Marvel Studios appeared to be methodically passing the shield across Phases Three, Four, and Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But as Avengers: Doomsday (2026) barrels toward theaters, the franchise seems to be circling back to the hero who defined its first decade.
The road to Avengers: Doomsday has taken more twists than most Marvel tentpoles. The project was initially announced as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, designed to revolve around Jonathan Majors’ time-hopping villain and his many Variants. After Majors’ removal from the role, Disney and Marvel recalibrated, unveiling Avengers: Doomsday in 2024 with Anthony and Joe Russo back in the director’s chairs and Robert Downey Jr. stepping into the role of Victor Von Doom, better known as Doctor Doom.
Since that announcement, Marvel has steadily rolled out casting news, though insiders suggest a few high-profile surprises remain under wraps. Early teaser footage has also begun circulating, teasing the sprawling ensemble that blends the Disney-era MCU with characters from the 20th Century Studios superhero catalog. The prevailing rumor: Doom is hunting down Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers following the time-travel fallout of Avengers: Endgame (2019), setting up a confrontation with consequences that ripple across realities.
The Russos, who previously steered Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Endgame to historic box office heights, are returning for Doomsday and its follow-up, Avengers: Secret Wars (2027). Despite speculation that the pair of films would conclude the Multiverse Saga, the directors and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige have insisted otherwise. Instead, they’ve positioned the two films as a launching pad for what many expect to be the Mutant Saga.
Teasers for Doomsday debuted in late 2025 during the theatrical run of James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025). The footage featured a lineup spanning multiple eras: Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Shuri/Black Panther (Letitia Wright), and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) from the current MCU timeline, alongside Charles Xavier/Professor X (Patrick Stewart), Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto (Ian McKellan), and Scott Summers/Cyclops (James Marsden) from the 20th Century X-Men films.
But it was the first teaser that grabbed attention. The footage confirmed that Chris Evans will reprise Steve Rogers in Avengers: Doomsday, firmly restoring the original Captain America to the MCU stage. Evans exited in Endgame, passing the shield—and the mantle—to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson.
Sam’s path to Captain America unfolded in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the Disney+ series shepherded by Malcolm Spellman and director Kari Skogland. The six-episode run chronicled Wilson’s reluctance and eventual acceptance of the role, with Sebastian Stan returning as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier. By the finale, Sam had stepped forward as the new Captain America.
Mackie later headlined Captain America: Brave New World (2025), cementing Sam as the MCU’s present-day shield bearer. Yet Evans’ reemergence complicates that arc, particularly in light of recent remarks from the Russos.
“Each one of those trailers is narrative information. It’s all part of a larger story,” Joe Russo told Empire Magazine (via Comic Book Movie). “So I would argue that Doomsday has already started for you.”
“Look, the movie is very complex,” he added. “We thought one of the best ways to celebrate what the movie is was to give characters their own space and highlight some moments.” The first teaser spotlighted Steve Rogers and his child, hinting at a personal dimension to his return. Anthony Russo elaborated on the character’s prominence.
“We have a special affinity with the character. We can’t see this narrative without his central role in it, basically. The special place he holds among the ensemble, he sort of retains that moving forward.”
That emphasis raises questions about Sam Wilson’s place in the story. At last check, Sam was assembling a new Avengers team—one reportedly at odds with Yelena Belova’s (Florence Pugh) Thunderbolts, also known as The New Avengers. If Steve is once again central to the multiversal conflict, how will two Captain Americas coexist in a franchise that spent years preparing for the transition?
Avengers: Doomsday opens December 18, 2026, launching what’s expected to be a monumental stretch for Marvel. Secret Wars follows in 2027, though reports suggest the studio may expand that event into two films, transforming the current Avengers double-feature into a trilogy.
With a prime holiday release date, Doomsday is widely projected to cross the billion-dollar mark. Whether it can match Infinity War and Endgame—especially the latter, which once held the title of highest-grossing film of all time—remains uncertain.
Given the current volatility of the superhero market, forecasts are far from guaranteed. Before Doomsday arrives, the MCU (in partnership with Sony) will deliver Spider-Man: Brand New Day, opening exclusively in theaters on July 31, 2026.
As Marvel leans back into Steve Rogers’ legacy, fans are left to consider what that means for Sam Wilson—and the future of the shield.
How do you feel about the MCU bringing Chris Evans back for a central role in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments down below!
