Last weekend, not one, but two trailers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day leaked online. As we write this, it's not remotely difficult to find 4K versions of both on social media. Sony Pictures is moving fast to take them down, but it's become nearly impossible for the studio to keep a lid on it before Wednesday's official release.
Last night, a clip from Avengers: Doomsday showed up on social media. It being so heavily pixelated means there's no way to tell whether it's real or an AI-generated fake that's deliberately blurred. However, there's compelling evidence to suggest all might not be as it seems.
For starters, very early in the clip, we see Thor and Steve Rogers standing side by side, with the latter catching Mjolnir. Then, for some reason, they jump into the frame for a second time. That could be clunky editing in an unfinished clip, but something doesn't quite sit right (the final shot of a Sentinel blasting energy from its hands also looks off).
Of course, all of that can be put down to rough VFX and poor-quality footage, but it's worth noting that this scene almost perfectly matches several supposed plot leaks, rumours, and costume photos, meaning it shows nothing we didn't already know. It's also terribly convenient that the one Avengers: Doomsday clip to leak online—without explanation—is the epic "assemble" moment from the movie.
Still, with interest in the MCU waning, this could be the money shot from an upcoming trailer, spoilers be damned.
Several online scoopers have been quick to say it's real, but that's a very good way to generate easy engagement. Look no further than Daniel Richtman, who posted, "There’s a photo of Wolverine, Spider-Man and Deadpool from Avengers Doomsday out there and it’s 100% real." A few hours later, a similarly pixelated video of that trio walking through the TVA is already on social media.
At a time when real and fake leaks are circulated in Discord groups, we're seeing an endless cycle of them feeding each other. Something real surfaces, followed by countless fakes, or vice versa, leaving fans more confused than ever about what can be trusted.
We can't 100% discount the footage leak being real, but here's the kicker: Disney hasn't hit a single account on X with a copyright takedown. That could change in the coming hours, but a leak of this magnitude still being readily available doesn't add up to us. We also have word from a CinemaCon attendee that the footage doesn't match what was shown there.
Check out this "leaked" Avengers: Doomsday clip below, and let us know your thoughts on its authenticity in the comments section below.
In Avengers: Doomsday, beloved heroes from three distinct universes will be set on a deadly collision course and face an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered.
Avengers: Doomsday stars Chris Evans, 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, Mabel Cadena, Florence Pugh, Danny Ramirez, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Lewis Pullman, India Rose Hemsworth, and Wesley Holloway all make their Avengers franchise debuts.
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.
The Russo Brothers direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars from a screenplay by Stephen McFeely, with whom they previously collaborated on the Avengers and Captain America franchises. The movie is produced by Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, and Jonathan Schwartz, with Callum McDougall serving as executive producer.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18.