After teasing the first footage from Avengers: Doomsday at CinemaCon, the hype machine for Marvel Studios’ next event film is officially underway. While general audiences must wait to see the trailer for themselves, Doomsday co-director Joe Russo is excited to announce a theatrical re-release of Avengers: Endgame, with previously unreleased footage linking Endgame to the Doomsday narrative.
Russo announced the extended Endgame cut at the Sands Film Festival in St. Andrews, Scotland, much to the fest’s delight. Then, while speaking with Deadline’s Mike Fleming, Joe Russo, alongside Angela Russo-Otstot, Chief Creative Officer at the Russos’ AGBO, teased what fans can expect from the footage.
“It’s critically important to re-release the movie, and, in fact, we’ll be re-releasing the film with footage that is set in the Doomsday story that we have added to Avengers: Endgame,” Russo said, while also revealing the re-release’s September 25 date.
“It’s an opportunity to create a bridge from Endgame to Doomsday in a very unique way, and because the movie was so successful, we have an opportunity to re-release it. You don’t always get the chance to re-release because it costs money, so 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.”
Finally, Russo added that the Endgame re-release is a “critical companion story” and a “setup for what you’re gonna watch in December when you see Avengers Doomsday.”
Huh. That doesn’t tell us much about what Marvel’s including in the new footage, does it? Oh, Marvel, you’re always playing things so close to the chest. Could you give us a taste? No? Fine.
While speaking with Deadline, Joe also said that Robert Downey Jr. started contemplating his MCU return “2 years ago, maybe 2.5 years ago.” The idea was for him to play the ultimate villain after portraying the ultimate hero in Iron Man. Several of Marvel’s higher-ups began formulating ideas for how to make that happen. Still, it wasn’t until Marvel screenwriter Stephen McFeely stepped up to the plate that the idea of Downey playing Doctor Doom came about.
Despite the trailer screening at CinemaCon, much about Avengers: Doomsday remains a mystery, which is exactly the way Marvel likes it. I’ve been in a “wait and see” mode for Doomsday until last week, when leaked footage from CinemaCon got me excited to see what Marvel’s got cooking. I want to feel excited about the MCU again, rather than saying, “Welp, it’s time to add another piece to the puzzle.” Then again, that’s not entirely fair. Thunderbolts* is my favorite MCU movie in years, and I’m enjoying Daredevil: Born Again season 2 a lot. Agatha All Along is excellent (I don’t care what anyone says), and the thought of reintroducing the X-Men could lead to lots of fun developments. Let’s freakin’ go!