Avengers: Doomsday Trailer, Release Date and Confirmed Cast

Avengers: Doomsday is trending because Marvel aired an exclusive preview with new footage during Game 1 of the 2026 World Series on Friday, October 23, after days of rumours about a new trailer. The film is still set to open in US theaters on December 18, 2026. Anthony and Joe Russo direct, and Robert Downey Jr. returns to the MCU as Doctor Doom.

Here is what the new footage showed, when the film arrives, who is confirmed in the cast, and which popular claims are still only rumours as of October 26, 2026.

Why Avengers: Doomsday is trending right now

The buzz started with a leak-style claim. On October 19, Bam Smack Pow relayed a post from the insider ProjectHurts saying a new trailer would drop on October 23 at 9 a.m. ET. Marvel never confirmed that, and Cosmic Book News told readers to treat it as a rumour.

Then MLB made it official, at least in part. On October 22, the league's X account posted: "Tune in to World Series Game 1 for an exclusive preview of Avengers: Doomsday." That post was reported by Cosmic Book News and ComingSoon.net. The game, the Tampa Bay Rays at the Milwaukee Brewers, started at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Our World Series 2026 guide covers the series itself.

What the World Series preview showed

According to Swisher Post, which drew on ComicBook.com's reporting, and FirstShowing.net, the spot included:

• The Fantastic Four at a baseball game in their home universe, Earth-828, with Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) throwing the first pitch to Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) before Doctor Doom interrupts.
• Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) joking about whether Steve can still lift Mjolnir.
• Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) unsure whether to call Steve or Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) "Cap."
• Quick glimpses of Sam's Avengers, the X-Men and the Wakandans, cut with real MLB players reacting under the tagline "Worlds collide."

Reaction was lukewarm. FirstShowing's Alex Billington called it "all so dull and boring and exceptionally unexciting," and Swisher Post noted fans online who expected more after sitting through the early innings.

Avengers: Doomsday release date

Disney has the film dated for December 18, 2026, in US theaters. Wikipedia lists an earlier UK date of December 16.

It has moved several times. It was first planned for May 2025, then May 2026, and in May 2025 Disney shifted it to December 18, 2026, according to Wikipedia and TheWrap. The follow-up, Avengers: Secret Wars, is set for December 17, 2027.

December 18 is also the opening day of Dune: Part Three. TheWrap reports that Warner Bros. secured IMAX exclusivity for that film's opening weekend, so Doomsday will be the first Avengers film to launch without IMAX screens in the US. Wikipedia notes IMAX showings are still expected in some international markets. Disney is leaning on Dolby, 4DX and other premium formats instead, and has launched its own "Infinity Vision" branding for premium screens, per Wikipedia.

The film runs about 165 minutes, according to Wikipedia, citing The Hollywood Reporter, and Collider.

Ticket sales and box office expectations

Presales started early and strong. Wikipedia, citing Variety, reports about $50 million in advance sales roughly 100 days before release; Cosmic Book News puts domestic presales at $50 million and worldwide at more than $100 million. In August, Collider reported tracking from the Global Box Office portal of $260 million to $300 million for opening weekend. These are projections, not results.

Confirmed cast of Avengers: Doomsday

Marvel revealed most of the cast in a March 2025 livestream, and later marketing added more names. The cast below is confirmed according to Wikipedia and The Playlist:

• Villain: Robert Downey Jr. as Victor von Doom
• Avengers and allies: Chris Evans (Steve Rogers), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Letitia Wright (Shuri)
• Thunderbolts / New Avengers: Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), David Harbour (Red Guardian), Wyatt Russell (U.S. Agent), Hannah John-Kamen (Ghost), Lewis Pullman (Sentry)
• Fantastic Four: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach
• X-Men: Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, Kelsey Grammer, Alan Cumming, and Channing Tatum as Gambit
• Others: Winston Duke (M'Baku), Tenoch Huerta Mejía (Namor) and Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter)

What is confirmed and what is still rumoured

Confirmed

• The December 18, 2026 US release, the Russo brothers as directors, and Downey as Doom.
• Heroes from three universes, including the MCU's main Earth, the Fantastic Four's Earth-828 and the X-Men's world, face Doom. Collider's breakdown of the July trailer notes it showed the Avengers, Fantastic Four and X-Men on screen together for the first time.
• Kevin Feige has said the film draws on a famous comic run about colliding universes, as quoted by Collider.
• Chris Evans is back as Steve Rogers, shown in the teasers and the new World Series footage.

