The Russo Brothers Say You Literally Can’t Understand ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Without Watching ‘Avengers: Endgame Encore’

Marvel Studios has spent the past several months leaning hard into nostalgia as it builds toward what’s shaping up to be one of the most consequential releases in the franchise’s history. With ‘Avengers: Doomsday‘ now just months away, the studio’s marketing machine has increasingly turned its attention backward, resurrecting one of its biggest past triumphs to help set the stage for what comes next.

That triumph is ‘Avengers: Endgame,‘ the 2019 blockbuster that closed out the Infinity Saga and became one of the highest-grossing films ever made. The film is returning to theaters this fall as ‘Avengers Endgame: Encore,’ a re-release retrofitted for Disney’s new Infinity Vision premium format, complete with a custom introduction, additional footage and a special end tag exclusive to IMAX and Infinity Vision screenings.

Now the directors behind both films are making an unusually direct claim about just how essential that re-release actually is. Speaking with Fandango, Joe Russo insisted that catching ‘Endgame Encore’ in theaters isn’t just a nostalgic bonus for returning fans, but something closer to mandatory homework ahead of ‘Doomsday’s’ December release.

“There’s a natural progression from Endgame into Doomsday, which is also inclusive of all the other stories that have been playing out,” Joe Russo said, per Fandango. “But I think it’s important to see Endgame again in theaters for two reasons: One, if you want to have a lot of fun cheering and screaming and reliving all the emotions you had the first time you saw it. Two, I think it’s required viewing for following the story in Doomsday.”

His brother and co-director, Anthony Russo, went a step further, teasing that the added footage carries real narrative weight for what’s coming. “If you saw Endgame when it was originally released, you couldn’t see this coming,” Anthony said, hinting that the new material connects directly into ‘Doomsday’s’ story in ways longtime fans won’t expect.

The comments mark a notable shift in messaging from what Joe Russo said just months earlier at SXSW London, where he described ‘Doomsday’ as Marvel’s “phase zero,” positioning the film as a fresh entry point meant to stand apart from nearly two decades of interconnected storytelling. Framing ‘Endgame Encore’ as required viewing now appears to contradict that earlier pitch, a tension that hasn’t gone unnoticed among fans online.

Reaction has been mixed since the comments began circulating widely on social media. Some fans have pushed back on the idea that a few extra minutes of footage, reportedly bringing the re-release to 185 minutes, four more than the original theatrical cut, should be treated as essential prerequisite viewing for a brand-new film releasing years later.

‘Avengers Endgame: Encore’ hits theaters ahead of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’s’ December 18 release, giving audiences a limited window to catch the new footage before the next chapter begins. Whether the connective tissue the Russos are describing turns out to be as significant as they’re suggesting, or a smaller easter egg dressed up as essential lore, remains to be seen once both films are actually in theaters.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!