Over the past couple of days, photos supposedly taken on the set of Avengers: Doomsday have gone viral on platforms like X and Instagram. The first shows what appears to be a conversation between James Marsden and Benedict Wong between takes, while the second features Marsden as Cyclops alongside Sir Ian McKellen's Magneto.
While Wong hasn't been officially announced for the 2026 movie, Marsden and McKellen have, so it's not like the X-Men stars sharing the screen again is a major surprise or spoiler. However, there's something off about both images.
For starters, they've shown up without an easily identifiable source and as individual images; are we meant to believe that the person who took them snapped one shot and then just...stopped? Then again, if these were taken at Pinewood Studios, for example, an employee - who risks losing their job if they're identified - could have quite easily been responsible (thinking they're a bigger deal than they really are) before sharing the photos with someone who had no qualms about posting them on social media.
It's worth noting that searches on Google bring up no comparable images and that, at first glance, both appear very real. There are no telltale signs of Photoshop, though AI is such a game-changer that it wouldn't have been overly difficult for these images to be generated by any number of platforms in a matter of seconds.
Crucially, we can't discount the possibility that Marvel Studios is trolling us. Why? Well, it wouldn't be the first time.
When cameras were rolling on Avengers: Endgame in Atlanta and the cast was spotted wearing their costumes from The Avengers, cases with "B.A.R.F." written on them were on full display. Those made it seem as if it was all just another tech-induced flashback. As a result, time travel never crossed anyone's mind. Then, there's that fake shot of Cyclops from Deadpool & Wolverine's Void set that successfully distracted everyone from the fact the Human Torch was right there in the background.
Marvel Studios executives have even admitted to planting fake leaks, with the threequel's producer, Wendy Jacobson, saying, "There may or may not have been some subterfuge and misdirections on the internet or in-person in order to protect the secrecy."
Whether this is a legitimate leak, Marvel Studios attempting to throw us off the scent, or a bored fan with too much time on their hands, remains to be seen. Cameras are now rolling on Avengers: Doomsday, and legitimate and fake set photos are a very real possibility in the weeks and months ahead. However, an official first look at the movie isn't likely to be revealed until Comic-Con at the earliest.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released in May 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to arrive in May 2027.
Of course, then there the ridiculous fakes like this (that we’re bound to see more of between now and next May:
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released in May 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to arrive in May 2027.