As per new reports doing the rounds in international media circles, the first footage from Avengers: Doomsday — in the form of a teaser or trailer — will be attached to screenings of James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash.
What's more exciting is the news that there could be four teasers attached. A news in The Hollywood Reporter said, "Disney is sending theaters four different trailers for the Marvel mega-movie—each will play for one week, before switching to the next. So, if you see Fire and Ash opening weekend, you'll get trailer one. If you go a week later, you'll get trailer two, and so on."
If the footage drops on the same date as the release of Avatar: Fire & Ash (Dec. 19), it would make sense given that Avengers: Doomsday has been scheduled for release exactly a year later, on Dec. 18, 2026. The sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, will be released on Dec. 17, 2027.
Will Robert Downey Jr. return as Dr. Doom or Iron Man?
Recently, a cryptic Instagram post of Robert Downey Jr. has led fans to speculate that Iron Man may return in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. The comic illustration of Dr. Doom and Iron Man pulling on two ends of a wishbone — a Thanksgiving ritual which means anyone who pulls the larger piece will have their wishes granted — hints that Doomsday might have an Iron Man connection.
In 2023, Marvel head Kevin Feige was firm in his confirmation of the fact that Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark, a.k.a Iron Man, won't return in future entries in the MCU, most notably the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
But since Downey Jr is cast in the role of Dr. Victor Von Doom, the theory floating around online is that Doom might be a variant of Tony Stark from a different timeline, or perhaps an involvement of time-travel could explain the connection — if Downey Jr is indeed playing Stark-turned-Doom. Doom is, after all, known for inventing a "time-platform" and his ability to traverse different timelines.
There's also the possibility that this interpretation of Doom might have ties to the mind-swapping storyline involving Doom and Iron Man in 'Demon in an Armor’ (2010), where the mind of Tony Stark is "transferred" into Doom's body.
Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars see the return of the Russo brothers to directing duties. The superhero ensemble comprises the Avengers, New Avengers (*Thunderbolts), Fantastic Four, and the X-Men. Doctor Doom will reportedly be the prime focus of 'Avengers: Doomsday' in the same manner that Thanos was in the previous MCU entries.
