Boom. Cameras roll.
No script. No cast. Just vibes.
“Avengers: Doomsday” is officially in production—and no one seems to have read the final version of the script. Or agreed who's in it. You read that right. Marvel Studios has started principal photography on what's supposed to be one of its most pivotal films with neither a finalized screenplay nor confirmed marquee talent .
Like a Netflix algorithm trained on last decade's leftovers, Hollywood keeps betting on spectacle over structure. But this? This is next-level stunt casting—except no one's cast yet.
According to The InSneider , the script exists “kind of,” but it's being rewritten daily because—get this—it wasn't “good enough.” Stephen McFeely and Michael Waldron are locked in a war room with red pens and caffeine drips, trying to stabilize a story whose shape shifts depending on which A-lister returns that week.
And the actors? Well, sources say Marvel is still negotiating with Chris Evans, Hugh Jackman, Tom Holland, and Chris Pratt while cameras are rolling. That's like building a skyscraper while still waiting for the architect to sign off on the blueprints. Oh wait—they're not even using blueprints anymore. Just vibes. Again.
This isn't just messy. It's a systematized crisis. The Russo Brothers—who haven't had a hit since Endgame —are directing scenes where characters may or may not show up. They're shooting blanks, metaphorically speaking. Or at least placeholder shots. Because this isn't some indie passion project getting pieced together at Sundance. We're talking about a film expected to anchor an entire cinematic universe—with a budget north of $300 million.
Let's go back to 2014. J.J. Abrams shot Star Wars: The Force Awakens with a half-baked script too. Result? Mixed bag. Big box office. Strong nostalgia points. But critics raised eyebrows at the lack of originality. Then there's Fantastic Four (2015), famously plagued by studio interference and reshoot chaos. It flopped. Hard.
So what makes “Doomsday” different? Simple: franchise inertia. People will show up. But will they leave satisfied?
Historically, Disney and Marvel have leaned into rewrites. Remember when Thor: Ragnarok changed tone mid-shoot after Taika Waititi was hired? That worked. But that was a creative pivot—not a foundational one. This feels more like Justice League all over again, except with better CGI and higher stakes. And we all remember how that ended.
There's also something oddly meta about a movie called Doomsday being built under apocalyptic conditions behind the scenes. Almost poetic. Like a Shakespearean tragedy directed by a committee—and sold as popcorn fare.
But here's the uncomfortable truth: Marvel doesn't have a choice anymore. With the MCU splintering across streaming, shows, and solo films, assembling the Avengers again requires Herculean coordination. And maybe that's why they skipped the script meeting. Maybe this time, they're flying blind because the map got lost in the multiverse.
Back in 2021, Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton signed on to write and direct The Avengers: The Kang Dynasty —which was originally scheduled before Doomsday . He dropped out due to burnout and script challenges. That didn't bode well. Now Doomsday is moving forward without either a full cast or script. Not a great omen.
In a 2023 interview with Variety , screenwriter Michael Waldron (Loki , Doctor Strange 2 ) admitted, “Writing for the MCU is like juggling chainsaws while walking a tightrope over a volcano.” So imagine doing that blindfolded.
And yet, Marvel execs seem confident. Their plan? To patch it together in post. Which worked once—Endgame was editorially stitched from various drafts and reshoots. But lightning rarely strikes twice in the same crater.
Would you trust a movie this big made this way? Sound off below—or pray for reshoot season.
