If you were worried Anthony and Joe Russo wouldn't be able to handle the magnitude of Doctor Doom's universe-shaking arrival in the MCU, think again.

In the Avengers: Doomsday directors' foreword to 'Time Runs Out' – an iconic Jonathan Hickman-penned comic that charts the end of several Marvel universes and serves as a key touchstone for Doomsday – the pair cut to the heart of Doom's psyche.

The full foreword is available below, and as part of the latest Time Runs Out, but it's the Doom-centric sections I want to point to here.

It reads, "Doom is not just an adversary. He is ambition and fear woven together. In Secret Wars, he tries to hold reality in place through sheer will. He believes he can save everything if he controls enough of it. Hickman reveals the strain behind that effort and the human fragility beneath the armor. Even someone who can reshape existence cannot escape the emotions that define him."

If we're getting something even close to the Doom who would become God Emperor on Battleworld in the MCU, we're in for a good time. He's a deeply complex, fearsome character, who is able to bend reality to his whim – but is unable to get out of his own head. Perfect, then, for a Robert Downey Jr. performance filled with tragedy and self-loathing, and not entirely a million miles away from his Oppenheimer role of Lewis Strauss.

"We have always been drawn to characters who walk that line," the Russos continued. "People who reach for something noble and lose themselves along the way. Sometimes, destruction does not arrive as a single blow. It arrives through decisions made in uncertainty and through fractures between people who want the same thing but cannot find their way to each other. That is its own kind of ending. It is quiet, painful and incredibly human."

While there has been some consternation over Downey Jr.'s Doom voice, recent trailers have assuaged most fears thanks to the supervillain's presence and pathos-tinged delivery.

The next major glimpse at Doom will likely come in the re-release of Avengers: Endgame this September.

Officially titled Avengers: Endgame Encore, a recent cinema listing has confirmed it will feature four extra minutes of footage as part of its runtime.

Then, the road to Doomsday – and Doom – begins. Avengers: Doomsday hits cinemas on December 18.

For more, check out our guide to upcoming Marvel movies.

The Avengers: Endgame re-release, officially titled Avengers: Endgame Encore, will be longer than the original 2019 movie.

As confirmed by AMC Theatres, Avengers: Endgame Encore clocks in at 185 minutes, a shade over Avengers: Endgame's 181 minutes. That makes it the longest Marvel Studios movie ever made.

The exact details of the bonus content hasn't yet been confirmed, but could be anything from deleted scenes, to new post-credits, and – more importantly – setup for Avengers: Doomsday.

"We'll be re-releasing the film with footage that is set in the Doomsday story that we have added to Avengers: Endgame," Endgame and Doomsday co-director Joe Russo previously said at the Sand Films Festival (via Deadline).

Russo, who described the re-release as including a "critical companion story", added, "It’s an opportunity to create a bridge from Endgame to Doomsday in a very unique way…the fact that we can enhance the story of Doomsday by bridging it to Endgame and these characters that we worked with for years that we love so much, and continue their story: It’s a really unique opportunity."

Avengers: Endgame Encore is set to release on September 25 as the road to Doomsday begins.

Adding to the hype, Marvel has even announced an official podcast, starring Ms. Marvel actor Iman Vellani, will begin this August and dissect some of the MCU's most iconic moments ahead of December's Avengers: Doomsday release.

Avengers: Doomsday stars Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, with a new D23 trailer showcasing the Fantastic Four villain's immense power – and simmering rivalry with Reed Richards.

The Doomsday synopsis confirms it will follow "beloved heroes from three distinct universes as they’re set on a deadly collision course and face an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered."

Avengers: Doomsday hits cinemas on December 18.

For more, check out our guides on upcoming Marvel movies and how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

Hayden Christensen says he wants to make a live-action Clone Wars series with the OG cast of the prequel series... and that everyone would be down to come back.

"I know that Ewan McGregor would love to do more with it," Christensen said on the Hey Jonas podcast, when asked by Kevin Jonas if there would ever be a live-action Anakin series. "I've heard Natalie [Portman] would love to come back. Sam Jackson. So you could get the band back together."

As a defender of the prequels, this makes me irrationally happy. Until Ahsoka season 1, Christensen had not revisited Anakin since 2005 (though his vocal 'cameo' in The Rise of Skywalker does technically count). In The Clone Wars TV show, we learn that Ahsoka and Anakin have some serious history together (I also find it endearing that he calls her 'Snips' and she calls him 'Skyguy'). It only made sense that this would carry over into the live-action Ahsoka series.

"I'm ready whenever they are. They just seem to not be ready, but I'm up for it," McGregor previously stated in regards to returning as Obi-Wan. It's been four years since his standalone limited Disney Plus series. The actor reportedly followed Dave Filoni around on set of Ahsoka season 2 (in which his wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays Hera) in order to pitch his character's comeback.

Ahsoka season 2 hits Disney Plus on January 20, 2027. The trailer for the new season was released at D23 and you can check out our Ahsoka season 2 trailer breakdown for all the major moments.

A legend is born! Ghost Rider is finally entering the MCU, played by Ryan Gosling. Announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, Gosling's introduction into the Marvel universe will be directed by Deadpool and Wolverine helmer Shawn Levy. It's been a long time coming too, with Gosling speaking about wanting to play the character for several years before Kevin Feige gave it the green light.

Now that the news is in the wild, there have been quite a few updates to wade through. The movie seemingly has an official release date and a very cool logo. We've also found out that there's a specific set of comics that it's going to adapt. We've broken down all of this information below to help you navigate the latest MCU entry.

That's not all either, as we've also got a breakdown of all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows on the way, as well as a guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order if you want to catch up pre-Ghost Rider. The Spirit of Vengeance arrives…

Ghost Rider release date

Ghost Rider is set to arrive in theaters on July 28, 2028.

It will actually be one of three Marvel movies arriving in 2028, beginning with the X-Men movie in May and ending with Black Panther 3 in December. These will all feature as part of a whole new phase for the MCU too, with Phase 6 ending with Avengers: Secret Wars in late 2027.

Ghost Rider plot details

Ghost Rider will star Ryan Gosling, be directed by Shawn Levy, and will be written by Jonathan Tropper. And that's pretty much everything we know so far about the upcoming movie.

No plot details have been announced yet, and we don't even know yet what version of Ghost Rider Gosling will be playing. All Feige has revealed is that the actor had a "specific vision" for the movie.

Speaking at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, Feige told ComicBook.com: "I am going to let Ryan reveal what he wants to reveal, when he wants to reveal it, and what he wanted to reveal today is: he's playing Ghost Rider. He is a huge fan of the comics; he did come to us particularly with a specific vision, based on some particular comics, but I'll let him unveil that as he wants to."

Levy also echoed that Gosling's pitch is very strong. Speaking to People in August 2026, ahead of the release of the duo's upcoming Star Wars movie, Starfighter, he revealed that he was sold on the idea in just six minutes.

Which Ghost Rider is Ryan Gosling playing?

Gosling's Ghost Rider will be the third version of the character we've seen on screens. Nicolas Cage played Johnny Blaze previously in two Sony movies, and Gabriel Luna starred as Robbie Reyes in Agents of SHIELD. However, this will likely reboot the character as the main MCU version from here on out.

As for what version he's playing, we don't yet know. However, we can assume that the movie will hit some of the usual touch points that are typical for Ghost Rider's story. The two main versions of the character are Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch.

Blaze was first introduced in Marvel Comics in 1972 as a stunt motorcyclist who sells his soul to Satan (actually Mephisto) to save his foster father's life. This leaves his flesh consumed by hellfire at night and around evil, giving him his signature flaming skull look.

The second version of Ghost Rider was introduced in the '90s. Danny Ketch comes into contact with a motorcycle containing the Spirit of Vengeance, which gives him his powers. Blaze is also a part of this story, and it's later revealed that Ketch is his long-lost sibling.

There have been several more versions of the character too, including Robbie Reyes and Parker Robbins. But given these are less-known stories, we'd bet Gosling's film will focus on one of the first two.

Ghost Rider cast

As of right now, the only confirmed cast member of the Ghost Rider movie is Ryan Gosling as the title character. However, we still don't know if he'll be Johnny Blaze or Danny Ketch yet.

If Ghost Rider does adapt the Johnny Blaze storyline, we could see Mephisto appear. The character was introduced in the MCU back in Ironheart, played by Sacha Baron Cohen. He's only appeared in a very small cameo part so far, so this could be a more major role for him.

We'll have to wait and see who else will appear in the movie. However, it's a pretty safe bet that we'll see some familiar faces. This is a Marvel movie, after all.

The full confirmed cast so far simply reads:

• Ryan Gosling as Ghost Rider

Is there a Ghost Rider trailer?

No, there's no trailer for Ghost Rider yet. The movie hasn't started filming yet, as it has only just been released. As a result, we'll be waiting a while until we see any footage from the upcoming movie.

Given that its release date is in mid-2028, we'd expect to see a trailer a few months before. Our best bet at the moment is late 2027 or early 2028. We could also get an early look at Marvel's typical convention appearances in 2027, either at San Diego Comic-Con in July or D23 in August. We'll keep you updated.

In the meantime, check out the announcement at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 above.

For more on all things Marvel, check out our guide to the Marvel timeline as well as our ranking of the best Marvel movies.

Following Marvel Studios showing off its upcoming movie slate at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 and D23, you may have noticed that the studio failed to announce any new shows. However, it sounds as though the superhero studio has a few projects up its sleeve.

According to Puck's What I'm Hearing, there are multiple live-action Marvel series in development over at Disney Plus, with official announcements set to arrive soon.

Now, we don't know what the new projects are, but more may be revealed at New York Comic Con 2026. The Marvel Television and Marvel Animation panel takes place at NYCC on Thursday, October 8th. The listing reads, "Join special guests for an inside look at Marvel Television and Marvel Animation’s most anticipated upcoming series on Disney Plus."

The only new live-action TV show Marvel has on the way is WandaVision spin-off VisionQuest, welcoming back Paul Bettany as the hero in his own solo adventure. In terms of renewals, we know that season 2 of animated show Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man is set to hit Disney Plus in January 2027. Daredevil: Born Again season 3 and X-Men '97 season 3 (and 4) are currently in development too.

However, Marvel TV has had a bit of a shakeup this year. The studio decided to cancel original superhero show Wonder Man after previously renewing it for a second season. Plus, at SDCC 2026, Marvel head Kevin Feige confirmed the upcoming Nova project, which was previously announced as a TV show, is now going forward as a movie.

Marvel movies, on the other hand, are flourishing. Last month, Spider-Man: Brand New Day hit screens to record-breaking box office takings, and Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit screens this December. More sequels are on the way too, including Avengers: Secret Wars and Black Panther 3. Aside from follow-ups, Marvel announced its upcoming Ghost Rider movie at SDCC and revealed the cast of Marvel's X-Men at D23.

The next Marvel project set to hit screens is TV show VisionQuest on October 14, 2026, on Disney Plus. For more, check out our guide to watching the Marvel movies in order, and keep up with new Marvel movies and TV shows.

David Harbour has shared what's supposed to be an Avengers: Doomsday spoiler... but he's joking, right?

In a new interview with Variety, the Red Guardian actor was asked to recite a line from Avengers: Doomsday. Per Variety: "He offers a deadpan line in a Russian accent (and pointing): 'You … are Tony Stark.'"

That's... definitely a joke. Sure. However, many fans have theorized that the entire conceit of Avengers: Doomsday is either a) that a different actor is playing Victor Von Doom and that we don't actually know who Downey is playing, or b) Downey is playing two different characters. I think this simply comes from the desire to see Downey play Tony Stark once more, which I totally understand, but it's a bit more likely that the multiversal movie will introduce us to another Tony Stark/Iron Man from a different universe or planet. Either way, Doomsday is bringing about a team-up of epic proportions – and don't forget that the Thunderbolts, of which Red Guardian is a part, are now the New Avengers.

