Go behind the scenes of 'Avengers: Doomsday' as the cast breaks down the biggest reveals unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con. Pedro Pascal, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Paul Rudd, David Harbour, Letitia Wright, Rebecca Romijn, Kelsey Grammer, and Lewis Pullman sat down with us before anyone else, just moments after Marvel debuted exclusive new footage, to discuss Doctor Doom's origins, Robert Downey Jr.'s transformation from Tony Stark to Victor Von Doom, the long-awaited arrival of the original X-Men in the MCU, and the film's biggest new storylines.
Chris Evans reveals he turned down multiple Marvel pitches before finally agreeing to return as Steve Rogers, while Robert Downey Jr. opens up about the transition from hero to villain and the "isolated vibe" on the other side of the bad guy mask. Pedro Pascal discusses the Fantastic Four's connection to Doom, and Rebecca Romijn and Kelsey Grammer revisit Mystique and Beast more than two decades after the original 'X-Men' films, teasing Rebecca’s “fierce” fight with Florence Pugh. Letitia Wright reveals how Shuri has evolved as Wakanda's leader, Paul Rudd shares what it was like joining Marvel's largest ensemble yet, and David Harbour and Lewis Pullman tease where the Thunderbolts fit into the fight ahead. Plus, hear the cast hint at what's still to come in 'Avengers: Doomsday' and how it could connect to 'Avengers: Secret Wars.'
AI Generated·May contain errors
It's a good question.
20 minutes of traps.
That's what this is.
Here we go, let's get to it, everyone.
So here's where I want to start.
I understand from the Russos
that just two of you got the full script, is that right?
Did the writ?
I don't know, I didn't bother to read it.
Because I knew it was gonna change.
Oh, well.
I got two scripts and threw them away.
So you ad-libbed the entire thing.
That's understandable, why not?
But here's, well, so have any of you
seen the movie yet, then?
No one has seen a cut of the film.
What?
Oh, maybe.
I'm on the inside track and it is absolutely fantastic.
Is it as good as that Hall H trailer we just saw?
It's like that, except extra.
And I'll sidebar with all of you.
Yes.
Fill everyone in on it, yeah.
I think we may redeem ourselves yet.
But for those of you who did not get the full script
at this point, do you know what happens
or you're all still in the dark?
Wait, who didn't get the full script?
Didn't we all get the full script?
The producers are lying to you
to create some kind of story.
Yeah, we have 50 versions.
We got about 50 versions of it.
Oh, so that's the thing.
Which script?
Which one are you talking about?
49.
49?
Yeah, no.
Yeah.
Okay.
We know what happens.
We're not gonna tell you.
No, no, I'm not asking you to.
I'm just curious.
But we know.
Okay, okay.
Every single one of us.
All right.
That's just what I'm curious,
how much you guys get to know
what everyone else is doing?
Would it make you happier if we didn't know?
Maybe a little bit.
Yeah, I know, I think that's the thing.
Yeah, maybe a little bit.
No, but.
I didn't get the script.
Perfect, thank you.
Glad to know.
Someone does not know what's happening in this movie.
No, so, but Robert, considering you're playing Doom,
what noticeable similarities are there
between Doom and Tony Stark?
Like, is there a through line between these guys?
I mean, there's the science thing
and then they're considered pretty brilliant guys.
But Tony had the trauma that kind of turned him into a hero
and Doom's got the exact opposite
to where it takes the prowess of all of these folks
to go up against him.
And it was a joy to behold.
It was really weird being on the other side
of a bad guy mask because it's just such a isolated vibe
and I'm seeing them all like socializing and stuff
and I'm the enemy.
Well, that's, right, well, I was gonna ask
because you guys, you've shared so many
of these films together and had,
I would assume, a very different working dynamic
on this than those.
You know, I was saying earlier,
it was almost like going back to 2011
on the first Avengers.
Because at the beginning of that,
you know, you're kind of the new kid on the block
and you're excited to even be there
and I would find myself during that movie watching.
You know, you're in the scene,
but then you're just like, you know,
Robert Downey Jr.'s playing Tony Stark
and oh, ****, I have a line.
And on this one, I felt that a little bit again,
just kind of watching you do this thing
that I couldn't wait to see.
I was like, all right, let's see.
You know, and just kind of being a fan.
Does it, does the film, do the characters,
do you all acknowledge that he looks like Tony Stark?
Like, does that add emotional stakes
to the action here that you're?
We can't touch that.
Oh.
We can't touch that.
Can't touch this.
Please, you can continue singing.
No, okay, understood.
All right, got it.
So the answer is yes.
No.
Okay, Pedro, for you, Doom is what,
from the footage that we got to see today,
Doom is from the Fantastic Four universe.
Sue talks about him, they knew him,
she thought she could help him.
So do the Fantastic Four feel like a personal responsibility
in any way for him being kind of unleashed on the world?
But you have to think about it.
Next question.
I did have to think about it, and the answer is no.
Think about it because you don't want a sniper
to take you out, or really there's,
it's more complex than that.
You see, intellectuals understand
that we're all responsible for ourselves.
You're catching us at the end of a press day.
This is gonna be fun.
The world that we're in,
and the way that I understand it through Reed, at least,
is very singular to the relationship that I have to Doom.
And I guess there's a big barrier between the context
that we all have as audience members
to the experience of Avengers,
and the incredible way that all of it is threaded together
as we have X-Men sitting with us within this group.
But it's very easy for me to be very kind of like
single-focused through the perspective of the character
as it relates to somebody like Victor Von Doom.
I just want to remind you to look into the camera
as you're answering these questions.
That was verging on filibuster.
Would you like another shot?
I'll put that together.
But it was great.
Yeah, no, it was fantastic.
Thank you.
Could you, I didn't catch, could you repeat it?
I tried to give a short answer.
No, but it was a great answer.
For you two guys, in the footage,
there's kind of a montage of the Avengers with their kids.
Are we safe in making an assumption
that those kids are being highlighted
because they might be a target in any way?
Don't touch that question.
I have a family, I mean.
They've got the hardest job of all.
I was gonna say, it's a really tough gig you have.
Because it's a good question.
Okay.
It's a good question.
20 minutes of traps.
That's what this is.
But, probably, Doom wants to go after people
where it hurts most.
Is that an okay way of putting it?
You wanna, he wants to get their attention
in a very high-stakes way.
Oh, man.
Should we talk about the Odyssey?
We can.
Actually, I haven't seen it.
Who has seen it?
Don't say anything yet.
Oh, you don't know how it ends?
Oh, okay.
Just tell them you're doing something
really different.
He's really nice.
Yeah, that'll work, that'll work.
Okay, Rebecca.
Yeah.
Yes, a lot has changed over the years
with superhero makeup and what can be done
to transfer or transform someone
in the way that you do, specifically, for Mystique.
How different was it for you this time?
Apparently, they were no longer interested
in waiting for actors to be processed,
so it was much faster.
Okay.
Yes.
That said, the original transformation
that I went through for those first three X-Men movies
was really imperative to that character for me.
It really put me in just the right head space
to play somebody as angry as Mystique.
Uh-huh.
That makes a lot of sense, yeah.
It seems like, from what we've seen in the trailer,
there are some echoes of your classic
Mystique-Wolverine fight sequence
from the original X-Men in your Doomsday fight sequence
with Florence Pugh.
How do they compare, those fights?
Well, one's with Yelena and one's with Wolverine.
Yeah.
But in terms of scale, in terms of training.
You know, because we were with Fox,
and these are now a different studio,
so actually, Mystique had a slightly different
fight style back then than now.
But, I mean, just as fierce.
Just, you know, it was really fun working with Florence,
and I mean, I think it's the secret's out, right?
It's in the trailer, I think we can say that.
It was a big moment, and you and Kelsey being back,
I have to say, we just nerded out,
and I think it lit up this constellation of excitement,
and this couldn't have been easy to pull off.
The story encompasses it, and again,
having seen everything that I won't talk to you about,
it's just incredible, incredible.
Well, for the two of you, thank you for teeing them up.
Thank you for the help, yeah, thank you for that.
I don't wanna lose a finger.
No, of course, of course, I don't want you to either.
But the original X-Men really paved the way
for modern superhero movies,
so what is different about superhero movies
now from when you helped launch them?
Boy, I wish I could really answer that question.
I really enjoyed being an X-Man.
I really enjoyed being Beast.
I love the character, I love him.
I have this sense of this kind of nobility about him
that he carries himself with a deep respect for all life.
So that, I think, translates into the superhero universe.
I mean, honestly, I think that's what we're all here for,
and it's extraordinary that these characters
have taken on a role in our society
that actually reflects the same thing.
It's just this goodwill.
The hope that actually there is goodness in all of us
and that good still triumphs.
That's pretty great.
Well, you recently got to reprise
your perhaps most iconic role, Frasier.
Did you ever think a day would come
that this would circle back in your life?
I did not, no.
But it did break my heart 22 years ago.
Sure.
Whatever, my heart, I still wear it on my sleeve.
The public requires you.
There you go, I like that, thank you.
Letitia, huge news with David Johnson
joining MCU as Black Panther in the third movie.
A lot of people excited about that.
We'd love to hear your reaction to his casting.
Do we call him T'Challa Jr.?
What can we call him here?
Prince T'Challa right now.
Prince T'Challa, exactly, yeah.
And what will that relationship be like with Shuri?
Firstly, the news was really beautiful to hear
because I have a personal connection to David.
And just a special, special person, good heart.
And just to see the full circle of that today,
I'm still living in it, you know,
and we're both still like checking in
with each other about it.
But in terms of what Shuri means to him,
you know, Shuri has gone through so much, you know,
and in this film, Doomsday, we see her growth.
We see her, you know, fully in this position.
As Black Panther, but also like just a renewed woman,
you know, and powerful and strong.
And that leadership quality that she's grown up around,
you know, with Ramonda, her mother, T'Challa, her brother.
She now has that mantle to pass on
and those guidance and that wisdom to pass on.
So it's beautiful to see the arc of this character,
2018, starting as this beautiful scientist in the lab,
just trying to help her big brother out
to just elevating and growing
and now being a source of wisdom for, you know,
for her young nephew is beautiful.
So yeah, I'm gonna have a really good time,
a lot of fun, and I'm gonna pick on him so much.
Did you guys know the news of David before today
or did you find out pretty much?
Very secretive on this camp.
Reaction from anyone else about David?
Banana's over it.
I think it's amazing, I think he's amazing.
I think he's joining an amazing, amazing cast.
David and Louis, now that the new Avengers,
as you guys are called,
are, you know, joining forces with the old Avengers,
is there a hierarchy?
Is there a power ranking?
How do their worlds blend?
I mean, there's trouble, for sure.
Like, we definitely approach things differently
than those guys, and we have different ideas
about how to do things.
I mean, clearly, we are right,
but not everyone agrees with us.
Yeah, no, well said.
Thank you.
Yeah, it's definitely kind of an unexpected route
to get to the same destination, but it's extra fun.
Sure.
No, I...
It's fun and dysfunctional.
Right.
There we go, there we go, thank you.
Paul, if you could answer this one for me,
if you think about, like, Infinity War
was this kind of race against the clock,
this extreme game of hot potato,
in-game, you kind of compare it to a heist movie,
this really huge, you know, final showdown,
then what is Doomsday?
Is there a genre we could kind of look at?
It's a trap.
Yeah, no, no, thanks.
Yeah, it's...
Well, is there a genre?
I don't know, maybe, but it's...
It does feel...
Rom-com.
Between you two.
It does feel unique.
Like, this was like, oh, this has...
I haven't seen this,
and I'm excited to see the film,
because I know reading it, and being there,
and working on it, it's like, oh, this feels...
The enormity of it was apparent,
and it felt just very fresh,
and a little bit like kind of what Chris was saying.
It's like, oh, wow, this...
I feel like it's my first day of school,
and look at all of these people,
and when I would watch scenes, and things were going on,
it's like, wow, I haven't seen this before,
and this is really cool to be here.
So, what genre that is, I don't really know,
but it's a good one.
Yeah, yeah.
You guys have...
I guess of all of you, the most movies together,
of course, you two, several,
but when you started on this journey,
did you feel...
Did you go into it feeling like
there might be an expiration date
for when you would want to be done,
or was it kind of open-ended for you?
We'll see what comes.
Evans, that's gotta go to you.
No.
You didn't even want to do it to begin with.
You know, I don't know about an expiration date,
but I certainly...
When we finished Endgame in 2018,
Lou and Kevin took me to dinner,
and they were like,
we'd love to keep doing movies with Steve Rogers as Nomad,
and I said, okay, well, what do you got?
And they showed me a pitch, and it was a great pitch,
but for whatever reason, it just didn't feel right
at the time.
I kind of wanted to...
It was a little precious.
I wanted to preserve it,
but I just said, please keep pitching,
and over the course of eight years,
I probably heard at least a dozen pitches,
and they were all wonderful.
It just never quite felt right,
and you do start thinking,
maybe this, the expiration, whatever it is,
maybe it's not right,
because it's just not right,
and then I got a phone call from my team saying,
there's a rumor.
Downey's talking to Marvel,
and I was like, oh, what does this mean?
And all of a sudden, it felt right.
Joe gave me the pitch, and Downey was playing.
All of a sudden, it was like, this is it.
So I guess it's a never say never,
but certainly not willing to just jump back in for anything,
because I think everyone here is precious
with their role in the universe and this stuff.
It's earned its position over a long period of time.
You don't want to mess with that.
Yeah, protective of the characters,
what they're gonna go through.
By the way, your co-star from The Gray Man,
Ryan Gosling, joining the MCU.
Yeah, Ghost Rider, I mean,
what do you guys think on that one?
That's exciting.
So exciting.
Is there a world where he would be part of,
I don't know, is there a world
where there could ever be a crossover?
I don't know.
I want him and Spider-Noir with Nick
to come back in and be a motorcycle with sidecar.
That would be a real kind of mind,
yeah, getting the two of them together.
Okay, let me ask you guys this.
Does Secret Wars feel like a part two to Doomsday,
or are they separate films?
Kind of like how Endgame was to Infinity Wars,
is it gonna be that kind of thing?
They always want to tie one to the next,
and you're so right, right?
Infinity War was a chase film,
and Endgame was a heist,
and trust that we're not doing any,
we're not into repeater status,
but I think you might be onto something, brother.
Okay, and that's all they're gonna say.
And I'm gonna end it there.
I won't put you through this pain anymore.
No, thank you all so much.
Are we happy to be off the hot seat?
All right, I appreciate it, you guys.
Thank you so much for being here.
It is warm in here.
It's so hot.
All right, thanks everyone.