Disney’s Marvel Studios has officially unveiled the star-studded cast of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, marking the return of several iconic characters six years after ‘Avengers: Endgame’ became the highest-grossing movie of all time.

In a surprise twist, veteran actors Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen—best known for their roles in the early X-Men films—will reprise their roles in the upcoming ensemble blockbuster, set for release in May 2026.

They will join fan favourites such as Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Paul Rudd, and Tom Hiddleston, as revealed in a marathon five-hour video announcement.

‘The Avengers’ franchise remains the most lucrative in Hollywood history, raking in over $30 billion worldwide. Like Endgame, Doomsday will unite characters from more than a dozen preceding Marvel films and serve as a climactic conclusion to their storylines.

The cast reveal, livestreamed by Marvel, showcased actors’ names on the backs of Hollywood-style directors’ chairs, with the camera panning slowly between them over several hours. The reveal culminated with Downey Jr. making a surprise in-person appearance, confirming his return to the franchise—not as Iron Man, but as the infamous villain Doctor Doom.

"It all leads to Doom. #AvengersDoomsday is now in production," Marvel announced alongside the reveal.

Octogenarian thespians Stewart and McKellen, who previously appeared in early ‘X-Men’ films, were thought to have been written out or recast. With the return of both expected and unexpected stars, ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated films in recent history.