As Avengers: Doomsday's marketing campaign kicks off, a new poster teased countless connections to the MCU's extensive past. Marvel is bringing multiple Doomsday trailers to the big screen alongside Disney's Avatar: Fire and Ash, and the hype for the movie's release is growing exponentially.
Marvel Studios released an official poster for Avengers: Doomsday alongside the online release of its first trailer. Using multiple shades of green and the classic Avengers logo, the poster also includes unique designs not seen on any of the posters for past Avengers films.
The full view of the Avengers logo in this poster reveals a stained-glass-esque design in the gaps of the "A", with green light shining through, hinting at the green seen in Robert Downey Jr.'s look for Victor von Doom.
Additionally, the circle surrounding the "A" is filled with runes and other unique designs, including a crescent moon and another image resembling a wheel.
While the meaning behind these designs remains unknown, the MCU has more than its fair share of runes and other symbols comparable to those in this logo.
An image believed to depict the MCU's version of Doctor Doom features similar runes in the design of his suit, which comes complete with a green hood and cloak. On his shoulders, he has silver circles with designs for Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, and the Hala star, which represents the Kree people (also featured on Captain Marvel's costume).
Additionally, at the Walt Disney Studios Marketing Expo in Shanghai, China, the company presented an exciting light show to tease the debut of Doomsday in theaters. Near the end, a set of magic runes came into focus as Doctor Doom formed the green symbols in between his hands.
This magic could be comparable to other forms of magic from past MCU movies and TV shows. A recent example is the Ironheart Disney+ show, in which Zelma Stanton imbued Riri Williams' Ironheart suit with magic she learned from her training in Kamar-Taj. This manifested in multiple circles of runes when Riri used it.
The MCU's most well-known magic-user, Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Stephen Strange, is recognizable for bringing similar magic to the forefront. As seen below in an image from Avengers: Infinity War, he can manifest circular shields from his hands, which are surrounded by similar runes.
Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff has demonstrated a similar level of mastery over magic throughout her time in the MCU. Particularly after her evolution into the Scarlet Witch between WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Wanda showed her expertise with runes and spells, many of which came out of the Darkhold.
Other theories suggest that the designs are tied to two major characters introduced in the Multiverse Saga: Simu Liu's Shang-Chi and Iman Vellani's Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel.
In Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Shang-Chi gained possession of the titular Ten Rings after his father passed them on to him. The post-credits scene with Wong, Captain Marvel, and Bruce Banner teased that the Rings are well over a thousand years old and are adorned with designs similar to runes on their sides.
The next year, Kamala received a bangle in the mail from her grandmother. Getting her powers from this bangle (the second one coming in The Marvels), it also has a set of unique markings on the side, which glow when she powers it up.
These runes tease that Doom will have more than a few ties to some of the MCU's most famous heroes. Since Robert Downey Jr. will play the role after years as Iron Man in the MCU, along with this movie's place in the Multiverse Saga, this will help serve as a culmination for Marvel's new slate of recent films and TV shows.
Avengers: Doomsday will be the third movie released in Marvel Studios' Phase 6 slate and the MCU's fifth Avengers film overall. 28 MCU and legacy Marvel stars are confirmed for this film's cast, which will feature the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four uniting against Downey's Doctor Doom. Avengers: Doomsday will debut in theaters on December 18, 2026.
How RDJ's Doom Could Tie MCU History Together
Given that Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars are closing out the Multiverse Saga, fans expect more than a few multiversal plot points to take center stage in this next movie. Add in Downey's casting, and it would be shocking to see Marvel avoid tying everything together with this new entry after many intriguing setups from the last few years.
The runes in the Doomsday poster could indicate a connection between his brand of magic and the magic fans have seen from characters like Doctor Strange and Wanda Maximoff. Especially taking into account Strange's experience with the multiverse, Doom taking inspiration from the Sorcerer Supreme may be something to watch for, as the villain's use of dark magic is set to play a big role in this story.
Additionally, this may lay the groundwork for Doom's methods of traveling across the Multiverse, a concept that only a few MCU characters are aware of. As there are at least three universes that will play a role in Doomsday (and potentially more to be confirmed later), this will be a key element to the plot. Fans may get more insight into Doom's magic and motivations in a later trailer for Doomsday.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
