(Photo Credit: Marvel Studios)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is getting dark with Avengers: Doomsday. The upcoming crossover movie is reportedly set to replicate the darker tone of last year’s Thunderbolts*.
Avengers: Doomsday will be similar to Thunderbolts in tone
According to notable scooper The Beyond Reporter on X, “Avengers: Doomsday will have the same tone as Thunderbolts,” making it “the darkest Avengers movie” yet.
Avengers: Doomsday Will Have the Same Tone as Thunderbolts: The New Avengers This will be the darkest Avengers movie. pic.twitter.com/szELVSvQFh— The Beyond Reporter (@BeyondReporter_) March 16, 2026
It remains to be seen how dark Doomsday actually goes, although Thunderbolts* certainly didn’t hold back. For those who haven’t seen the MCU movie yet, Thunderbolts*’s main villain, the Void, can spread literal darkness, which turns people into shadows and sends them to a dimension of his own creation where they experience their worst fears and memories.
This darker tone ended up being one of the highlights of Thunderbolts*, earning praise from critics. Many applauded the MCU movie for its exploration of the mental health of its main characters, particularly Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, Lewis Pullman’s Bob, and Wyatt Russell’s John Walker.
While plot details remain under wraps for Doomsday, leaked plot details suggest a different “darker” path that Marvel will be taking with the movie. Multiple scoopers have teased some major world-ending battles in Doomsday, which could see some pretty notable deaths, like Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and the entire Time Variance Authority.
The darker tone could also be a hint that fans will be receiving a far more serious Avengers movie, with less emphasis on jokes and light-hearted banter. While Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, and even Thunderbolts*, weren’t afraid to get somber, there was always a joke around the corner to lighten the mood. That may not be the case with Doomsday, meaning that fans should expect some hard-hitting, emotional scenes.
Avengers: Doomsday takes place 14 months after the events of Thunderbolts*. Michael Waldron and Stephen McFeely wrote the screenplay for Doomsday, with Joe and Anthony Russo returning as directors. Robert Downey Jr. leads the large returning ensemble for Doomsday as Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom.
Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to hit theaters on December 18, 2026, as part of Phase 6 of the MCU.