Downey is expected to play Doom in Doomsday and Secret Wars, though I don't expect him (and the barrage of very big villains we're about to meet on Battleworld in Secret Wars) to be defeated that quickly... but I guess we'll see.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18. For more on all things MCU, check out our guide to upcoming Marvel movies and shows as well as our breakdown on how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

A new report states that Inde Navarrette turned down starring in Michael Mann's Heat 2 in order to play Rogue in the MCU... and I totally get it.

According to Page Six, Navarrette was initially offered a role in the sequel to Michael Mann’s hit crime drama as Sharlene, a character originated by Ashley Judd. The filming, which begins this fall, conflicted with production on Marvel's upcoming X-Men film. The cast of X-Men (so far) was revealed at D23, with Navarrette set to play Rogue (though she had previously stated she was interested in playing Mystique).

The rest of the cast includes Maya Boyd as Storm, Christopher Abbott as Professor Charles Xavier, and Adam Driver as Mister Sinister. Kit Connor and Samara Weaving were previously announced as Scott Summers and Emma Frost, respectively. Sadie Sink made her debut as Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Navarrette has been in high demand following the surprise success of indie horror Obsession, which grossed over $300 million at the global box office against a budget of around $700,000. Navarrette played Nikki, who becomes possessed by a sinister spirit after a man named Bear makes a magical wish for her to love him and only him. Page Six also says that Navarrette turned down another horror movie in favor of X-Men, which is being helmed by London filmmaker Matthias Hoene.

X-Men hits theaters on May 5, 2028. For more, check out our guide to everything announced at D23 2026. We've also rounded up all of the upcoming Marvel movies and shows on the way in 2026 and beyond.

Ewan McGregor has made no secret about how much he wants to return as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars universe. However, apparently he's so keen, he's even been pitching to Lucasfilm boss Dave Filoni and considering time traveling love stories.

"It was very casual, but I said there's got to be something," McGregor told Variety about his pitch to Filoni on the set of Ahsoka, which his wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars in. "Yoda's somewhere else. After the end of Episode III', when we all go to the four or five corners of the galaxy – or however many corners it's got – I won't have been in touch with him. But he's out there. So I think there could be a story there where I'm trying to reach out to him."

He's not just considered a Yoda-centric story either, but also once harbored hopes he could star opposite Winstead's New Republic general Hera Syndulla as well. "I got very excited when Mary started working on Ahsoka," he added to Variety. "I thought, maybe this is the big love story – Obi-Wan and Hera." However, he has come to acknowledge the characters are in different timeframes with Ahsoka set years after Obi-Wan's death.

McGregor's comments come shortly after his last plea to Disney to revive his character once again. Speaking at the recent premiere of The End of Oak Street, he said: "I'm ready whenever they are. They just seem to not be ready, but I'm up for it."

While Obi-Wan's Star Wars future is still unclear, Winstead will be returning soon in Ahsoka season 2. The trailer for the new season was released at D23 and you can check out our Ahsoka season 2 trailer breakdown for all the major moments.

Robert Downey Jr. says he prefers playing Victor Von Doom over Tony Stark because it gives him a totally different perspective.

"It was really weird being the guy – everyone else is hanging out, they’re the good heroes, and I’m [in] this mask, and this hood," Downey told Good Morning America. "I'm like, 'They're all on one side of the camera, and I guess they're all mad at me or something.' But I'll say this: getting to know [Hayley Atwell] better, all of [mine and Chris Evans’] history, because you're a legit dude," he says, addressing Evans, "because you don't say yes because you can; it has to feel right. And I think that in Doomsday, what happens with this key relationship is so exciting and unexpected and beautiful. I will say Doom, for now, because I got to really observe what I've been missing the whole time: just everybody else."

Downey was cast as Tony Stark all the way back in 2006, starring in the standalone film in 2008. Iron Man dies in Avengers: Endgame, which was released in 2019, and marked the end of Downey's time with Marvel... until we got that absolutely wild announcement in 2024. After Jonathan Majors was fired from Marvel, the studio opted to change the entire Kang storyline, rather than recast Kang.

This resulted in a pivot to Doctor Doom, with the MCU more or less adapting the Jonathan Hickman Avengers comic book run that leads into Avengers: Secret Wars. At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, a figure dressed as Doctor Doom came out on stage during the Marvel panel and took off his mask, revealing himself to be none other than Downey. As of right now, we can expect him to play Doom in Doomsday and Secret Wars... though we don't quite know how life will get back to normal for all of our heroes after the events of Secret Wars. But we'll see!

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18. For more on all things MCU, check out our guide to upcoming Marvel movies and shows as well as our breakdown on how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

Kevin Feige says there's plenty more to come as the MCU officially enters its mutant era.

"Having 85, almost 90 years of comic book history, there's so many stories yet to tell," Feige said during the Disney Worldbuilders panel at D23 (via MurphysMultiverse). "We announced a very young, new cast for a property called X-Men the other day. And that's great, because there's been 10 great X-Men movies [but] there can be 100 more"

Continued Feige: "There's sagas upon sagas, with these comics that haven't been told yet. And that's great because the stories that inspired me to want to make these kinds of movies haven't been told yet. I'm quite excited about doing them."

The rest of the X-Men cast (so far) was revealed at D-23, with Maya Boyd as Storm, Christopher Abbott as Professor Charles Xavier, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, and Adam Driver as Mister Sinister. Kit Connor and Samara Weaving were previously announced as Scott Summers and Emma Frost, respectively. Charles Melton was rumored to have been cast as Beast before dropping out, though neither Marvel nor Melton's team have confirmed this.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day introduces Jean Grey as just a teenager who is well aware of the scope of her powers, but doesn't quite know how to use them for good just yet. Because of the ages of the cast, especially Professor Xavier, we can infer that the Charles Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters is a relatively new institution in the MCU, and that the X-Men have yet to be formed. Thunderbolts helmer Jake Schreier is set to direct the pic.

X-Men hits theaters on May 5, 2028. For more, check out our guide to everything announced at D23 2026. We've also rounded up all of the upcoming Marvel movies and shows on the way in 2026 and beyond.

Avengers: Doomsday star Sebastian Stan has revealed he's never seen a full script for the Marvel movie. Speaking in a new interview, the Bucky Barnes star says that the directors, Anthony and Joe Russo, never gave him a completed version to help curb spoilers.

"Honestly, I have absolutely no idea because we didn't even have a script," he told French Sunday newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche when asked what to expect from Doomsday. "We were just shooting scattered scenes. It's a different way of working, continuous, constantly evolving. The producers didn't want us to read it in its entirety, to avoid journalists asking us questions."

The interview took place before the Cannes Film Festival back in May so it's possible that Stan has a bit more of an idea now about what happens in the movie. However, Marvel is known for keeping its cards close to its chest in order to stop leaks.

Stan will be playing Bucky once more in the upcoming Marvel movie, who is now part of the New Avengers after the events of Thunderbolts. Starring opposite Florence Pugh and David Harbour, it's not clear how they'll play into the events of the Avengers film but so far they've appeared in several ensemble moments in the Doomsday trailers.

Starring Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, the upcoming film sees the new Avengers, the original X-Men, the cast of Black Panther, Captain America, and the Fantastic Four unite to face the new foe.

The latest trailer teased plenty of history between Sue Storm, Reed Richards, and Victor Von Doom. The teaser reveals that Doom has lost everything he loved, which may be what has set him on a course of destruction.

More breadcrumbs about the plot will be revealed when Marvel re-releases Avengers: Endgame on September 25. Now titled Avengers: Endgame Encore, this will act as a narrative bridge to the events of Doomsday.

For more on all things MCU, check out our guide to upcoming Marvel movies and shows as well as our breakdown on how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

Avengers: Doomsday is mere months away, so we're hitting the prime toy-spoilers timeframe. Case in point: a new Doctor Doom collectible features the not-so-good doctor holding a mysterious device, and fans have theories about what the handheld doohickey could be.

The collectible from Iron Studios features the now-familiar sight of Doctor Doom sitting on his throne (h/t Brandon Davis). Nothing new there. But direct your eyes towards Doom's right hand, and you'll notice that Doom is clutching a strange device that looks a little like a fancy TV remote. Assuming that Doom isn't simply sitting on his favorite TV-watching throne, the question is: what is that device?

Naturally, the internet has theories. The most prevalent is that the device is the Ultimate Nullifier. Long story short, in Marvel comics, the Ultimate Nullifier is "the universe's most devastating weapon" that can destroy pretty much anything (even the person wielding it), so it's a formidable weapon for Doom to be in possession of and would allow him to wipe out worlds of his choosing. However, as many have pointed out, Doom's device looks nothing like the Ultimate Nullifier from the comics, so it's either been redesigned, or it's something else entirely.

Another theory is that the device could be the key to the Library of Worlds. In Jonathan Hickman's Secret Wars (likely a key inspiration for the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars movie), the Library of Worlds is an endless repository of knowledge that also doubles as a multiversal hub world, a bit like DC's Quantum Unfolding Chamber. In the comics, Doom gains access to the Library of Worlds and uses it as a base of operations. The device also looks a lot like a fancy key, and the filename of the image on Iron Studios' own site is named 'white-1-key,' so there may be something to this one.

Either way, it seems like the device (or key) is going to be important in Doomsday, which got a new "special look" at D23. That teaser has Marvel fans convinced that Robert Downey Jr. isn't the only Doctor Doom in the movie, and it's all down to a brief glimpse of Doom's eyes. Disney has also released a list of essential movies and shows to (re)watch ahead of Doomsday, but there are some curious omissions.

Avengers: Doomsday releases in theaters on December 18. For more, check out our list of upcoming Marvel movies and shows, and get up to speed with the Marvel timeline with our handy breakdown.

Could Loki star Sophia Di Martino show up in Avengers: Doomsday as a Latverian Witch? Well, that's what the Sylvie actor seems to be teasing on social media.

On August 17, Martino posted a cryptic close-up image of her painting on Instagram with the caption "Working on something a bit different." One fan commented, "Latverian Witch?" with an orange heart emoji, asking if the orange paint is hinting at the Loki star possibly returning to the MCU as the orange Latverian witch. That might seem like a bit of a reach, but Martino added fuel to the fire and liked the comment.

Last month at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel exhibited variations of the Latverian Witch costume in green, red, purple, and orange, all fitted with a golden mask and hardware. Ever since, fans have been trying to work out what role the characters might play in Avengers: Doomsday, and who might be behind the masks. We know that the witches are linked to Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom, but the different colours have convinced fans that there is more to the new characters.

Many Marvel fans believe that the witches may be well-known MCU heroes in disguise. As well as Sylvie, fans think a handful of Marvel witches, including Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch and Charlize Theron's Clea, may be making a comeback. Although Sylvie isn't technically a traditional witch like the others mentioned above, the Goddess of Mischief does possess magical abilities much like an enchantress.

As for the colors, it would make sense for Scarlett Witch to wear the red cape, and for Clea to don the purple. Although Sylvie usually wears a green cape, the Loki variant does sport gold headwear, so we could see her donning the orange Doom Witch's golden get-up. Plus, Sylvie's possible involvement isn't that far-fetched, as we already know Tom Hiddleston's Loki will appear in the upcoming Avengers movie.

However, if the theory does prove to be true, what is Sylvie's role in Doomsday? One Marvel fan on Reddit believes that Doom may have "brainwashed" the witches and is using them without their consent. Another replied, "Having her brainwashed and captured would explain why Doom knows about Loki in the first place though, so yeah there's a justification for her being one of the Witches." Marvel has yet to comment on the Witches. But with Doomsday's already stacked cast, what's a few more MCU heroes thrown into the mix?

Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026. For more, check out our guides to upcoming Marvel movies and shows, as well as how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

Ryan Gosling's surprise Ghost Rider movie has a release date... and 2028 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Marvel.

