WILL DOOMSDAY SAVE THE MARVEL UNIVERSE?

James Klusener

@jamesklusener

 

This year is shaping up to be a pretty big year for Marvel movies, with two huge releases that carry the future of the iconic Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) on its shoulders.

 

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is releasing on the 31 July 2026, while “Avengers: Doomsday” is slated for 18 December 2026.

 

After the release of the first trailer for “Avengers: Doomsday”, reactions online seem mixed, some feel that the returning cast of previous characters whose storylines seemingly ended, cheapens their stories and the integrity of the brand itself. Others see it as a nostalgia play to drive up ticket sales in a movie environment where superhero movies have lost their sheen.

 

That environment is very real, audience appetites for superhero movies (except spiderman), are not high, with 2026 arguably being the year of horror movies.

 

Two horror movies this year have grossed in the hundreds of millions of dollars for each of their respective box office earnings. “Backrooms”, directed by 20-year-old YouTube creator Kane Parsons, was made on a reported $10,000,000 budget, and has grossed $390,000,000 worldwide.

 

“Obsession”, another surprise hit horror movie, directed by Curry Barker, was produced on a tiny budget of roughly $750,000 and grossed nearly $300,000,000 worldwide.

 

These are remarkable figures for relatively niche horror movies, and highlight the shift in audience tastes, especially when compared to another superhero release this year.

 

“Supergirl, directed by Craig Gillespie, was released earlier this year and severely underperformed at the box office, on a budget estimated between $170,000,000 and $180,000,000, it only managed to reach a box office of $124,600,000 worldwide.

 

To be fair to Marvel, DC has never been as popular, or well executed in its several attempts at creating its own cinematic universe compared to Marvel’s. That being said, Marvel’s recent track record has not been stellar either.

 

Many criticised the brand for oversaturating audiences with releases, particularly on Disney Plus, many felt that it had become a chore to merely keep up with the MCU. Several subpar series like “She Hulk” or “Secret Invasion” pushed away audiences entirely. For most people, “Avengers: Endgame” was the end of their Marvel journey, and it looks like “Avengers: Doomsday” plans on bringing them back.

 

However, the trailer for Avengers: Doomsday got over 50,000,000 views on YouTube and incited hope for the franchise. Bringing many different storylines and iconic superhero groups such as X-Men and the Fantastic Four, alongside Avengers may be what the franchise needs to get its groove back.

 

There is also a risk when combining so much history and characters from different universes because it can alienate audiences who have been disconnected from the franchise in recent years and may not be familiar with recent developments and dynamics. Especially when one considers how many references Marvel movies tend to have. However, this return to basics with “Avengers: Doomsday” looks like a promising start to bringing back fans who have fallen off the Marvel bandwagon, in an effort to recapture the zeitgeist that defined 2010s cinema.

 

Avengers: Doomsday poster ( Source: www.marvel.com).

 

Edited by Antoinette Tshikota