Joe Russo assigns "required viewing" of Endgame re-release to Doomsday moviegoers

Spending $20 to see four minutes of new footage from Avengers: Endgame is crucial to understanding the Russos' new superhero epic.

By Matt Schimkowitz | August 27, 2026 | 2:23pm

Photo by David Fisher/Shutterstock

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Electric State director Joe Russo has a new assignment for moviegoers looking to enjoy Marvel’s latest crossover event: Paying $20 to see a new cut of his last hit movie, Avengers: Endgame. In celebration of Marvel’s upcoming epic Avengers: Doomsday, 2019’s Avengers: Endgame returns to theaters this fall for Avengers: Endgame Encore. The new version has been retrofitted for Disney’s proprietary Imax competitor, Infinity Vision, and includes a “custom introduction, additional new footage, and a special end tag exclusive to Infinity Vision and IMAX releases,” according to Deadline. While the re-release might seem like a chance for lapsed viewers who haven’t checked in with the non-Spider-Man end of the MCU in seven years to catch up, Russo wants to make something clear: If you don’t see this custom intro, new footage, and premium large format-exclusive post-credits scene, you won’t understand Doomsday.

“It’s going to connect the story of the two movies,” Russo tells Fandango. “I think [Endgame Encore] is required viewing for following the story in Doomsday.” His brother, Anthony, agrees: “If you saw Endgame when it originally was released, you couldn’t see this coming.” All that tracks, considering Doomsday star Sebastian Stan says the Russos directed the film without a script.

We suppose it’s easier to watch one slightly longer three-hour superhero movie than the apparently skippable titles Marvel’s released in the interim. However, anyone hoping Marvel would stop assigning homework to innocent moviegoers looking for a fun night out might want to stick with Dune: Part Three this winter. Avengers: Doomsday has already made $35 million in pre-sale tickets, making it the highest-grossing pre-sale ever, and it’s expected to make $300 million in its opening weekend. Let’s hope those lucky ticket buyers got the fall reading list.

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