Marvel Studios pulled off one of the boldest marketing stunts in franchise history with a five-hour-plus livestream event revealing the ensemble cast of Avengers: Doomsday. The announcement shattered digital records, becoming the most viewed and socially engaged livestream in Marvel’s history — even surpassing major premiere red carpets and last year’s Super Bowl trailers.
According to internal analytics shared with media outlets, the livestream amassed over 275 million digital views across platforms and sparked 3.1 million social media mentions, outpacing even the Deadpool & Wolverine Super Bowl spot, which previously held Marvel’s highest viewership milestone.
The event, which began at 8 a.m. PT and ran for 5 hours and 27 minutes, featured the unveiling of 27 cast member chairs, triggering a real-time viral response. Hour by hour, audience participation climbed, resulting in the #1 trending topic on Twitter/X for over 7 consecutive hours, with #AvengersDoomsday leading the charge. Across the full 24-hour cycle, 55 unique trending terms were tracked on X.
The confirmed lineup was a blend of legacy heroes and new additions. Among the biggest reveals were the full Fantastic Four: First Steps cast — Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach — joined by returning X-Men legends Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn, Kelsey Grammer, and more. Fan-favorite actors from the Thunderbolts film, including Florence Pugh and Wyatt Russell, also claimed prominent seats on the livestream stage.
Notably, Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Paul Rudd, Letitia Wright, Simu Liu, Tom Hiddleston, and Robert Downey Jr. were all featured, hinting at the ambitious scale of the ensemble. Downey himself fueled speculation with a cheeky post:
“That’s what you call a deep bench of talent… actually it’s more like a row, but an extra long one… that must be it… right?”
Marvel Studios replied coyly, “There’s always room for more…”
That response has reignited rumors of Chris Evans possibly reprising his role as Steve Rogers. While not confirmed, the lingering presence of a few unclaimed chairs left fans buzzing with anticipation.
Brands and fan accounts from Xbox to Merriam-Webster joined the fun, turning the event into a meme-fueled phenomenon that extended far beyond the traditional fanbase.
Avengers: Doomsday, directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, is slated to hit theaters on May 1, 2026. The Russo Brothers’ prior Marvel films — including Avengers: Endgame, Infinity War, and Civil War — have collectively grossed over $6.7 billion worldwide.
With expectations already sky-high, Marvel’s latest move shows they’re not just assembling heroes — they’re redefining what a cinematic event can be in the digital era.
Sources: Deadline
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