iFeature | AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY is Now In Production

A Pop-Culture Event

Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, across every world and alternate dimension of the Marvel Studios MCU, are heading into uncharted territory with a familiar friend turned foe leading them into AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY!

Now that the proverbial red dust is settling from the last major release from Marvel Studios, Captain America: Brave New World, and Sam Wilson (portrayed by Anthony Mackie) has ascended into his new role, the high-flying hero is onto his next mission. In a somewhat cryptic message from the film’s manipulative nemesis, the gamma-radiated Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson, reprising his role from The Incredible Hulk), the self-described “Leader” reveals to Sam that “It’s Coming.”

Given that we’re talking about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that could be anything [and everything]. Although it’s gotten an eye-roll from most fans, Sterns is likely referring to the multiverse. The alternate worlds and dimensions have been controversial in the last phase of the MCU. It was the catalyst for flinging Doctor Strange on a dangerous trajectory in his franchise sequel. It brought Tom Holland’s Peter Parker face-to-face with his cinematic predecessors, not to mention that the upcoming Fantastic Four: First Steps is presumably set in an alternate timeline.

Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Studios, had promised retrofitting after major woes [re: 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels] and studio drama. Box-office successes in line with Spider-Man: No Way Home and Deadpool & Wolverine, which heavily relied on the idea of the multiverse, were a hit but still left mixed feelings. Taking a page from its own comic book canon, Feige has hired the Russo Brothers, Anthony and Joe Russo, for the major feat of steering the next installment of the MCU toward oblivion in Avengers: Doomsday, which is officially in production.

And Starring…

In a lengthy viral video that dominated the internet on March 26 and 27, Marvel Entertainment rolled out the sitting assignment, revealing the epic cast assembled for Avengers: Doomsday — and it was quite a list! A well-positioned camera tentatively panned the back panels of a series of folding chairs representing the cast of Marvel luminaries that will prominently feature in this first act of The Russo’s two-part showdown. Many are returning fan favorites, most notably Chris Hemsworth, the actor who has portrayed the God of Thunder since the MCU’s launch, once again picking up the hammer.

Anthony Mackie/Captain America is also among the list of veterans, as is Sebastian Stan, reprising his role as The Winter Soldier, and who will be joined by many of his castmates from the upcoming Thunderbolts. The film centers on a band of misfit heroes comprised of Florence Pugh, who will be returning as Yelena Belova, aka The White Widow (or is that the new Black Widow), David Harbour as the Red Guardian, Russia’s own Super-Soldier, Hannah John-Kamen, The Ghost introduced in Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Wyatt Russell as the somewhat dishonorable US Agent.

The cast of the upcoming, much anticipated Fantastic Four: First Steps featuring Vanessa Kirby, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Marvel’s First Family are also in, as are Paul Rudd, Tom Hiddleston, Simu Liu, and Letitia Wright suiting up and likely making up the new roster of Avengers. One of the bigger surprises to the cast is the reveal of some of the cast from the X-Men film franchises, including Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn, Alan Cumming, and Channing Tatum, who joined the cinematic universe as Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine.

There are still more surprises; some names left off the list will likely compete in the second act of Avengers: Secret Wars, which will complete the latest MCU saga and is told will herald the dawn of a rebooted Marvel Cinematic Universe. Of distinction is the return of the actor that [sort of] started it all, Robert Downey, Jr., returns to the scene of the crime, but this time, he will be playing the centrifugal role of the Marvel Universe’s most notorious bad guy, Victor Von Doom, aka Doctor Doom. The character is an arch-nemesis of the Fantastic Four and will bear a startling resemblance to the deceased industrialist and hero of Avengers: Endgame, Tony Stark, who is promised to be a significant plot line.

Here is your #FansEyeView of the official Marvel Studios announcement of Avengers: Doomsday - Now in Production here: