'Endgame: Encore' Ends With Loki — Doomsday Is Born

Directors and outlets say the re-release's extended Steve-and-Peggy finale plays one beat further, and that beat is where Avengers: Doomsday begins.

According to IGN, the 'Avengers: Endgame: Encore' rerelease extends the film's famous final scene, and fans who attended early showings reported the twist: Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter's romantic dance is suddenly interrupted by a visit from Loki, seemingly from his tenure as a TVA agent.

For years, Steve Rogers' ending with Peggy Carter was treated by audiences as the definitive close of the Infinity Saga, and marvel.com reports that Anthony Russo and his brother Joe originally considered Endgame 'the end,' walking away to pursue other projects. The idea that became 'Avengers: Doomsday' reeled them back in.

IGN quotes Russo saying the filmmakers 'sort of play one beat past where Steve Rogers' story ended with Peggy Carter,' adding, 'and in that moment, that's where Doomsday is born.' He did not elaborate, but IGN reports fan theories are already circulating: some speculate Loki saves Steve and Peggy from a doomed universe, possibly landing them in Doctor Doom's reality; others wonder whether a child born to the couple in the wrong timeline forces the multiverse to balance its scales.

marvel.com reports that Anthony Russo likened Robert Downey Jr.'s return as Victor Von Doom to the risky casting of Tony Stark as the antagonist in 'Captain America: Civil War,' recalling that pitching Downey on being the 'bad guy' scared many people. 'Robert is brave. He likes to be surprised, he likes to be pushed into difficult places,' Russo said, per marvel.com. On whether Iron Man's history connects to Doom, Russo teased, per the same source, that 'everything is best left for the theater.'

The creative experiment is also a commercial bet. Deadline reports 'Endgame: Encore' is tracking to $23M–$26M domestically at 3,060 theaters, with $3.8M in previews ahead of last year's 'Revenge of the Sith' re-release's $3.4M, and roughly $25M overseas for an approximately $50M worldwide weekend. Deadline also notes a $124M worldwide gap separates 'Avatar' ($2.92B) from 'Avengers: Endgame' ($2.799B), leaving Disney in wait-and-see mode on whether Endgame could reclaim the all-time crown before 'Doomsday' opens December 18. IGN adds that 'Doomsday' will pick up Steve Rogers' story from the new scene.

Unlike the one-week 'Revenge of the Sith' reissue, Deadline reports there is 'no endgame' scheduled for 'Encore,' which is booked with Disney/Marvel's new Infinity Vision certification on 1,300 premium large-format screens plus 390 Imax hubs shared with 'Resident Evil.' Per IGN, 'Avengers: Doomsday' arrives December 18, 2026, assembling heroes spanning three universes, and Russo hinted at marvel.com that some announced cast members remain unannounced. marvel.com also reports the director teased audiences, 'You might need to bring some tissues.' For fans, the rerelease now functions as required homework.