iEditorial | The Top Five Most Anticipated MCU Characters Assembled for DOOMSDAY
- JC Alvarez
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
An Editorial Feature
With an all-star cast of old and new favorites, and a multiverse in between, the latest installment in the MCU saga is already ranking among movie-goers as the blockbuster of 2026. Here’s why…
Yes…that opening shot of the back of actress Letitia Wright, as the Black Panther/Shuri strutting through a desert, then accompanied by Winston Duke, who introduces himself as King M’Baku of Wakanda to none other than the ever-loving, blue-eyed Thing, of Fantastic Four: First Steps fame, is enough to get audiences excited about what’s coming next from Marvel Studios. For some, they’ve been holding out for a reason to fall in love again with the now longest-running film narrative in cinematic history. This December, the wait will finally be over…
It’s quickly emerging as the most anticipated and complex release of the theatrical season, and if it lives up to its name, Avengers: Doomsday will forever change the face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The fifth installment in the Marvel Studios franchise will be reigned over by the only filmmakers in Hollywood who are the most skilled at wrangling such a huge cast of main players, that is, apparently, getting bigger with every teaser trailer counting down to the film’s launch day on 12.18.2026. The Russo Brothers, Anthony and Joe Russo, ably helmed the previous two-part saga, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, resulting in unprecedented box-office dominance.
The game-changing epic marked the end of the first phase in the MCU’s connected narrative and opened the door to an all-new era. Since then, fans have been hesitant to embrace the tapestry's changing tide as the studio navigated superhero fatigue, with hits and misses along the way. Decisively pulling back on the noose, Marvel Studios president and creative chief Kevin Feige admitted that things may have gotten out of hand and that a shift in quality over quantity has steered the creative in a potentially new direction. Determined to bring audiences back to the love of the genre and what made Marvel a leader in telling these stories, the latest phase of the films is banking on some familiar faces to fill seats at the multiplex.
This Avengers feature may be signaling something far more sinister with its ominous subtitle, but it’s already giving fans pause, and here are five reasons why — oh, those teases — we are counting down the minutes to Doomsday:
The Return of The Mighty Thor - Undoubtedly, Chris Hemsworth’s God of Thunder, one of the original legacy characters, remains a favorite, and given the hero’s newest role as a parent, the consequences for joining this fight have never been greater, or more personal. This is one powerhouse that the Avengers are grateful to have on their side, but as is true of most reboots, requels, and the lot, legacy characters are also the most vulnerable. Could this be Thor’s final fight?
The Fantastic Four - Marvel’s First Family has successfully taken its first steps into the larger cinematic world with the latest cast assembled, proving a hit with audiences. Studio president Kevin Feige hasn’t hesitated to insist that, with the FF now a relevant component of the MCU's primary timeline, a new era in the cinematic continuity is in effect, not to mention that the villain at the center of it all is among their greatest adversaries. Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben represent the heart of the Marvel universe, and it's beating loudly and resonating.
Steve Rogers, Captain America - Long-time fans have celebrated the heroic journey of the First Avenger, and Chris Evans' portrayal of the war hero is among the fandom’s most beloved. If the Avengers are going toe to toe with one of the Marvel Universe’s most dangerous villains, we’re going to need not one, but two (Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson is the current) Captain Americas to lead the way to victory!
Robert Downey, Jr. as Doctor Doom - When the actor who started it all announced that he would be returning to the MCU, the one-time invincible Iron Man caused a seismic pop-cultural shockwave that he would step back into a suit of armor, but this time it would belong to the nefarious Doctor Doom. The tyrannical titan at the center of Avengers: Doomsday, and the fact that the one behind the mask may be a one-time friend turned foe, are just two of the twists strengthening the case for the return of Downey, Jr., but the most uncanny resurrection of all…
The X-Men - Marvel’s mighty mutants predate the MCU by nearly a decade, and their arrival into the new cinematic timeline has been among the most controversial and anticipated of all. Marvel Studios has stepped gently into the world of mutants in the MCU, with the X-Men turning up in Doctor Strange 2 and The Marvels, and the success of Deadpool & Wolverine pushing the door wide open. Now that the one-time 20th Century film property is firmly in the family, the MCU is embracing its children of the atom. If the latest teaser trailer is any indicator, the X-Men, with Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, and James Marsden returning to portray the beloved heroes, are preparing for the fight of their lives and likely paving the way for an all-new, all-different lineup down the road.
A reminder to us all, Avengers: Doomsday, which is bringing together the casts of the most recent Marvel Studios releases, including Thunderbolts*, Wakanda Forever, the aforementioned Fantastic Four: First Steps, and returning favorites from across the cinematic multiverse, is only the first part of a two-part story that will conclude with the release of Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027.
Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters worldwide on December 18, 2026, directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, and released by Marvel Studios.
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