Magneto vs Doctor Doom: The Avengers Doomsday Showdown That Could Save the Mutant Dream

File this under rumors I actually want to be true: it sounds like Avengers: Doomsday might bring Sir Ian McKellen back as Magneto — and not for a glorified cameo. We’re talking full-on master of magnetism with something to lose, and someone very specific to fight.

The rumor mill, condensed

• McKellen’s Magneto, last seen in 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past, is reportedly set to return in Avengers: Doomsday after more than a decade away.
• The Cosmic Circus says Marvel has an actual plan for the character, not just a wink to the audience.
• According to scooper Alex Perez (semi-reliable, your mileage may vary), Magneto goes head-to-helmet with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom in a multiversal fight to save his own reality. Yes, that RDJ — as Doom, not Tony.
• The setup allegedly puts Magneto in the place he’s always chased: a functioning mutant utopia. Doom threatens it. Magneto responds like Magneto.

Why this version makes sense

Professor X and Magneto have always wanted the same endgame — safety and respect for mutants — they just never agreed on the path to get there. If Doomsday shows a timeline where Magneto actually pulled it off, of course he’s going to swing hard when someone tries to tear it down. The talk is that Doom walking away with the win would be the gut punch that raises the stakes, but even if that’s where it lands, don’t expect Magneto to go quietly.

About that cast (and the directors)

Doonsday’s roster is already rumored to be stacked, which is exciting and also a red flag if you like coherent character work. If the Russo brothers are indeed steering this ship, the big question is whether they can give Magneto his due while also making Doom feel like a legit, multiverse-level problem. That balance is hard even without a dozen legacy faces sharing the frame.

One last run for the Fox-era mutants?

If you’ve been enjoying the Fox-era cameos sprinkled through Marvel’s current multiverse phase, brace yourself: Doomsday and Secret Wars are being talked about as the swan song for that crew, McKellen included. It tracks. Marvel has its own X-Men movie brewing for the post–Secret Wars era, and a broader refresh is rumored to include new takes on heavy hitters like Iron Man and Captain America. Let the OGs go out with a bang now, and then start clean.

Given how bumpy the multiversal saga has been, I’m rooting for Doomsday and Secret Wars to land the plane. A sharp Magneto arc versus RDJ’s Doom would definitely help.

Release timing

Avengers: Doomsday is slated for December 18, 2026. Avengers: Secret Wars follows on December 17, 2027.

Would you be into McKellen taking one more swing as Magneto — especially if it’s against Doom? Same.