Avengers: Doomsday is only one year away, promising the biggest crossover event in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Set to hit theaters on December 18, 2026, the long-awaited Avengers sequel features Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in a multiverse-spanning battle with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. As the first in a two-part finale to the Multiverse Saga, Doomsday is one of the biggest MCU movies of all time.
Like Infinity War and Endgame before it, Doomsday mashes together dozens of characters from every corner of the MCU. The film will feature heroes from multiple universes, including the Avengers of Earth-616, the Fantastic Four of Earth-838, and the X-Men of Earth-10005. The most exciting pairing confirmed for Doomsday, however, is a long-awaited reunion eight years after they first parted ways.
Avengers: Doomsday Will Reunite Thor and Loki
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) ride in an elevator in Thor: RagnarokImage via Marvel Studios/Everett Collection
At a recent Disney expo in Italy, the roster for Sam Wilson’s Avengers team in Doomsday was officially confirmed. The team will consist of six heroes, led by Sam Wilson/Captain America, and including Joaquin Torres/Falcon, Scott Lang/Ant-Man, Xu Shang-Chi, Thor, and Loki. These final two team members should be especially exciting for MCU fans, as the two sons of Odin finally get to reunite years after they last shared the screen.
The last time that Thor saw his brother was in the opening scene of Avengers: Infinity War, when the Mad Titan Thanos claimed the Space Stone and broke Loki’s neck. Of course, the Loki set to appear in Doomsday is a variant from a different universe, where he escaped capture after the Battle of New York. Still, even this variant hasn’t seen his brother in the eons that have passed for him during the events of the Loki Disney+ series. In real life, Thor and Loki won’t have shared the screen for eight years by the time Doomsday hits theaters.
A lot has happened to both brothers since they last crossed paths. Thor watched as half the universe was destroyed by Thanos’s Snap, fell into a depression, and then fought in the Battle of Earth. Thereafter, he joined the Guardians of the Galaxy and fought Gorr the God Butcher. All along, he missed his brother Loki (and even got a tattoo in his memory, as revealed in Thor: Love and Thunder). Now, he raises his daughter, Love, and travels the galaxy fighting bands of brigands to defend the defenseless.
If even possible, Loki has had an even more eventful journey in the last several years. After his arrest by the Time Variance Authority, Loki toppled the tyrannical ruler of the multiverse, He Who Remains, gained time-slipping abilities, and fell in love with a female variant of himself. Now, Loki presides as the “God of Stories,” sitting at the center of Yggdrasil, the multiversal tree from whose branches all timelines stem.
Naturally, Thor and Loki will have a lot to catch up on when they finally reunite in Avengers: Doomsday. Their interactions are worth looking forward to for fans who enjoyed their dynamic in the Thor films. Even more importantly, the upcoming Avengers films offer a chance for both characters to complete their long-running arcs in the MCU.
Doomsday Is Completing Loki’s Redemption Arc
Loki (Tom Hiddleston) battles on Asgard in Thor: RagnarokImage via Marvel Studios/Everett Collection
Of the two brothers, Loki has changed the most since their last meeting. The god of mischief was once known as one of the MCU’s chief villains, having orchestrated a war between Asgard and Jotunheim and led an invasion of Earth with a Chitauri army. However, Loki’s time at the TVA changed him immensely. Now with friends of his own, Loki finds that he has something worth fighting for, even to the point of sacrificing his own future to protect theirs.
Loki’s redemptive arc is one of the best-written and most emotional storylines in the MCU, but it isn’t quite done yet. At the end of his self-titled Disney+ series, the god of mischief sacrificed himself to save his friends, braving the cosmic power of the imploding World Loom to tie together every branch in the multiverse. As the new “God of Stories,” Loki has become more powerful than ever, but now understands the incredible burden that comes with his glorious purpose.
The only thing left for the character is to finally reunite with the brother who always believed that he could return to the light. All through their bitter rivalry, Thor never gave up on Loki, even after he had been duped and cheated by him countless times. He still mourned the death of his brother at the hands of the villainous Thanos, still believing that he could have been redeemed with enough time. In Doomsday, Thor finally gets to see that he was right all along, as Loki became an even greater hero than he had ever imagined.
It seems likely that either Doomsday or Secret Wars will be the final appearance of this version of Loki. As such, the movies need to go all-out in completing Loki’s redemptive arc, knowing they might not have much longer to continue Tom Hiddleston’s character’s arc. Now is the time to unleash the full force of Loki’s newfound heroism, now side by side with the god of thunder.
What to Expect From Thor and Loki’s Reunion in Avengers: Doomsday
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) stand on the street in Thor: RagnarokImage via Marvel Studios/Everett Collection
Loki and Thor’s reunion has been one of the most highly anticipated events in the MCU for years. For a long time, it seemed like it might never happen, as both characters seemed to be pursuing separate storylines. Now that they will appear side by side as part of Sam Wilson’s new Avengers team, their interactions will hopefully get a fair chunk of screen time in Avengers: Doomsday.
Viewers should expect to see a changed dynamic between Thor and Loki in Doomsday. Neither character is the same as when he last saw his brother. ​​​​Thor’s arc in the MCU has led him to fatherhood, which may give him a renewed perspective on Loki’s issues with their own father. Perhaps this will lead to a better understanding between the two brothers over Odin’s many shortcomings as a parent.
Additionally, Loki has the chance to prove to his brother that he has truly renounced his villainous ways and become a hero. As the new Avengers: Doomsday announcement confirms, he will do so by joining the very superhero team that originally formed to stop him. As the newest member of the Avengers, Loki will do everything in his power to prove himself to the team–and to his older brother.
Finally, the dynamic between Thor and Loki will look very different in Doomsday. Whereas Thor has always clearly been the more powerful of the two, Loki’s new multiversal powers make him even stronger than his brother for the first time in their long history. This will certainly shift their relationship in new directions, though not necessarily in a negative way. Loki’s new abilities also gave him a renewed perspective on what power really means. In this way, he has come closer to Thor’s perspective than ever before, giving the two brothers something to bond over as teammates.
Avengers: Doomsday is exciting for many reasons, not the least of which being the long-anticipated reunion between the sons of Odin. Thor and Loki have been apart for far too long in the MCU, but that is about to change. Not only will the two iconic characters share the screen once more, but they will get the chance to fight side-by-side as members of Sam Wilson’s Avengers.
Avengers: Doomsday will open in theaters on December 18, 2026.
Release Date
December 18, 2026
Director
Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Writers
Stephen McFeely, Michael Waldron, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee
Vanessa Kirby
Sue Storm / Invisible Woman
Joseph Quinn
Johnny Storm / Human Torch
Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Ben Grimm / The Thing