Marvel Studios just released a new post-credits scene that sets up Avengers: Doomsday and may be the MCU's best stinger in the last 7 years. There's no denying that the MCU has had a post-credits scene problem in the Multiverse Saga; what was once an avenue to tease the next movie or set up crucial plot points has become an avenue for cameos, shock value, and teasers that have gone nowhere, even years later. That said, Marvel Studios' recent re-release, Avengers: Endgame Encore, perfectly encapsulated what a great MCU post-credits scene should be with the franchise's best in years.
It's hard to argue that Spider-Man: Far From Home delivered the MCU's best post-credits scene of all time, ending Phase 3 and the Infinity Saga on a true BANG! The mid-credits stinger truly had it all: a game-changing twist, vital set-up for the next Spider-Man movie, and even a cameo from a Marvel icon.
Tom Holland's Spidey and Zendaya's M.J. landed in Times Square to catch a breaking news announcement on the jumbotron, delivered by none other than J.K. Simmons' J. Jonah Jameson and the Daily Bugle. That in itself was huge as it brought back a beloved actor from Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man trilogy, but what truly made it work was the contents of that announcement.
The Daily Bugle had obtained a video from Jake Gyllenhaal's Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio, from his final moments, in which he claimed that Spider-Man was trying to kill him to become the next Iron Man before revealing his secret identity.
What makes Far From Home's post-credits scene even better is that, even 7 years later, its ramifications are still being felt in the MCU. It was only because Mysterio announced Peter Parker's secret identity to the world in Far From Home that Doctor Strange's spells became necessary in No Way Home, leading to the loneliness and emotional conflict that defined Brand New Day.
Having established that surprise, significance, and set-up are the three Ss in creating the perfect MCU post-credits scene, it's tough to argue that Avengers: Endgame Encore's mid-credits scene isn't Marvel Studios' best in 7 years.
The scene picks up with Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner working on a gamma suppression serum far underground beneath a military base, where he has placed himself in self-containment since Spider-Man: Brand New Day. But that is all interrupted when Doctor Doom magically enters Hulk's hideout to collect him for reasons that will become clear in the next Avengers movies.
The scene cleverly links to two of the MCU's biggest movies of all time, revealing the aftermath of Hulk's outburst in Spider-Man: Brand New Day and teasing where he is going next, whether that be in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.
Endgame Encore's mid-credits scene brought the three Ss of a post-credits scene: there was surprise as Ruffalo wasn't previously confirmed for the next Avengers movies, significance because an OG Avenger has been forcibly abducted, and set up through the reveal that Doctor Doom is collecting powerful individuals.
Endgame Encore's second post-credits scene reveals that the TVA is tracking Incursions and the Multiverse is collapsing. It was certainly exciting to see that information relayed on-screen, but it failed to tell fans anything new, and there was no real indication of what this means for the TVA crew in Doomsday.
Marvel Studios has recently gotten its post-credits game back on track, starting last year with Thunderbolts*, which jumped ahead to Avengers: Doomsday's opening and revealed the Fantastic Four's ship hurtling toward Earth-616. The stinger worked on multiple levels: it offered an update on the New Avengers 14 months later, confirmed their return in Doomsday, and teased Marvel's First Family just months before their debut in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
The Fantastic Four was another win on that front, as it was the only post-credits scene before Avengers: Endgame Encore that actually featured Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom. The 2025 blockbuster strongly hinted that Victor von Doom is from Earth-828, but also that he has plans for the Fantastic Four's cosmically powered child, Franklin Richards, even though his agenda remained vague.
What Will Avengers: Doomsday & Secret Wars' Post-Credits Scenes Be?
If Avengers: Doomsday goes down as fans expect, the Phase 6 blockbuster could end with the lights going out on the Multiverse with the final Incursion. If that is the case, the post-credits scene could offer a glimmer of hope for the Multiverse by unveiling Battleworld and God Emperor Doom sitting on its throne.
Alternatively, the stinger could feature some of the characters who will lead Secret Wars after missing out on Doomsday or only playing a minor role. It's safe to say that audiences would leave the theater filled with excitement if the last thing they saw was Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine meeting for the first time, perhaps alongside Tom Holland's Spidey as well.
Unlike Endgame, Marvel Studios has marked Secret Wars as a new beginning for the MCU, and its post-credits scene ought to reflect that. The X-Men reboot will launch Phase 7 in May 2028, six months after Secret Wars, so it makes sense for the stinger to tease that in front of what is sure to be a huge audience.
Sadie Sink's Jean Grey will reportedly return in Secret Wars before taking center stage in X-Men, making her the obvious choice to lead the scene. Perhaps Marvel Studios could unveil Jean Grey's first meeting with Christopher Abbott's Charles Xavier and offer a sneak peek at his mutant school in the MCU.