Ghost Rider, directed by Shawn Levy, is set for July 28, 2028, making it the third Marvel movie set for 2028. Black Panther 3 is set for December 15, 2028, with X-Men releasing on May 5, 2028 (H/T Variety).

Gosling and new Black Panther David Jonsson took the stage during Marvel's Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con following their big standalone movie announcements. The rest of the X-Men cast (so far, anyway) was revealed at D-23, with Maya Boyd as Storm, Christopher Abbott as Professor Charles Xavier, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, and Adam Driver as Mister Sinister. Kit Connor and Samara Weaving were previously announced as Scott Summers and Emma Frost, respectively.

"I am going to let Ryan reveal what he wants to reveal, when he wants to reveal it, and what he wanted to reveal today is: he's playing Ghost Rider," Feige told Comicbook.com shortly after Ghost Rider was announced. "He is a huge fan of the comics; he did come to us particularly with a specific vision, based on some particular comics, but I'll let him unveil that as he wants to."

For more, check out our guide to everything announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, or, check out our guide to everything announced at D23 2026. We've also rounded up all of the upcoming Marvel movies and shows on the way in 2026 and beyond.

Avengers: Doomsday just dropped a "special look" at D23 over the weekend, and a major new theory has caught on like wildfire among fans, suggesting that Robert Downey Jr. might not be the movie's true Doctor Doom after all.

For two years now, we've known that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU, not as Tony Stark, but as Victor von Doom. However, in the latest "special look," a close-up of a masked Doom opening his eyes has people questioning whether RDJ is the movie's only Doom. RDJ, you see, has brown eyes, and the Doom under the mask seen in the trailer appears to have blue eyes, with no visible contact lenses. Curious...

And that's not all. Back at SDCC in July, we got a first proper look at Doom's costume and mask. The same costume that Doom appears in during the special look's closing moments, where Doom raises an army of Sentinels from the scrapheap after swatting Thor away like a mosquito.

But at D23 this past weekend, Marvel displayed a second, less ornate Doom costume and mask that more closely resemble the outfit Doom appears to be wearing in the Fantastic Four: First Steps post-credits scene, and during a brief moment in the Doomsday special look where Doom is ejected from a window and makes a superhero landing. Check out both costumes side-by-side below.

What does all this mean? There are a couple of potential explanations. The most likely is that, at some point in the movie, Doom undergoes something of a transformation. It seems likely that Doom will initially act the hero and potentially work with the Avengers, only to turn on them. The surprise in Reed Richards' voice when he asks Victor, "Did you do this?" in the special look would imply as much. Whether this ruse would be a sensible storytelling choice is another question; after all, we all know Doom is a wrong 'un.

The second, more out-there theory is that RDJ's Doom is a no-frills good guy who is at some point killed by an evil Doom variant. Due almost entirely to the blue-eyes theory, the internet has decided that said Evil Doom must be Cillian Murphy because… well, he has blue eyes. We'll admit, it's a stretch, not least because Marvel variants often have the same face in the MCU (though not always). But there are few actors on the planet with the stature to play a second Doom opposite RDJ, and Murphy is certainly one of them.

Whatever the truth may be, there's not long to wait to find out, as there's just over four months to go till Dunesday. Plenty of time to watch the list of "essential" pre-Doomsday movies and shows that Disney has just released, though we'd add a couple of omissions to that list.

Avengers: Doomsday releases in theaters on December 18. For more, check out our list of upcoming Marvel movies and shows, and get up to speed with the Marvel timeline with our handy breakdown.

Disney Plus has released a list of essential Marvel movies to watch ahead of Avengers: Doomsday... and there are definitely some glaring omissions.

At a glance, the full list, which can be viewed below (and also over on Disney Plus itself), makes perfect sense. However, it's interesting to me, and a few other fans, that both Captain Marvel and The Marvels are omitted from the list. Firstly, The Marvels does sort of lead directly into Avengers: Doomsday... Secondly, if we're going by the San Diego Comic-Con 2026 Marvel display of Doctor Doom's costume, Captain Marvel is definitely set to make some kind of surprise appearance in the upcoming film. Why? The costume has two distinct symbols on either shoulder: on the right, Thor's hammer etched into a gold circle, and on the right, the Captain Marvel logo.

There were also some color-changing Latverian witch costumes, which led us to think they were foreshadowing the return of Wanda Maximoff... though Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is indeed on the list.

That list, then:

• X-Men
• X2
• Captain America: The First Avenger
• The Avengers
• Avengers: Infinity War
• Avengers: Endgame
• Loki
• Shang-Chi
• Spider-Man: No Way Home
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
• Captain America: Brave New World
• Deadpool & Wolverine
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
• Thunderbolts
• The Fantastic Four: First Steps

There's a fan-made road map, which you can check out below, that recommends even watching X-Men: Days of Future Past... but that movie isn't in the same universe as the one featured in X-Men and X-2, which is the Fox-owned, pre-MCU Marvel universe. I can see why Disney Plus left that one off the list. The list also suggests watching Logan, which does serve as a precursor to the recommended Deadpool and Wolverine.

Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026. All of the movies list above are streaming now on Disney Plus (even the ones that were omitted from the main list).

For more check out our guides to upcoming Marvel movies and shows as well as how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

As Disney looks to revive Oswald the Lucky Rabbit for an upcoming Disney Plus series, Epic Mickey director Warren Spector commented on the game's role in bringing the character back.

At the latest D23 event – amid all of the Marvel and Star Wars announcements and Kingdom Hearts 4 news – Jon Favreau introduced a first look at his upcoming Disney Plus animation and live action series Oswald. This features Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, who was created by Walt Disney before Mickey Mouse. Disney was unable to use the character for decades, as he was owned by Universal, but in 2006 then-Disney president Bob Iger spearheaded an effort to bring him back into the fold for a video game.

That's Oswald video game project that would become Epic Mickey, which was led by Warren Spector – a developer best known for legendary immersive sims like Deus Ex and Thief.

Spector posted about the Oswald series' new reveal on LinkedIn, saying "I’m seriously looking forward to it but it seems as if people are looking at it as the debut of the character. Call me small-minded but that ain’t right." Spector explains that with Epic Mickey, "the team at Junction Point featured Oswald in his first Disney role since 1928," adding that 2012's Epic Mickey 2 "was the first time he ever spoke in a Disney story." He also notes that "we gave Ortensia her name, her voice, her personality and her role as Oswald’s paramour. None of that dates back to Disney."

"I have to admit that I’m a little bitter about the lack of credit the team gets for all this," Spector adds, explaining, "I was blown away that Disney trusted us and saw fit to reintroduce the little guy in a game. But the team did a great job and deserves to be recognized for it before Hollywood makes people forget the games ever existed."

The series will reportedly feature a plot similar to Epic Mickey, in which Oswald realises he'd been replaced by Mickey while he remained forgotten for so many years. This time around, it features Oswald in the real world, as opposed to Mickey ending up in Oswald's world. Perhaps the developers will get their due in the full series, but how rarely comic creators have gotten their dues in the credits of MCU movies, I could easily see this pivotal part of Oswald's history remain unmentioned.

Kingdom Hearts 4 hype sees the series' first collection top Steam's sales chart, becoming the best-selling paid game on the store following a big discount

The Ahsoka season 2 trailer finally arrived at D23, and, not only was GamesRadar+ in the room to watch all the action unfold, we also have lots to talk about from the new footage.

Below, we've listed the 16 most interesting Star Wars details in the new trailer, as well as our thoughts on what might be going on. It's been three long years since season 1, but it's finally time to start getting excited about the return of Ahsoka Tano.

So, head on down for our full Ahsoka season 2 trailer breakdown. For more, check out our D23 live-blog for all the other major announcements.

The Clone Wars

After the Star Wars show's D23 display teased flashbacks to The Clone Wars era, the trailer confirmed we are indeed returning to this point on the Star Wars timeline. We see Anakin and Ahsoka in a snowy forest, fighting someone with a double-bladed green lightsaber. Now, what this might mean isn't clear just yet. Naturally, there are theories aplenty to be found on Reddit, with fans speculating this mysterious enemy could be a younger Baylan Skoll, Marrok or the Crow, or just a renegade Jedi.

Force ghost Anakin

Anakin Skywalker's return was confirmed at Star Wars Celebration 2025. The trailer shows Anakin both in the past in a Clone Wars-era moment and as a Force ghost on Peridea. Clearly, Anakin is still watching over Snips: in fact, he says he's always walking by her side. Aww.

Thrawn declares war

Grand Admiral Thrawn returned to the main galaxy at the end of Ahsoka season 1. In the trailer, he declares war against the Rebel Alliance, which includes his old foe Hera Syndulla. This looks to be building to an Heir to the Empire-style confrontation, which could culminate in the Dave Filoni movie announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023.

Xiono returns

Senator Xiono is back in season 2. In the first season, Xiono refused to believe Thrawn could return, so it seems likely he'll continue to be a thorn in Hera's side.

Another hallway fight

One thing Star Wars absolutely loves is a good hallway fight: Darth Vader in Rogue One, Luke Skywalker in The Mandalorian season 2, Maul in The Clone Wars, and, now, the Nightsisters of Dathomir in Ahsoka season 2.

Nightsisters of Dathomir

Concept art at D23 teased the Nightsisters wielding energy bows of some kind, and, in the trailer, we see them in action. They seem to be attacking the Rebel Alliance, so we'd wager this is a skirmish organized by Thrawn.

Dathomir

A red planet can briefly be seen in the trailer. Could this be Dathomir? It certainly looks like it. Dathomir, of course, is home world to both the Nightsisters and one Darth Maul.

Sabine's new hair

Sabine Wren is never one to keep the same look for long, and, in Ahsoka season 2, she's growing out her hair again – and it seems to have been dyed a very pale shade of lilac. Sabine cut her hair in season 1 to symbolise her return to facing her destiny, and, in season 2, the pale hair could tie into Ahsoka's Gandalf the White-style appearance. This could mean Sabine is embracing Ahsoka's teachings (but with her own edge, hence the hint of lilac), or that she has a fresh perspective like Snips after meeting Anakin in the World Between Worlds. Now, where Sabine is finding a hair salon on Peridea remains a mystery...

Space battles

Ezra Bridger actor Eman Esfandi has teased space battles are coming, and we get a glimpse at them in the trailer. Thanks to Celebration 2025, we know that Admiral Ackbar is returning to face off against Thrawn, too. Expect a galactic showdown for the ages.

Strange rocks

Ahsoka and Sabine can be seen approaching a carving on a rock on Peridea. Considering the first piece of concept art for season 2 teased the Mortis gods, we'd guess this has something to do with those Force beings or the World Between Worlds. After all, it seems this is what Baylan is trying to access.

Anakin knows Baylan

"Baylan claims to have knowledge of a power. One that could end wars," says Anakin in the trailer. This is not only confirmation that the two did indeed know each other, as Baylan suggested in season 1, but also sets up Baylan's mysterious quest for the World Between Worlds.

Zeb Orrelios

After making his live-action debut in The Mandalorian season 3 and earning a starring role in The Mandalorian and Grogu, Zeb Orrelios is appearing in Ahsoka season 2. That means a full Ghost crew reunion could be on the cards, if Sabine makes it home.

Ezra Bridger vs Enoch

Ezra can be seen in lightsaber combat with Enoch, the mysterious gold-masked stormtrooper from season 1. Some people theorized that Enoch was actually Ezra himself, which turned out not to be true. Who the masked figure is remains to be seen. Enoch also has a flaming green lightsaber, which could suggest Nightsister magic (and looks pretty cool).

Huyang faces Shin Hati

Huyang goes full General Grievous and wields multiple lightsabers in a face-off with Shin Hati. This means Shin finds Ahsoka's ship, though we still suspect the Padawan might be on the path to redemption. She approaches Baylan in the trailer too, but Baylan abandoned her in season 1, so a happy reunion seems unlikely.

