s powerful antagonist. The absolutely stacked “Doomsday” ensemble cast will feature the likes of Chris Hemsworth, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, Simu Liu, Florence Pugh, Kelsey Grammer, David Harbour, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, among many others.
Tom's Guide will keep you posted on all things related to "Avengers: Doomsday," including new teasers and trailers, plot details, casting news and other behind-the-scenes intel.
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