Is Doomsday a secret Avengers versus X-Men movie?

Marvel has finally announced which heroes will assemble in Avengers: Doomsday, but we might have missed something important in all the excitement of watching someone set up chairs.

On March 26, 2025, Marvel revealed the 25 actors set to star in Avengers: Doomsday. The impressive roster included Marvel stalwarts – including Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, and Florence Pugh – along with new names like Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby from the Fantastic Four First Steps.

However, what really excited fans was the return of several Fox-era X-Men, who’ll be dusting off their old leather trousers (you expected yellow spandex?) for the upcoming Marvel movie.

So far, James Marsden, Sir Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn, Kelsey Grammer, Alan Cumming, and Patrick Stewart are all set to return, with more likely on the way (Hugh Jackman is conspicuous in his absence).

Avengers Vs. X-Men

Unsurprisingly, Marvel fans are over the moon (for the most part) with the news and can’t wait to see their favorite heroes team up to take on Doctor Doom. But is that really what’s going to happen?

Well, one keen-eyed Redditor has spotted a subtle easter egg that suggests the Avengers and X-Men might not be entirely on the same page. If you look at the official photo of the chairs Marvel used to reveal the cast, you’ll spot an interesting shadow on the floor.

This shadow looks like an X with an A nestled in it. On paper, that may sound entirely innocent. Still, if you know your Marvel history, you’ll know that it looks suspiciously familiar to the logo used during the first Avengers vs X-Men story, which was published in the late 80s.

The X-Men vs The Avengers logo

Marvel Comics

Now you might be thinking, “Dexerto, you’ve gone mad, it’s the shadow of a chair. It ain’t that deep,” and you know what… you might be right. Except there are other Easter eggs hidden in the photo.

As well as the shadow on the floor, there’s a sign behind Joseph Quinn’s – who’s playing the pyrokinetic Human Torch – chair saying, “Fire Perimeter: Keep Clear.” Coincidence? I think not. Some have also suggested that Robert Downey Jr shushing the audience is a reference to WandaVision, where Kathryn Hahn made a similar gesture. That one, I admit, is a big reach…

Still, there are story reasons why the X-Men and the Avengers might come to blows. I’ve outlined this properly in a piece titled “Why the X-Men are going to die in Avengers: Doomsday” (Editor’s note: subtlety does not get clicks), but without getting into spoilers, let’s just say if the Russos are staying true to most recent Secret Wars story, we need a superhero team to fight Earth’s mightiest heroes.

Excited to learn more about the future of the MCU? We have guides to all the latest releases including Thunderbolts, Spider-Man 4, and even Avengers: Secret Wars.