Avengers: Doomsday will be the “Phase Zero” of the Marvel Universe
Forget the previous phases of the MCU: for the Russo brothers, the next Avengers film must serve as a new beginning for the Marvel universe.
The Marvel Universe already has 6 Phases… and now they want to reset the counters!
Guests of the SXSW London festival, the Russo brothers revealed their vision of the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday. And their ambition is clear: use the new blockbuster to act as a “reset”.
According to Joe Russo, Marvel has always survived thanks to its ability to reinvent itself. A process inherent to comics. And this must also be the case in cinema:
“This idea of constantly changing, surprising, reinventing yourself, then changing again and surprising again, that’s what’s exciting. And I think you’re going to see a lot of changes with Doomsday. So get ready.”
The director even went further by revealing a recent discussion with Robert Downey Jr., who will this time play Doctor Doom and no longer Iron Man.
“We were with Rob earlier today and we were all talking about this concept that we’re back to Phase Zero. We are starting from scratch. We want everyone to feel like this isn’t based on anything that’s been done before.”
A particularly strong statement as the MCU is often accused of relying excessively on its past since the end of the Infinity Saga.
The Russos also explained why they agreed to return to Marvel after concluding the adventure with Avengers: Endgame. Anthony Russo acknowledges that they then felt like they had finished their job. But an idea proposed by Marvel’s historic screenwriter, Stephen McFeely, finally convinced them: “This idea suddenly opened the sky before us and allowed us to see all kinds of new possibilities.“
It now remains to discover what this famous “Phase Zero” really means. Between the arrival of Doctor Doom, the promise of a reinvention of the MCU and the stated desire to no longer depend on past intrigues, Avengers: Doomsday could well mark the biggest turning point in the Marvel Universe since Endgame.
The film is expected in theaters on December 16, 2026 in France.
