#20 trendingAvengers: Doomsday

Avengers: Doomsday preview set for World Series Game 1 tonight: when to watch and what to expect

By Trend Desk · · 3 min read

Illustration of a packed baseball stadium at night under a dark, swirling green-tinged storm sky, with an empty field below
Illustration (AI-generated)

Marvel is taking Avengers: Doomsday to baseball’s biggest stage. An exclusive preview of the film will air during Game 1 of the World Series tonight, Friday, Oct. 23, on Fox, after MLB confirmed the plan on X on Thursday. “Something’s coming …” the league posted, adding, “Tune in to World Series Game 1 for an exclusive preview of Avengers: Doomsday.”

The movie opens in theaters on Dec. 18, 2026.

When does the Avengers: Doomsday preview air?

Game 1 between the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers starts at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on Fox, according to ComicBook.com and 9to5Marvel. Neither MLB nor Marvel has said when during the broadcast the spot will run.

ComicBook.com cautioned that the footage likely won’t air at the top of the broadcast, given the pregame pageantry of a series featuring two franchises that have never won a title, and suggested it may come an hour or two in. 9to5Marvel noted that Marvel usually posts big TV spots online soon after they air.

Is it a new trailer?

Not necessarily. MLB called it an “exclusive preview,” not a trailer, and 9to5Marvel said that wording matters. It expects something like a 30- to 60-second spot built around one scene, though that is the outlet’s guess.

Fans have floated several possibilities, none confirmed:

  • A rumored ballpark scene involving Fantastic Four characters, hinted at by a baseball-themed promo on the Fantastic Four’s official Instagram, according to 9to5Marvel
  • A first proper look at X-Men characters such as Nightcrawler or Beast, ComicBook.com reported
  • New footage of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom

A short MLB clip shows a packed stadium under a dark, churning sky, with players at a dugout rail staring up at the storm, 9to5Marvel reported, citing ComicBasics.

9to5Marvel also noted an online rumor that a second trailer would drop this morning. The date matched, but the timing didn’t: the official plan points to the evening game, not a morning release.

Why a World Series slot?

ComicBook.com framed it as a push beyond hardcore Marvel fans. Many casual viewers may not know Downey is back or that Fox’s X-Men characters are joining the film, and a World Series broadcast reaches that wider audience.

It’s a shift from how Marvel launched the film’s first footage. The Hollywood Reporter reported in January that four teasers played exclusively in theaters before Avatar: Fire and Ash starting in December 2025, then reached about 1.02 billion combined views online without a TV tie-in, according to insiders.

What do we know about Avengers: Doomsday?

  • Release date: Dec. 18, 2026, in theaters
  • Directors: Joe and Anthony Russo, who return for Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars, The Hollywood Reporter said
  • Villain: Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom
  • Earlier teasers: featured Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers, Thor, the X-Men, and Shuri and M’Baku meeting Ben Grimm, per The Hollywood Reporter

FAQ

What channel is the Avengers: Doomsday preview on?

Fox, during World Series Game 1.

What time?

First pitch is 8 p.m. ET; the exact timing of the spot hasn’t been announced.

When does Avengers: Doomsday come out?

Dec. 18, 2026.

Sources