Tickets for Avengers: Doomsday went on sale Tuesday as the first poster showed Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. Disney bets on a multiverse storyline to revive the franchise.
Robert Downey Jr. is back in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this time as Doctor Doom. The first poster for "Avengers: Doomsday" dropped Tuesday, showing Downey in the green-and-black costume of the Fantastic Four villain. Tickets went on sale the same day.
The film is set for release in December 2026. Marvel Studios, a unit of Walt Disney Co., said it will show new footage at the D23 fan convention later this month. The poster reveal follows a teaser at San Diego Comic-Con in July, where Downey walked on stage in character and removed a mask to reveal his face.
Plot details are unconfirmed. Online leaks have circulated for weeks, with the most persistent claims centering on a multiverse storyline in which Doctor Doom reshapes reality. One leak suggests Thor dies in the film. Marvel has not commented on any of it.
Downey played Tony Stark from 2008's "Iron Man" through 2019's "Avengers: Endgame," where the character died. Casting him as a villain marks a sharp turn for the franchise, which has lacked a central antagonist since Josh Brolin's Thanos was defeated in 2019.
The film brings back several original Avengers actors, including Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki. The Russo brothers, who directed "Endgame" and "Infinity War," are returning to direct.
Disney needs a box-office win. The last two Avengers films each grossed more than $2 billion worldwide. More recent Marvel releases, including "The Marvels" and "Quantumania," underperformed. "Deadpool & Wolverine," released in July 2024, was a bright spot with $1.3 billion at the global box office. Apple, which operates its own streaming service, competes with Disney's Disney+ for superhero content.
Tickets are available now on major platforms including Fandango and AMC Theatres. Early showtimes suggest a runtime of roughly two hours and 40 minutes. The D23 footage will include scenes from the film's first act, according to a person familiar with the planning.
Disclosure: Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of Marvel Studios, which produces the Avengers films.
Drafted by a large language model from the source reporting linked above, then screened by automated publishing checks. It is not read by a journalist before publication. Some articles cite our Alpha Score. Verify prices and figures against the original source. Educational coverage, not personalized advice.