Teased, but not officially spelled out

• Deadpool and Wolverine: Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman appeared in a comedy bit at Marvel's D23 panel in August. The Playlist read it as confirmation; Wikipedia still lists them as reported rather than officially cast.
• Hulk: The directors teased a Hulk return in late September, according to Wikipedia, but Mark Ruffalo is listed as expected, not confirmed.
• The exact comic storyline: Collider ties the film to Jonathan Hickman's "Time Runs Out," but Marvel has not named that story.

Rumoured or unverified

• Spider-Man and Doctor Strange: Tom Holland and Benedict Cumberbatch have been reported, but neither is confirmed, per Wikipedia.
• Doom's face: Reports that Doom unmasks only in front of Steve Rogers are unverified, ComingSoon.net cautions.
• A final trailer the week of December 14: This is a writer's guess at Bam Smack Pow, not a Marvel announcement.

How the marketing has rolled out

Four teasers ran in theaters before Avatar: Fire and Ash in December 2025 and January 2026, each built around a different hero, per Wikipedia and Bam Smack Pow. The first full trailer debuted at CinemaCon on April 16, 2026, and went online on July 20, alongside Infinity Vision ticket sales.

At San Diego Comic-Con in July, Marvel's booth displayed costumes for Doom's Latverian witches, the heroes and a giant Sentinel head, Bleeding Cool reported. A Doom-focused special look followed at D23 on August 15. In September, an Avengers: Endgame re-release called Endgame: Encore added bridging footage shot during Doomsday production, according to Wikipedia and Cosmic Book News.

Our take

Based on the sources above, the World Series spot was a mood piece rather than a major reveal. Marvel's habit of guarding cameos means the most-searched questions, such as whether Spider-Man or Deadpool appears, may not be answered before opening day.

The numbers to watch are presales and whether a final trailer arrives in November or December, which Bam Smack Pow expects but Marvel has not announced. Until Marvel or Disney confirms a cast member or plot point, treat insider claims as unconfirmed. For more on what else is in theaters now, see our explainer on DC's Clayface.

Frequently asked questions

When does Avengers: Doomsday come out?

Avengers: Doomsday opens in US theaters on December 18, 2026, the same day as Dune: Part Three. Wikipedia lists a UK release of December 16. Avengers: Secret Wars follows on December 17, 2027.

Was there a new Avengers: Doomsday trailer at the World Series?

Yes, in a sense. Marvel aired an exclusive preview with new footage during World Series Game 1 on October 23, 2026, after MLB announced it on October 22. An insider's claim of a separate 9 a.m. trailer that day was never confirmed by Marvel.

Is Chris Evans in Avengers: Doomsday?

Yes. Chris Evans returns as Steve Rogers, confirmed through the teasers and featured in the World Series footage joking with Thor about Mjolnir.

Is Spider-Man in Avengers: Doomsday?

Not officially. As of October 26, 2026, Tom Holland's Spider-Man has been reported but not confirmed by Marvel. Treat cameo claims as rumours until Marvel or Disney announces them.

Will Avengers: Doomsday be in IMAX?

Not on opening weekend in the US. Warner Bros. secured IMAX screens for Dune: Part Three, which opens the same day, so Disney is promoting Dolby, 4DX and other premium formats under its Infinity Vision label.

Sources

1. Avengers: Doomsday, Wikipedia
2. 'Avengers: Doomsday' World Series Preview Confirmed: New Trailer Rumored Friday, Cosmic Book News
3. Avengers: Doomsday's New Trailer Release Date May Have Just Been Revealed, ComingSoon.net
4. New Avengers: Doomsday trailer expected release time (by time zone), preview, and more, Bam Smack Pow (FanSided)
5. New Avengers: Doomsday trailer gets potential release date, Bam Smack Pow (FanSided)
6. Avengers: Doomsday teaser reunites Steve Rogers and Thor, Swisher Post
7. Another Extra Boring Baseball-Themed 'Avengers: Doomsday' Teaser, FirstShowing.net
8. 'Avengers: Doomsday' Trailer: Hugh Jackman & Ryan Reynolds Join The Avengers, X-Men & Fantastic Four, The Playlist
9. 'Avengers: Doomsday' Officially Tracks for $300M Opening Weekend on Pre-Sale Surge, Collider
10. 'Avengers: Doomsday' Is Officially Adapting the Greatest and Most Devastating Marvel Comics Storyline, Collider
11. How 'Dune 3' and 'Avengers: Doomsday' Could Both Succeed on Their Shared Release Date, TheWrap
12. Avengers: Doomsday Costumes Plus a Sentinel Make an Appearance at SDCC, Bleeding Cool

How we wrote this

GessyMorgan explainers are built from public reporting and official sources. This post draws on the 12 sources listed above, each linked where we use it. It was drafted with AI assistance and checked against those sources before publishing. We did not test products, attend events or interview anyone for this article. Facts are current as of October 26, 2026, and we update the post when they change.