Robert Downey Jr. unveiled as Doctor Doom at Comic-Con
Robert Downey Jr. is set to return to Marvel in the 2026 film “Avengers: Doomsday,” playing the iconic villain Doctor Doom.
Welcome back, Steve Rogers.
The first teaser trailer for “Avengers: Doomsday” has arrived, revealing for the first time that Chris Evans will be back in the upcoming Marvel film. The trailer was shown in theaters before screenings of “Avatar: Fire and Ash” on Thursday, Dec. 18, but it has not been released online.
The footage begins with Steve Rogers, the former Captain America, arriving at the home he shares with Peggy Carter, where the two settled down at the end of “Avengers: Endgame.” Steve is seen getting off a motorcycle and walking into the house, where he picks up his old Captain America suit.
The trailer, which is scored with a somber version of the “Avengers” main theme, ends with a shot of Steve holding a baby, presumably his child with Peggy.
Chris Evans’ surprise comeback in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
“Steve Rogers will return in ‘Avengers: Doomsday,'” the text on the screen then reads. A timer also appears that counts down to the December 2026 release of “Avengers: Doomsday.”
It had not previously been confirmed that Evans would star in “Avengers: Doomsday.” In March, Marvel unveiled the movie’s stacked cast in a live stream, but Evans’ name was left off the list.
“Doomsday” will be the actor’s first time reprising his Steve Rogers role since saying goodbye to Marvel in “Avengers: Endgame,” which served as a finale to all of the studio’s movies up to that point. The 2019 blockbuster concluded with Steve traveling back in time and settling down with his first love, Peggy Carter. The final shot of the film was Steve and Peggy sharing a dance.
In the years since, Evans repeatedly said he would be reluctant to return as Steve because he didn’t want to undermine his emotional sendoff in “Endgame.” But Evans did make a Marvel comeback for 2024’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” as another character. He had a surprise cameo in the film as Johnny Storm, who he played in the “Fantastic Four” movies.
After Evans departed the Marvel franchise, Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson took up the mantle of Captain America beginning with the 2021 Disney+ streaming series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” and continuing into the 2025 movie “Captain America: Brave New World.”
Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr. also return to ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Evans is the third of the main, original “Avengers” stars confirmed to be on board for “Avengers: Doomsday.” Chris Hemsworth will star in the movie as Thor, and Robert Downey Jr. is also returning, although apparently not as Iron Man. Downey is instead playing a new character, the villain Doctor Doom, in “Doomsday.” It’s unclear whether there will be any connection between Doom and Downey’s previous Marvel role of Tony Stark.
In July, Doctor Doom appeared in the credits scene of “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” which showed him seemingly about to kidnap the son of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) and Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby). Downey’s face was not shown in the scene.
The rest of the cast of “Avengers: Doomsday” includes Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Channing Tatum as Gambit, Letitia Wright as Black Panther, plus several original “X-Men” stars like Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, all of the main actors from “Thunderbolts” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” and more. Mackie will also be back as Sam Wilson.
“Doomsday” is being directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the filmmaking duo behind the two-part Marvel finale “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame.” The latter remains the second-highest-grossing film ever made, behind only 2009’s “Avatar,” and holds the record for the biggest opening weekend in movie history.
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ full cast list
With Evans on board, the following stars have now been confirmed for “Avengers: Doomsday”:
- Chris Evans
- Chris Hemsworth
- Vanessa Kirby
- Anthony Mackie
- Sebastian Stan
- Letitia Wright
- Paul Rudd
- Wyatt Russell
- Tenoch Huerta Mejía
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach
- Simu Liu
- Florence Pugh
- Kelsey Grammer
- Lewis Pullman
- Danny Ramirez
- Joseph Quinn
- David Harbour
- Winston Duke
- Hannah John-Kamen
- Tom Hiddleston
- Patrick Stewart
- Ian McKellen
- Alan Cumming
- Rebecca Romijn
- James Marsden
- Channing Tatum
- Pedro Pascal
- Robert Downey Jr
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ release date
“Avengers: Doomsday” hits theaters on Dec. 18, 2026. It will be followed one year later by “Avengers: Secret Wars,” set for release on Dec. 17, 2027.
