The Most Important MCU Post-Credit Scenes Before Avengers: Doomsday

The next Avengers movie, set to release on December 18, 2026, will significantly change the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It will feature Earth’s heroes battling a new villain – Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr. – and this conflict will have major consequences across the multiverse, bringing the current Multiverse Saga to a close.

The first trailer for the next Avengers movie is coming next month, and fans will finally get a better look at what’s in store. Right now, the biggest hints have come from short scenes shown after the credits of movies in Phases 4, 5, and 6. These scenes are building up to a major crossover event in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, introducing important characters and hinting at the main storylines of the Multiverse Saga’s conclusion.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Hints at a Looming Threat

The groundwork for the Multiverse Saga’s conclusion was first laid in a scene after the credits of the 2021 film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. This movie, considered one of the strongest in Marvel’s Phase 4, introduces Simu Liu as Shang-Chi and the powerful Ten Rings. In that post-credits scene, Shang-Chi talks with Wong, Bruce Banner, and Captain Marvel about the Rings, which are sending a signal to something mysterious outside of our universe.

The ending scene after the credits of Shang-Chi was initially designed to lead into Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, but those plans changed to focus on Doctor Doom instead. However, the story elements involving the Ten Rings could still serve their original purpose, just with a different villain. Doomsday will likely reveal who or what was sending and receiving the signals from the Ten Rings, and many fans believe it will introduce the Beyonder, a powerful being from the Secret Wars comics.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Unleashes an Incursion on the MCU

The mid-credits scene of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness subtly sets up the future Avengers: Doomsday storyline. After Doctor Strange successfully saves the multiverse from the Scarlet Witch, he meets Clea (played by Charlize Theron), a sorceress who explains that his actions have caused a dangerous event where universes can collide. She then asks for his help in preventing Earth-616 from crashing into another universe.

While Benedict Cumberbatch and Charlize Theron haven’t officially joined the cast of Doomsday, they’re very likely to appear. Fans are eager to learn more about the incursion seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as it could be what brings Doctor Doom into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even if that post-credits scene isn’t directly connected to Doomsday, it will be important for the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars movie. The scene also likely hints at Doctor Strange 3, which is reportedly being planned for after the current Multiverse Saga concludes.

The Marvels Connects Two Branches of the Marvel Multiverse

While The Marvels wasn’t a fan favorite, it’s an important part of the larger Multiverse Saga in the MCU. The movie concludes with Monica Rambeau seemingly sacrificing herself to seal a tear in space-time. However, the scene after the credits shows Monica waking up in another universe, where she’s reunited with a different version of her mother, Maria Rambeau, and meets Beast, played by Kelsey Grammer, from the X-Men films.

Along with other actors from the X-Men, Photon and Binary (Lashana Lynch’s character) are expected to return in the next Avengers movie. The post-credits scene in The Marvels is particularly significant because it establishes the first direct link between the universes of the main Marvel Cinematic Universe (Earth-616) and the universe where the X-Men films took place (Earth-10005). The upcoming film, Doomsday, will continue the story from The Marvels, bringing these two separate Marvel timelines together.

Captain America: Brave New World Pushes Sam Wilson’s Doomsday Story Forward

In Captain America: Brave New World, Sam Wilson steps into the role of Captain America and works to earn the legacy of Steve Rogers. The story builds to a showdown with President Thaddeus Ross, who has become the Red Hulk through the experiments of Dr. Samuel Sterns, also known as the Leader. After the movie ends, a scene shows Sam visiting Sterns in prison, where Sterns hints at a future disaster that will challenge Earth’s heroes and force them to make a tough decision. He implies that even Captain America might not act heroically when a mysterious new threat, ‘The Others,’ appears.

Even though the post-credits scene in Brave New World is a bit confusing and creates some plot issues, it’s important for the overall story of Sam Wilson as it leads into the next phase of the Multiverse Saga. The warning from The Leader motivates Captain America to rebuild the Avengers in preparation for a future crisis. The filmmakers have suggested this could also set up the introduction of a new superhero team, the Illuminati, in upcoming Marvel movies like Doomsday or Secret Wars. Ultimately, this scene is crucial for understanding where Sam’s story is headed before the next Avengers movie.

Thunderbolts* Features the First Scene From Avengers: Doomsday

The movie Thunderbolts (also known as The New Avengers) concludes with the team stepping up to protect Earth while the Avengers are away. A scene after the credits hints at their first challenge as Earth’s new defenders. It’s revealed that the New Avengers will likely clash with Sam Wilson’s Avengers. While arguing at their headquarters – formerly the Avengers Tower and now called the Watchtower – the team detects a spaceship entering Earth’s atmosphere. The ship has a large ‘4’ on it, suggesting it belongs to the Fantastic Four, though some fans speculate it might actually be Doctor Doom and Franklin Richards inside.

So, here’s a little scoop from director Jake Schreier: that post-credits scene from Avengers: Doomsday—the one filmed by Joe and Anthony Russo right on set—might actually end up in the movie itself! But more importantly, that scene is all about setting up the arrival of the Fantastic Four on our Earth (Earth-616, to be precise). Honestly, this is a huge moment for Doomsday and the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. It firmly establishes Thunderbolts* as a crucial piece of the Multiverse Saga—you absolutely can’t skip it. I’m getting the feeling that these new Avengers will be front and center when the next Avengers movie kicks off, possibly even being the first to meet the Fantastic Four when they arrive. It’s a really exciting setup!

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Features Doctor Doom’s First-Ever MCU Appearance

The movie Fantastic Four: First Steps concludes with the team triumphantly defeating Galactus and protecting Earth. But the end isn’t really the end—a scene after the credits shows what happens next. Four years later, Sue Storm is reading to her son, Franklin, at the Baxter Building. When she goes to grab a different book, she discovers a mysterious visitor talking to Franklin. Though hidden by a green cloak, the figure is unmistakably Doctor Doom, marking his first appearance.

The scene after the credits of ‘First Steps’ is important for setting up ‘Avengers: Doomsday.’ It marks the first appearance of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom and gives a clue about why he’s a threat. Doom is focused on Franklin Richards, a child with incredibly powerful abilities, and may try to exploit those powers to take control of the entire multiverse. While it’s not yet known exactly what Doom plans to do with Franklin, it’s clear the child is key to Doom’s ambitions.

2025-11-27 05:45