Ahsoka and Sabine fight together

Both Ahsoka and Sabine wield their lightsabers in a battle with white droids across a symbol that has circles and lines similar to the World Between Worlds. Are they closing in on this mystical realm, too? Ahsoka does have experience with it, after all, and concept art displayed at D23 reveals Morai, the convor bird associated with the Daughter, is still watching over Ahsoka.

Ahsoka might become a Jedi again

Anakin's voiceover in the trailer questions, "Are you a Jedi or not?" Ahsoka walked away from the Jedi Order during The Clone Wars after she was falsely accused of a crime she did not commit and put on trial. Could Ahsoka find her way back? We're willing to guess yes, since Ahsoka embodies all the qualities of a Jedi and even has her own Padawan.

Ahsoka season 2 arrives January 20, 2027. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows for everything else the galaxy far, far away has in store.

At D23, Marvel boss Kevin Feige has explained why Spider-Man: Brand New Day was the right project for Sadie Sink's Jean Grey to make her MCU debut.

Sink's role was shrouded in secrecy up until release, when it was finally revealed that her mystery role was indeed the X-Men character.

"It all came out of [the] story," Feige shared at a panel celebrating 65 years of Spider-Man, attended by GamesRadar+. "[It] came out of the story that we were talking about with Amy [Pascal, producer], and with Destin [Daniel Cretton, director], and with Tom [Holland], who had a lot of story input in this film, thank goodness.

"And we were looking for a different type of mystery, and putting Peter at the forefront of being a detective, almost, for the first half of the movie, and it just sort of evolved to the point where we thought – we were looking for who could fit that bill, and it became Jean Grey," Feige continued. "I'm very glad that it did, and in large part because of Sadie Sink, because we landed on Sadie Sink and realized the connection she would have to the rest of this cast is what really locked that in."

Sink will return as Jean Grey in the upcoming Marvel's X-Men movie. The cast was revealed onstage at D23 during the blowout studio panel: along with Sink, the cast features Kit Connor as Cyclops, Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Inde Navarette as Rogue, Maya Boyd as Storm, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, and Adam Driver as Nathaniel Milbury (AKA Mr. Sinister).

The X-Men movie arrives this May 5, 2028. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows, and see the major announcements from the convention with our D23 liveblog.

For more on Spidey, see our Spider-Man: Brand New Day review or how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

Marvel boss Kevin Feige has revealed more about the approach to Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

The film is the fourth in Marvel and Sony's joint Spider-Man movie series, and it's set years after the massive, multiversal events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, which saw Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield co-star alongside Tom Holland as their respective versions of Peter Parker.

"When we made Brand New Day, we set out saying, 'Well, we'll never make more than No Way Home, never make it bigger than No Way Home. So, let's just go deeper and make it special," Feige said during a D23 panel celebrating 65 years of Spider-Man attended by GamesRadar+.

"And I have a memory, we were on set of No Way Home, which of course was about Tobey and Andrew and Tom, three Spider-Men together," he continued. "How do you get bigger than three Spider-Men together? Well, sitting on a golf cart outside the set were Zendaya and Jacob [Batalon] and Tom. And it occurred to me, looking at those three, that that trio is as iconic as the three Spider-Men. And now Brand New Day has proved that."

During the No Way Home ending, Tom Holland's Peter Parker is erased from the memories of everyone he knows by a spell from Doctor Strange. So, in Brand New Day, he's more alone than ever, and the story is more grounded in his emotional state rather than the multiversal stakes of No Way Home.

Brand New Day is in theaters now. For more, check out our Spider-Man: Brand New Day review and our guide on watching the Marvel movies in order.

Marvel is on a roll right now, but the thing I'm most excited about is the upcoming X-Men movie. That's right, step aside, Avengers: Doomsday, because the next chapter of the best mutants in media is coming, and I've gathered all the information that you need to know about it right here.

For those of you who may not know yet, Kevin Feige has confirmed that a Marvel's X-Men movie is in the works. I have always been a massive fan of the Fox X-Men movies, and like many other fans, have been waiting for the team's official introduction into the MCU. Now, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day officially introducing Sadie Sink's Jean Grey, it seems like the future is very bright regarding a smooth Marvel timeline integration.

However, there are still a ton of questions that need answering and plenty of theories already flying about. So read on as I break down all the latest news and give you insights into everything you need to know about Marvel's X-Men movie so far.

Marvel's X-Men movie release date

The X-Men movie release date was confirmed at D23 to be May 5, 2028.

Previously, Kevin Feige revealed that the new X-Men movie will be released after Avengers: Secret Wars, which is due to hit cinemas on December 17, 2027. So expect Marvel's X-Men movie to unfold in a somewhat re-jigged version of the MCU, post-Battleworld shenanigans. It also makes a lot of sense that we'd get the Avengers movies out of the way first, given the fact that old X-Men from the Fox days are in the trailer for Doomsday.

Before we get a fresh MCU-focused X-Men, Marvel needs to tie up, or multiverse their way out of, the old timeline they brought back. I'll keep you posted if we hear any more news or release date clues, but for now, mark your calendars tentatively for 2028.

Marvel's X-Men movie plot details

So far, there are no firm plot details for the new X-Men movie; however, we do have some insights thanks to director and writers Lee Sung Jin and Jake Schreier's interviews.

"Kevin [Feige] just wants to take a big swing and start anew, not be beholden to any of the movies that have come before." Lee Sung Jin explained to Deadline. This likely means that after the events of Secret Wars, there will be some kind of timeline antics that can allow for a complete reboot.

The old X-Men have appeared in the MCU via Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Deadpool and Wolverine, and we did see the old X-Men cast in the recent Avengers: Doomsday trailer. So, to "start anew," Secret Wars will need to fully say goodbye to the Fox timeline in some kind of way. Hopefully, we'll get some kind of idea how that will happen once Doomsday releases.

Also in that same article, Lee mentioned Chris Claremont-run comics being an influence on the two's creative process. If you are unfamiliar with Chris Claremont's time writing X-Men, he focused heavily on characters first and foremost, giving readers expanded lore for each team member that really enhanced the relationships and drama as a whole.

"There were a lot of soapy elements to those comics," Lee explained. "We've been in the room every day together. Kevin and Louis [D'Esposito] are so dialed in, and they have such incredible instincts that it's been fun to just blue-sky. "

We don't know which comics are being adapted, so I'm keeping my eye out for more information. In the meantime, I have some personal theories based on the recent Marvel movies.

During Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Peter creates a device that can suppress mutants' powers, so I have a feeling that the upcoming movie will likely bring up that kind of technology again. The Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending also had Jean Grey on a bus, so I'm thinking the upcoming film will center on her finding her support system and new family with the X-Men. Obviously, this is just my own theory with no official confirmation, but it does make sense story-wise when looking at how Brand New Day ends.

Marvel's X-Men movie cast

Sadie Sink appeared in Spider-Man: Brand New Day as Jean Grey and of course be one of the key mutants in Marvel Studios' X-Men.

Following reports that Obsession star Inde Navarrette met with Schreier (via TechRadar), reportedly to play Mystique, it was confirmed at D23 that she'll in fact be playing Rogue. Notably, Charles Melton, who was heavily rumored to be playing Beast, did not appear on stage at D23.

The full, confirmed X-Men cast is as follows:

• Kit Connor as Cyclops
• Sadie Sink as Jean Grey
• Christopher Abbott as Professor X
• Inde Navarette as Rogue
• Maya Boyd as Storm
• Samara Weaving as Emma Frost
• Adam Driver as Mr. Sinister

Any other cast members are pure speculation right now.

Is there a Marvel's X-Men movie trailer?

Sorry folks, there is no trailer for the new Marvel X-Men movie just yet. And unfortunately, we likely won't be getting one until 2028, after Secret Wars.

It really does seem like the direction of the upcoming movie relies on how Secret Wars shapes the Marvel timeline. And even if filming for the flick happens in early 2027, Marvel will likely want to keep casting and story details under wraps until the final Avengers movie is released.

This is just my theory, though. If you get a trailer earlier than I expect, I'll be sure to share it here with you immediately. In the meantime, you can watch the trailer for Avengers: Doomsday above, which does feature some Fox-verse X-Men at least.

Is the new X-Men movie part of the original timeline?

While we don't know the details yet, it does seem like Feige is aiming for a new start. So, it is looking like the new X-Men movies will be separate from the timeline established by Fox's 2000s films.

But, just to reiterate, we don't know that fact for certain yet. There is a possibility that the timelines merge in some way; the Avengers: Doomsday trailer did show the old X-Men cast, and we have no idea what the plan for them is just yet either.

With Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, we do know that at least mutants in Spidey's timeline are around as of 2028. However, that movie didn't mention the X-Men or show us any other iconic members from the team, so it isn't super clear how things will play out just yet. Still, it's safe to say that even if the new X-Men connect with the old timeline, we will be getting a fresh story and approach to the iconic team.

If you want to catch up on all the X-Men timelines, I suggest checking out our X-Men movies in order guide, since it is already a bit convoluted. Honestly, a fresh start or new timeline may be for the best at this point, in my opinion.

Catch up on the MCU with our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order. Or look ahead with our round-up of all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows on the way next.

At D23, Star Wars: Starfighter finally revealed a first look at the Ryan Gosling-starring movie. The catch: it's not going to appear online anytime soon, and was only for people in the room. However, we were on the ground and can bring you an exclusive description.

The teaser footage starts with Flynn Gray's as-yet-unnamed young character throwing the cover off a starfighter. Gosling, whose character was confirmed as Kade Auberon, tells him not to touch, it's a decommissioned Imperial model and the fastest ever built. Kade says there's a reason Gray's character has never heard of such a vessel, despite it's capabilities. Quick flashes of action, include flying/gliding across water, turning an ignition and, of course, plenty of flying.

Starfighter, directed by Deadpool and Wolverine's Shawn Levy, stars Ryan Gosling, Flynn Gray, Amy Adams, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, and Aaron Pierre. It is the first Lucasfilm movie to take us beyond The Rise of Skywalker on the Star Wars timeline.

"In a rebuilding galaxy, a solitary pilot becomes entangled in a crucial mission as new threats emerge. Their journey may alter the future of the Force itself," reads the synopsis.

"It is different in that it is an all-new non-sequel, non-prequel adventure," Levy has said previously of the film. "It's new characters, it's a new timeline. It inherits legacy themes, but it's really trying to give Star Wars [fans] – and just movie audiences – something fresh, something new. And with a spirit of play and big-hearted adventure with moments of real levity that, frankly, A New Hope had in a revolutionary way."

Starfighter arrives May 28, 2027. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows for everything else that's in the works.

You can keep up on more announcements and reveals with our D23 liveblog.

At D23, Lucasfilm has finally dropped the first trailer for Ahsoka season 2, and Grand Admiral Thrawn has declared war on the Rebel Alliance.

In the trailer, which you can watch above, Hayden Christensen's Anakin returns as both Force ghost and for a snowy Clone Wars-era flashbacks. In the present, Grand Admiral Thrawn is back in a galaxy far, far away and declares war on the Rebel Alliance – expect plenty of space battles, then. Quick flashes of action also reveal Huyang wielding multiple lightsabers like General Grievous for a fight with Shin Hati. The question of Ahsoka Tano's Jedi status will also be addressed, by the sound of things.

Season 2 will pick up with Ahsoka Tano and Sabine Wren stranded on Peridea after the Ahsoka season 1 ending, while Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn escaped back to the main galaxy. Also remaining on Peridea are Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati – following the tragic loss of Ray Stevenson, Rory McCann will take over as Baylan in season 2.

