Evil Captain America and 6 Other Avengers: Fan Theories Inspired by the Trailer

The first official trailer for Avengers: Doomsday keeps things intentionally vague about the next major crossover in the MCU, but that hasn’t stopped the Marvel community from diving into speculation. What theories are fans spinning based on the two-and-a-half-minute teaser? While none of these ideas are confirmed, they could very well play out in the film, so proceed with caution if you want to avoid any preconceived notions. Let’s jump in.

One popular theory suggests that Doctor Doom might come out on top by the end of Doomsday. With Robert Downey Jr. set to return as Iron Man in Secret Wars in 2027, even casual fans can connect the dots and assume that the Avengers will face him again in this upcoming film. The storyline of the Secret Wars comic involves Doctor Doom deconstructing and reconstructing the multiverse into a single planet called Battleworld, which implies he’ll need to succeed in his plans during Doomsday. This also helps explain why some heroes might be absent in Doomsday, as they play significant roles in the Secret Wars comics and would need to be out of Doom’s way for the movie.

The Doomsday trailer showcases a multitude of characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe rallying against Doctor Doom, yet several key figures are noticeably missing from both the footage and the official casting announcements. With such a massive threat, it seems odd that characters like Captain Marvel, Star-Lord, Spider-Man, and Doctor Strange wouldn’t be involved. Fans speculate that they might be part of the reinforcements called upon in Secret Wars, as they are part of the surviving team in the comics. So how might Doomsday explain their absence?

As one fan pointed out, “They’re called the Guardians of the Galaxy, not the Guardians of Earth. This is primarily an Earth issue. They only got involved in Infinity War and Endgame because the entire Galaxy was at stake and they were drawn in by the Asgardians.”

Doctor Strange hasn’t been seen since Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where he ventured into the Dark Dimension with Clea (Charlize Theron) in a particularly disorienting mid-credits scene. This suggests he’s likely preoccupied with otherworldly matters, but given their romantic ties in the comics, theories about what they’re up to instead of confronting Doctor Doom are pretty straightforward.

“[Strange is] sleeping with Charlize Theron in the Dark Dimension,” one fan speculated.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man is set to star in his own film next week, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which may shed light on why he’s absent from the fight.

After Marvel kept the return of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man a secret until No Way Home’s release, it’s entirely possible that Doomsday will introduce characters not shown in the trailer or casting announcements. Some fans even theorize that the trailer consists solely of footage from the first half of the nearly three-hour film, with more surprises waiting in the actual movie.

Before No Way Home premiered, fans suspected the other Spider-Men were involved based on trailer shots that had odd gaps where characters might have been edited out. Doomsday features similar oddities, and while it’s easy to attribute this to the challenges of greenscreening numerous actors with conflicting schedules, there’s a noticeable gap during a scene where Thor is rallying the team.

Much of Marvel’s promotion for this film has highlighted Chris Evans returning as the original Captain America, but some fans are questioning whether the Steve Rogers we see in the trailer is actually him. There’s speculation that this could be Captain Hydra, a multiverse variant of Steve who aligns with Doctor Doom, which raises questions about his intentions. Although he appears worthy of wielding Thor’s hammer, Captain Hydra can also lift it in the comics, leaving this detail open to interpretation.

Another theory suggests that this might be Loki or Doctor Doom in disguise as Steve, with the trailer edited to obscure this twist. One theorist pointed out Thor’s surprised reaction upon seeing the old Captain, which seems odd given the events of Endgame, where Thor was unaware of Steve’s time travel. This kind of speculation often leads fans to overthink details, and not everyone is convinced.

“I think people are going to pretzel themselves into some theories that simply aren’t true,” a fan commented.

Loki, who has taken on a caretaker role for the multiverse in his Disney+ series, is briefly seen in the Doomsday trailer, leading some fans to theorize that he may have traveled back in time to inform Steve, who went back to live with Peggy Carter, that his timeline is in danger. Some also speculate this could be part of additional scenes added to the Endgame re-release, which aims to better connect the last Avengers film with the next one.

One of the few glimpses of Doom in the trailer shows him blocking Thor’s Stormbreaker with just two fingers. However, a closer look at his gauntlet reveals what appear to be Latverian Sorcery Runes, suggesting he’s harnessing magical energy in battle. Fans note that this makes him a more formidable opponent than Thanos.

In the comics, Doom’s sorcery combines three distinct schools: Latverian Runic Magic, ancient spells permanently engraved into his armor that create a constant mystical barrier; the Dark Arts, learned from various sorcerers over decades; and Soul Absorption, where he trapped the souls of demons to amplify his magical power. The runes on his gauntlet act as a mystic conductor, allowing him to absorb and neutralize powerful attacks, setting him apart from previous MCU villains. While Thanos needed six Infinity Stones, Doom’s power is woven into his very armor.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18.