Avengers: Doomsday marks an important moment for the MCU. Recent comments from one of its stars suggest Marvel will take a new approach in Doomsday, which should benefit the rest of the movies in the future.

During SXSW London 2026, Robert Downey Jr. made a surprise appearance during a panel discussion with Avengers: Doomsday directors Anthony and Joe Russo. Downey acknowledged that Doomsday cannot try to replicate the success of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Instead, they plan to try a different approach to “earn” back the trust of fans.

“What we’ve been laboring long and hard over . . . we can’t beat it. We can’t stand on the shoulders of these giants of Infinity War and Endgame,” Downey said (via CBR). “So we’re literally zeroing out the board, and we’re going to try to earn your trust and respect all over again. With the likes of these fellas [Joe and Anthony Russo], I think we’ve got a pretty good shot.”

Marvel knows it can’t simply repeat Infinity War and Endgame

There’s a strong argument that Marvel will never again reach the heights of Infinity War and Endgame. Those two movies were the culmination of a decade-long story with significant ramifications for some of the MCU’s most important characters, including Iron Man and Captain America.

Those two movies also came out before COVID and during peak superhero culture. Both were financial juggernauts. Endgame and Infinity War are the second ($2.8 billion) and seventh ($2 billion) highest-grossing movies of all time.

Downey’s comments about trust also speak to Marvel’s issues since Endgame. The influx of Disney+ programs has created a disconnect between the television shows and movies. Marvel has also struggled to create new franchises and superheroes to build around in a post-Iron Man and Captain America world.

To Marvel’s credit, they’ve tried to course correct. Instead of four to five new shows a year, it’s down to about two to three. On the film side, the MCU has opted to build around legacy groups, like the Fantastic Four and X-Men, instead of lesser-known properties, like The Eternals.

Downey’s comments suggest Marvel is aware of what went wrong and will try to fix it. Doomsday does not have to be Infinity War or Endgame, nor should it be. It needs to be its own adventure that positions the MCU for the future.

Ultimately, that is what fans want — to enjoy a fresh take on an Avengers movie. You can still incorporate legacy characters and familiar faces into the storylines, it just needs to have a new message. If we take Downey at his word, Doomsday will provide that.

Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026.

Originally reported by Dan Girolamo for SuperHeroHype.