At Star Wars Celebration 2025, we learned that Hayden Christensen will return as Anakin Skywalker and Admiral Ackbar will face off against Thrawn. There was also a first look of sorts shown behind closed doors, which teased battles across two galaxies and giant, evil droids.

"Anybody who saw the sequels knows that there's a First Order coming in, like, 20 years from where we are now in the storyline," The Mandalorian and Grogu director Jon Favreau has shared. "And then Ahsoka season 2 is coming out – which I've seen all of – and that's definitely more dealing with the larger [picture], a higher level. That's about the officers and we're the enlisted men – this is more of a ground-level experience of what's going on. You're seeing the backdrop – which, by the way, is what the first Star Wars started off as."

Ahsoka season 2 arrives on January 20, 2027 on Disney Plus. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and shows for everything else the galaxy far, far away has in store.

For even more, keep up with our D23 live blog.

A new 'special look' at Avengers: Doomsday has released online after debuting at D23, and it seems like the assembled Avengers are in for a world of hurt thanks to one Victor von Doom.

The special look is the same trailer that was shown behind closed doors at SDCC last month, but now it's online for the world to pore over. In the footage, largely narrated by Sue Storm, we get some crucial Doctor Doom context, as it's heavily implied that he's embarking down a path of villainy following the death of his wife and child. Plus we see Doom raising an army of Sentinels from the dead – pretty badass.

Avengers: Doomsday is just a few months away, and this latest news only makes the wait more exciting. Recently, the first trailer for the film dropped, which reveals Robert Downey Jr.'s Doom voice and teases more of the return of Steve Rogers, as well as the Avengers and the X-Men going head-to-head (for more, check out our Avengers: Doomsday trailer breakdown).

A new synopsis for the film has also arrived recently, though it doesn't give much away: "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."

However, a poster of Doom might have teased the villain's motivations.

Avengers: Doomsday arrives this December 18. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows for everything else the MCU has in store.

For more on this year's convention, check out our D23 liveblog to keep up to date.

At D23, we've finally got news about the MCU's very first standalone X-Men movie as the full cast took to the stage during Marvel's portion of the Disney Entertainment Showcase, confirming many recent rumors.

Alongside director Jake Schreier and Jean Grey star Sadie Sink, several major cast members were announced for Marvel Studios' long-anticipated X-Men, including:

• Kit Connor as Cyclops
• Christopher Abbott as Professor X
• Inde Navarette as Rogue
• Maya Boyd as Storm
• Samara Weaving as Emma Frost
• Adam Driver as Nathaniel Milbury (aka Mr. Sinister)

The Marvel movie's release date was also confirmed for May 5, 2028. Notably missing from the lineup was Charles Melton, who recently offered a cryptic response when the Beast casting rumors were put to him, as was Alien: Romulus star Cailee Spaeny. She was long rumored to play Rogue, but we now know the role went to Navarette.

An MCU X-Men movie was announced all the way back in 2019 at SDCC, with Kevin Feige telling IGN that Marvel's X-Men would be quite different from 20th Century Fox's approach. There wasn't much by way of news until 2023, when Feige announced that the studio was taking pitches from screenwriters.

The following year, Michael Lesslie (Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) was announced as the sole screenwriter. In 2025, Thunderbolts helmer Jake Schreier was tapped as director. Back in April, it was reported that Beef writers Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo had been hired to rewrite the script.

It's worth noting that an MCU X-Men movie was indeed planned before the inception of Deadpool and Wolverine, but I think we can thank Ryan Reynolds and co. for the addition of the original 20th Century Fox X-Men in Avengers: Doomsday (and for helping keep the mutant hype going).

For more, keep up with other upcoming Marvel movies and shows, and stay up to date with this year's convention with our D23 liveblog.

The first trailer for VisionQuest has arrived at D23, and it's a wild trip into Vision's glitchy mind.

The trailer, which you can watch above, is the climax of the WandaVision trilogy, which continued with 2024's Agatha All Along. Seemingly set in the mind of White Vision, where Vision's human avatar lives out a colorful life alongside a host of Marvel universe AI characters, it's also set to reintroduce a teenage Tommy Maximoff (aka Speed). Perhaps most excitingly of all, James Spader is back as the genocidal Ultron, who seems to be taking over Vision's mind. Check the trailer out above.

Paul Bettany returns as Vision, with the rest of the cast including James Spader as Ultron, Orla Brady as Friday, Emily Hampshire as E.D.I.T.H., T'Nia Miller as Jocasta, James D'Arcy as Jarvis, and Ruaridh Mollica as Tommy Maximoff.

"I think that Terry [Matalas, showrunner] realized, and agreed with me, that I feel like Marvel gets rewarded when it takes really big swings," Bettany has previously said of the show.

"And I think that he just understood in his bones who Vision is. And Vision is for the kid that I was when I was a kid – the kid that felt like an outsider and felt like they had no community that they fit into. And he knew who these stories are for and who Vision is for. And I think we made a really fun and entertaining show about a guy who's an outsider and trying to find out who he is."

VisionQuest arrives this October 14, and from October 15 in the UK. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming Marvel movies and shows for everything else that's in the works.

You can also keep up to date with our D23 liveblog.

An Ahsoka season 2 display at D23 has given away some fascinating hints about what might be to come in the second season of the Star Wars show.

GamesRadar+ is on the ground at this year's D23, which means we got to explore the Ahsoka display for ourselves. The main point of excitement is the costumes on display: as you can see in the post below, both Anakin Skywalker and a younger Ahsoka Tano have new outfits for season 2, suggesting we might see the return of Ariana Greenblatt as Padawan-era Snips.

They're both dressed in cold weather gear, intriguingly – though whether that means a flashback to the snowy events of season 1 episode 'Trespass' or a new scenario remains to be seen.

Some concept art is also on display, which reveals the return of Morai after the bird's appearance in season 1. Morai is a convor that watches over Ahsoka, associated with the Daughter Force god from the Mortis arc of Clone Wars. Put simply, the Daughter is a personification of the light side of the Force, and she sacrificed herself to resurrect Ahsoka during the events of that arc (read more in our World Between Worlds explainer). In one piece of art, the convor can be seen observing Ahsoka and Sabine Wren on Peridea.

Also seen in the artwork is Huyang wielding multiple lightsabers and going up against Shin Hati, as well as Grand Admiral Thrawn looking at a map on his ship, the Nightsisters of Dathomir using what look to be energy bows, and the return of Enoch the mysterious gold-masked stormtrooper wielding a green lightsaber.

At the convention, Ezra Bridger actor Eman Esfandi also shared more about the upcoming second season.

"There's going to be more lightsabers. A lot more lightsaber action. There's going to be some space battles, some space action, and there's going to be witches, and swords, and explosions galore," he teased. "It's going to be really fun, really fast-paced, and we may or may not hear something about that a little later today. So, stay tuned here at D23 for Ahsoka season 2."

Ahsoka season 2 is coming in 2027. While you wait, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and shows for everything else that's on the way – and keep your eyes on GamesRadar+ for updates from D23's main studio panel for news on Ahsoka and more.

At D23, Ezra Bridger star Eman Esfandi has teased what's to come in Ahsoka season 2 – and it sounds pretty epic.

"There's going to be more lightsabers. A lot more lightsaber action. There's going to be some space battles, some space action, and there's going to be witches, and swords, and explosions galore," the actor shared during a talk attended by GamesRadar+ at the Disney convention. "It's going to be really fun, really fast-paced, and we may or may not hear something about that a little later today. So, stay tuned here at D23 for Ahsoka season 2."

Ahsoka season 2 is set to feature the return of Admiral Ackbar, who will face off against Grand Admiral Thrawn – which might be one of the space battles Esfandi is talking about. It also sounds like we can expect to see more of the fearsome Nightsisters of Dathomir.

The new season will also see the return of Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker, while Game of Thrones star Rory McCann takes over the role of Baylan Skoll from the late Ray Stevenson.

"A lot of action. Fights, battles, explosions, lightsabers, lasers," Esfandi has previously teased of season 2. "I'm having a flashback. So a lot of action, and I think everybody's gonna love it. Dave [Filoni] went nuts, and all of us were ready to follow suit of our fearless leader, and it's gonna be a lot of fun."

Ahsoka season 2 doesn't yet have a release date. While you wait, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and shows for everything else that's on the way – and keep your eyes on GamesRadar+ for updates from D23's main studio panel for news on Ahsoka and more.

An actor behind cancelled Marvel TV show New Warriors has revealed a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes images from the MCU project, as well a heartfelt tribute to the series-that-never-was.

Derek Theler, who was set to play Mr. Immortal in the New Warriors pilot, took to Instagram to explain more about the show, which featured the unlikely C-list team of Squirrel Girl, Night Thrasher, Speedball, Microbe, and Debrii protecting Cleveland, Ohio, of all places.

"The concept was hilarious," Theler wrote. "A group of young adults with superpowers trying to figure out how to actually become superheroes, all while being followed by a documentary camera crew. Basically, Marvel meets The Office."

Despite filming a pilot that, according to Theler, was well-received, the show eventually fell by the wayside.

Theler wrote, "Eventually, the show disappeared into Hollywood limbo. No dramatic cancellation. No real explanation. We just never came back."

While it joins the long list of other scrapped superhero projects, from Marvel or otherwise, Theler has at least shared clips and photos from production, including Milana Vayntrub's Squirrel Girl in costume – which you can see below.

"We were FORBIDDEN from taking photos or videos on set… but there was no chance I was letting my introduction to the MCU go completely undocumented," Theler said. "So I secretly captured some BTS footage. As far as I know, it’s the only footage from our shoot outside whatever Marvel has locked away in a vault."

Theler even shared his own personal thoughts on the project's termination. He wrote, "Every once in a while, I wonder what could have been. Would people have loved it? Would we have gotten multiple seasons?"

New Warriors, though, has shown no signs of life since. Squirrel Girl's actor Milana Vayntrub went on to voice the character in Marvel Rivals, however.

Marvel Studios has pared back on its television output, too, with Daredevil: Born Again season 3 and VisionQuest among its very few MCU projects on Disney Plus in the next 12 months.

For more, check out our guide to upcoming Marvel movies.

Marvel Studios will be appearing at D23 as part of the company's major panel today. But when exactly is it?

It feels like only yesterday that Kevin Feige headed to San Diego Comic-Con 2026 for a host of big announcements, but Marvel still has more up its sleeves. They'll appear in the Disney Entertainment Showcase, which takes place at the annual convention for the House of Mouse, D23.

This is set to be a bumper event featuring the latest from Marvel, as well as announcements from Star Wars and Lucasfilm, Pixar, and other upcoming Disney projects. Happening live from Anaheim in California, we're expecting some big news covering everything from Ahsoka season 2 to VisionQuest.

So when does it all kick off and how can you keep up with the latest news? We've compiled a guide below for everything you need to know about the D23 Marvel panel below. And if that wasn't enough, check out our guides to all the upcoming Marvel movies and upcoming Star Wars movies for what might be in store.

When is the D23 Marvel Panel?

The D23 Marvel Panel forms part of the Disney Entertainment Showcase. This kicks off on Friday, August 14th at 7pm PT. It runs for two hours, concluding at 9pm PT.

If you're watching on the East Coast, this means it starts at 10pm EDT. In the UK, this means you'll have to tune it on Saturday, August 15 at 3am BST.

Disney don't release the exact running order for their panel so if you're hoping to tune in for only the Marvel Studios announcements, it might be a bit tricky to navigate. They'll probably only have around 20-30 minutes of the allotted time too, which could come at any point during the timeframe.

How to watch D23

Unfortunately, the Disney Entertainment Showcase is not streamed live. This means that you won't be able to watch along as it happens. Some panels are streamed during D23, but this is not one of them.

This means that if you want to follow along with all the news and announcements, then you'll need to keep an eye on our live-blog as well as Total Film's Twitter for live updates.

What will be announced at D23?

