The rumor mill is once again swirling around Avengers: Doomsday, this time with an unfortunate production update.
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty was rebranded as Avengers: Doomsday at SDCC 2024, with Joe and Anthony Russo returning to direct and Stephen McFeely taking over as writer.
Robert Downey Jr. is set to make a major comeback to the MCU, not as Tony Stark, but as Victor von Doom, the film's main antagonist. Filming is scheduled to begin soon in London, but a new report is casting doubt on its May 1, 2026, release.
Avengers 5 Might Get Delayed (Rumor)
Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider recently gave a discouraging update on the specific release date (or slot) of Avengers: Doomsday.
On The Hot Mic podcast, Sneider shared that he heard that the Avengers: Doomsday "release date could push to the next slot:"
"I heard a rumor that ['Avengers: Doomsday'] might push. I think that the release date could push to the next slot. I don't know when the next slot is but it could just miss one slot so it'd be pushed like a few months."
The idea of this would be odd, as Spider-Man 4 was just pushed back one week to July 31, 2026, which is presumably when Sneider could be talking about.
Marvel Studios' next official placeholder release date (slot) would be November 6, 2026, which would indicate a significant delay, not necessarily "a few months."
Since every Avengers film has debuted in Marvel’s prime May release window, any delay could push Avengers: Doomsday back an entire year to 2027, shifting back Phase 6 and altering the slate even further.
However, Marvel initially planned to release Secret Wars in November 2025 (the same year as The Kang Dynasty), suggesting they might be open to launching an Avengers film in the fall.
Sneider's reasoning for this report is that Marvel does not "know who's in the movie" as "they're still just figuring out what that ensemble looks like:"
"I think they don't know who's in the movie. That's what I heard. I heard we still don't know who's gonna ultimately be in this movie and who's not. Like we don't know who's gonna be available, like we don't know any of that. So I think they're still just figuring out what that ensemble looks like."
Based on comments from Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and other reports, the Avengers 5 cast is going to be loaded, full of fresh faces from The Fantastic Four, older veterans like Anthony Mackie, and maybe even Chris Evans.
This rumor also comes shortly after Daniel Richtman reported Doomsday is now expected to begin filming in London in April instead of March due to ongoing script revisions. That concept aligns with Sneider's point about the uncertainty of which characters will take on major roles, ultimately shaping the final script.
Is Avengers: Doomsday In Trouble?
The irony of this discouraging news is that directors Joe and Anthony Russo recently gave an exciting story update to Doomsday, calling it "radical."
It is safe to assume that Marvel Studios understands that Doomsday is an ambitious undertaking with the potential to evolve significantly throughout production, much like Infinity War and Endgame.
Balancing a massive ensemble cast, introducing new characters, and delivering a high-stakes narrative will require constant adjustments as the film takes shape.
This challenge is likely a key reason why Marvel brought back the Russo brothers, who previously demonstrated their ability to manage multiple storylines and deliver a cohesive, emotionally impactful blockbuster.
Their experience juggling the complex arcs of Infinity War and Endgame makes them well-suited to navigate the inevitable transformations Doomsday will undergo. As production unfolds, rewrites and shifts in direction are almost guaranteed, ensuring the film is fine-tuned to meet the expectations of its massive audience.
Avengers: Doomsday is currently set to release on May 1, 2026.
