Disney's Marvel Studios revealed the bumper cast of its next Avengers film, six years after Avengers: Endgame became the highest-grossing movie of all time.

Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen are among those surprisingly returning to the superhero roster for Avengers: Doomsday, out May 2026. They will join a raft of widely expected fan favourites, including Robert Downey Jr and Chris Hemsworth, a viral five-hour-long video announcement confirmed.

As its title suggests, Avengers: Doomsday is intended to be an ensemble blockbuster event in the style of the franchise's pinnacle, 2019's Avengers: Endgame, which grossed $2.8 billion. Surprises included returning favourites Paul Rudd's Ant Man, and Tom Hiddleston's Loki. Actors' names were written on the backs of Hollywood-style directors' chairs, with a camera slowly panning from one to the next every 10-15 minutes until ending with Downey Jr appearing in-person.

Marvel previously announced that the Oscar winner will return to the franchise as the villainous Doctor Doom. "It all leads to Doom. #AvengersDoomsday is now in production," said an accompanying message. Avengers: Doomsday is to be followed up by Avengers: Secret Wars 2027.