We're not yet sure what will be announced at D23 but some early details in the convention hall have given us a bit of an idea. The Ahsoka season 2 costumes have been on display so we'd hedge our bets that a trailer might be imminent for the Star Wars show.

VisionQuest also has an installation, featuring an intriguing tease about a new character. We're yet to have a trailer from the show, despite it arriving in just a few months. D23 might be the perfect time for that.

Other potential announcements could come around the upcoming X-Men movie. The project was largely absent from Marvel's San Diego Comic-Con panel and there have been some casting rumors circling.

Other upcoming projects sure to get a mention include Star Wars: Starfighter and Avengers: Doomsday.

In terms of other Disney news, there are rumors that a new Pixar movie will be announced and we expect to hear some details from the upcoming Frozen 3.

Check out our guide to all the new Disney movies coming in 2026 and beyond.

Yet another upcoming TV show has been scrapped this week, as reports suggest Disney's Power Rangers series is dead in the water.

According to Deadline, Disney is no longer moving forward with its live-action Power Rangers series, which was intended to screen on Disney Plus. Deadline reports that the reasons for Power Rangers' cancelation is budget related.

Shows of that nature, much like Marvel or any other superhero undertaking, often come with a hefty price tag. Moreover, a major IP like Power Rangers is a big investment, especially as Disney does not own the brand. Like Barbie and Masters of the Universe, Hasbro owns the Power Rangers.

The series was announced in March 2025, but is said to have entered development as early as 2024. However, not much was known about the show. The project was written and executive produced by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz. The duo is best known for serving as producers and showrunners on the much-loved Disney Plus show Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which has season 3 in the works.

However, the Power Rangers have had successful stints on television before. The franchise kicked off in 1993 with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, which spawned multiple series running for 30 seasons. The show solidified the colourful heroes in popular culture, leading to a successful merchandise line. Since then, we have seen the color-coded heroes leap to the big screen, including the most recent 2017 movie, Power Rangers

However, the latest movie flopped, earning $142 million worldwide against its predicted $110 million budget. The movie was supposed to kickstart a new franchise with three more movies to follow. But that never happened. Earlier this year, star Dacre Montgomery revealed that Lionsgate planned to do with Power Rangers what it had done with The Hunger Games franchise.

For more, check out our guide to the best shows on Disney Plus, and keep up with new TV shows still to come in 2026.

The X-Men casting rumor mill is currently in overdrive. Right now, a handful of names have been confirmed, with one or two others almost a guarantee.

Beef's Charles Melton is one of those in the latter camp. For months now, whispers have circulated that he is next in line to play Beast in Marvel Studios' X-Men reboot.

Largely, he has kept schtum – but has now admitted the attention surrounding him isn't all that bad, especially if it inches him closer to a reunion with some of X-Men's key creatives.

"It depends on what day or moment you catch me on, but right now I’d say I think I believe in [director Jake Schreier] and [Beef creator and X-Men co-writer Lee Sung Jin] so much, and I would love to work with them again, and many more times. They know that,” Melton told The Playlist of both the X-Men rumors and the prospect of working with his Beef crew again.

Melton, however, admits he's not always reading the latest reports. "I try to stay away from the fodder as much as I can," he said, and jokingly added. "So I’ve limited myself to Googling myself maybe 20 times a day instead of 50. It was really bad before."

Melton continued, "No, man, it’d be amazing to work with them again. And I think whenever people are talking about you in a very maybe positive, hopeful way, I think it’s exciting. But I think it’s amazing to be talked about and even considered for any of those possibilities about something amazing.”

Right now, Kit Connor is reported to play Cyclops in the MCU and Samara Weaving has reportedly been cast as Emma Frost. The pair would be joined by Sadie Sink's Jean Grey. Rumors are also persisting about Cailee Spaeny playing Rogue, but there's every chance we'll get more confirmation at the forthcoming D23 panel this weekend.

X-Men is currently undated.

For more, we have a complete guide on upcoming Marvel movies. Then take a step back in time with the Marvel timeline and a full look at how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

A new look at VisionQuest has debuted at D23 and it's seemingly revealed a major new character. Shared on social media by attendees, the promotional art shows a figure on fire, surrounded by flames.

Plenty of Marvel fans on Reddit have already put two and two together and think this may be the Original Human Torch. The character has a fascinating history in the comics. Real name Jim Hammond, he first appeared back in 1939 as part of Timely Comics, Marvel's predecessor.

He was an android created by a scientist under the watch of Victor Timely (who we met in Loki season 2) and had the ability to control flames. He was one of the three main original heroes, alongside Captain America and Namor, before he fell mostly into obscurity and was repurposed into a member of the Fantastic Four in the '50s.

However, it's his connection with Vision that will likely be the most fertile ground for the upcoming TV show. In an Avengers storyline from the '70s, it was revealed that Torch's body was used to create Vision by none other than Ultron, who we know will play a key role in VisionQuest.

We have seen Vision's origins in the MCU already in Avengers: Age of Ultron. He was created by Ultron combining a vibranium body, synthetic tissue, and the Mind Stone. Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, and Thor intercepted the transfer, uploading J.A.R.V.I.S. to him, making the Vision we know and love, played by Paul Bettany. This could be expanded in VisionQuest though, especially if the show dives into Ultron's origins of creating Vision.

This also isn't the first time that we've had a nod to Hammond in the MCU either. Back in Captain America: The First Avenger, Howard Stark's Stark Expo showcased an android in a glass case. Called Phineas Horton's "Synthetic Man", this was a nod to the original Human Torch. It will be interesting to see that Easter egg finally expanded in the MCU, almost 15 years later.

VisionQuest releases on October 14, 2026 on Disney Plus. This makes it the next MCU project ahead of Avengers: Doomsday in December. For more upcoming superhero movies, check out our guide to all the new Marvel movies and shows you need to know about.

Avengers: Infinity War may have been released eight years ago, but we're still noticing new details about the film. One Marvel fan has even spotted a continuity goof in the MCU movie involving Iron Man.

The scene in question comes in the Greenwich Village street battle when Thanos' generals make a surprise attack to try and steal the Time Stone from Doctor Strange. Preparing for the upcoming fight, Tony Stark transforms into his Mark 50 armor using "nanotech".

However, after he takes the glasses off his face, they disappear into thin air in his hands. You can watch the moment in this clip shared by Dr. Kohan on Twitter below.

It's quite a funny transition as the glasses seem to disappear as Tony lowers his arm. Fans have been reacting to the goof on Twitter, with some kicking themselves about missing this when they first watched.

Some have also pointed out that there might be an explanation that the glasses are simply absorbed into his suit. This is possible given that nanotechnology isn't completely explained in the MCU and seems to be extremely powerful. Although, as the original poster pointed out, if it can be absorbed, why did Stark even bother taking them off?

Although one Marvel fan has a simple conclusion: "They don't disappear. They just merge with the suit. Why did he take them off then? Swagger." Seems about right to us…

Next up in the MCU is Avengers: Doomsday, which sees Robert Downey Jr. return in a new role as Doctor Doom. Despite an impressive trailer, a lot remains unknown about the upcoming movie, which hits theaters in December.

For more Marvel, check out our guides to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows, as well as our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

Kingdom Hearts is receiving a retrospective showcase at D23 2026, Disney's massive celebration for all the magic it's had its hand in creating, and I'm very excited. I've been obsessed with the series ever since a friend at school whispered to me in maths class a whole 22 years ago, "Hey, you know there's a game that crosses over Disney and Final Fantasy into one, right?"

That blew my mind as an obsessive fan of both, and ever since, I've longed to bask in as much Kingdom Hearts-ness as I can get my hands on. Yet, out of all the games and best toys that have alluded me the most, it's Bandai's Proplica Key Blade Kingdom Chain that I covet every single day. Like the rest of the Proplica line, it was a replica of Sora's iconic weapon that launched in April 2018 for 20,350 yen (roughly $127.80), and it not only looked like the real thing, but it lit up and even projected a key hole on the wall, so you could pretend you were sealing your own Disney world. It doesn't get much better than that.

Bandai went the extra mile by equipping their Proplica Keyblade with three modes: attack mode, magic mode, and key mode. Attack mode made the replica emit sounds from the game, so you could swipe at the open air and pretend you're Sora, hacking and slashing your way through hordes of Heartless.

According to Bandai's official blog post shared on April 26, 2018, holding down a button on the blade would result in a flow of sounds, or pressing it continuously would allow them to emit randomly. I'm not sure if, like the brand's Proplica Master Sword that I do have in my collection, the sounds correlated to your every movement, but if they were to give this a re-release, that'd be a neat upgrade to have from the get-go.

Besides attack mode, you had my favorite mode of all, magic mode, which is one of the key reasons (excuse the pun) why I covet this toy. With this mode, pressing and holding the button hidden within the blade's hilt would allow you to cycle through spells from the game, including Fire, Blizzard, and what the English-text version of the site calls sander, aqua, cial, and gravide. I can only assume that they're referring to Sora's Thunder, Cure, Aero, and Gravity magic. For the spells, the base of the blade glows the corresponding color, eg red for fire, blue for blizzard, and plays their in-game sound effect simultaneously. It's an incredible feature judging from the Bandai Tamashii Nations Proplica Keyblade YouTube video I was able to find online, which I only wish I could witness in person.

Key mode is likely the one other fans will fawned over at the time. As I mentioned above, it projected a keyhole on any wall or surface. That's not the best part, as holding the button will project it and play the sound effect that emits in the original game whenever Sora seals a Disney world. I'm a full-grown 35-year-old adult, but I can entirely foresee myself welling up with tears if I were to get this toy and witness this in person.

In fact, the entire thing would likely result in me becoming a teary mess, as I adore Kingdom Hearts and have dreamed of owning this piece of toy history. At the moment, my Proplica collection consists of Sheryl Nome's microphone from Macross Frontier, and the Master Sword, but it's the Proplica Keyblade that I've been yearning to own the most. The only problem is that it's long out of stock, is no longer being manufactured anymore, and can reach close to (and even over) $1K on eBay, and other second-hand websites. I don't have a thousand Munny to drop on a piece of merch alone, so instead I dream for a re-release that I can pre-order to prevent giving resellers the time of day.

If you thought you did see a re-release of this toy last year, you aren't entirely wrong. Bandai released a smaller, 20-inch Key Blade, which was available to pre-order for $146.99 at BigBadToyStore and comes with its own set of lighting and sound effects. While smaller than the older release, this version's Magic Mode emits lighting at the end of the key and has a Music Mode, which felt sorely missing from the older version.

The Music Mode allows the prop to play the iconic Dearly Beloved track, along with the 'Sora' song from the game series, which is pretty neat. I've known about this version for a while, but as much as I long for an official Key Blade replica, I ignored pre-orders simply for the fact that I wanted one that felt more true to size. Really, I should have just gone for it, as this is likely to become another Kingdom Hearts collectible destined as reseller fodder on eBay, but it just wasn't what I was looking for.

I have a dream of displaying my Proplica Master Sword alongside a realistically sized Keyblade crossed over one another on the wall, and something smaller just won't do the job. It's a silly nitpick, but here's hoping that if they can release another one, and Square Enix can release a replica of Kingdom Hearts Donald Duck's Mage Staff for $62.13 at Aitai Kuji, they can give the original another go. With D23 2026 incoming and Kingdom Hearts 4 on the horizon, who knows what the future holds.

• View all Kingdom Hearts merch at Amazon

Are you a big Disney fan? Check out what our toy expert Benjamin Abbott has to say about the Disney Castle Lego set.

Sadly, X-Men '97 season 2 has come to an end, and with it has taken one of our favorite mutants. But, according to producer Jake Castorena, that death may not be as permanent as it looked.

Warning, the following contains major spoilers for X-Men '97 season 2 episode 9, so turn back now if you haven't caught up. But first, read our spoiler-free X-Men '97 season 2 review.

