MCU Fans Say They Feel Like Conspiracy Theorists for Pointing Out What They Think Is an Avengers vs. X-Men Tease in Marvel’s Doomsday Casting Announcement Video

You’d think a five-hour video featuring chairs with names on them would be the last place to find Marvel Cinematic Universe Easter eggs, but some fans are convinced there's a hidden gem lurking in the shadows.

To catch you up, this week Marvel unveiled the cast of Avengers: Doomsday through a video that gradually revealed chairs labeled with MCU actor names. This video confirmed an additional 26 actors joining Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom in the superhero ensemble. It took a painstaking five and a half hours to complete the reveal.

While most fans have shifted their focus to discussing the implications of the cast for Avengers: Doomsday, a dedicated few have continued to pore over the video, scrutinizing the chairs and even the shadows cast by them. And now, some believe they’ve stumbled upon a clue.

The aptly-named Redditor, True_Confusion_295, humorously remarked, “I feel like a conspiracy theorist circling things in red,” after pointing out that a shadow from one of the chairs forms what appears to be an X superimposed over an A. What could this signify? The fan theory? Avengers vs. X-Men, naturally.

I feel like a conspiracy theorist circling things in red
byu/True_Confusion_295 inmarvelstudios

Surprisingly, Marvel announced the return of several stars from Fox’s X-Men films. Confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday are Fox X-Men alumni Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, and James Marsden. Grammer, known for playing Beast, made his MCU debut in the post-credits scene of The Marvels. Stewart, who portrayed Charles Xavier/Professor X, had a brief MCU appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as part of the Illuminati. McKellen, who played Magneto, along with Cumming (Nightcrawler), Romijn (Mystique), and Marsden (Cyclops), are yet to make their MCU debuts. Even Channing Tatum is set to reprise his role as Gambit from Deadpool & Wolverine. This raises the question: could Avengers: Doomsday be a covert Avengers vs. X-Men film?

Perhaps, once the movie is released, fans will look back on this moment and claim the much-anticipated superhero clash was first hinted at in the shadow of a chair. Or perhaps not.

Doom x Agatha.#AvengersDoomsday pic.twitter.com/3LX38W5Kc0

— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) March 26, 2025

Earlier this month, co-directors the Russo brothers described Avengers 5 and 6 as a “new beginning” that will set the stage for Phase 7 of the MCU.

“The only thing I’ll say about the movie is this: we love villains who think they’re the heroes of their own stories,” Joe Russo stated. “That’s when they become three-dimensional and they become more interesting. When you have an actor like Robert Downey, you have to create a three-dimensional, well-shaped character for the audience. That’s where a lot of our focus is going.”

Avengers: Doomsday is slated to hit theaters on May 1, 2026, with Secret Wars following in May 2027. Leading up to these, Thunderbolts will premiere in May 2025, the TV series Ironheart in June, and Phase 6 will kick off with The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July.

In October, Marvel Studios added three untitled movie projects to its 2028 schedule: February 18, 2028; May 5, 2028; and November 10, 2028. It’s increasingly likely that one of these slots will be filled by an X-Men film.