Russo Brothers Tease ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ With Mysterious & Cryptic New Photo

The Russo Brothers have once again stirred excitement among Marvel fans with a mysterious post on Instagram. Along with the hashtag #DoomsdayIsComing, they shared a blurry photo that has sparked plenty of speculation online.

Many fans believe the image shows Reed Richards’ chalkboard from The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The white scribbles on the black background caught attention, but it’s the yellow line on the board that some think is the real clue. We know that Mister Fantastic has been studying parallel dimensions, and this chalkboard could be hinting at how the multiverse will play a role in the story.

This comes after the post-credits scene in Thunderbolts*, which the Russos also oversaw. That scene featured the Excelsior spaceship arriving in Earth 616’s atmosphere, further teasing how different Marvel universes might collide in the next Avengers film.

Avengers: Doomsday is set to be the fifth Avengers installment and the 39th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. Michael Waldron and Stephen McFeely are credited as writers.

The movie boasts a huge ensemble cast including Chris Hemsworth, Emily VanCamp, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, Wyatt Russell, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Simu Liu, Florence Pugh, Kelsey Grammer, Lewis Pullman, Danny Ramirez, Joseph Quinn, David Harbour, Winston Duke, Hannah John-Kamen, Tom Hiddleston, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, Channing Tatum, Pedro Pascal, and Robert Downey Jr.

In the story, the Avengers will join forces with the Fantastic Four, X-Men, New Avengers, and the Wakandans to face Doctor Doom, played by Downey.

The project came together after several changes in the planned Avengers films. Originally, The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars were supposed to conclude Phase Six of the MCU, but writer and director changes, along with casting issues, led Marvel to shift the focus. The Russos returned as directors, McFeely returned as co-writer, and Downey was cast as Doctor Doom, giving the film a new direction and subtitle: Doomsday.

Filming started in April at Pinewood Studios in England, with additional location shoots in England and Bahrain. Fans can expect the movie to bring together actors from past MCU projects and Marvel’s 20th Century Fox films, creating one of the largest superhero team-ups ever.

Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for release in the United States on December 18, 2026. Its sequel, Secret Wars, will follow on December 17, 2027, continuing Phase Six of the MCU.

The Russos are clearly building up to something massive with this movie. Bringing together multiple teams from across the MCU, along with a villain as iconic as Doctor Doom, has the potential to be one of the most exciting chapters in Marvel history. What do you think about this massive crossover? Share your thoughts in the comments.