Avengers Doomsday Production Uses Improv and Reshoots

"Avengers: Doomsday," the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is set to arrive in theaters on December 18, 2026, promising a massive crossover event that directors Joe and Anthony Russo describe as a culmination of 18 years of storytelling. The film is expected to feature an expansive cast, including the return of Robert Downey Jr. as Victor von Doom, and will draw heavily from the "Secret Wars" comic storyline, which involves incursions threatening the multiverse. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo have revealed an unconventional approach to the film's production, emphasizing improvisation and rehearsal over a rigidly locked script. "We always view the script as a living organism," Joe Russo stated in recent interviews. He explained that the directing team prefers to see what actors bring to their characters, sometimes with performers joining the production only weeks before shooting begins, believing that "magic happens" during this process. This method echoes the early days of the MCU, particularly the production of 2008's "Iron Man," where improvisation contributed to the film's naturalistic feel and star Robert Downey Jr.'s iconic performance.