D23 Unveils New 'Avengers: Doomsday' Trailer and Poster
Marvel Studios used its D23 fan event this weekend to reveal a new trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, offering the clearest look yet at Robert Downey Jr.'s villainous turn as Doctor Doom. The footage, which premiered during Disney's biennial expo, shows Doom raising an army of Sentinels and declaring, "Hell answers to me, for I am Doom." It's a bleak preview of the December 18 release, directed by the Russo brothers, with a star-studded ensemble that now includes Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, and a surprise plea from Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds.
Alongside the trailer, Marvel released a new poster featuring Doom in front of green-tinted stained glass, and announced that tickets are now on sale. Downey, Evans, and Atwell appeared on stage at D23 to tease the film, with Evans noting that Steve Rogers's happy ending from Avengers: Endgame will be short-lived. Atwell, returning as Peggy Carter, added, "We should've known better," setting up a reunion that fans have speculated about for years.
The Threat of Doctor Doom: A Multiversal Collision
The trailer's centerpiece is Doom's transformation from brilliant scientist Victor Von Doom to a vengeful conqueror. Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) is shown in tears, describing how the world "broke" her friend, while Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) confronts Doom over a destroyed city. "Victor, did you do this?" Reed asks. Doom's response—"All of you have lived stolen lives. But now you must give them back"—suggests a personal motive tied to the apparent death of his family.
The footage also shows Thor (Chris Hemsworth) being swatted away with ease, and a battered roster of heroes including Magneto, Gambit, and Steve Rogers. This aligns with comments from Chris Evans, who said the film is "brutal" for Rogers. "The Russos love beating up Steve Rogers," Evans said at Boston Fan Expo. "Their favorite thing to do is to just beat the crap out of him." He teased that Doomsday offers "a really, really good examination into his nature and his values."
The Expanding Cast: Jackman, Reynolds, and More
In a surprise video message during the D23 panel, Hugh Jackman—appearing as Wolverine—riffed with an off-screen Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) to beg for a spot in the film. "I just wanted to check in totally unprompted," Jackman said. "Just wondering if you might need some help rounding out the cast? I'd love to join." Whether this is a joke or a genuine tease remains unclear, but it adds to the speculation that the duo could appear in the MCU's next event.
The confirmed cast is already massive, including Chris Hemsworth, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Wyatt Russell, Channing Tatum, Simu Liu, Ian McKellen, Tom Hiddleston, James Marsden, Patrick Stewart, Joseph Quinn, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Letitia Wright, Lewis Pullman, Kelsey Grammer, Kathryn Newton, Danny Ramirez, Winston Duke, Alan Cumming, Hannah John-Kamen, Rebecca Romijn, Mabel Cadena, and Tenoch Huerta Mejia. Newcomers include Nightcrawler and Mystique, whose costumes were revealed at D23, and the film will also feature the X-Men cast announced earlier—including Sadie Sink as Jean Grey and Adam Driver as Nathaniel Milbury, a Mister Sinister alias.
What This Means for the MCU's Future
Avengers: Doomsday is positioned as the culmination of the Multiverse Saga, pulling heroes from three distinct universes into a deadly collision. The Russo brothers' return, combined with Downey's pivot from Iron Man to Doctor Doom, signals a bold new direction for Marvel. The film's December 18 release date pits it directly against Dune: Part Three, but early ticket demand suggests Marvel may have the edge.
The D23 reveals also highlight Marvel's strategy of cross-promoting its slate. The X-Men casting, the VisionQuest trailers, and the Star Wars: Starfighter news all generated buzz, but Doomsday remains the centerpiece. For fans, the question now is how Doom's "army of Sentinels" will threaten not just Earth-616 but the entire multiverse—and whether the Avengers can rally a force large enough to stop him.
As the film approaches, expect more trailers and casting reveals. For now, the MCU's future looks darker—and more exciting—than ever.
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