Marvel Studios’ first full Avengers: Doomsday trailer turns its biggest surprise into a familiar face: Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers is back, years after handing his shield to Sam Wilson in Avengers: Endgame. The footage also gives Robert Downey Jr. his first proper appearance as Doctor Doom, recasting the former Iron Man star as the MCU’s looming villain.
The two-minute preview assembles heroes and mutants from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe, while also leaving several major names off screen. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to open in theaters on December 18.
Doctor Doom Takes Center Stage
Downey Jr. appears as Victor von Doom, the masked ruler of the fictional European nation Latveria. Wearing a green cloak and metal mask, Doom warns that the heroes will face “an unthinkable decision.”
The character had previously received only a brief tease in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. This trailer places him at the center of the coming conflict, making clear that he is not a Tony Stark return in disguise but a new threat for the assembled heroes.
The Returning Teams at a Glance
| Group | Characters Seen | Key Actors |
|---|---|---|
| The Avengers | Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Thor, Bucky Barnes, Ant-Man, Cassie Lang, Shang-Chi | Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie, Chris Hemsworth, Sebastian Stan, Paul Rudd, Kathryn Newton, Simu Liu |
| Fantastic Four | Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, The Thing | Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach |
| New Avengers | Yelena Belova, U.S. Agent, Red Guardian, Ghost, Falcon | Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Danny Ramirez |
| X-Men | Professor X, Magneto, Cyclops, Mystique, Gambit | Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, Channing Tatum |
| Wakanda and Talokan | Shuri, M’Baku, Namor, Namora | Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Mabel Cadena |
Steve Rogers Wields Mjolnir Again
The trailer closes with Rogers summoning Mjolnir, the enchanted hammer he was proven worthy to wield in Endgame. His return reunites Evans with the character for the first time since the 2019 film’s conclusion.
Sam Wilson also appears after leading Captain America: Brave New World as the new Captain America. Thor, meanwhile, speaks as a leader confronting an enemy beyond anything he has faced, telling the group to put aside its “petty squabbles” because they will “need a miracle.”
Bucky Barnes joins the gathering, while Scott Lang shares a quiet farewell with his daughter Cassie before leaving to face the crisis. Shang-Chi is also among the heroes shown preparing for Doom.
Fantastic Four Meets Wakanda
The crossover brings Marvel’s First Family into the larger fight following their introduction in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn’s Johnny Storm and Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Ben Grimm all appear.
One trailer moment links the Fantastic Four and Wakanda directly when The Thing shakes hands with Winston Duke’s M’Baku. Shuri returns as Black Panther alongside M’Baku and Wakandan warriors, while Namor and his cousin Namora also enter the lineup.
Original X-Men Stars Return
The trailer brings back several actors from the original X-Men films, including Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier and Ian McKellen as Magneto. James Marsden returns as Cyclops, while Rebecca Romijn reprises the shape-shifting mutant Mystique.
Channing Tatum’s Gambit also appears after his appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine. The reunion expands the multiverse-scale scope of the film, particularly with Tom Hiddleston returning as Loki after the Disney+ series ended with him taking responsibility for branching timelines.
The New Avengers are part of the response as well, following the team’s formation in Thunderbolts. Florence Pugh leads the group as Yelena Belova alongside John Walker, Red Guardian, Ghost and Danny Ramirez’s Falcon.
The Major Names Missing From the Footage
Despite the large cast, the first trailer contains no sign of Hulk, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch, Nick Fury, Deadpool, Wolverine, Captain Marvel or the Guardians of the Galaxy. Their absence from this preview does not necessarily mean they are absent from the movie.
According to www.yahoo.com, Lewis Pullman’s Sentry, Kelsey Grammer’s Beast and Alan Cumming’s Nightcrawler have been confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday but do not appear in the trailer. Marvel has not confirmed the film’s complete lineup and has historically kept major characters and cameos hidden before release.
Some former stars have already indicated they will not return. Scarlett Johansson has ruled out another appearance as Natasha Romanoff, telling Vanity Fair that Black Widow’s story was “complete” and that she did not want to “mess with that.”
Famke Janssen, who played Jean Grey in the original X-Men films, has also said Marvel made a “mistake” by not asking her to return. The trailer’s mix of confirmed appearances and conspicuous absences leaves the final scale of Doom’s threat unresolved.