Brace yourselves, because Avengers: Doomsday, also known as Avengers 5, draws near. One of the most exciting upcoming Marvel movies, it'll be the first time we've seen Earth's Mightiest Heroes together on the big screen since Endgame, and it's going to be huge.
None other than Robert Downey Jr. is becoming the big bad of the franchise as Doctor Doom, an announcement which left everyone reeling in 2024. Originally, Avengers 5 was going to center around Kang the Conqueror. However, when Jonathan Majors was found guilty of reckless assault in the third degree and harassment in December 2023, Marvel dropped the actor and the character and set a new direction
Cut to San Diego Comic-Con 2024, where Downey Jr confirmed his role and the title was revealed as Avengers: Doomsday. We've also recently got a massive Marvel announcement sharing that Downey Jr isn't the only surprise casting, with a number of Fox X-Men making an MCU debut as well. The production is part of Marvel Phase 6, which kicks off with The Fantastic Four: First Steps this summer. So, what can we expect from the follow-up to Avengers: Endgame?
You can find every heroic detail from across the multiverse on the Avengers: Doomsday release date, plot, cast and more in this guide. It'll be regularly updated as the next chapter of the Avengers Initiative comes to light.
Avengers 5 release date
Currently, Avengers 5 (aka Doomsday) has a release date of May 1, 2026.
A recent report has also said that it will begin shooting in March 2025 in the UK, just over a year ahead of its release date.
Originally, Kevin Feige confirmed that it would be released in 2025, with Secret Wars to follow in 2026 during Marvel's 2022 San Diego Comic-Con panel. Now, Secret Wars is due on May 7, 2027.
So, why such a long wait between Avengers: Endgame and Avengers 5? "When we were doing Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3, there were [fewer] projects over more years," Feige previously explained. "They were smaller projects and individual character stories, and it felt appropriate at that point, that after every two or three years that it took for a phase, we would do an Avengers film.
"As [Phases] 4, 5, and 6 were coming together, there are more projects in less years – because of all the amazing stuff we're now allowed to do on Disney Plus, and getting characters from Fox – Fantastic Four, and Deadpool – that it felt like, certainly after Infinity War and Endgame, that we thought Avengers movies aren't cappers."
Avengers 5 cast
Thanks to a surprise casting reveal during SDCC 2024, we know that Robert Downey Jr. is coming back to the MCU as Doctor Doom. This is obviously a big shock and has tons of timeline implications, as Downey Jr. famously played Iron Man until the character's death in Avengers Endgame (aka one of the best Marvel movies of all time).
But continuity questions aside, for now, we also know a decent chunk of stars who will be popping up with the ex-Tony Stark. It was also revealed during the event that the casts of Fantastic Four (Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and the Thunderbolts* (Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, and more) would be part of Avengers 5.
More of the heroic cast of Avengers Doomsday was revealed during a surprise livestream from Marvel Studios on March 26, 2025. You can read the current confirmed cast list below:
- Chris Hemsworth as Thor
- Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm
- Anthony Mackie as Captain America
- Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes
- Letitia Wright as Black Panther
- Paul Rudd as Ant-Man
- Wyatt Russell as US Agent
- Tenoch Huerta Mejia as Namor
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Thing
- Simu Liu as Shang-Chi
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
- Kelsey Grammer as Beast
- Lewis Pullman as Sentry
- Danny Ramirez as Falcon
- Joseph Quinn as Human Torch
- David Harbour as Red Guardian
- Winston Duke as M’Baku
- Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost
- Tom Hiddleston as Loki
- Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier
- Ian McKellen as Magneto
- Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler
- Rebecca Romijn as Mystique
- James Marsden as Cyclops
- Channing Tatum as Gambit
- Pedro Pascal as Mister Fantastic
We expect more names to be added to this massive list as well. Thanks to the comics, we know that more people are involved in the Doomsday plot, such as She-Hulk. So stay tuned for more updates.
Benedict Cumberbatch may also be a surprise addition to look out for. The star has said he wouldn't be in the movie, then later said he would be. Expect the unexpected at all times.
Avengers 5 plot
Plot details for Avengers: Doomsday are currently in flux. As we mentioned above, Robert Downey Jr’s casting as Doctor Doom means some multiverse antics need to be explained. So, we will likely see the TVA from Loki fame make an appearance at some point.
However, the film that sounds like it will give us the most clues about the Avengers 5 plot is The Fantastic Four. As many comic book fans know, Doctor Doom made his first appearance in the Fantastic Four comics back in the '60s. Since then, he has been their greatest foe, so it makes sense that he'll be introduced as the MCU's next greatest threat during the Marvel Phase 6 movie.
We also know that Avengers 5 will likely have to address the Kang plotline that Marvel has seemingly chosen to abandon for now. Throughout Marvel Phase 4 and Marvel Phase 5, Kang was set up as the next Thanos figure in the MCU. He made an appearance in Ant-Man: Quantumania and has been a steady presence in the Disney Plus series Loki. So yeah, Marvel Studios needs to clear up that massive character drop before they leave Kang in the Void for good.
We'll keep you updated as more plot details come our way. For now, you can also check out our guide on how to watch all the Marvel movies in order.
Avengers 5 director and writer
SDCC 2024 announced that the Russo brothers will be directing both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. The two are Marvel legends, since they helmed Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, so it's welcomed news to see their return.
"Joe and I truly believed Endgame was the end of the road for us," Anthony Russo said during the event. "In the time since, through a special story, we have come to potentially see a road to take with you all."
Initially, Shang-Chi mastermind Deston Daniel Crettin was down to direct the next Avengers movie. However, in November 2023, it was confirmed that he was stepping down to focus on other Marvel projects, including Wonder Man.
In November 2022, it was confirmed that Michael Waldron will be penning the script, taking over from Jeff Loveness. Waldron, known for his work on Loki and Doctor Strange 2, was already down to write Avengers: Secret Wars.
And that's everything we know about Avengers 5. For much more action check out our guides to all the upcoming superhero movies and all the upcoming movies heading our way this year.
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