First Look at Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Mackie, and Chris Hemsworth on the Set of ‘Avengers: Infinity Defense’

Disney California Adventure’s Avengers Campus has been steadily building toward a major expansion ever since the project was first teased back at D23 2022, with fans getting only scattered concept art and vague updates in the years since. That long wait for concrete details finally came to an end this weekend, giving Marvel fans their clearest look yet at what’s actually being built behind Avengers Headquarters, following years of construction happening largely out of public view.

That reveal arrived courtesy of Disney’s Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase at D23, where Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed the full cast lineup for Avengers Infinity Defense, the campus’s long-teased dark ride centered on a battle against a multiversal King Thanos. Alongside the announcement, Disney shared behind-the-scenes footage giving fans their first proper look at Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Mackie, and Chris Hemsworth actually filming new material for the attraction.

That footage revealed something fans hadn’t previously realized: according to Cosmic Book News, the actors captured their scenes for the ride while already on set filming ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ folding the theme park shoot directly into their production schedule for the upcoming film. That efficient approach let Disney secure fresh performances from its biggest stars without pulling them away for a separate, standalone shoot.

Downey will reprise Iron Man for the attraction, joined by Mackie’s Captain America, Hemsworth’s Thor, and Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye, with Iman Vellani returning as Ms. Marvel to handle the ride’s pre-mission briefing as guests are welcomed as new recruits. Notably, Downey’s appearance in the ride will have him playing Tony Stark rather than his upcoming villainous turn as Doctor Doom, keeping the attraction’s hero lineup intact despite his shifting role on screen.

Beyond confirming who’s involved, the newly shared clips also gave fans their first glimpse at some of the attraction’s finished visual details. Thor’s redesigned helmet stood out in particular, with the character sporting a newly designed look built specifically for the ride, one Disney has suggested could eventually make its way into gift shop merchandise.

According to the Disney Parks Blog, the ride will surround guests with massive physical sets that blend seamlessly with large media screens, aiming to make riders feel like they’re hurtling across multiple worlds throughout the experience. That combination of physical and digital elements mirrors the technology used in Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure at Tokyo DisneySea, giving Imagineers a proven ride system to build the new attraction around.

Avengers Infinity Defense is set to open in 2028 alongside a second new attraction, Stark Flight Lab, which will also feature Downey and Mackie reprising their roles, this time joined by Brie Larson as Captain Marvel. Together, the two rides will double the overall footprint of Avengers Campus once construction wraps, adding significantly to a land that already includes Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! and WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure.

With actual filmed footage now confirmed and a firm opening year locked in, Avengers Infinity Defense has moved decisively from concept art into an active, in-progress reality. Marvel fans finally have concrete proof that their favorite Avengers are suiting back up, cameras rolling, for a ride years in the making, closing out a long stretch of speculation with something tangible at last.

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