It won’t mark the first time that Doctor Doom has appeared on the silver screen, but the villain’s Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) outing continues to be an exciting prospect for comic book fans. Adding to the hype is the casting of Robert Downey Jr. in the role, who will swap out his red and gold mask for a silver one in Avengers: Doomsday, set to release on 18 December 2026.
First Look at Promotional Art for Doctor Doom in ‘AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY’.
— CinXperience (@CinXperience) September 11, 2025
Displayed at the Disney 2026 Merchandise Expo in China.#AvengersDoomsday hits Theaters December 18, 2026! pic.twitter.com/yRFqVpjgCa
Now, the first official promotional images have put an end to the wait to catch an extended look at the character. The artwork decorating the entrance to the Walt Disney Marketing Expo in Shanghai featured various characters from the House of Mouse, including Toy Story‘s Buzz Lightyear, Zootopia‘s Judy Hopps, Mickey Mouse, Spider-Man, the Mandalorian and Grogu, and of course, Doctor Doom.
A Disney Marketing expo in Shanghai might’ve just dropped the first look at Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom
— ScreenTime (@screentime) September 11, 2025
pic.twitter.com/fdfedhN7RN
Inside the venue, the Fantastic Four arch-nemesis enjoyed even more of the limelight, with laser projections showing him flying around and displaying his powers, as the soundtracks of the Avengers movies played in the background. The spectacle then ended with the logo reveal for the Avengers, Black Panther, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men.
Story details about Avengers: Doomsday remain under wraps, but it will feature a large ensemble cast of new and returning faces – some of whom were confirmed in a record-breaking cast reveal video – and release as part of Phase Six of the MCU. The film’s sequel, Secret Wars, is set to conclude Phase Six on 17 December 2027.
According to MCU veteran Anthony Mackie, who played the titular superhero in Captain America: Brave New World, the forthcoming instalment is going to bring back the “old Marvel feeling” for fans.
“We’re supposed to go out this week, and we’ll be out there doing it. Everyone’s excited. I feel with the script and having the Russo brothers back, it’s going to be great,” he said. “I’m really excited for what this project is going to be. It’s going to give the audience that old Marvel feeling that they always had.”
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Joyce Ong
