Families will get the chance to meet and be photographed with the marmalade-obsessed bear
A bear who is obsessed with marmalade is heading to a popular Cambridgeshire railway station later this year. Nene Valley Railway (NVR) in Wansford, near Peterborough, continues to bring joy to families with all of its fun events.
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On Sunday, August 23, the railway will welcome Paddington Bear for the day. A NVR spokesperson said: “We know that family days out can quickly become expensive, which is why we have made a conscious decision not to increase our Day Pass prices for this event.
“We want as many families as possible to be able to enjoy meeting Paddington whilst also experiencing everything the railway has to offer.”
Visitors will get the chance to meet Paddington, as well as enjoy journeys on the heritage train services. By purchasing a day pass, families will be able to enjoy unlimited hop-on, hop-off on the trains, giving them the chance to enjoy the trains at their own pace.
Paddington will be making several appearances throughout the day, where people can capture a photo with one of Britain’s most beloved children’s characters. To book a day pass in advance, people can do it on the Nene Valley Railway website.
Police have urged anyone with information to come forward (Picture: UKNIP)
A murder investigation has been launched after a man was stabbed in south-east London early this morning.
Police were called to Westow Hill, Crystal Palace, at 3.39am on Sunday by the London Ambulance Service after reports of a stabbing.
Officers found a 30-year-old seriously injured man who was treated at the scene and is now in hospital, the Metropolitan Police said.
Soon afterwards, police found another man, who is believed to be in his 30s, in the Westow Hill area with stab wounds. He later died at the scene.
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The man in hospital, whose injuries are described as neither life-threatening nor life-changing, has now been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Some businesses in the area have said they’re unable to open because of a road closure and police cordon.
Thai Crystal, a restaurant on Westow Hill, confirmed to Metro that they are unable to open because of the police investigation.
The entire street is currently blocked off (Picture: UKNIP)
Local pub Craft and Courage wrote on social media that they are unable to open up because of a road closure following the murder.
They added: ‘Serious police issue on Westow Hill. If you fancy a cold pint, Hepcat, or Gravity Well, or some cans to go, pop down to the Crystal Palace Park Market.’
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Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lee, who is leading the investigation, said: ‘This is a fast-moving investigation and residents in Crystal Palace will continue to notice an extensive police presence today as our inquiries continue.’
Anyone with information has been asked to reach out to the police.
The US President made the prediction amid claims the PM will resign on Monday.
Donald Trump has said Sir Keir Starmer will resign after issuing a social media post accusing the Prime Minister of failing on immigration and energy policy.
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The US president’s comments come as Sir Keir spends the weekend reflecting on whether to fight or step down amid mounting calls for him to set out a timetable.
Trump appears to be drawing from media reports that the Prime Minister could quit on Monday before being replaced by newly-elected MP Andy Burnham.
The President has not spoken to Sir Keir since they saw each other at the G7 summit in France earlier this week.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, the US leader said: “Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom.
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“He failed badly on two very important subjects – IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!).
“I wish him well! President DJT.”
Trump has repeatedly urged the UK to open up the North Sea for oil instead of using “windmills”.
Sir Keir insisted he and Trump “get on really well” when asked by reporters at the G7 why the two did not hold a one-on-one meeting.
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The UK Prime Minister’s initially friendly relationship with the US president has soured significantly in recent months.
Tensions have continued simmering over Sir Keir’s refusal to allow US forces to use RAF bases in the initial wave of attacks against Iran.
Last week, Sir Keir announced a social media ban for under-16s after Trump’s pro-tech US administration warned against such a move.
And recent interventions from Trump administration figures linked to the murder of student Henry Nowak prompted No 10 to criticise those seeking to “interfere in our democracy”.
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Labour sources expect Starmer to lay out a timetable for his departure on Monday.
He could stay on until September before handing over to Burnham.
An amber weather warning for extreme heat has been extended by the Met Office, with forecasts suggesting temperatures could reach 38C (100F) in parts of England later next week.
An updated warning will now be in force from 01:00 BST on Monday through to 23:59 BST on Thursday, reflecting growing confidence that exceptionally hot and humid conditions will continue through the middle of the week.
Large swathes of England and Wales are covered, though more northerly areas are only under the warning on Wednesday and Thursday.
The warning means population-wide impacts are likely, including serious health risks, disruption to daily routines and increased pressure on infrastructure.
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Daytime temperatures are expected to exceed 30C (86F) widely across the warning area, with the hottest locations potentially reaching around 38C (100F).
