Marvel finally dropped the full Avengers: Doomsday trailer at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, giving us our best look at Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom and a jaw-dropping ensemble cast, while DC fired back with first looks at Lanterns and Clayface. The big Hall H showdown delivered exactly what fans had been waiting months for, and the rest of the convention floor is packed with reveals from The Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, and even a new God of War spinoff.
Avengers: Doomsday trailer delivers Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom
After a handful of teaser character reels — Steve Rogers, Thor, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Wakandans, and Namor — Marvel Studios finally gave us a proper two-and-a-half-minute trailer for Avengers: Doomsday. The film, which lands in theaters next year, brings back Robert Downey Jr. as the villainous Doctor Doom, and the trailer showcases the massive ensemble that includes the classic X-Men lineup, the Fantastic Four, and plenty of Wakandan tech. Kevin Feige also confirmed that Avengers: Secret Wars won't be a full MCU reboot, drawing inspiration from Jonathan Hickman's 2015 comic run instead.
Marvel's presence at SDCC didn't stop at the big screen. The studio also showed off two major games: Marvel's Wolverine and Marvel Token: Fighting Souls. The AI-assisted visual effects in the Doomsday trailer are notably slick, part of the ongoing AI arms race in Hollywood that's reshaping how blockbusters are produced. For fans of the old Activision-published Marvel games, this feels like a return to form for the brand's cross-media ambitions.
DC counters with Lanterns and Clayface
DC's presence at Comic-Con was more subdued but still delivered. The HBO series Lanterns got its first teaser, leaning into the cosmic horror and detective work that makes Green Lantern comics so compelling. Meanwhile, the body horror spinoff Clayface promises a very different take on the Batman villain, with early footage earning comparisons to The Fly. Batman: Caped Crusader also showed up, but fans hoping for big updates on James Gunn's DCU or Matt Reeves' The Batman Part 2 will have to wait.
On the gaming side, God of War: Laufey — a new spinoff focusing on Kratos' wife — had a hands-off demo that impressed attendees. The AMD-powered demo stations ran the game at 4K with ray tracing, hinting at the hardware requirements for the full release. It's a smart move for Sony to keep the God of War momentum going while the mainline series takes a breather.
The Lord of the Rings, Blade Runner, and more
Comic-Con isn't just about superheroes. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power showed new footage that continues to expand Tolkien's Second Age, with visual nods to the work of illustrator Alan Lee, who consulted on the series. Blade Runner 2099 got a teaser that feels more like the original film than the 2049 sequel, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians dropped a new season trailer that promises a tighter adaptation of the books. Even Spaceballs got a surprise update — a new animated series, apparently, though details are scarce.
Star Trek fans had a packed schedule too, with updates on Strange New Worlds and the upcoming Section 31 film. The convention floor is also a toy paradise, with Marvel Legends and DC Multiverse figures drawing massive lines. The Star Wars booth is quiet this year, but the Avatar: The Last Airbender panel teased a new animated film set in the world of the original series.
Why this year's Comic-Con matters
SDCC 2026 feels like a turning point. Marvel is leaning hard into the multiverse and legacy casting, while DC is slowly building its new universe with more grounded, character-driven projects. The AI arms race in visual effects is making trailers look more polished than ever, but it also raises questions about labor and artistry in Hollywood. The return of the Avengers brand — after a few years of mixed results — is a bet that audiences still want event cinema. And DC's strategy of serialized TV spinoffs suggests they're learning from Marvel's early playbook.
There's room for skepticism. The Doomsday trailer is packed with characters, but can it deliver a coherent story? The Secret Wars non-reboot comments feel like a hedge, and the sheer volume of content at Comic-Con can be overwhelming. Still, for fans who want to see what's next for their favorite franchises, this year's convention delivered. The real test will come when the trailers turn into actual movies and shows — but for now, the hype is real.
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