With Avengers: Doomsday a year away from arriving in theaters, one of the biggest villains of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is seemingly making a comeback. The Multiverse Saga is getting ready to deal with Victor von Doom, a.k.a. Doctor Doom, with Robert Downey Jr. bringing the iconic villain to life in the franchise anchored by the Avengers.
However, a blast from the past may be showing up in Phase 6. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Josh Brolin dropped a big tease that he may be coming back to the MCU as Thanos, commenting: “If Joe Russo comes to me, which he may have, I don’t know, and has an idea, then I might acquiesce. Probably pretty quickly.“
Thanos serves as the big bad for The Infinity Saga, and he is ultimately defeated in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. At the time of this story’s publication, Joe Russo has not responded to Brolin’s Thanos comment.
The idea of Brolin reprising the role of Thanos isn’t impossible, as there is the multiverse concept that could allow him to play variant versions of his famous Avengers foe. The MCU timeline has even explored this premise in past projects, as the actor voices a different version of the character in What If…?
As previous Avengers: Doomsday marketing has teased that Doctor Doom defeated Thanos in another reality, this could be one way that the actor returns in 2026. It’s also key to remember that Kevin Feige stated at CinemaCon 2025 that they haven’t revealed every cast member yet for the forthcoming ensemble film.
With the Avengers: Doomsday trailer confirmed to be released in December, it’s possible that a Thanos return is one of the many surprises that Marvel Studios has in store for dedicated audiences. However, it’s also worth taking into account that Avengers: Secret Wars has yet to start filming, which is another project coming up for the Russo brothers.
If he isn’t part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast, Brolin’s comments could tease something that sets him up to have a role in Avengers: Secret Wars, which will be the final installment in The Multiverse Saga. As Marvel Studios is setting up a reset for the MCU in Phase 7 and beyond, it would be fitting to have Thanos back in some capacity one last time.
Avengers: Doomsday opens on December 18, 2026.
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December 18, 2026
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