Avengers: Doomsday Will Pit 2 Superhero Teams Against Each Other (Report)

According to new intel, two iconic superhero teams are reportedly heading for a dramatic showdown in Avengers: Doomsday. The upcoming crossover MCU film is expected to feature a clash between two separate groups of heroes, potentially orchestrated by Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.

Per insider Daniel Richtman, Avengers: Doomsday will feature a major battle between the Avengers and the X-Men, marking the first time the two teams clash on the big screen. The scoop, shared via his Patreon, also reveals that the scene is already being filmed and includes comic book-accurate costumes for both groups. This development is significant because it not only brings the X-Men further into the MCU fold but also gives fans a glimpse at how the returning actors will be utilized.

Avengers: Doomsday is set to be a significant crossover MCU event since 2019, bringing together characters from across the MCU and reintroducing several original X-Men cast members. Notably, Kelsey Grammer is "excited" to return as Dr. Hank McCoy, aka Beast, a role he first portrayed in X-Men: The Last Stand. 

Joining Grammer are other original X-Men actors: Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier, Ian McKellen as Magneto, James Marsden as Cyclops, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, and Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler. Cumming recently revealed that he might be fighting Pedro Pascal's Mr. Fantastic, teasing the looming altercation between heroes. 

Their inclusion signifies Marvel Studios' new commitment to integrating the beloved Fox-era X-Men into the MCU's multiverse narrative. This convergence of characters from different franchises builds directly upon Deadpool & Wolverine, which gave audiences their first look at Channing Tatum's Gambit, who will also return. With Avengers: Doomsday scheduled for release on May 1, 2026, there's plenty of time to speculate on why the Earth's Mightiest Heroes fight the old X-Men.

Avengers vs. X-Men Explained

In 2012's Avengers vs. X-Men comic storyline, the conflict between the two superhero teams was sparked by the impending return of the Phoenix Force, a powerful cosmic entity known for destruction as well as rebirth. The story begins when Hope Summers, the first mutant born after the events of House of M, is identified as the likely host for the Phoenix. The Avengers, led by Captain America, believe the Phoenix's arrival could lead to planetary devastation. As tensions rise, the Avengers attempt to take Hope into custody for Earth's safety, which the X-Men see as an act of aggression. A full-scale war between the groups follows, with battles breaking out across the globe and even on the moon.

This major world-changing event was built up over years of comic book storytelling, so there's no reason to think the Doomsday altercation described by Richtman will draw much from that storyline.

One Doomsday possibility is that the clash is brief and based on a misunderstanding, similar to the quick skirmish between Iron Man, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and the Guardians of the Galaxy in Avengers: Infinity War. "So you're not with Thanos?" could become, "So you're not with Doom?" 

Alternatively, the stakes could be far more serious, with the Avengers and X-Men fighting to preserve their own realities as Multiversal incursions threaten to wipe them out. Adding to the chaos is Doctor Doom, who may have a CGI mask and is likely pulling the strings behind the scenes with the heroes unknowing.