It's been six years (and counting) since the Avengers last assembled, and while it's true we got a New Avengers lineup in Thunderbolts*, fans are waiting for a full-blown reunion on a par with Avengers: Endgame. Even though Marvel Cinematic Universe overlord Kevin Feige once suggested there would be no more Avengers movies, our patience is about to pay off in 2026.
Although we were once gearing up for Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror to be the next big threat of the Multiverse, Robert Downey Jr. is suiting up to play Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. The Russo Brothers are back to unite Earth's Mightiest Heroes, but with the fifth mainline Avengers movie hitting theaters in December 2026, the MCU marketing machine is already going into overdrive.
A galaxy of stars from the past of Marvel movies are reprising their roles, including everyone from Tim Hiddleston's Loki to Patrick Stewart's Charles Xavier, The Fantastic Four: First Steps' Vanessa Kirby, and Thunderbolts*‘ Florence Pugh.
There are sure to be a few more surprise appearances, and after the first official trailer spoiled the return of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, all bets are off on who's been lured back to Disney's superhero ensemble.
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It's said that the Cap trailer is the first of four, with another focusing on Chris Hemsworth's Thor, a third heralding the return of the X-Men from the Fox era, and the final taking the mask off Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.
Doomsday's Thor trailer leaked online before it was officially revealed on December 30. While many praised a return to a more serious version of Hemsworth's muscular God of Thunder, one critic claimed the dialogue sounds like it's been written by artificial intelligence.
The problem is that before the first Doomsday trailer was released, the internet was awash with poorly generated versions and a ton of 'AI slop'.
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In the official Thor trailer, we see the titular god praying to his late father and asking for help in finding the strength for one more fight. The brooding speech starts: "Father, all my life I have answered every call, for honor, for duty, for war. But now fate has given me something I never sought, a child. A life untouched by the storm."
It's a neat continuation of the character arc established in the divisive Thor: Love and Thunder, which famously starred Hemsworth's own daughter as his on-screen offspring.
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Still, critics famously hated the comedic tone of Taika Waititi's 2022 movie and noticed a big tonal shift here.
Complaining about the Doomsday teaser, one person wrote: "His lines sound like ChatGPT wrote them. Why is Thor against battle now? The whole reason he has a daughter is because he refused to surrender... Nobody understands this character anymore."
Another chuckled: "This was a great trailer until it forced me to remember Thor Love and Thunder."
A third was more supportive as they concluded: "AI cooked y'all brains so much.. you can't even differentiate between sh*t (AI) and writing written by legends lmao."
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Thankfully, there are plenty of fans who are optimistic and have confidence that, after giving us the superb Infinity War and Endgame, the Russos can deliver another banger. The countdown to Avengers: Doomsday is on, and with a more serious Thor back in action, it's hammer time.