What is the story about?
Thanos may have been defeated in Avengers: Endgame, but the Mad Titan is back in the Marvel realm after Disney revealed a new version of the villain for
its upcoming Avengers: Infinity Defense attraction. Now, the reveal has added fuel to speculation about Avengers: Doomsday, as alleged leaks claim Robert Downey Jr's Doctor Doom and major multiverse plot details. It comes as Marvel gears up to release its mega crossover event. The Joe and Anthony Russo-directed Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to be released on December 18, 2026, and will bring back actors like Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Paul Rudd, and many others.
Thanos Marvel comeback explained
Disney surprised Marvel fans with a Thanos update when it revealed another version of the villain who will be the star of the Avengers: Infinity Defense attraction at Disney California Adventure. Opening in 2028 as part of the expansion of Avengers Campus, the ride is set in a world where Thanos has defeated the heroes of Earth and is trying to expand his conquest into the multiverse.
This version of Thanos has a fresh new look, with a big crown and an improved version of his double-bladed weapon from Avengers: Endgame. The weapon appears to be augmented with glowing energy effects. Reportedly, guests will be whisked across locations such as Wakanda, Asgard, and New York as they team up with the Avengers to stop King Thanos.
But this is no confirmation that Josh Brolin's Thanos is returning in Avengers: Doomsday. And the official announcement of Thanos is for the Disney theme-park ride, not the upcoming Marvel movie.
Rumoured leak about RDJ's Doctor Doom
Avengers: Doomsday is already subject to a tide of unverified online leaks, and the Thanos revelation adds to the fervour. One leak purportedly shows Robert Downey Jr as Victor von Doom, with photos of the character in his armour and mask, and what is reportedly a glimpse of his scarred face.
One of the biggest talking points around Doomsday has been the casting of Downey Jr as Doctor Doom. The actor previously played Tony Stark/Iron Man throughout the Infinity Saga up until he died in Avengers: Endgame.
The footage, if it is what it appears to be, is being described online as a continuation of the post-credits scene in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. But Marvel Studios has not said whether the images or video are real or not.
Leak of alleged Avengers: Doomsday plot
Meanwhile, social media accounts have shared a lengthy plot summary, as well as alleged Doctor Doom footage said to reveal major events from Avengers: Doomsday. The claims reportedly involve multiple universes, the X-Men, Fantastic Four, Avengers, Deadpool, and Steve Rogers. One of the speculated plotlines involves incursions between universes and the destruction of parallel realities.
The alleged leak also claims that Doctor Doom teams up with Reed Richards and other heroes at first before eventually betraying them. Another suggested plot point is that Doom's ultimate goal is to control the collapse and rebuilding of reality.
None of these details have been officially verified, and Marvel's history of changing storylines during production makes it difficult to determine whether any alleged leak reflects the finished film.
Could Doctor Doom be a Tony Stark lookalike?
The casting of Downey Jr has reignited one of the biggest fan theories about Doomsday, whether Victor von Doom will somehow have Tony Stark's face. The theory has gained traction because Marvel has embraced the multiverse, where alternate versions of characters we know can inhabit different realities.
Speculation has been fueled by a purported line recently attributed to David Harbour. In an interview, the actor who returns as Red Guardian is said to have recited the line: "You… are Tony Stark."
It is unclear whether the line is actually spoken in the film or whether Harbour was just having a laugh with the interviewer. But if real, it could mean Red Guardian meets an unmasked Doom, and thinks he's Tony Stark, or maybe another Stark altogether.
More Secret Wars speculation from leaks
The online guessing game doesn't end with Doomsday. Another alleged leak has claimed to reveal details about Avengers: Secret Wars, the follow-up film that's in the works. The unverified claims set Doctor Doom up as the possible winner, creating Battleworld, a reality that fuses characters from different universes together.
The rumoured cast will allegedly include versions of Spider-Man played by Tom Holland, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, as well as Wolverine, Deadpool, Reed Richards, Namor, Vision, She-Hulk and other Marvel heroes.
The supposed plot has already been compared to Avengers: Endgame, with a group of heroes supposedly travelling through different realities to find a way to beat Doom.
