Here’s the thing about Marvel movies: they’ve conditioned us to show up with a working knowledge of 30-plus films, three Disney+ series, and a few multiversal variants just to feel like we’re in the loop. But according to director Joe Russo, if you want to walk into Avengers: Doomsday without feeling completely lost, there’s one specific film you need to revisit first - and it’s the biggest one they’ve ever made.
In a new interview, Russo made it crystal clear that Avengers: Endgame isn’t just a nice-to-have rewatch ahead of the next blockbuster team-up; it’s essentially required homework. “Re-watching Endgame is required to understand Doomsday,” he said, a statement that will either send fans scrambling to their 4K collections or spark a marathon of the Infinity Saga they already know by heart. The director’s reasoning makes sense when you stack it against what we know about the upcoming film, which hits theaters on December 16, 2026, and promises to smash three distinct universes together in ways we haven’t seen before.
That’s a heavy promise, even for a franchise that thrives on spectacle. The official synopsis for Avengers: Doomsday teases “beloved heroes from three distinct universes” being set on a “deadly collision course,” facing an existential threat that’s apparently unlike anything they’ve encountered. If that sounds vague, it’s because Marvel is playing this one close to the vest - but Russo’s Endgame nod gives us a pretty solid clue about the emotional and narrative stakes. The earlier film was all about sacrifice, time travel, and the weight of standing up when the universe is on the line. Apparently, those themes aren’t just lingering in the rearview mirror; they’re foundational to what comes next.
The Multiverse Gets a Lot Messier
While Endgame dealt with rewinding time and assembling a literal army, Doomsday is expanding the playing field in a major way. The casting alone tells you this isn’t your standard sequel. Robert Downey Jr. is back - but not as Tony Stark. He’s suiting up as Victor von Doom, a.k.a. Doctor Doom, which was arguably the most jaw-dropping reveal in recent Marvel history. Alongside him, Chris Evans returns as Steve Rogers, Chris Hemsworth is back as Thor, and Paul Rudd is still shrinking down as Scott Lang. But the roster gets wilder from there: Pedro Pascal is stepping in as Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby is playing Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Anthony Mackie is holding down the Captain America mantle as Sam Wilson, and Florence Pugh continues her scene-stealing run as Yelena Belova.
That lineup isn’t just a flex - it’s a collision of worlds. Three distinct universes sounds like a logistics nightmare, but for Russo, it’s clearly a chance to tie the multiverse chaos of recent years into something with genuine emotional weight. And that’s where the Endgame connection comes into play. He’s not just asking us to remember the portals scene; he’s asking us to remember what those final battles cost the characters who fought them.
A Runtime Built for the Long Haul
If the 165-minute runtime is any indication, Doomsday isn’t planning to rush this merger. That’s a full two hours and 45 minutes, slightly shorter than Endgame’s three-hour-plus epic but still a commitment. For a film juggling three universes, a roster of iconic actors, and a villain as layered as Doom, it feels like the kind of runtime that will let the story breathe rather than just rocket from fight scene to fight scene.
The science fiction, action, and adventure blend is classic Marvel, but the presence of Doom adds a darker, more operatic tone than we’ve typically seen from the franchise’s big bads. He’s not just a threat with a plan; he’s a ruler, a genius, and a character with a tragic edge. Pair him with the lingering scars from Endgame, and you’ve got the recipe for a movie that wants you to feel the history before it smashes it apart.
There’s also the question of how the three-universe conflict ties back to the events of 2019’s Endgame. The earlier film ended with Steve Rogers taking a different path and Tony Stark making the ultimate sacrifice. If Doomsday is pulling from that well, Evans’ return as Steve Rogers isn’t just fan service - it’s a direct thread from the conclusion of the Infinity Saga. And Downey’s shift from Stark to Doom becomes even more loaded if the new film asks us to remember the man who snapped his fingers while a different version of that same actor now threatens everything he died to protect. That’s the kind of layered, meta storytelling Russo seems to be leaning into.
For casual viewers, the advice to rewatch Endgame might feel like a tall order. But for anyone who’s been along for the ride since 2008, it’s likely less chore and more rekindling an old flame. If Doomsday is truly built on the foundation of that film, then a rewatch isn’t just homework - it’s the key to unlocking what could be the most ambitious crossover Marvel has ever attempted. And with a December 2026 release date looming, you’ve got plenty of time to start the marathon. Just don’t wait until the week before and try to squeeze it in with snacks in hand. You’re going to want to pay attention.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