Overnight temperatures are also forecast to remain unusually high, with some urban areas struggling to fall below 20 or 21C (68-70F), resulting in so-called tropical nights.
The heat is spreading from continental Europe where an extremely intense hot spell has developed.
Temperatures in parts of western France could climb to 43 or 44C (109-111F) over the next few days.
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Paris is likely to reach 40C (104F) which would be unprecedented for June.
The rare creature was found by a dog walker (Picture: Daily Post)
A giant marine slug was found beached in Anglesey by a dogwalker, baffling some experts.
The bizarre creature was later identified as a sea hare, a marine snail more commonly called a ‘sea slug’.
Smaller sea hares are native to the UK, but the Trearddur is thought to be a much rarer creature, usually found in the Mediterranean.
Emma Leese came across the sea hare some 20 metres from the water’s edge at low tide. Worried that local dogs might take too much of an interest, she returned it to the sea.
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‘When back in water, it sort of unfolded,’ she said. ‘It began wriggling – slug-like – and its stalks began going back up.’
As sea slugs cannot absorb atmospheric oxygen, they typically die relatively quickly after stranding.
When disturbed in water, they release a dramatic cloud of purple ink derived from the red algae they eat.
Like the octopus, this ink is thought to provide a screen or act as a decoy to confuse predators.
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Owner and director of Anglesey Sea Zoo, Frankie Hobro, said it’s more likely the creature is a depilatory sea hare.
He added: ‘This is still a rare UK species, found occasionally in southwest Britain.
‘However, it’s a species we’re likely to see more of in the future as the seas warm and they keep moving north.’
According to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, the Isle of Man has three confirmed sightings of the depilatory sea hare, and north Scotland has one. Wales has none, though there have been anecdotal reports in Pembrokeshire.
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As a mollusc, sea hares are related to the common garden snail. Instead of an external shell, they have a thin, transparent internal shell.
Their fleshy mantles have become modified into large, wing-like flaps. The depilatory sea hare can use these to gracefully swim through water – it is said to be surprisingly agile.
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Much more commonly found in the UK is the native spotted sea hare. This is usually around 7m long but can grow to 20cm.
In contrast, depilatory sea hares can reach 40cm, dwarfing their British cousins. They’re also much bulkier.
Frankie advises anyone finding a sea hare not to touch them without gloves, as their skin stores noxious chemicals from their algal food.
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‘They are quite revolting to touch. As they have quite strong suction, they should never be prised off a rock, as this may damage them,’ he added.
‘I always say it’s best to leave marine creatures alone, as it might not always be what you think they are.’
Model CeCe Rose was used as a human bobber in a bid to reel in a shark for an outrageous stunt (Picture: Jam Press/tooturnttony)
A model claims she was nearly eaten by a shark after being used as fishing bait in a social media stunt.
CeCe Rose was thrown into the water as a human bobber tied to a rope with dead fish strapped to her as part of a wild fishing challenge.
She was rigged up and dropped into a body of water near a harbour.
However, CeCe appeared to come close to meeting her fate when she was filmed almost drowning.
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The stunt was uploaded by influencer and media personality Anthony Dawson, who goes by the name TooTurntTony, after he filmed it at one of his properties.
The model said she was frightened but ‘calm’ when she first entered the water (Picture: Jam Press/@tooturnttony)
The video shows the Toronto-based model being lowered into the water before she appears to be pulled below the water, with Tony having briefly turned his back on her.
Cece guessed she could have been underwater for two minutes as she screamed for help, although she admitted it ‘could have been less’.
She told Daily Mail she was frightened as the stunt began but felt ‘calm’ entering the water, believing that a shark would go for the dead fish rather than her.
‘At the end of the day, I knew a great white shark wouldn’t be in the area so I just held onto that thought’, she said.
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Tony came to her rescue, admitting on camera he ‘probably should’ve used a smaller bait’.
His voiceover adds: ‘It was a complete s***show.’
CeCe later assured fans she was safe and well, writing: ‘Haha I’m fine everyone I promise.’
A shark was shown being held by the crew at the end of the building before it was released (Picture: Jam Press/@tooturnttony)
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Luckily no-one was harmed in the daredevil stunt.
Two men are shown posing with a small shark before releasing it into the water at the end of the clip, which was viewed more than 10.6 million times.
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However, not all users were impressed with the experiment.
‘What happens when she gets ate [sic] by a shark?’, one suggested.
