Outback Steakhouse Serves Up a Doctor Doom Feast With Thor’s Hammer Steak for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

Depositphotos / Marvel Studios
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Doctor Doom has been taking over menus for weeks, and the marketing machine behind ‘Avengers: Doomsday‘ shows no sign of slowing down. Coffee shops, snack brands and fast-food giants have all lined up to splash the villain’s signature green across their products.

Dunkin’ kicked things off with 6 themed drinks and a collection of donuts, including a Munchkins tin shaped like Doom’s mask. Jack in the Box followed with a Doomsday Dipping Box that comes with 3 sauces and a blind-bagged collectible magnet, while Burger King teased a Doomsday Whopper and KFC billed its tie-in as its biggest global collaboration ever.

Now the Outback Steakhouse collaboration has a brand-new promo of its own. The 19-second clip mixes comic-style artwork of Marvel heroes with a looming close-up of Doom’s metal mask, and it arrives just as the restaurant’s themed menu goes live.

Outback first teased the crossover earlier this month with a short, moody video. It showed a hooded silhouette in front of a glowing green symbol, and the clip stayed vague on purpose, with no menu items or dates attached.

The mystery did not last long. Outback Korea’s accounts soon announced the collaboration with Marvel Studios, and the menu is set to arrive on Nov. 10, which is today.

The headline item is a massive bone-in steak designed to look like Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir. The bone doubles as the handle, which means diners can technically wield their dinner like a weapon.

The rest of the lineup is just as themed. The menu also includes a shrimp pasta, a tomato-and-cheese dish and a chocolate dome dessert decorated with Doctor Doom’s emblem. It is a rare example of a villain getting top billing on the dessert menu.

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Most of the partners so far have been quick-service chains, so a sit-down steakhouse feels like a different kind of play. That could mean bigger, more shareable centerpieces rather than a themed combo box, and the giant hammer steak certainly fits that description.

There is a catch for fans outside Asia, though. Reports indicate the Mjolnir steak will be available in South Korea, and it is unclear whether the menu will reach other countries any time soon. For now, the closest most fans will get is the promo footage itself.

Outback is joining a field that already has plenty of personality. Dunkin’ gave Doom 2 drinks of his own, Doom’s Orders Energy and the Doom Cloud Latte, while the heroes are represented by items such as the Iced Captain’ccino.

Jack in the Box named its dipping sauces Mutant Marinara, Assemble Sauce and Fantastic Buttermilk Ranch. Burger King’s teased lineup includes Shuri Vibranium Fries and Thor Thunder Nuggets, and KFC says its campaign reaches 100 countries, complete with figurines of its Colonel dressed as Marvel characters.

The sheer scale of the tie-ins says a lot about how big Marvel expects this release to be. The film, which arrives in theaters on Dec. 18, is directed by Joe and Anthony Russo and brings the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the Wakandans and the X-Men together to face Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom.

That star power helps explain why brands are racing to join the party. Naming menu items after heroes gives fans a phrase to repeat, and a countdown to a release date gives limited-time menus a story to tell week by week.

Some fans are already joking that the marketing is getting out of hand, and it is easy to see why. Between black burgers, green mayonnaise, themed donuts and now a hammer-shaped steak, the line between promotion and parody is getting thinner by the week.

Still, there is something charming about the commitment, and the Outback menu may be the most memorable of the bunch given how boldly it leans into the film’s biggest villain.

Which 'Avengers: Doomsday' themed menu item would you most like to try?

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