With so many convincing AI fakes doing the rounds, we understand why many of you weren't necessarily convinced that the leaked Avengers: Doomsday teaser trailer was the real deal.
Well, as we've been telling you since Monday, it's 100% legitimate and can now be found playing in (most) theaters before Avatar: Fire and Ash. Featuring the MCU return of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, we watch as the hero returns to his and Peggy Carter's home. Placing his Captain America uniform from Avengers: Endgame inside a box, Steve then picks up his baby and smiles.
The teaser ends with a countdown to Avengers: Doomsday's release and the words, "Steve Rogers Will Return In Avengers: Doomsday."
While Evans last played Steve in 2019's Avengers: Endgame, the actor has since returned to the MCU for a cameo role as the Human Torch in Deadpool & Wolverine. Believe it or not, plans for Evans to return as Captain America were first reported by the trades in January 2021, over 1800 days ago.
The question is, will Evans actually play Cap? The mantle has been passed to Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson, so if Steve wields the shield again, it greatly undermines the new Captain America's place in the MCU.
However, Jeff Sneider is among those who have taken to social media to remind fans that Evans is likely to return not as Captain America, but Nomad.
In 1974's Captain America #180, Steve became disillusioned with the United States Government and gave up his mantle and shield. No longer being able to serve his country didn't mean he wasn't a hero, though, and the Avenger became Nomad.
While memorable, it was a short-lived stint that only lasted four issues. By Captain America #184, Steve was Captain America again, realising that he could champion America's ideals without blindly supporting its government. We're not expecting a political aspect to the character's Avengers: Doomsday arc, but a new costume and identity for Steve does appear likely.
We already saw something similar in Avengers: Infinity War, of course, so it will be interesting to see how Marvel Studios and the Russo Brothers go about differentiating what we saw here from the 2018 version of Cap.
Avengers: Doomsday officially stars Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Winston Duke, Tom Hiddleston, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, and Robert Downey Jr. Wyatt Russell, Simu Liu, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, Florence Pugh, Danny Ramirez, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Lewis Pullman all make their Avengers franchise debuts in the movie.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps leads Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn join them, as do X-Men franchise stars Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, with Deadpool & Wolverine star Channing Tatum.
Chris Evans is also officially confirmed to reprise his role as Steve Rogers. The Hollywood trades have reported that Hayley Atwell and Ryan Reynolds will appear as Peggy Carter and Deadpool, respectively.
The Russo Brothers direct Avengers: Doomsday from a screenplay by Stephen McFeely, with whom they previously collaborated on the Avengers and Captain America franchises. Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness's Michael Waldron is also working on the script.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to arrive on December 17, 2027.