Another wrote: ‘Dude your [sic] gonna get someone killed if it hasn’t happened already.’
Full story: Trump says Starmer will resign after ‘failing badly on immigration and energy’
US president Donald Trump has said that Sir Keir Starmer “will resign” as prime minister, accusing him of “failing badly” on immigration and energy.
Writing on social media platform Truth Social on Sunday, Mr Trump said: “Keir Starmer will resign as prime minister of the United Kingdom. He failed badly on two very important subjects – immigration and energy (Open North Sea oil!). I wish him well! President DJT”.
The post is thought to be based on media reports as the two have not spoken this weekend.
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Maira Butt21 June 2026 15:46
Breaking: Trump says Starmer will resign after ‘failing badly on immigration and energy’
President Donald Trump has said that Sir Keir Starmer will resign following what he called failures on immigration and energy.
“Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom,” he wrote on Truth Social on Sunday.
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“He failed badly on two very important subjects- IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well! President DJT”.
Maira Butt21 June 2026 15:25
Watch: What Andy Burnham’s crushing Makerfield by-election victory means for Keir Starmer
What Andy Burnham’s crushing Makerfield by-election victory means for Keir Starmer
Maira Butt21 June 2026 15:15
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What sort of prime minister would Andy Burnham be? Just look at Boris Johnson
Andy Burnham is seizing his second chance to change history. That’s just as well, because the first time, he bottled it.
Purnell and Burnham were close friends. They had both been special advisers in the Blair government, both parachuted into safe Labour seats in the northwest of England in their early thirties, both risen to cabinet before 40.
Maira Butt21 June 2026 14:45
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Green party name Greater Manchester mayoral candidate
The Green Party has announced Geraldine Coggins as the mayoral candidate for Greater Manchester on Sunday.
Following Andy Burnham stepping down from the position to run for the Makerfield constituency, another by-election has been triggered for the position he filled.
Trafford counillor Coggins told reporters on Saturday that she believed that the race would be between the Greens and Reform and vowed to put “people and planet over profits”.
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Maira Butt21 June 2026 14:15
Starmer reflecting on ‘political realities’ amid pressure to resign
Business secretary Peter Kyle told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that the prime minister is reflecting on the realities of his political situation amid pressure to resign.
“The only thing I can say with fact is that the Prime Minister is hard at work, as he is every day,” he said.
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“He is one of the most hardworking people I’ve ever come across, and today, as in every other day I’ve ever known Keir, he is out there working hard.
“At the same time he is also trying to create the space where he can think and reflect on the political realities and challenges, and the opportunities, that lie before us.”
He told the BBC that “whatever unfolds” in the coming days will be a “functional process”.
Maira Butt21 June 2026 13:45
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Starmer on the brink: PM is considering resigning, senior cabinet minister confirms
Keir Starmer is considering how and when to resign as he spends the weekend “thinking through the political realities” of his situation, tech secretary Peter Kyle has confirmed.
With reports swirling that he is planning to announce a timetable for his departure as early as Monday, the prime minister is holed up in his country residence Chequers taking soundings from ministers, friends, allies and his wife Victoria.
However, foreign secretary Yvette Cooper has told the prime minister this weekend that he should go, it is understood, repeating her demands from last month.
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Maira Butt21 June 2026 13:15
Labour grandees turning on Starmer marks the painful end of his premiership
As in the legend that the fortress will fall if the ravens leave, the walls of protection that the prime minister has erected around himself in his constantly besieged premiership are about to come tumbling down.
And it is not just Tony Blair’s former lord chancellor telling the prime minister that his time is up, after Andy Burnham crushed Reform in Makerfield and now looks set to take over the party leadership and snatch the top job.
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Maira Butt21 June 2026 12:45
Streeting could back down from leadership contest to allow Burnham to win, say reports
Labour MPs are being called to give their support to the former Greater Manchester mayor, while it is understood that approaches have been made to former health secretary Wes Streeting, urging him to strike a deal and not try to force a contest.
There is speculation that Mr Streeting could be named as chancellor if he agrees not to run against Mr Burnham – allowing the former mayor to take over from Sir Keir in September when parliament returns after the summer recess.
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This came with speculation that Rachel Reeves would be sacked as chancellor by Mr Burnham who is seeking a new approach to economic policy.
