Doctor Doom and Thanos were the focus of an exciting piece of promotional material for Marvel Studios' Avengers: Doomsday. Doomsday is expected to shake up the MCU to its core when it hits theaters in 2026, largely due to Robert Downey playing one of Marvel's most iconic villains ever in Victor von Doom. While plot details for the movie are still being kept under wraps, fans may be getting an early tease for one moment to expect on the big screen.
Marvel Studios put on an official Avengers: Doomsday light show at a Walt Disney Studios Marketing Expo in Shanghai, China. This light show largely focused on Doctor Doom, who will put the entire multiverse in danger of collapsing when he makes his full debut in the next Avengers movie. About one minute and 15 seconds into the show, fans see a quick shot of Doom holding a skeleton in his hand, looking triumphant in his full comic-accurate suit.
Comic fans will recognize this image from issue #8 of Marvel Comics' Secret Wars run from 2015, written by Jonathan Hickman with art by Alex Ross. In this issue, Thanos challenges Doom for supremacy before Doom shocks the Mad Titan by thrusting his hand through Thanos' midsection. Grabbing Thanos by the spine, Doom rips his skeleton straight out of his body, showing no mercy and unbridled power.
While this does not confirm anything for Doomsday's plot, many hope this means that Marvel will mimic this moment early in the movie. Marvel Studios is known for recreating scenes straight from the comics, and with Doom expected to be the MCU's next huge villain, it would make sense to see him exert his dominance over the Infinity Saga's big bad.
Avengers: Doomsday will be the MCU's next major team-up movie for Phase 6 and the franchise's 39th movie overall. 27 Marvel Studios stars and Marvel legacy actors are confirmed to join the cast, going up against Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom. Avengers: Doomsday is currently filming and will be released in theaters on December 18, 2026. You can watch Disney's Avengers: Doomsday light show here!
Will Doom Take Out Thanos in Avengers: Doomsday?
While Marvel may not bring the same level of gore and horror that the comics did when Doom ripped Thanos' skeleton from his body, many believe this moment will be used as a turning point in Doomsday. Doom may not be a god-level villain like other Marvel characters, but he is expected to be immensely powerful.
Looking at Thanos' place in Doomsday, considering he has been canonically dead since the end of Avengers: Endgame, he is unlikely to get much screen time. The best bet is that he will likely be brought back through a multiversal Variant who will quickly be killed off to show Doom's power.
Rumors indicated that Marvel may not release a first trailer for Doomsday until San Diego Comic-Con 2026, meaning fans still have a long time to wait to see any footage from the MCU's new epic.
Although this Doom/Thanos moment is sure to be kept a secret until the movie is released, should it be realized, it will be a turning point for the MCU as Doom takes his place as a new mega-antagonist.
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.
