4 min readMumbaiJun 25, 2026 09:26 AM IST
The world is bracing for the arrival of Avengers Doomsday, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, on December 18. Positioned as one of the most anticipated global releases of the year, the film has steadily built momentum as its release date draws closer, with excitement only intensifying across fan communities worldwide. Amid this rising anticipation, a new report says that Avengers Endgame is set to return to theatres in a refreshed format ahead of the new installment.
As reported by Deadline, Marvel Studios will re-release the Russo Brothers’ Avengers: Endgame under a new title, Avengers: Endgame Encore, on September 25. The re-release is expected to feature a custom introduction along with additional new footage tied to Doomsday, offering audiences a renewed bridge between the two films.
Tom Holland told Zendaya about Robert Downey Jr’s return
The buzz around the franchise has also been fuelled by Robert Downey Jr’s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this time not as Iron Man, but as the formidable Doctor Doom. The announcement triggered a wave of online excitement, and it has since emerged that Tom Holland was among the few who learned about Downey’s return well before it became public. And now, while promoting his upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Holland told Variety that he instantly broke the news to his wife Zendaya: “I think I hung up the phone and said to Zendaya, ‘Downey is coming back,’”
He added, “(Robert and I) just have casual catch-ups every now and then. He called and told me. It’s really exciting. I don’t know a lot about those movies by design. I have a reputation for spoiling certain things and I think the studio is keeping me from the juicy details… when I do get to grace that set, I am so curious what does that mean for Peter Parker and how does that work. It’s really cool. I am really excited about whatever it is they are doing.”
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Holland had earlier revealed on the Rich Roll Podcast that RDJ had personally informed him about his return to Marvel, noting, “I’ve been speaking to (Robert) a lot, especially about him making his (Marvel) return, which is super exciting. That was a tough secret to sit on because I have a reputation for ruining things and I strategically have done no press.”
‘So many big shoes to step into’
Adding to the anticipation, Downey Jr. recently spoke about the pressure of stepping back into the MCU in such a pivotal role. Speaking to Comic Book Reporter, he reflected on how he has been grounding himself amid expectations, drawing inspiration from the Russo brothers’ creative process. “I’m quite odd in that I try to stay as removed from a subjective experience of things as I can. So I try to think like the brothers. I try to feel like I’m in the writing room. I try to feel all that stuff. But eventually, there are so many big shoes to step into that I just have to go, ‘What hasn’t been done as well as it can be done yet?’ We’re always looking for that opportunity.”
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Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to release in theatres on December 18, 2026.
Avengers: Endgame to be re-released on September 25.