Avengers: Doomsday Report Reveals Disney And Marvel's Reaction To Footage So Far
The upcoming two-part "Avengers" experience is drawing a lot of attention, albeit for different reasons. Depending on who you talk to, there's anticipation that the Russo brothers will recapture the box office energy of "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame" again. Others think the Marvel magic is gone, and we're waiting to watch the final stages of an epic IP dumpster fire. While the opinions of the average moviegoer are commonplace, though, it's not every day that you get a slice of insight into what the movie studios think of upcoming projects. A recent report from Variety shared a peek behind the curtain for what Disney's top brass thinks of the upcoming tentpole event. Here's what it had to say:
"Executives are pleased with what they've seen for the December release, and rival studio heads privately predict 'Doomsday' will be the year's highest-grossing film."
Expecting an "Avengers" movie to be the top-grossing film in any given year isn't much of a surprise. "Endgame" still holds the title for one of the highest-grossing blockbusters of all time, including holding the record for a $1.2 billion opening weekend. In a certain sense, the fifth entry in the "Avengers" franchise should be a shoo-in for the biggest movie of the year. But there are some obstacles.
The cooling Marvel machine comes up against a stacked 2026
It's no secret that interest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (which has passed the 36 movie mark) has waned since the high of "Avengers: Endgame" back in 2019. The studio has tried a variety of things to rekindle interest in Phases 4, 5, and 6. They've cycled in new characters, introduced new storylines, tried new storytelling mediums, and created new crossover opportunities. Nothing has worked as well as it did in the first ten years of the MCU's existence, and when you boil it down, this new two-part "Avengers" story ("Doomsday" is set to be followed by "Avengers: Secret Wars") feels like a move designed to draw from past nostalgia to get people back in theaters.
The question is, will it work? And, can the waning momentum of the Marvel Leviathan really reclaim the highest-grossing film title in a year with a pretty solid lineup of other contenders? It's a serious question. There are a lot of anticipated movies coming out in 2026, and this poor writer, at least, thinks at least a couple of them have the potential to nab the biggest movie of the year crown.
Denis Villeneuve's "Dune: Part Three," Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey," and Graig Gillespie's "Supergirl" could all have long legs at the box office. There are even some sleeper candidates. "Project Hail Mary" has flown somewhat under the radar until the film's first reactions started talking about it being "easily one of the best sci-fi movies of the 21st century." That's a big claim, and that kind of talk could make it a big hit.
Does Marvel need another biggest film hit to keep going?
The real question at the heart of the positive early internal feedback on "Avengers: Doomsday" is whether this one needs to be the biggest film of the year to be considered a success. There's no doubt that the MCU set the bar for success sky high back in 2019. But does that have to continue to be the pass-or-fail litmus test for all MCU movies after that point?
Disney and Marvel Studios obviously want this thing to be a massive hit. But I hesitate to jump to "highest-grossing movie of the year" as the only way this thing can be considered a success. (And yes, I know no one has explicitly said that, but the reality is that a lot of us are thinking it.)
Maybe it's time to reset the clock a bit. Whatever is in store for the MCU moving forward from the next two "Avengers" movies, it might be time to relax with the expectations a bit. Sure, this is a tentpole event, but it doesn't have to set a new record every time to be a great experience. Even the studio leadership is aware that the level of expectation is unsustainable, and that everything doesn't have to ride on a single release. The Variety report literally went as far as to add that while Disney and Marvel think this thing has the potential to be a huge event, "sources inside the company's film division believe the health of the MCU does not hinge on an individual title." I'm inclined to agree. Maybe it's time we stop projecting and start enjoying these things again for the truly mesmerizing spectacle that they are.
"Avengers: Doomsday" opens December 18, 2026.