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‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Officially Recasts Two Marvel Actors

Split image: On the left, a man in a green suit with arms outstretched stands on stage. On the right, an MCU superhero in a helmet wields a large hammer, looking determined in a dramatic Avengers: Endgame scene.
Credit: Marvel Studios Comic Con / Marvel Studios / edited by ITM

Avengers: Doomsday (2026) might feature an enormous ensemble cast, but it seems that only one actor is dominating the conversation.

In Doomsday, several “beloved heroes” from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and 20th Century Fox’s X-Men movies are back as “they’re set on a deadly collision course and face an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered,” per the description from Marvel.

Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier in the 'Avengers: Doomsday' trailer

Credit: Marvel Studios

Who’s in Avengers: Doomsday?

The cast includes (but is certainly not limited to) MCU veterans Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Chris Evans (Steve Rogers), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Captain America), Paul Rudd (Scott Lang/Ant-Man), and Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier).

Newcomers from last year’s Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)—Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm/Invisible Woman), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm/The Thing), and Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm/Human Torch)—have also returned.

Chris Hemsworth looking to the sky as Thor in 'Avengers: Doomsday'

Credit: Marvel Studios

As for the X-Men, Ian McKellen’s Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto, James Marsden’s Scott Summers/Cyclops, and Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier/Professor X are among those joining the fight.

But one name stands out above the rest—no, it isn’t Channing Tatum, who returns as Remy LeBeau/Gambit from Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)—it’s Robert Downey Jr., who plays Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom, having previously portrayed Tony Stark/Iron Man across several MCU movies, from Iron Man (2008) through Avengers: Endgame (2019).

Watch the first official trailer for Avengers: Doomsday here:

Related: Official: Marvel Retcons 14 Years of MCU Canon for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

Doomsday Includes a Major Recasting

Because Robert Downey Jr. is so closely associated with Tony Stark/Iron Man, it’s easy to forget that he’s replacing two previous Doctor Doom actors.

Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom in the 'Avengers: Doomsday' trailer

Credit: Marvel Studios

Downey takes on the role previously portrayed on film by the late Julian McMahon in Fantastic Four (2005) and its sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), and Toby Kebbell in the reboot Fantastic Four (2015).

While no actors or characters from any of those original three Fantastic Four films are expected to appear in this year’s Multiversal adventure, Chris Evans, who portrayed Johnny Storm/Human Torch long before going on to play Steve Rogers/Captain America in the MCU, did reprise his role as the fire-resistant Fantastic Four member in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024).

Avengers: Doomsday will be released in the US on December 18, 2026.

The sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, which will mark the end of Phase Six of the MCU, is scheduled to hit theaters on December 17, 2027.

Are you excited about Avengers: Doomsday? Do you think the Avengers will recognize Victor von Doom in the film? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

About Daniel Roberts

Dan is a huge fan of Star Wars, Disney, Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters and Harry Potter, and has written for numerous entertainment websites.

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