Joe and Anthony Russo’s AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY Tease Gets Disappointing Reveal Unless You Really Love Promotional Coffee
For the past several days, Marvel fans have been trying to decipher a series of cryptic social media teases from Joe Russo and Anthony Russo, hoping they pointed toward the long-awaited first trailer for Avengers: Doomsday.
With the filmmakers appearing at SXSW London and repeatedly posting Doctor Doom-related imagery, speculation quickly spread that Marvel Studios was gearing up to unveil footage from one of its biggest upcoming movies.
Now, we finally know what those teases were all about, and the answer is a lot more unexpected than many fans anticipated, and dissapointing.
It turns out the mysterious "Doom" references were connected to a special coffee promotion. The reveal centers on "Dom Latveria," a custom coffee blend being served at Flying Horse Coffee in Shoreditch.
Needless to say, fans who were convinced a trailer announcement was imminent may find that reveal a little underwhelming.
That said, the story might not be completely over just yet. The filmmakers have previously hinted that a "surprise" is set for 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. BST, which leaves the door slightly open for something additional.
Whether that ends up being footage, a poster, a cast reveal, or something much smaller remains to be seen. However, based on everything we've seen so far, expectations for a full trailer premiere should probably be tempered.
One of the biggest reasons fans began expecting a trailer was the trail of clues leading up to SXSW London. The Russos shared multiple Doctor Doom-themed posts on Instagram, including imagery featuring Doom's iconic logo and references to the event itself.
The timing felt especially noteworthy because Marvel has remained relatively quiet about Avengers: Doomsday despite the film arriving in theaters this December.
Many believed SXSW London could provide the perfect platform for a first look. The Russos were scheduled for multiple appearances during the event, including discussions about AGBO and world-building, followed later by a screening of Avengers: Infinity War. Combined with the Doom-centric marketing, it wasn't difficult to understand why fans connected the dots and anticipated a major reveal.
As things stand now, it seems far more likely that Marvel Studios is holding its biggest Avengers: Doomsday marketing push for next month's San Diego Comic-Con.
Marvel is set to return to Hall H, and unveiling the first proper trailer for the opening chapter of the Multiverse Saga's grand finale would be an enormous crowd-pleasing moment. It would also align with Marvel's traditional approach to launching major event film campaigns.
Another factor working against a surprise trailer drop today is Marvel Studios' absence from the promotional campaign. While the Russos have been actively teasing fans, Marvel's official social channels haven't joined in, which would be somewhat unusual if a major trailer launch were imminent.
Meanwhile, there are increasing rumblings that a new trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day could arrive sometime this week, making it even more plausible that Marvel is spacing out its marketing efforts rather than launching multiple high-profile campaigns simultaneously.
Even if the coffee reveal wasn't what fans were hoping for, the pop-up itself includes some interesting details. One sign prominently displayed at the location reads: "Richards was wrong." It's a small detail, but one that has already sparked plenty of discussion among fans trying to piece together what Avengers: Doomsday might have in store.
While Marvel Studios hasn't revealed many story specifics, expectations remain that Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards and Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom Variant could share a history connected to Earth-828.
Whether that ultimately proves true remains a mystery, but references like this continue to fuel speculation about how these characters will collide on screen.
The secrecy surrounding the movie has only made anticipation stronger. Marvel still hasn't officially showcased Downey's Doctor Doom outside of the CinemaCon trailer.
The Russos have previously promised something unexpected from the film. Speaking about Avengers: Doomsday, Joe Russo explained:
"What Marvel's done better than anybody in history is that serialized storytelling, at scale. And Doomsday is a complete reinvention, it's another swing.
“I don't think the audience is expecting it at all, what happens in the movie, and its tone and its subject matter. But I'm hoping it feels like another profound shift for them in that serialized story."
He also discussed the lasting influence of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers on the Marvel Cinematic Universe:
"Tony Stark and Steve Rogers remain very empathetic and rootable and you’ll see to this day people are divided over who was more relatable in [Civil War]. It’s very much this sort of unresolved aspirations of those characters and flaws of those characters. It continues to unfold as we move into Doomsday."
For now, the mystery surrounding the SXSW London teases has been solved, even if the answer came with a cup of coffee instead of a trailer. Still, with a promised surprise looming and San Diego Comic-Con right around the corner, it feels like Marvel's next major Avengers: Doomsday reveal can't be too far away.
Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18.