"You could not live with your own failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me."
In the eyes of a lot of MCU fans, Marvel Studios reached the pinnacle of superhero cinema with Avengers: Endgame in 2019. The movie has always had its detractors, but the Infinity Saga finale's cultural impact as a defining moment of pop culture and a genuine "monoculture" shared theatrical experience has always been undeniable.
Marvel Studios and the film's creative team poured everything they had into Endgame, and many would agree that they succeeded in delivering an epic, emotionally satisfying conclusion to an unprecedented 11-year, 22-movie storyline, while giving beloved characters such as Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) the poignant, bittersweet send-offs they deserved.
Endgame marked the end of an era, but the MCU was always going to continue, and Marvel Studios moved on to the Multiverse Saga. There were a few bright spots, but for the most part, this next batch of movies simply didn't resonate with audiences in the same way, and Kevin Feige clearly took note.
Joe and Anthony Russo were enlisted to helm Avengers: Doomsday - which will also see Robert Downey Jr. return to the franchise as Doctor Doom - and fans are hoping this massive MCU event will be a return to form.
It certainly could be. The trailers have gone over very well, and excitement is high. But was re-releasing Endgame with a few new scenes in the buildup to Doomsday hitting theaters this December really necessary?
Look, I get it: movies are big business, and a studio attempting to squeeze every penny out of a major money-spinner like Endgame is nothing new. But this is the second time Marvel has re-released this movie, and the fact that it's being marketed as "essential viewing" before Doomsday just leaves a bad taste - especially when the new scenes add very little and one, in particular, only detracts from the original ending.
Spoilers follow.
I won't go into every new scene (you'll find leaks and breakdowns all over this site if you want to know more), and some of them work well enough as teases for what's to come, but the one additional sequence that really stands out is Loki calling on Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter immediately after they share their kiss at the very end of the original theatrical cut.
A lovely moment that finally gave the former Captain America his happy ending after he sacrificed a life with his true love in The First Avenger.
Yeah... no. Doom is coming, and nothing is ever allowed to end.
My issues with the new material aside, this is still an opportunity/excuse to see Endgame on the big screen again, and all of the big scenes hit just as hard with a (mostly) fully engaged audience. Portals, Steve lifting Mjölnir, Stark's sacrifice and funeral, and even the always cringe-tastic "Girls get it Done" scene have become indelible moments in cinema history, and there are worse ways to spend three-plus hours if you really want to experience them again.
If you haven't seen Avengers: Endgame in a theater, now's your chance. Even if you have, it's always worth returning to on the big screen. But if you are going solely for the new scenes, I wouldn't recommend it. The MCU's greatest era already had its Encore - this re-release does nothing but cheapen a classic.
Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars were hit with significant delays last year, with Doomsday now set to arrive in theaters on December 18, 2026, and Secret Wars positioned for December 17, 2027.
Both movies will be directed by the Russo brothers, who also make their MCU return after helming Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
"Universes collide and the Multiverse Saga begins its final chapter in Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday. Beloved heroes from three distinct universes will be set on a deadly collision course and ultimately face an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered. This epic film will lay the foundation for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe."
Doomsday will star:
Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Lewis Pullman as Sentry, Florence Pugh as Yelena, Danny Ramirez as Falcon, Ian McKellen as Magneto, Sebastian Stan as Bucky, Winston Duke as M’Baku, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Kelsey Grammer as Beast, James Marsden as Cyclops, Channing Tatum as Gambit, and Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent
Along with Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, Letitia Wright as Black Panther, Tenoch Huerta Mejia as Namor, Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, and, of course, Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom.