Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans, who are returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom and Steve Rogers, respectively, have sent Diwali wishes to Indian audiences in a special video released by Marvel India. The message also carries a release-date surprise for fans awaiting the next Avengers film.
Avengers: Doomsday will now release in Indian theatres on December 17, 2026, a day ahead of its scheduled US release on December 18. The film will arrive in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, with the announcement positioning the Indian release as an early opportunity for audiences to watch the Marvel spectacle.
“Namaste India! What we love about Diwali is it marks the closing of one chapter and beginning of another… that’s something we know a lot about, except instead of moving from dark to light, I think it might be going in the other direction,” the actors said in the video, before wishing fans a happy Diwali and promising to see them in Avengers: Doomsday. Evans ended the message with, “You bet!”
The reference to moving in the opposite direction offers a hint at the darker stakes of the upcoming film, though the actors did not reveal any plot details. Downey Jr, who previously played Tony Stark aka Iron Man, is returning to the MCU as the villainous Doctor Doom. Evans, meanwhile, is reprising his role as Steve Rogers, the former Captain America.
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, Avengers: Doomsday brings together heroes from across different corners of the MCU as they face an existential threat. The ensemble includes Chris Hemsworth, Pedro Pascal, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh, Vanessa Kirby, Simu Liu, Ian McKellen, Hayley Atwell, Tom Hiddleston, Patrick Stewart and several others.
The film is produced by Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito and Jonathan Schwartz. Its Indian release will also include premium formats, including Marvel Studios’ Infinity Vision.