During the action-packed X-Men '97 season 2 finale, a couple of characters met their end in the battle against Apocalypse. However, the biggest death has to be Nightcrawler, real name Kurt Wagner. The blue-skinned mutant sacrificed himself to the Celestial in order to save his sister Rogue. You can read more about that in our X-Men '97 season 2 ending explained.

However, we may see Wagner again. In an interview with ScreenRant, Castorena was asked whether Nightcrawler and other mutants who died earlier in the season could return. "First and foremost, I will say: is anyone ever really dead in comics? Is anyone ever really dead?" said the producer. "Make no mistake, Nightcrawler is dead, you'll just have to watch season 3 to see how it all may play out. That's what I can say."

That's a little confusing, but what it sounds like Castorena is saying is that even though certain mutants may have died, they can always be brought back. It wouldn't be the first time a mutant had been revived in the animated series. In season 2, Gambit was resurrected by Apocalypse after being murdered in season 1. Maybe we will see Nightcrawler in X-Men '97 season 3, which is expected to premiere sometime in 2027.

However, Marvel fans will get to see another version of Nightcrawler again very soon. Original Nightcrawler star Alan Cumming is set to return as the mutant in Avengers: Doomsday alongside some of his Fox-era X-Men co-stars, including Patrick Stewart's Professor X, Ian McKellen's Magneto, James Marsden's Cyclops, and more. Cumming notably played the character in the 2003 movie X2: X-Men United.

X-Men '97 season 2 is now streaming in full on Disney Plus. For more, check out our guide on how to watch the X-Men movies in order, and keep up with upcoming Marvel movies and shows on the way.

X-Men '97 season 3 could arrive sooner than you think. The third season of Marvel's animated revival is currently scheduled to release in 2027, and seasons 4 is already confirmed as well. With a certain telekinetic mutant having just made her deubt in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it's a great time to be an X-Men fan.

X-Men '97 season 2 went back to the very beginning, depicting how first mutant Apocalypse became a time-travelling tyrant hell-bent on wiping out the X-Men. Season 3 can't possibly get (much) bigger than that. But the addition of a long-awaited, blue-skinned shapeshifter has put season 3 near the top of our most anticipated list, even if the show sits outside of MCU continuity on the list of upcoming Marvel movies and shows.

Below, you'll find everything we currently know about X-Men '97 season 3, including release date speculation, educated plot theories, cast we expect to return, and more. Season 2 spoilers follow, so make sure you're up to speed before reading on. For the full deep-dive, check out our X-Men '97 season 2 ending explained.

X-Men '97 season 3 release date speculation

X-Men '97 season 3 will release in 2027, according to Marvel Studios Head of TV and Streaming Brad Winderbaum, who confirmed the (wide) release window to Collider just ahead of the season 2 finale. At the same time, Winderbaum also revealed that season 4 will follow one year later in 2028, making the two-year wait between seasons 1 and 2 a thing of the past.

Producer Larry Houston previously claimed that the two-year gap between seasons 1 and 2 wouldn't happen again, as the production problems that caused the delay were a "one-off," backing up Winderbaum's release plan. For now, we don't have a more specific date than next year, but don't be surprised if it debuts in the summer.

Is there an X-Men '97 season 2 trailer?

There is no X-Men '97 season 3 trailer just yet, though given that Marvel Studios Animation is no doubt deep into production on season 3, it's possible we may get a glimpse of the upcoming season sooner than later.

The trailer for X-Men '97 season 2 was first shown behind closed doors at New York Comic Con in October 2025, but wasn't released online until May 2026, over 7 months later. If Marvel follows the same schedule, we could have a bit of a wait on our hands for the trailer.

X-Men '97 season 3 plot speculation

While there are no official plot details about X-Men '97 season 3, we can make an educated guess about what might happen following the season 2 finale and that exciting X-Men '97 season 2 post-credits scene.

X-Men '97 season 2 ends with Apocalypse defeated, Gambit back in the land of the living, and even Rogue safe and sound, despite making a deal with a Celestial to exchange her life for Remy's. Turns out there has been a sacrifice – Nightcrawler paid the life debt, and is revealed to have died so that Rogue may live. *sniff*

The fallout of this sacrifice will no doubt figure into season 3. But far more significant in terms of future setup is the X-Men '97 season 2 post-credits scene. In her office, X-Factor operator Val Cooper is watching Graydon Creed being sworn in as president. Given he ran on an anti-mutant platform, this doesn't bode well. Only, this isn't Val; it's Mystique in disguise, who it's revealed has killed the high-ranking official. Again, this does not bode well. As Mystique flips through her file, it reads "Mystique determined to attack the US." "I'll say," quips Mystique in response. Needless to say, US soil isn't safe with Mystique on the loose.

As for the rest of the X-Men, Cyclops and Jean still have unresolved issues with their now grown-up son, Nathan (aka. Cable), particularly after he betrayed the X-Men in order to take down Remy-Apocalypse. There's also the small matter of X-Force still working to round up mutants that the government takes against. Charles may have exploited a loophole and relocated the X-Men to a rebuilt Genosha in the form of X-Corp, but this arrangement clearly doesn't have a long-term future following the attack on the X-Corp building by X-Factor in the season 2 finale, and the small matter of Mystique secretly replacing Val...

X-Men '97 season 3 cast

X-Men '97 is a show that loves to kill off beloved characters, so there are some major mutants we're not expecting to return in season 3. Though given that Gambit is now alive and kicking after being bumped off in season 1, and that time travel is an everyday occurrence, a miraculous resurrection is never out of the question.

We'd expect new characters to be introduced in future episodes, but here's where the season 3 cast stands, based on who survives season 2:

• Ray Chase as Scott Summers / Cyclops
• Jennifer Hale as Jean Grey / Phoenix
• Ross Marquand – Professor Charles Xavier
• Allison Sealy-Smith as Ororo Munroe / Storm
• Cal Dodd as Logan / Wolverine
• J.P. Karliak as Morph
• Lenore Zann as Rogue
• George Buza as Beast
• A.J. LoCascio as Remy LeBeau / Gambit
• Holly Chou as Jubilee
• Isaac Robinson-Smith as Bishop
• Gui Agustini as Sunspot
• Chris Potter as Nathan Summers / Cable
• Gates McFadden as Rachel Summers / Mother Askani
• Catherine Disher as Valerie Cooper
• Mystique

X-Men '97 is streaming now on Disney Plus. For more, check out our guide on how to watch the X-Men movies in order.

Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld says the live-action X-Force movie was going to feature none other than Josh Brolin as Stryfe, the supervillain counterpart to X-Men hero Cable.

"The X-Force movie that was going to be coming to screen that Fox had planned before Disney bought the Fox catalog; he was absolutely in that movie," Liefeld told The Direct. "Spoiler alert! It would have been great… There were, at one point, discussions about him being in an after-credits scene in Deadpool 2, but they struck that."

Liefeld's X-Force comic hit shelves in 1991, with Cable, the son of Jean Grey and Scott Summers aka Cyclops, leading his own Black Ops team consisting of Boom-Boom, Cable, Cannonball, Domino, Feral, Shatterstar, and Warpath. In X-Men 1997 season 2, the team consists of Cable, Psylocke, Archangel, Jubilee, and Sunspot. A live-action movie was announced in 2013, with Deadpool 2 writer Drew Goddard officially set to write and direct in 2017. Sadly, the movie was one of the many casualties of Disney's acquisition of Marvel, and was cancelled as a result.

Continued Liefeld: "I think it's safe to say, Josh [Brolin] was really excited, because he signed a multi-picture deal, and he was excited about the prospect of not only playing Cable, but longtime fans of X-Force know that he would have been portraying Stryfe as well."

Before going on to become Thanos in the Avengers movies, Brolin starred as Cable in Deadpool 2. It would've been cool to see him reprise the role... and even cooler to see him play Stryfe, as we haven't seen him since his non-speaking appearance in X-Men: The Animated Series circa 1995.

X-Men is eyeing a tentative 2028 release date. You can keep up to date with everything the MCU has in store with our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows.

Daredevil star Charlie Cox has said he's not in Avengers: Secret Wars – and he really wants us to believe him.

"No, I'm not going to be in – no," he said at MCM Birmingham in the UK, when asked if Daredevil would appear in Secret Wars after Avengers: Doomsday. "Yes, sorry. And you can believe me now!"

Daredevil is not on the cast list for Doomsday, but, so far, the Secret Wars cast is a complete mystery. So, while Cox might want us to believe him, we're reserving judgement for now.

We will see Cox in Daredevil: Born Again season 3, however, which is set to debut in March 2027. Along with Cox, Elodie Yung's Elektra will also be making a comeback.

The cast of Doomsday, meanwhile, includes the likes of Chris Evans's Steve Rogers, Anthony Mackie's Captain America, Chris Hemsworth's Thor, and Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.

Marvel went to great lengths to keep Evans's return secret, too, with the actor revealing his codename on the project was Luke Cage.

"Within the script, my character was called Luke Cage just in case things leaked," Evans shared at Fan Expo Boston, adding: "On the call sheets, I was called Luke Cage. Even on set, if I was going to set, they'd be like, 'Luke Cage is travelling.' It was such a locked-down thing."

Avengers: Doomsday arrives this December 18, while Secret Wars follows on December 17, 2027.

In the meantime, fill out your watchlist with our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and TV shows.

Chris Evans has revealed his Marvel codename used to keep secret his Steve Rogers return in Avengers: Doomsday, and it explains a confusing leak.

Evans's return as Steve Rogers was kept tightly under wraps, until it was finally revealed in the first teaser for the Marvel Phase 6 movie.

"Within the script, my character was called Luke Cage just in case things leaked," Evans shared at Fan Expo Boston, adding: "On the call sheets, I was called Luke Cage. Even on set, if I was going to set, they'd be like, 'Luke Cage is travelling.' It was such a locked-down thing."

This explains why a set leak included a "Luke Cage house" in a 1960s style – rather than referring to Cage himself, it appears to have been Steve's home, instead.

Evans has also teased he has a "brutal" storyline coming up. "The Russos love beating up Steve Rogers. Their favourite thing to do is to just beat the crap out of him," he shared. "To them, that's what makes a hero, and that's someone who gets punched so many times but still gets up."

Along with Evans, the rest of the supersized cast includes Anthony Mackie's Captain America, Chris Hemsworth's Thor, Letitia Wright's Shuri, the Fantastic Four, the Fox-era X-Men, and Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.

Avengers: Doomsday arrives this December 18. While you wait, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows for everything else the MCU has in store.

Jean Grey actor Sadie Sink thinks it's a "smart choice" to have a "younger generation of mutants" for Marvel's upcoming X-Men movie.

Upon being asked by Entertainment Weekly how it feels to have a universe starting with Jean Grey as a building block, Sink replied, "It's really cool. Also, I think it was such a smart choice, too, to start young and have this younger generation of mutants. It’s a cool take on it, but as it starts to assemble and everything, I’m really excited about having a group of people to feel like you’re on a team with."

Sink added that she is currently being pulled in to screen test with various actors for auditions because it is "important" to establish chemistry within certain dynamics.

In a separate interview with Vanity Fair, Sink – who made her debut as Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day – said she would start filming X-Men next year.

Right now, a handful of actors have been confirmed to appear in Jake Schreier's undated X-Men movie.

They include Sink, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, and Kit Connor as Cyclops/Scott Summers. Other rumored names include Charles Melton as Beast and Cailee Spaeny as Rogue.

D23 appears to be the most likely destination for a full-throated reveal of the main cast. A Disney panel, featuring Marvel Studios, takes place on August 14.

Marvel will be hoping X-Men can mirror the success of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is currently on course to gross over $2 billion at the box office.

For more, check out the upcoming Marvel movies on the way, plus a look back at the full Marvel timeline throughout the decades.

