Of 2026's Four Marvel & DC Movies, Avengers: Doomsday Could Be The Worst

Marvel and DC each have two theatrical releases lined up for 2026, but whichever side of the equation you prefer, it's clear that Avengers: Doomsday is the most headline-grabbing among them. The first Avengers movie since 2019's Endgame, the likes of Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans are joined by characters from across both the MCU and the X-Men franchise to take down Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.

The superhero world is hoping that Avengers: Doomsday can recreate the brilliance of past efforts in the series, and with the Russo brothers back on directorial duties, a resounding success is certainly possible. The once-in-a-lifetime cast should at least be enough to guarantee Avengers: Doomsday's box office prospects, while the collision of franchises and long-awaited arrival of Doom as a successor to Thanos ramp up the hype to unprecedented levels.

Nevertheless, Avengers: Doomsday gives reason for skepticism, while the other three Marvel and DC movies releasing in 2026 all come bursting with the kind of promise that favors the underdog.

Supergirl, Spider-Man 4 And Clayface All Have The Potential To Be Great

Supergirl

James Gunn's DCU made a solid start in 2025, with Superman speeding to scores of 83% (critics) and 90% (audience) on Rotten Tomatoes. David Corenswet's Man of Steel debut came with immense pressure, both as the latest cinematic incarnation of Supes, and as the first theatrical entry in a brand-new shared universe.

Next on Gunn's agenda is Supergirl, and while many will be questioning whether the DCU can carry its early momentum into 2026 and beyond, Milly Alcock's solo movie naturally comes with less intense scrutiny. Trailer footage confirms Supergirl will be a raucous galactic road trip with Guardians of the Galaxy vibes, and Alcock herself is perfectly cast. It would be foolish to bet against Kara Zor-El outdoing her more famous cousin in terms of which character had the better movie.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Of all the Marvel and DC movie releases in 2026, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is probably the safest bet. Tom Holland and the gang haven't let us down so far, and there are plenty of pieces to pick up after No Way Home's devastating ending. Shang-Chi's Destin Daniel Cretton takes over from Jon Watts as director, and exciting cast additions include Sadie Sink, Jon Bernthal's Punisher, and Mark Ruffalo as Hulk.

It's unlikely that Spider-Man: Brand New Day will match the universe-hopping scale of No Way Home, but as a personal, potentially final, chapter for Tom Holland's Spidey, it doesn't need to. The world can surely expect another 8-or-9-out-of-10 hit from the MCU's Web-slinger before a potential handover to Miles Morales.

Clayface

The superhero wildcard of 2026, a Clayface movie sounds like an absolutely terrible idea on paper. But Batman's universe has delivered cinematic gems in recent years: The Batman, Joker, The Penguin, Birds of Prey. And hold on, is that icon of modern horror Mike Flanagan writing Clayface's script?

Positioned as a body horror feature and originally aligned with Matt Reeves' darker Batman universe, Clayface could represent DC's next attempt at redefining the superhero genre. It would be unwise to expect a traditional comic book movie here, but as a character study of a Batman villain with some serious problems, Clayface could emerge from 2026 as the year's biggest cinematic surprise in any genre.

It could also be a mess, but what a thrilling gamble to make the third movie in the dawn of DC's new franchise - right after Superman and Supergirl, no less - a horror film about a B-tier Batman villain.

Avengers: Doomsday Faces Some Serious Challenges

The world needs Avengers: Doomsday to be great. No one benefits from such a hyped movie getting rejected by critics and audiences. At the same time, there are genuine reasons to be concerned about Marvel's latest big gamble.

For context, the MCU's output post-Endgame has been patchy. Movies such as Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Thunderbolts all continued the franchise's tradition of high quality, but the likes of Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania, Captain America: Brave New World, and Thor: Love and Thunder let the side down.

That same post-Endgame output has also created a very confusing and inconsistent picture of the multiverse, with rules seemingly changing from one movie or TV show to the next. It's up to Avengers: Doomsday to find sense in the multiverse of madness, but can that happen with such a huge cast? Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame assembled an ambitious ensemble, but Doomsday goes bigger in the hopes of being better. Short of delivering a five-hour movie, it's not clear how those pieces can fit together.

There's a real risk of being viewed as a backwards step too. Avengers: Endgame was intended as an ending for long-serving characters like Steve Rogers and Tony Stark, but with Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. on superhero duty once more, questions will be asked about Avengers: Doomsday revisiting former glories rather than embracing the next saga of the MCU.

Make no mistake, if Kevin Feige and the Russo brothers pull this off, Avengers: Doomsday will be spectacular. But with 2026's other three superhero movies arriving with less hype, and all having genuine intrigue around them, it's very possible that Doom will end the year at the bottom of the superhero pile.