The Russos say fans are not going to see the end of Avengers: Doomsday coming.
Asked by Fandango what kind of reaction the ending will get compared to the Infinity War gut punch, the directors kept it locked down but made a promise.
“I think people are going to be surprised. It’s a very surprising ending,” they said. “It’s a very surprising movie, and I think that’s all we’ll say about it.”
“Don’t Shake The Presents”
The Russos compared the question to Christmas morning.
“It’s like when you run downstairs on Christmas and you grab a present, and you don’t unwrap it, and you shake it and you try to guess what’s in it,” they said.
“We have to say to the kids, don’t shake the presents. Just wait and open the present,” they continued.
“Your parents give good presents. It’s more fun to wait,” they added.
The ending carries extra weight. Anthony Russo has said the new Endgame Encore ending is the moment where Doomsday is born.
Whatever Doomsday ends on sets up Avengers: Secret Wars on December 17, 2027.
“The Tone Is Very Different”
The directors were also asked if Doomsday is the scariest Avengers movie. They did not use that word, but they did not push back on the idea either.
“It’s intense. I would like to say it’s different than any of the other movies that Marvel’s made,” they said. “The tone is very different.”
“And you have Downey playing one of the all-time great villains. And of course, he’s going to bring a level of gravitas and energy to that that can be frightening,” they continued.
Later on, they added, “The tonal swing on this one is the thing I’m most excited about.”
The Russos closed by making clear the bar they set for themselves.
“We didn’t have to come back to the MCU,” they said. “And we knew that if we did, we would want it to be as inspired and exciting as any work we’ve ever done in our lives. And so that’s what we showed up for.”
More from the interview includes the runtime, the Doom vs. Thanos breakdown, and the Shang-Chi vs. Gambit fight.
Avengers: Doomsday arrives December 18, 2026.
