The first of four Avengers: Doomsday teasers was released last week, confirming Chris Evans return as Steve Rogers. The second has since leaked online, revealing a new, far more serious status quo for Chris Hemsworth's Thor as he sets out to protect his daughter, Love.
Rumours have swirled about the next two trailers, ranging from plans to focus on Loki and Doctor Doom to one of them even being a traditional teaser for the movie (rather than these extended scenes).
Yesterday evening, Jeff Sneider reported that the third preview will focus on the X-Men before we get a fourth that revolves around the Fantastic Four and Wakandans.
While it makes sense to get fans hyped for the X-Men's return, we're not entirely sure how Marvel's First Family and Shuri can be shoehorned into the same sneak peek. Even more surprising is the fact that we're seemingly not getting a teaser introducing Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.
Reliable runtime and trailer leaker @Cryptic4KQual has since chimed in to confirm Sneider's report that a Doom teaser isn't planned. However, the insider points out that what we will see is "as big," so let the speculation commence (to throw a wild guess out there, imagine if we see the Fantastic Four encounter the new T'Challa).
Is Marvel Studios making a mistake by not spotlighting Doom? That's very much up for debate. We're sure they're aware that fans will criticise and dissect every element of Downey's Victor Von Doom, especially as there's so much scepticism surrounding that casting decision. Then, there's the small matter of building anticipation, and making us wait to see him in the first proper trailer will certainly go some way in achieving that.
Still, with the MCU no longer the guaranteed draw it once was, would Marvel Studios not be wise to establish Avengers: Doomsday's main threat in a teaser clearly aimed at the general audience? (hence why these sneak peeks are debuting exclusively in theaters with Avatar: Fire and Ash)
Thanos only had a few minutes of screentime before Avengers: Endgame, but he'd at least been set up as a new foe for Earth's Mighiest Heroes. With Doom, we've seen him from behind in The Fantastic Four: First Steps' mid-credits scene, but to a casual fan, that could have just as easily been setting up a direct sequel in place of the next Avengers movie.
We'd also question why The Avengers and New Avengers are absent from these trailers, though the box office performance of Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* may be telling.
In other trailer news, there continues to be speculation about the first Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer getting an official release before Anaconda arrives in theaters tomorrow. Thus far, we've heard nothing to suggest Sony Pictures intends to share it imminently, but stay tuned.