Disney is not playing games with the Avengers: Doomsday trailer. The studio just confirmed they’re slapping an anti-piracy warning on screen right before the footage plays in theaters. Yes, you read that right. Before you even see a single frame of Doctor Doom, you’re getting threatened not to record it.
Avengers Updates spilled the tea on social media, revealing that the first Doomsday teaser will be attached to Avatar: Fire and Ash when it hits theaters December 19. But here’s the kicker: Disney is so paranoid about phone recordings that they’re running a full PSA warning audiences not to film before the trailer even starts.
The first teaser for ‘AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY’ is officially 1 minute and 27 seconds long.
Disney will be showing an “Anti Piracy Policy” PSA right before it plays.
(via @MikeTheProgram) pic.twitter.com/YfA6mkytr5
— Avengers Updates (@AvengersUpdated) December 13, 2025
Talk about treating your fans like criminals before they’ve done anything wrong.
The Trailer Deets
The Avengers: Doomsday teaser runs one minute and 27 seconds, which is actually longer than the 60-second version everyone was expecting. That’s enough time to show Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, tease some Multiverse chaos, and make Marvel fans lose their minds.
Disney’s strategy makes business sense even if it feels aggressive. Pairing Doomsday with Avatar guarantees millions of eyeballs in a controlled environment. Avatar sequels dominate theaters for months, and Fire and Ash will pack houses through the holidays. Attaching the Marvel trailer ensures massive reach while keeping the footage theatrical-exclusive instead of dropping it online where it gets ripped and shared instantly.
Releasing it exactly one year before Doomsday’s December 18, 2026 premiere is classic Marvel marketing. Build anticipation for twelve months straight while keeping control over how and when people see the content.
Disney’s Trust Issues
Here’s what’s wild about the anti-piracy warning. General warnings before movies have become white noise that everyone ignores. You know the ones: “Piracy is theft,” FBI warnings, all that stuff people talk through because they’ve seen it a thousand times.
But Disney is getting specific. They’re dropping this warning seconds before the Doomsday footage plays, creating a direct connection between “don’t record this” and the exact moment people would be tempted to pull out their phones. It’s psychological warfare disguised as a friendly reminder.
From Disney’s legal perspective, it’s smart. If they need to go after people who record and leak the footage, they’ve got documented proof that everyone in that theater was explicitly warned. No one can claim they didn’t know recording was prohibited when there’s a PSA about it right before the trailer.
But will it actually work? Probably not. Social media clout is real. The person who gets the first recording online becomes an instant hero in certain fan circles. Some people will see that warning as a challenge, not a deterrent. “Disney doesn’t want you to see this” basically guarantees someone’s going to film it out of spite.
Why Disney’s Freaking Out
Avengers: Doomsday is massive for Marvel right now. The studio is navigating Phase Six after some rocky releases, bringing back the Russo brothers who directed Infinity War and Endgame, and casting Robert Downey Jr. as the main villain instead of bringing back Tony Stark. The cast combines MCU veterans with Fox X-Men characters in what’s supposed to be a franchise-defining moment.
With that much on the line, Disney needs the first trailer to hit perfectly. First impressions matter, and they want people seeing high-quality footage in theaters, not grainy phone recordings on Twitter with someone’s head blocking half the screen.
Previous Marvel trailers have leaked from conventions, premieres, and early screenings. Those leaks force Disney to either rush out official versions ahead of schedule or watch low-quality copies dominate conversation online. Neither option is ideal when you’ve spent months planning the perfect reveal.
The anti-piracy warning is Disney’s attempt to stop leaks at the source by making everyone too scared to record in the first place.
The Fan Reaction Will Be Spicy
If this actually prevents leaks, expect every studio to copy the strategy immediately. Exclusive theatrical footage would get the same treatment: stern warning, then content, then aggressive takedowns if anything surfaces online.
But there’s real risk of backlash. Marvel fans are already sensitive about feeling disrespected by the studio. Getting preemptively warned not to record footage feels like Disney assuming everyone in the theater is a potential criminal. That’s not exactly the vibe you want when trying to build hype for your biggest movie.
The Marvel community on social media is going to have opinions about this. Strong ones. Some will defend Disney’s right to protect their content. Others will roast them for being heavy-handed and paranoid. It’s going to get messy in the replies.
December 19 Is Judgment Day
We’ll know within hours of the first Avatar screenings whether this strategy worked. Either Avengers: Doomsday footage stays theatrical-exclusive and Disney declares victory, or low-quality recordings flood every social platform and the anti-piracy warning becomes a meme.
Honestly? Smart money says the footage leaks anyway. You can’t put exclusive Marvel content in front of thousands of fans with smartphones and expect zero recordings. Someone’s going to risk it for the clout, warning or no warning.
But hey, at least Disney tried. And if nothing else, that anti-piracy PSA is about to become the most talked-about part of the Avatar experience for Marvel fans who just want to see Doctor Doom wreck some Avengers.
