Exclusive set photos reveal the Avengers, New Avengers, and Fantastic Four joining forces for cinema's most ambitious crossover yet

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is due for a major expansion. Leaked new set photos from the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday have excited the fans and have shown us the first look of what is surely going to be the biggest superhero team-up movie since Endgame.

The candid set photos, which surfaced on social media this week, show three key heroes standing together inside what appears to be a spacecraft's command centre. Danny Ramirez's Falcon, representing Sam Wilson's reformed Avengers team, shares the frame with Wyatt Russell's U.S. Agent from the Thunderbolts now rebranded as the New Avengers, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach's The Thing from the Fantastic Four.

What’s especially cool about this moment is what it means from a storytelling perspective. With all three of these characters here, the apparent conflict between rival hero teams, teased at the end of "Thunderbolts," seems to get sorted out very quickly.

The spacecraft setting has sparked intense speculation among fans. The retro-futuristic control panels and curved windows bear a striking resemblance to the Fantastic Four's ship, which was prominently featured in the "Thunderbolts" post-credits. This suggests the meeting might take place aboard Marvel's First Family's vessel, potentially marking their first major interaction with Earth's mightiest heroes.

Eagle-eyed followers have noticed extra details in the background pointing to the wider context of the scene. Some believe that a black-and-silver boot in a corner of one image suggests that Letitia Wright’s Shuri, who has since picked up the Black Panther mantle, is also in the room. In light of Shuri's prior affiliation with the Avengers and the technological terrors of her nation, her inclusion would be vital for whatever mission unites these heroes

The leaked images also reveal costume updates that tell their own stories. Ramirez's Falcon appears fully recovered from his injuries sustained in "Captain America: Brave New World," while Russell's U.S. Agent sports a distinctive black beret that matches his appearance in the "Thunderbolts" post-credits sequence. Meanwhile, Moss-Bachrach was spotted in a motion-capture suit, necessary for bringing The Thing's rocky exterior to life on screen.

These developments align with earlier plot rumours suggesting that while some of Marvel's biggest stars venture into the X-Men's dimension for the film's climactic battles, a select group of heroes remains on Earth to coordinate the defence. The spaceship setting could indicate that these characters are serving as mission control for the multiverse-spanning conflict.

These leaks have come as people begin anticipating the release of the upcoming "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" on July 25. The movie will formally establish the Marvel First Family in the MCU, which will lead to their entrance into the rest of the superhero world.

Avengers: Doomsday is still being shot in the UK, with preparation to release in December 2026. These backstage insights only make anticipating what would be the most intertwined tale in the Marvel Cinematic Universe yet. The studio will be under immense pressure to rekindle the magic of the original Avengers saga with an expansion of its universe into new daring directions.

Until then, all that fans can do is speculate as to the extent of this unprecedented union, but one thing can be guaranteed: the Marvel Cinematic Universe just got a whole lot more populated and all the more thrilling.