With a little over five months until the release of Avengers: Doomsday, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s marketing campaign has finally kicked into gear. Official concept art for the film debuted at the Shanghai Expo in China, showcasing the various lead heroes of the MCU’s epic. To promote the movie, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige appeared at the Expo and brought along a pre-recorded video that reunites the big three actors for the first time since the release of Avengers: Endgame in 2019.
Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and Chris Hemsworth appeared together in a video that played to visitors at the Shanghai Expo, via MCU Film News on X. The three actors have appeared together in every Avengers movie, though Downey Jr. is trading the Iron Man armor for the role of the film’s main villain, Doctor Doom. Chris Evans returns as Steve Rogers, while Chris Hemsworth reprises his role as Thor. In the video, Evans says, “Doomsday is coming, and the stakes have never been higher. Witnessing how much you love this universe and these characters keeps us going.” Hemsworth added, “We are working hard to make this the most epic movie yet.”
Downey Jr., Evans, and Hemsworth served as the faces of the MCU for the Infinity Saga. While Hemsworth stuck around for Thor: Love and Thunder, Downey Jr. and Evans seemed to take their final bows, with Tony Stark sacrificing his life to save the world while Steve Rogers went back in time to live out his life with Peggy Carter. However, in 2024, Robert Downey Jr. took to the Hall H stage at Comic-Con to announce his return to the MCU, this time playing the villain Doctor Doom. Rumors of Evans’ return began to circulate in 2024, but confirmation officially came in December 2025 with the release of the first Avengers: Doomsday trailer.
Now the decision to center Avengers: Doomsday on Downey Jr., Evans, and Hemsworth has been criticized by some audiences. Many have highlighted the decision to rely on established names as evidence of Marvel Studios’ lack of commitment to giving new characters, like Shang-Chi and Shuri, the spotlight. Many have also questioned the decision to bring back Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers while sidelining Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel, Tatiana Maslany’s She-Hulk, and Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel.
Despite the criticism, anticipation for Avengers: Doomsday is high. The trailer is expected to debut on July 25 during Marvel Studios’ San Diego Comic-Con presentation and play in theaters with Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Even with Dune: Part Three opening on the same day and having exclusive access on the IMAX screens, Avengers: Doomsday is still expected to be the biggest movie of 2026.