MOVIE NEWS – A new teaser for Avengers: Doomsday appears to support a theory that could dramatically alter how audiences interpret Deadpool & Wolverine. The return of classic X-Men characters hints that a long-unexplained tragedy may finally be revealed. What once seemed like background trauma may actually be the aftermath of a much larger event.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to bring back several iconic X-Men from Fox’s long-running franchise that began in 2000. Confirmed returning cast members include Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, James Marsden, Kelsey Grammer, Alan Cumming, and Rebecca Romijn. However, the lineup may not be complete, especially following the surprise confirmation that Chris Evans will also return as Steve Rogers despite being absent from the original casting announcement.
The third teaser presents a somber exchange between Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, with the two characters contemplating mortality and seemingly preparing for a final stand against Doctor Doom. Elsewhere in the footage, James Marsden’s Cyclops is shown amid devastation, removing his visor and screaming in anguish. These moments strongly suggest that the X-Men are facing annihilation—but what if their fate has already been shown elsewhere?
The X-Men’s Doom May Have Already Happened
In Deadpool & Wolverine, Hugh Jackman’s Logan is haunted by an event that wiped out the X-Men while he was absent from the X-Mansion. He recalls hearing the screams of his teammates and openly blames himself for failing them. Crucially, the film never depicts what actually happened, leaving their deaths deliberately vague.
Drawing inspiration from the comic-book Winchester Incident—where Mysterio manipulates Wolverine into killing the X-Men—the movie suggests that humans were manipulated into launching a surprise attack on the mansion. However, it never fully explains how such an immensely powerful group could have been destroyed so completely, leaving the mystery unresolved.
Doctor Doom Could Be the Missing Link
The ambiguous fate of nearly an entire X-Men team is exactly the kind of narrative thread Kevin Feige is known for revisiting. When Deadpool & Wolverine was released in 2024, the broad outlines of Doomsday and Secret Wars were almost certainly already mapped out, even if the scripts were still evolving.
This strongly suggests that the lack of detail surrounding the X-Men’s demise was intentional. Their true final moments may finally be shown in Avengers: Doomsday, giving the legendary team a proper last stand rather than the off-screen ending implied previously.
If Victor von Doom is ultimately revealed as the mastermind behind their destruction, it would also provide Wolverine with a powerful personal motive to join Avengers: Secret Wars. Facing the villain responsible for killing the family he failed to protect would bring Logan’s arc full circle.
Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026, with another teaser expected to debut in cinemas within days. As the countdown continues, the MCU appears poised for one of its most transformative chapters yet.
Source: MovieWeb
