Marvel Studios teamed up with Major League Baseball to debut a new preview of Avengers: Doomsday during Game 1 of the 2026 World Series on Friday night. The baseball-themed promotional spot features new footage from the upcoming superhero film, including appearances by the Fantastic Four, Thor, Captain America, Ant-Man, and Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom.
The preview aired during the World Series matchup between the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays, incorporating several Major League Baseball stars into scenes from the film. Featured players include Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies, Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski.
Much of the footage takes place at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field in the retro-futuristic universe introduced in 2025’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), also known as Mister Fantastic, takes the mound to throw out a ceremonial first pitch, using his elastic abilities to deliver the ball. Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) also appear in the sequence, which features the Brooklyn Dodgers in the Fantastic Four’s alternate reality.
The baseball setting provides an interesting connection to Marvel’s cinematic history. In 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, Steve Rogers realizes something is wrong after hearing a radio broadcast of a Brooklyn Dodgers game that he remembers attending decades earlier.
The new preview also offers brief moments involving other Marvel characters. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) share an exchange about Rogers’ ability to wield Mjolnir, while Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) finds himself confused over whether to address Rogers or Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as Captain America.
The promotional spot takes a more ominous turn with the arrival of Doctor Doom, played by Downey, whose appearance above the baseball stadium signals the larger threat facing Marvel’s heroes. Harper reacts to the impending danger by urging the other players to leave.
Although promoted as an exclusive preview, the World Series spot is more of a crossover advertisement than a traditional full-length trailer, mixing brief scenes from the movie with reactions from the baseball players.
Avengers: Doomsday is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, who previously helmed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. The new installment will bring together characters from multiple corners of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men, as they confront a threat involving the collision of different realities.
Downey’s return to Marvel is among the film’s most significant developments. After portraying Tony Stark/Iron Man for more than a decade, the actor returns to the franchise in the entirely different role of Victor von Doom.
The extensive ensemble cast also includes Vanessa Kirby, Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Tom Hiddleston, Letitia Wright, Simu Liu, Channing Tatum, and David Harbour. Several actors from Fox’s original X-Men films are returning as well, including Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, and Alan Cumming.
The film marks the first theatrical Avengers installment since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, which concluded Marvel’s Infinity Saga and became one of the highest-grossing films of all time.
Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to open in theaters on December 18, 2026.
Watch the new World Series preview below: