Marvel Studios and Disney+ just unveiled a new wave of Avengers: Doomsday posters to promote the countdown to the MCU's next Phase 6 release, including looks at Chris Evans' Captain America and Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow. Disney+ has been actively celebrating its "Countdown to Doomsday" collection of 15 movies and shows to watch before Avengers: Doomsday, with a special banner on the streamer's Marvel homepage.
The banner takes a familiar poster for a superhero project from the collection and swaps out its background for a bright, Doctor Doom green pattern that fans have seen throughout the movie's marketing. Taking the spotlight in one of them is Chris Evans' Steve Rogers, who played a leading role in the MCU's Infinity Saga through his work as Captain America with the Avengers.
Marvel Studios appears eager to take fans back to where it all began, as one of the posters spotlights 2012's The Avengers and the OG Avengers (plus Nick Fury). It's rather ironic to see Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man in front of such a background, given that it is heavily linked to his newfound Doctor Doom role. He is also surrounded by his teammates from Earth's Mightiest Heroes such as Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner/Hulk, Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, and Chris Hemsworth's Thor.
It will come as no surprise that Loki and Tom Hiddleston's God of Stories (formerly God of Mischief) has been openly touted by Disney+. The series is expected to be one of the most important precursors to Doomsday, having set up the concept of timelines, the TVA, and, of course, Loki's crucial role in the Multiverse's demise.
But it wasn't just Infinity Saga veterans who got the Disney+ banner treatment; there was also a nod to Simu Liu's Shang-Chi in honor of his 2021 movie. The character has gone heavily underutilized in the Multiverse Saga and will make only his second appearance in Doomsday as part of the next generation of Avengers, making now the perfect time to remind audiences of his existence.
The move will delight Simu Liu, who was left frustrated when Marvel Studios omitted Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings from its original Avengers: Doomsday watchlist, reacting to the news with a rather blunt sigh of, "Typical."
Disney+ put a Doomsday green spin on one of Shang-Chi's most iconic posters, showcasing the martial arts superhero in action with the Ten Rings. Frustratingly, Shang-Chi was mostly absent from Avengers 5's latest mass release of posters, so it's encouraging to see that the MCU hasn't forgotten about him.
Marvel Studios seems eager for fans to know which of the MCU's 50+ movies and shows are a must-watch before Doomsday lands on December 18, marking them with a glowing green outline to denote their place in the countdown collection. One of the most prominent of that group is 2019's Avengers: Endgame, which ended with Tony Stark's emotional sacrifice. Evans and Johansson also closed chapters of their careers in this movie, as the former Black Widow sacrificed herself on Vormir and Steve Rogers passed the Captain America mantle to Sam Wilson.
This isn't the first time that Disney+ has updated posters for past MCU projects to promote an upcoming movie or show. Most notably, seven movies featuring Johansson's Natasha Romanoff got a new coat of paint in 2021, ahead of Black Widow, to spotlight the character and duplicate its poster style.
Did Disney+'s Avengers: Doomsday Posters Spoil Surprise Cameos?
Just because Marvel Studios has designated these projects as vital viewing for Avengers: Doomsday doesn't mean all the major characters on the posters are set to appear. Namely, the Avengers: Endgame poster spotlights characters like Black Widow, Iron Man, Nick Fury, Hawkeye, War Machine, Captain Marvel, and Nebula, who will almost certainly be sitting this one out.
Some of those characters could absolutely make their way into Avengers: Secret Wars, the following weeks, as Samuel L. Jackson recently confirmed that he will. Many have also speculated that Josh Brolin will return as Thanos one last time in next year's Avengers 6 to be decimated by Doctor Doom, as he was in the comics.
Spider-Man: No Way Home seemingly made the cut for the countdown collection due to its Multiversal storyline, but it may also spoil a major cameo. Currently, none of No Way Home's cast are confirmed to appear, but it has been heavily rumored that Tobey Maguire's Spidey will return in the opening, making his MCU return and first Multiversal encounter crucial viewing for Avengers 5.
On the topic of No Way Home, many are also pondering whether Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange will feature in Doomsday, especially as his solo sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, also joined the collection. While it seems that Doctor Strange's villainous turn has been cut from Doomsday, Multiverse of Madness' Incursions will be all-important in what's to come.
Another Multiversal blockbuster featured is Deadpool & Wolverine, with Ryan Reynolds' Merc With a Mouth and Hugh Jackman's Logan taking center stage on the poster for their 2024 record-breaking blockbuster. Much like Maguire, the R-rated mutant co-leads are expected to feature in Doomsday's opening.