Wes Streeting said he would be prepared to trigger a leadership contest if Sir Keir does not set out a timetable for his departure (PA Wire)
Maira Butt21 June 2026 12:16
Starmer given deadline: ‘Quit by Tuesday or face humiliation’
The Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
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Sir Keir Starmer is facing “a hard deadline” of Tuesday morning’s cabinet meeting to step down, insiders say, after a senior Labour peer said the prime minister had “absolutely no authority” and should go.
As the Labour leader spent the weekend taking soundings from ministers and MPs, Downing Street denied reports on Saturday night that he is preparing to set a timetable for his departure as early as Monday.
A spokesperson pointed to his words of defiance on Friday when he insisted he would fight a challenge.
However, The Independent has learnt that allies of Andy Burnham are plotting to ensure he is installed as Labour leader quickly, in a coronation rather than a contest.
The Met Office has warned parts of Wales could experience “tropical nights” this week, with overnight temperatures staying above 20C
People across Wales are being warned to prepare for uncomfortable nights as temperatures remain unusually high after sunset during this week’s heatwave. The Met Office says parts of Wales could experience what meteorologists call “tropical nights” – when temperatures fail to drop below 20C overnight.
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While much of the focus has been on soaring daytime temperatures, forecasters have warned that the lack of overnight relief could significantly increase the health impacts of the heatwave.
Met Office deputy chief forecaster Tom Crabtree said: “As well as very high daytime temperatures, there will be consecutive nights where temperatures do not drop below 20°C, which is called a Tropical Night.
“This will make it very hard for people to recover from the daytime heat, exacerbating the heat stress impacts.” Make sure you never miss Wales’ biggest updates by getting our daily newsletter.
The warning comes as temperatures across Wales are forecast to climb well above 35C in many areas this week, with some locations potentially approaching the high 38C mark.
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Health experts say overnight cooling is vital during periods of extreme heat, allowing the body to recover from hot daytime conditions. When temperatures remain elevated through the night, the risk of heat-related illness increases, particularly for older people, young children and those with underlying health conditions.
The Met Office has warned that the prolonged spell of heat could have impacts across the wider population, with sleep disruption expected to affect many people even if they are otherwise healthy.
Warm, humid conditions are expected to make bedrooms feel particularly uncomfortable, especially in urban areas where buildings and roads retain heat long after sunset.
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Forecasters say some locations may not fall below 20C or 21C for several consecutive nights, creating conditions more commonly associated with Mediterranean destinations than Wales.
The combination of exceptionally hot days and tropical nights has prompted the Met Office to issue amber heat warnings covering large parts of Wales, with officials urging people to stay hydrated, keep homes as cool as possible and check on vulnerable friends, relatives and neighbours.
The hot weather is expected to continue until at least Thursday, although there are signs that cooler Atlantic air could begin moving in from the west later in the week.
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The 2026 World Cup may only be 10 days old but the tournament has already rewritten football history.
Not wanting to be outdone by the other, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland all came out of the blocks firing in their respective nations’ opening fixtures.
And as the World Cup’s biggest hitters prepare to make their second appearances at the first 48-team competition, records aplenty look ready to fall.
From Argentina’s Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo extending their World Cup legacies to Mbappe becoming France’s all-time leading scorer, BBC Sport takes a look at a list of the major records already broken or set to be.
Spain and Saudi Arabia face off this evening, with pre-tournament favourites hoping to erase the embarrassment of drawing with minnows Cape Verde last time out.
The Saudis are coming off the back of an impressive draw with Uruguay. With both sides earning a single point from their first games, a win here would put either of them on the brink of the knockouts.
Luis De la Fuente will hope to win against another side low in the FIFA rankings this time round, after 64th-placed Cape Verde’s stunning rearguard action, led by 40-year-old goalkeeper Vazinho.
Saudi Arabia, ranked 59th, will look to reach the knockouts for the first time since the 1994 World Cup – also held in the USA.
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Date, kick-off time and venue
Spain vs Saudi Arabia is scheduled for a 5pm BST kick-off today, Sunday, June 21, 2026.
The match will take place at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Where to watch Spain vs Saudi Arabia for FREE
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TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on BBC One with coverage starting at 4.30pm BST.
Live stream: UK viewers can also catch the contest live online via BBC iPlayer or the channel’s website.
Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog.
Free highlights: World Cup highlights are available on FIFA’s official YouTube channel, along with BBC iPlayer and their websites.
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Spain vs Saudi Arabia team news
Young wingers Lamine Yamal, 18, and Nico Williams, 23, both came off the bench in Spain’s draw with Cape Verde after suffering late-season injuries. De la Fuente will hope he can start at least one of them – if not both.