It sounds as though Steve Rogers will be put through the wringer in Avengers: Doomsday as Chris Evans reveals how directors Joe and Anthony Russo love to see the Marvel hero at rock bottom.

"The Russos love beating up Steve Rogers. Their favourite thing to do is to just beat the crap out of him," said Evans at Fan Expo Boston (Via ComicBook). "To them, that’s what makes a hero, and that’s someone who gets punched so many times but still gets up."

We last saw the hero in Avengers: Endgame when he went back in time to return the Infinity Stones to their separate timelines. However, rather than returning to the present, Rogers remained in the past with his love, Peggy Carter. Endgame concluded with old man Rogers passing on the shield to Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson.

The star went on to say that Rogers' arc in Doomsday is "brutal" but necessary, as it showcases his true nature and values. Could Rogers' return to the present cost him the person he holds dear?

During the Marvel panel at SDCC 2026, it was confirmed that Peggy Carter star Hayley Atwell would return in Doomsday. Could the Russos be bringing her back just to kill her off? We don't doubt it, as that seems to be the plan with the original Fox-era X-Men too.

When Evans' Doomsday casting was first revealed, fans were pretty shocked to hear that Rogers was returning. Marvel heads wondered how the hero made his way back to Earth 616, and how the movie would handle old man Rogers. Then, as the first Avengers: Doomsday trailer hit the internet, theories on Rogers' identity started to swirl, with many questioning if the Rogers we see in the clip is really Hydra Cap.

However, it is important to note that until the Avengers: Endgame rerelease hits the big screen, we don't have the full picture yet. The upcoming rerelease will contain new footage, deleted scenes, and a special ending which is set to bridge the gap between Endgame and Doomsday. With that, the rerelease may change the Marvel timeline as we know it.

Doomsday arrives this December 18. For more, check out our Avengers: Doomsday trailer breakdown, and keep up with other upcoming Marvel movies and shows.

Kit Connor is reportedly set to star as Scott Summers aka Cyclops in the MCU's upcoming standalone X-Men movie.

According to Deadline, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and director Jake Schreier met with "a number of candidates" and "ultimately landed on Connor last week."

In addition to being one of the founding members of the X-Men, Scott Summers is the romantic partner of Jean Grey, who will officially be played by Sadie Sink (after making her debut as the ultra-powerful mutant in Spider-Man: Brand New Day). This marks three X-Men members that have been cast, including scream queen Samara Weaving as Emma Frost.

Because the X-Men haven't even been formed yet in the MCU, we can infer that the standalone movie will focus on the creation of the team as the young mutants enroll at the Charles Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. The only seemingly odd thing here is that Weaving is 34, while Sink and Connor are 23 and 22, respectively. This may very well be because Emma Frost is already the headmistress of her own mutant academy when Scott, Jean, and co. are enrolled at the Xavier School. We love comic-book accurate writing and casting.

Connor is best known for starring in the hit Netflix queer coming-of-age series Heartstopper, as well as Alex Garland's action thriller Warfare. He's also set to star in the upcoming Elden Ring movie.

X-Men is eyeing a tentative 2028 release date. You can keep up to date with everything the MCU has in store with our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows.

These days, it's easy to look at a movie's box office number and declare it a success or, in the case of both live-action remake Moana and Star Wars feature The Mandalorian and Grogu, a dismal failure.

New Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro clearly doesn't subscribe to such binary thinking, declaring on the company's earnings call (via Variety), "Even when our franchise films don’t meet our box office expectations, as with The Mandalorian and Grogu and the live-action Moana, our investments in these core properties fuel other parts of our company."

Disney CFO Hugh Johnston added, "Theatrical performance is important to us, of course, and we certainly aspire to deliver consistent financial results for our films. But the nature of the film industry is such that it is more of a portfolio game. The good news for us is our diversified business helps us basically cover the volatility that comes out of the film business."

As the pair of Disney leaders allude to, The Mandalorian and Grogu and Moana aren't film-only concerns. There is, of course, immense value in adding them to streaming on Disney Plus. That's without factoring in merchandise and synergy with Disney's theme park and cruise ship businesses.

Released on May 22, The Mandalorian and Grogu marked the next chapter in Din Djarin's journey in a galaxy far, far away after three seasons on Disney's streaming success.

Unfortunately, a low-stakes plot and general disinterest in the series led to disappointing takings at the box office, with the Star Wars movie only grossing $345 million – a record low for a live-action film in the franchise.

The Moana remake fared less well when stacked up against the gold rush of Disney live-action movies in recent years.

It's currently only just made more than its $250 million budget, a stark contrast to last year's Lilo and Stitch remake ($1.03 billion). It's not a disaster Disney is sweeping under the carpet, but it's certainly one the House of Mouse is taking positives from.

For more, check out the new Disney movies in the works, plus all the movie release dates we still have to look forward to in 2026.

Destin Daniel Cretton doesn't want the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings post-credits scene to be an open cliffhanger forever.

In one scene, Xialing takes over the Ten Rings organization, and in another, the Rings themselves are discovered to be sending a signal into space – though what exactly it means has never been explained, and Shang-Chi hasn't been seen again in live-action since the film's 2021 release date.

Cretton's latest film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, has a similarly open-ended post-credits scene, which features the Spidey tracker loacting the webslinger in outer space.

Speaking to TheWrap, Cretton promised that we "will find out" what that Spidey scene means.

"I do think it's frustrating when these things are like left out in the open, and you never see them. And Shang-Chi is one of those. It's still hanging out there," he explained. "I have every intention of answering the question."

We'll next see Shang-Chi in Avengers: Doomsday. The Marvel crossover movie has a supersized cast list that also includes the likes of Anthony Mackie's Captain America and Chris Hemsworth's Thor – though, interestingly, no Spider-Man.

Instead, the Brand New Day post-credits could be setting up Doomsday's sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars.

Cretton is also the co-creator of MCU show Wonder Man, and Wonder Man season 2 was recently cancelled despite the show previously getting an official renewal.

"I love that show to death. If it were up to me, we would be making that show," Cretton shared. "And I do believe that if – and I know this sounds weird – but if it were up to Kevin, we would be doing that show."

Doomsday arrives this December 18. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows for everything else that's on the way.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day actor Niyi Akin may not be a household name, but he stole the show in his brief time on screen.

So much so, in fact, that audiences worldwide have given an outpouring of love and admiration to Akin, who played David – the man psychically 'hijacked' by Sadie Sink's Jean Grey to taunt Tom Holland's Spider-Man during one particularly tense moment in the super-powered cat-and-mouse chase.

In response, Akin posted a series of behind-the-scenes images from Brand New Day on Instagram showcasing the actor in wire training and meeting Tom Holland.

Akin wrote, "Thank you so much for the love and support guys. I was just happy to be a part of it! I remember saying to my family 'I hope I get to be in [Spider-Man] one day" WE THANK GOD, CAUSE IT HAPPENED. This a dream come true [your] friendly neighbourhood superfan."

One image posted, though, may get the Spidey-Senses working and the tear ducts flowing: that of Akin, as a child, holding a Spider-Man figure. In the background, an image from Spider-Man: The Animated Series can be seen.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day isn't just making childhood dreams come true, however. It's also breaking records at the box office – with the highest opening weekend in history in the US and already swinging past $1 billion worldwide.

No word on Spider-Man 5 yet, with Tom Holland saying the path ahead is "unclear".

"Whatever happens with Spider-Man, it'll be very bright and lovely," the Spider-Man actor told Serieously. In the same interview, he also hinted that he knew Miles Morales would join the MCU.

For more, check out our guides on upcoming Marvel movies and the Marvel timeline.

Filming on Daredevil: Born Again season 3 has wrapped – but Marvel fans are worried about the future.

News recently broke that Wonder Man season 2 was cancelled, despite the show being previously officially renewed. That, combined with the fact that there are no live-action Marvel shows on the release slate past Born Again season 3 next year, has fans thinking the age of MCU TV might be coming to an end.

"I have a feeling this is the last season because S2 didn't have as [many] viewers as S1 did... and after Wonder Man you never know," says one fan.

"I really hope this season won't be the last time we see everyone," says someone else. "Man, please don't be the last," asks another fan.

"Crazy how it's looking like Daredevil Born Again S3 will be the last season of live action Marvel television for a while… An end to a very interesting era in the MCU," is another person's thoughts.

"I hope it's not the last one," says another person. "Probably the final season," predicts another person.

"I think it's gonna wrap up in the 3rd one, and honestly, as long as there's something for the future of the Defenders and a big role in the next MCU movies, I'll be satisfied," says another fan.

"Sorry it took so long to say, but THAT'S A WRAP on production for Season 3 of Daredevil Born Again," showrunner Dario Scardapane wrote on his Instagram story. "Thank you to Marvel and the magnificent cast and crew that made this season something very, very, very special. I'm humbled daily by the talent I get to work with. Cannot wait for you to see what all these twisted minds have come up with. #BestCrewEver"

It's unclear at the moment whether this really is the end of the road for Daredevil. What is clear, though, is that Wonder Man season 2 definitely isn't happening.

"I love that show to death. If it were up to me, we would be making that show," co-creator Destin Daniel Cretton said recently. "And I do believe that if – and I know this sounds weird – but if it were up to Kevin [Feige], we would be doing that show."

Daredevil: Born Again season 3 arrives next March. While you wait, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming Marvel movies and TV shows.

Disney Plus Wonder Man series co-creator Destin Daniel Cretton says he's just as confused and heartbroken as the rest of us over the show's cancellation... but that it wasn't Marvel boss Kevin Feige's decision.

"I love that show to death. If it were up to me, we would be making that show," Cretton told TheWrap. “And I do believe that if – and I know this sounds weird – but if it were up to Kevin, we would be doing that show.”

Continued Cretton: "I'm just talking; I don’t fully understand the business of streaming, but if the business was right, we would be making that show because I know Kevin loves that show as much as I do. It's a bummer. I’m heartbroken about it. But I need to fully understand the why."

The statement comes just a day after co-creator Andrew Guest confirmed that the cancellation was "not a marketing stunt" and that "there is no movie in the works." He also clarified that there were no issues with anyone's schedules, including Cretton's (who has a lot on his plate after directing Spider-Man: Brand New Day).

Wonder Man follows Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), a struggling actor with secret superpowers, as he auditions for the lead role in a superhero movie. He crosses paths with the rather eccentric Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), and the two strike up an unlikely friendship. The series currently sits at a Rotten Tomatoes score of 91%, and a rather impressive audience rating of 88%. A second season was announced back in March (and I am still really, really sad about this).

For more, check out our list of all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows in 2026 and beyond.

Iron Fist star Jessica Henwick has revealed she had conversations with Marvel about returning as her character Colleen Wing in Daredevil: Born Again season 3.

But while Jessica Jones and Luke Cage returned in season 2 – and Danny Rand will be back in season 3 – Colleen will not be making an appearance.

"I've said multiple times over the years, I would love to come back. I know that everyone is back this season. I'm not in this season," Henwick told Inverse. "We did have discussions about whether I should go back this season. But for me, her story ended with her going off into the sunset. She has the Iron Fist. She's got Misty by her side. Daughters of the Dragon is happening. She ended on a really great note."

However, that doesn't mean the door is permanently closed. "I'm just not interested in bringing her back unless it's worth sort of unpicking that happiness, because obviously she can't be happy on a TV series. If she's back, something's gone wrong," Henwick explained. "I would absolutely love to come back, but it would just really have to be the right story."

It sounds like Marvel was in agreement. "They were like, 'Yeah, we don't want to bring you back, and then you just [stand] in the back of the shot.' So hopefully soon, but I don't really know," she added.

One character who is returning for season 3 is Elodie Yung's Elektra, and we've already had a look at her comeback thanks to a set video.

Daredevil: Born Again season 3 arrives in March 2027. While you wait, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows for everything else that's on the way.