Even though Avengers: Doomsday won’t premiere until this December, Marvel fans have already been treated to a series of four teaser trailers. Each one spotlights an individual character or group of characters, setting the stage for an epic confrontation that will determine the fate of the multiverse. We’ve seen Steve Rogers, Thor, the X-Men, the Wakandans, and the Fantastic Four, but one key figure missing from the trailers is none other than Doctor Doom. Marvel has opted to hold back a proper reveal of the villain, highlighting the heroes who will unite against him instead. As fans wait to see Robert Downey Jr. back in action, Doomsday promotional artwork is helping fill the void.
On X, the account Avengers Updates shared images of Avengers: Doomsday promo art. The artwork is designed like a comic book cover, featuring illustrations of many of the characters set to appear in the film. Front and center is Doctor Doom, who is donning his signature mask. Check out the social media post in the space below:
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the promotional art is that it’s further proof that Doctor Doom will have a comics-accurate appearance in Avengers: Doomsday. Over the fall, artwork of Doom was showcased during a Disney marketing expo in China, and the character looked as if he was pulled straight from the comic pages. It’s exciting to see that Marvel is seemingly committed to going this route with Doom, a character who has underwhelmed in previous live-action appearances. With the fan-favorite Downey portraying the villain, there was some concern that perhaps Doom’s mask wouldn’t be much of a factor, allowing Downey to get more face time on camera. But, at least in these early promotional materials, Marvel is embracing the full costume.
It’s cool to see a majority of the Doomsday ensemble together in an illustration like this, but it only makes the wait to see Doom in action that much more unbearable. Ever since Downey’s casting was confirmed back at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, fans have been very eager to see his take on the villain and how his performance differentiates from Tony Stark. Downey is clearly one of the main attractions in Doomsday, so Marvel is wise to hold him back in the trailers, adding to the anticipation. Still, the studio can only go so long before they have to peel back the curtain and show footage of Doom. They aren’t going to go the entire marketing campaign without featuring Downey in a trailer.
During the initial blitz of Doomsday teasers, there were rumors that there would be more than the previously announced four. That didn’t come to pass, but speculation is we will get another look at Doomsday soon enough. Disney has a history of promoting its upcoming Marvel movies at the Super Bowl, so a prevailing theory is that there will be a Doomsday TV spot during this year’s big game that potentially revolves around Downey as Doom. It’s important to note that marketing for Spider-Man: Brand New Day will have to start soon, so it’ll be interesting to see how Marvel, Disney, and Sony work together to devise an advertising strategy. It would make sense to use the Super Bowl (which takes place on February 8th) as a launchpad for the Brand New Day teaser, but using such a massive event as a stage for Downey’s Doom reveal would make a major splash.
If there isn’t a Doomsday trailer at the Super Bowl, it would make a lot of sense to attach a new preview to screenings of The Mandalorian and Grogu in May, replicating the Disney corporate synergy of the first wave of teasers. It remains to be seen how The Mandalorian and Grogu will fare in theaters, but as the first new Star Wars movie in seven years, it will likely be one of the biggest draws of the summer, ensuring any Doomsday teases play in front of a large group of people. In the meantime, fans will have to be on the lookout for promo art and other materials like the comic cover poster — and to be wary of any AI-generated “marketing items.”
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