The first full trailer for Avengers: Doomsday has been released online, offering a look at Marvel's big-budget big hope for December. The trailer opens with a foreboding line: "Something's coming, something we may not be able to deter," before showcasing a multitude of returning characters from various Marvel movies and universes.
Returning Heroes and Villains
The trailer features Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, and Chris Evans as Captain America. It also includes appearances from Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic, Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Letitia Wright as Black Panther, and Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova. A glimpse of Ian McKellen returning as Magneto is included; McKellen recently spoke about the film at the Piazza festival in Rome, recounting that the Russo brothers told him to "look more furious" and that he shouted "Mar-a-Lago!" while destroying a set.
Doctor Doom's Arrival
The trailer teases an "unthinkable decision" and the arrival of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. Downey, who previously played Iron Man, is returning to play the famed villain in a move reportedly earning him an estimated $100 million for both Doomsday and its follow-up Secret Wars. Returning co-director Joe Russo stated, "We're back to phase zero of the MCU. This is starting over from scratch. We want to make sure everybody feels like this isn't leaning on anything from the past."
Marvel's Current Challenges
The film arrives at a difficult time for Marvel, once box office champions but now struggling to return to former glories. Recent releases such as Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Captain America: Brave New World have achieved mediocre results. However, in 2019, Avengers: Endgame became one of the highest-grossing films of all time with a box office total of almost $2.8 billion.
Future of the Franchise
The Guardian's Ben Child recently wrote: "The success or failure of this next superhero extravaganza might well decide the future of the entire franchise." Avengers: Doomsday is releasing on 18 December, the same date as Dune: Part Three, leading box office pundits to predict a Barbenheimer-style showdown.
