Joe Russo says Avengers: Endgame Encore will connect to Avengers: Doomsday, making the re-release a key part of the upcoming Marvel story.
Endgame Is Coming Back to Theaters
August 28, 2026 – Marvel fans are getting an unusual assignment before Avengers: Doomsday arrives: watch Avengers: Endgame again. Director Joe Russo has said that the upcoming Avengers: Endgame Encore is not simply a nostalgic return to the 2019 blockbuster, but an important bridge between that movie and the next Avengers story.
Speaking with Fandango, Russo explained that the re-release will connect the two films and described watching Endgame again as “required viewing” for following Doomsday. That recommendation is particularly notable because the Encore edition includes new material that was not part of the original theatrical release.
Credit: Marvel
A New Version of a Familiar Movie
Avengers: Endgame Encore will bring the 2019 film back to cinemas with additional footage, creating a slightly longer version for audiences who already know the original. The re-release has a reported runtime of 185 minutes, making it about four minutes longer than the original theatrical cut.
That extra material is the part Russo is emphasizing. Rather than treating the added footage as a bonus for longtime fans, he says it is designed to help connect the story between Endgame and Doomsday, suggesting that the new material could provide context for what happens next.
Russo Says the Stories Progress Naturally
Russo described a “natural progression” from Endgame into Doomsday, while also acknowledging that the new film is shaped by stories that have unfolded across the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2019.
That means Endgame is not being presented as the only piece viewers need to understand the upcoming movie. Instead, the re-release appears to function as a starting point for revisiting the characters, events, and emotional turning points that will feed into the next large-scale crossover.
For fans who have not watched Endgame recently, the theatrical return could therefore serve as both a refresher and a setup.
The Encore Cut Includes More Than Nostalgia
Marvel’s decision to bring Endgame back to cinemas ahead of Doomsday could easily have been framed as a celebration of one of the biggest movies in modern box-office history. Russo’s comments suggest there is a more specific purpose behind the timing.
The new version will include a custom introduction, additional footage, and a special end tag in select premium-format screenings. Some reports indicate that the additional material will provide the most direct connection yet between the two movies.
That makes the theatrical re-release different from simply watching the original movie at home.
Anthony Russo Teases a Surprise
Anthony Russo has also suggested that something in the new material could surprise viewers who remember Endgame from its original release. He said that if audiences saw the movie when it first arrived in theaters, they “couldn’t see this coming.”
The comment naturally invites speculation, but Marvel has not officially revealed what that surprise is. Until the additional footage is shown, it would be premature to assume which characters, events, or revelations it might involve.
What is clear is that the filmmakers believe the Encore version adds something meaningful to the transition into Doomsday.
Doomsday Arrives in December
Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to reach theaters on December 18, 2026, making the September return of Endgame an unusually early piece of the promotional buildup.
The film will be the first new mainline Avengers movie since Endgame, which concluded the Infinity Saga in 2019. That long gap has given the upcoming film an enormous amount of anticipation, while the Marvel universe has continued to expand through movies and streaming projects in the meantime.
The Encore release gives longtime fans a chance to reconnect with the previous era before stepping into the next one.
Robert Downey Jr. Adds Another Layer
One of the major talking points surrounding Doomsday is Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this time in the role of Doctor Doom. His casting has already generated extensive discussion because of his history as Tony Stark.
Marvel has not established that Downey’s Doom is connected to Stark in the way some fan theories suggest, and Russo’s comments about Endgame do not confirm any such storyline.
Still, the decision to revisit Endgame immediately before Doomsday is likely to encourage viewers to look more closely at its ending and the choices made by its central characters.
Credit: Marvel
Fans May Need More Than One Rewatch
The Russo brothers’ comments suggest that audiences can approach Endgame Encore in two ways. For longtime fans, it offers the chance to relive one of Marvel’s biggest emotional moments in a theater while seeing material added specifically for the upcoming crossover.
For newer viewers, it could serve as a condensed reminder of the stakes surrounding the original Avengers team. But Doomsday is also being built from years of stories beyond Endgame, so one movie will not necessarily explain every character or plot thread that appears in December.
The re-release appears to be important, but not necessarily the entire homework assignment.
Theatrical Experience Is Part of the Appeal
Russo also emphasized the emotional value of seeing Endgame with an audience again. The original film became famous for the reaction it generated in theaters, from enormous cheers to stunned silence and tears during its major turning points.
Bringing it back allows Marvel to recreate some of that communal experience while giving viewers new material to look for. For audiences who saw the film seven years ago, that combination of nostalgia and mystery is likely to be a major part of the appeal.
The event also gives Marvel another opportunity to build excitement for Doomsday without revealing too much about the new movie itself.
What We Still Don’t Know
Despite Russo’s comments, plenty remains unclear. Marvel has not explained exactly what the additional footage contains, how directly it leads into Doomsday, or whether viewers who skip the Encore version will genuinely be missing essential information.
The studio has also kept much of Doomsday‘s story under wraps. That means fans will have to separate confirmed information from speculation as theories continue to grow around the new footage and the returning characters.
For now, Russo’s message is the clearest indication that the Encore edition has been created with the next Avengers chapter specifically in mind.
Credit: Marvel
Why This Matters for Marvel Fans
The decision makes Endgame more than a retrospective. It turns a familiar movie into part of the launch strategy for the next phase of the franchise, using additional footage to connect a seven-year-old story with a major new crossover.
Whether those extra minutes genuinely change how viewers understand Doomsday remains to be seen. But with the filmmakers calling the re-release “required viewing,” Marvel is clearly asking audiences to pay attention to more than just the original ending.
Final Thoughts
Avengers: Endgame Encore is shaping up to be more than a simple return to one of Marvel’s biggest movies. Joe Russo says the new version will help connect Endgame to Avengers: Doomsday, while additional footage and a new end tag are expected to give fans fresh material to consider.
The real significance of those additions will become clearer when the Encore edition reaches theaters. Until then, fans have one very specific piece of Marvel homework: revisit Endgame and pay close attention.
FAQs
Do I need to watch Avengers: Endgame before Avengers: Doomsday?
Joe Russo says the Encore version is “required viewing” for following the story in Doomsday, although the upcoming film will also build on other Marvel stories from the years since Endgame.
What is Avengers: Endgame Encore?
It is a theatrical re-release of the 2019 film with additional footage, a custom introduction, and special bonus material in select premium screenings.
How much longer is the Encore version?
The new version has a reported runtime of 185 minutes, roughly four minutes longer than the original theatrical cut.
When does Avengers: Endgame Encore return to theaters?
The re-release is scheduled to arrive in theaters on September 25, 2026.
When is Avengers: Doomsday released?
Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for release on December 18, 2026.
Published by HOLR Magazine