Anthony Russo, one half of the Russo brothers, dropped a major clue for Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Doomsday,” scheduled to release in theaters on Dec. 18, 2026. The film features a large ensemble cast, with some actors already announced while others remain under wraps. Marvel re-released “Avengers: Endgame Encore” last month on Sep. 25, 2026, which shared new footage that’s teasing what’s to come in “Avengers: Doomsday.”
“Avengers: Endgame Encore” Ending Sets Up “Avengers: Doomsday”
GamesRadar+ was in the room at 92NY on Sep. 24, 2026, when an audience member asked Russo whether making “Avengers: Doomsday” changed how he sees any “Avengers: Endgame” moment. Per GamesRadar+, Anthony said, “Well, I mean, you all just saw Endgame Encore, and there’s certainly a pivotal moment in that film at the end, where the moment has a different meaning.”
He added, “You know, we sort of play one beat past where Steve Rogers’ story ended with Peggy Carter, and in that moment, that’s where Doomsday is born.” GamesRadar+ was at the event. Russo did not divulge any more details on why Loki showed up to Steve and Peggy’s home. “Avengers: Endgame” was released in theaters on April 26, 2019. Marvel fans saw Steve Rogers’ arc in the original ending as a satisfying conclusion to his story.
The original film also included a scene where an older Steve hands his shield to Sam Wilson, played by Anthony Mackie, signaling what looked like a definitive conclusion to Steve’s story arc. After all, Steve, played by Chris Evans, traveled to the past to be with Peggy Carter after helping defeat Thanos, played by Josh Brolin, and restore the lives lost from the Snap in “Avengers: Infinity War.” Before returning to be with Peggy, played by Hayley Atwell, he went back to different points in the past to return the Infinity Stones.
In “Avengers: Endgame Encore,” one of the added scenes revisits Steve’s heartfelt reunion with Peggy, showing the pair enjoying a peaceful dance together. However, the happy moment is short-lived when a sudden knock on the door interrupts them. Peggy answers while Steve hides by the door, only to reveal an unexpected guest on the other side.
The person who steps inside is none other than Loki (Tom Hiddleston). He says that he can help both Steve and Peggy, but doesn’t explain why he showed up in the first place. Russo did not divulge any more details on why Loki showed up to Steve and Peggy’s home. In a recent interview with Empire Magazine, the Russos said that the added footage in the re-release will not appear in “Avengers: Doomsday.” Instead, it was filmed to bridge the gap between the two movies.
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Special Look at “Avengers: Doomsday” Focuses on Doctor Doom
Robert Downey Jr., who headlined the first four “Avengers” films as Iron Man, returns to the MCU as Doctor Doom. He made his first appearance as the character in the mid-credits scene of “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” which was released in theaters on July 25, 2025. Russo’s statement seems to line up with speculation that Steve going back in time to be with Peggy caused incursions that killed Doctor Doom’s family.
On Sep 1, 2025, well-known Marvel scooper @MyTimeToShineH posted on X, “If I understand correctly, Steve going back in time to be with Peggy created the incursions that killed Doctor Doom’s family. Now Doom is hunting Steve to kill him for what he did, manipulating everyone in his path to achieve it.” Marvel has not publicly confirmed or denied this specific rumor.
The studio released a special look at “Avengers: Doomsday” that was presented first at San Diego Comic-Con at Hall H on July 25, 2026, and then at Marvel’s D23 presentation on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. Marvel Entertainment then uploaded the trailer to its YouTube account after the presentation. With the trailer being darker in tone, it focused heavily on Doom, while showing characters across the Marvel Cinematic Universe along with the X-Men characters from the Fox films.
For now, the scene itself offers little beyond a quiet dance, a knock at the door, and a visitor who gives no reason for coming. Russo offered nothing further on how the moment connects to the rest of the film, so fans are left to read the clues in the footage Marvel has released. “Avengers: Doomsday” will arrive in theaters on Dec. 18, 2026. The sequel, “Avengers: Secret Wars,” is scheduled to arrive in theaters on Dec. 17, 2027.
Disclosure: This article was written, edited, and modified with AI assistance
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