By Zach Johnson
It all leads to Doom.
Marvel Studios announced Wednesday that production has begun on Avengers: Doomsday, opening exclusively in theaters on May 1, 2026. In a multi-hour global livestream, Marvel also revealed several of the film’s stars, teasing the returns of some familiar heroes.
The Avengers: Doomsday cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Vanessa Kirby, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, Wyatt Russell, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, 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, and — as previously announced — Disney Legend Robert Downey Jr.
Four-time Marvel Cinematic Universe directors Anthony and Joe Russo return to direct Avengers: Doomsday, as well as Avengers: Secret Wars (in theaters May 7, 2027).
At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, the Russos revealed that Downey—who starred in 10 films as Tony Stark/Iron Man—would return in a new role, this time as Victor von Doom.
“Being able to create stories and explore characters within the Marvel Universe fulfilled a lifelong dream of ours, and we discovered a powerful connection with audiences in each film that we made,” the Russos said in a statement last year. “We’re thrilled to collaborate once again with [Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito], and the entire Marvel team to bring this epic adventure in storytelling to new and surprising places for both the fans and ourselves.”