Avengers: Doomsday has a unique weakness that previous Avengers films never dealt with.
Set to release December 18, 2026, Doomsday isn't just Marvel Studios' first Phase 6 Avengers movie and the first since Avengers: Endgame, but it's also Robert Downey Jr.'s first headliner film as Doctor Doom, as well as the Russo Brothers' first MCU film since the 2019 blockbuster.
Avengers: Doomsday Faces a Major MCU Hurdle
Since the last Avengers movie released was Avengers: Endgame, anticipation is high for Avengers: Doomsday, and so are audience expectations.
But even though the Russo Brothers are back in the directors' chairs and Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. is back as Doom, the problem with Avengers 5 is that its cast hasn't enjoyed nearly as many MCU appearances as the cast of Avengers: Infinity War.
While Captain America, Thor, and Black Widow had five MCU appearances before Infinity War, and RDJ had seven, the most any post-Infinity Saga character has experienced is Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova (three, including Thunderbolts* this year).
Apart from Yelena, the only other new MCU characters who have appeared more than once (minus post-credit scenes) include Iman Vellani's Ms. Marvel, Teyonah Pariss' Monica Rambeau, and Joaquin Torres once Captain America: Brave New World's releases.
Meanwhile, major Marvel heroes such as Shang-Chi, Moon Knight, and Shuri (the new Black Panther) have only been seen once in the Multiverse Saga.
And, the same will be said of The Fantastic Four cast (who Kevin Feige confirmed for Doomsday and more?) once their film debuts this year.
Remaining Infinity Saga stars like Sam Wilson, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, Hulk, and more have also been limited to two appearances at most.
The huge disadvantage that comes with fewer roles and crossovers is the audience's lack of emotional attachment, making it harder for Avengers 5 to earn the same kind of moments as Infinity War or Endgame.
Much of the latter film's huge moments stemmed from small jokes and personal exchanges from previous films, something that the Multiverse Saga characters have had little time for so far.
It's also worth noting that much of the appeal of Avengers movies was getting to see well-established heroes cross paths with one another. But for many of the Multiverse Saga's characters, audiences will still be getting to know them in Doomsday.
Marvel Studios seems to be aware of this. It's likely one of the reasons why the Russos and RDJ were brought back, and why Chris Evans (but not as Captain America?) is returning along with Hayley Atwell.
Still, while these stars are familiar Marvel faces with rich MCU history, they are all expected to be playing either new and/or Multiversal versions of their characters.
How Doomsday Can Pull Off Avengers Expectations
While it's true that Avengers: Doomsday's growing cast has had little time together or on-screen, Avengers: Infinity War did show how great moments are still possible, even with new characters.
For instance, the Guardians of the Galaxy cast only had two films to their name before Infinity War. And, despite having been isolated from the greater MCU until then, their interactions with the Avengers were some of the film's best, even though James Gunn disagreed with a few.
In addition, Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther only had a supporting role in Captain America: Civil War and his own film before Infinity War. But even so, both he and Wakanda proved pivotal players.
The real challenge is whether Avengers 5 can pair the right characters, emphasize their qualities and traits, and utilize them well within the film's goals and time constraints.
The Russos have done it before, so it can be done again. However, in the case of Doomsday, the MCU's new roster may be battling the likes of RDJ and Chris Evans for screentime.
While the old familiar heroes were reassembled to help the MCU, the question now is whether Marvel Studios' solution will actually contribute to its biggest problem.
It will also be interesting to see if the Doomsday cast will up their number of MCU appearances in the Marvel films leading up to Avengers 5, particularly in post-credits scenes for Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and The Fantastic Four.
Also, fans should remember that Doomsday is expected to lay the groundwork for Marvel Studios' other upcoming Avengers crossover, Avengers: Secret Wars.
Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026.