Unai Simon will continue to start in goal, despite David Raya’s excellent performances for Arsenal this season.
Spain squad: Unai Simon, David Raya, Joan Garcia, Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, Pedro Porro, Aymeric Laporte, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Cucurella, Alejandro Grimaldo, Rodri, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Pedri, Gavi, Fabian Ruiz, Alex Baen, Yeremy Pino, Victor Munoz, Mikel Oyarzabal, Ferran Torres, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Nico Williams, Borja Iglesias.
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Salem Al-Dawsari, who scored in Saudi Arabia’s famous 2-1 win over Argentina in Qatar 2022, could contribute to another giant-killing here.
Abdulelah Al Amri scored their only goal in the Uruguay match and will want to net again.
Saudi Arabia squad: Mohammed Al Owais, Nawaf Al Aqidi, Ahmed Al Kassar, Abdulelah Al Amri, Hassan Tambakti, Jehad Thikri, Ali Lajami, Hassan Kadesh, Saud Abdulhamid, Mohammed Abu Al Shamat, Ali Majrashi, Moteb Al Harbi, Nawaf Boushal, Sultan Al-Ghannam, Mohammed Kanno, Abdullah Al Khaibari, Ziyad Al Johani, Salem Al-Dawsari, Musab Al Juwayr, Alaa Al Hajji, Salem Al Dawsari, Khalid Al Ghannam, Ayman Yahya, Firas Al Buraikan, Saleh Al Shehri, Abdullah Al Hamdan.
Spain vs Saudi Arabia prediction
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Spain cannot afford anything other than a win here even if it doesn’t immediately rule them out of reaching the knockouts.
A win over Uruguay in the final group game could still see La Roja through, but if they drew against both Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia – how could they expect to beat Marcelo Bielsa’s men?
We do not see the Spaniards slipping up anyway. One of Williams and Yamal should start, to power their stuttering attack to a much-needed victory.
Inaki Williams is expected to start for Spain
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Getty
Head to head (h2h) history and results
Spain vs Saudi Arabia match odds
Saudi Arabia to win: 18/1
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Seven years after Avengers: Endgame broke box office records – and the hearts of fans around the world – Marvel has put together yet another epic big-screen crossover event.
Avengers: Doomsday marks the fifth instalment in the Avengers franchise, and is expected to be the cinema event of 2026, bringing back some of our favourite characters and introducing a whole new roster of superheroes to the MCU.
With months to go until the release, fans already have plenty of questions about the upcoming release. Namely, who is in the star-studded cast? What exactly is the plot of Avengers: Doomsday? And how did one actor’s abrupt departure lead to the entire film being rethought?
Here’s everything we can tell you about Avengers: Doomsday so far…
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What is Avengers: Doomsday about?
Marvel has already teased that Avengers: Doomsday will mark the beginning of the end for its multiverse saga, which began in 2021 with the TV series WandaVision.
Although there is official plot details are still being kept under wraps, the studio has said that the Phase Six movie sees “beloved heroes from three distinct universes” embarking on “a deadly collision course” and facing “an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered”.
In other words, we should expect to see characters from The Avengers, Thunderbolts, X-Men and Fantastic Four all teaming up to defeat the evil Doctor Doom.
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The cast of Fantastic Four: First Steps will all be returning for the new Avengers film
“We’re not talking too much about story, but I think people know that the story of Doomsday is inspired by a very famous comic run in which universes are colliding and Earths encounter one another and different timelines encounter one another,” Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige teased to Entertainment Weekly in April this year.
Who is in the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, and which Marvel stars are returning?
In March last year, Marvel hosted a mammoth five-hour livestream where they slowly revealed the sprawling cast of Avengers: Doomsday, which includes some of the biggest names in Hollywood – and pretty much anyone who has ever appeared in a Marvel film.
Meanwhile, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Lewis Pullman and Wyatt Russell will be representing Thunderbolts*, while The Fantastic Four’s Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach will also be making their Avengers debut in Doomsday.
The biggest shock of them all came when stars from the X-Men films of the early 2000s were revealed to be joining MCU characters in Avengers: Doomsday.
Due to legal reasons, the Avengers and X-Men have never been able to share the screen together until recently.
Historically, 20th Century Fox had held the film rights to X-Men, stopping any potential crossovers, but since Disney’s acquisition of Marvel Studios, and then Fox, the two superhero groups can now appear on screen together (as evidenced in last year’s Deadpool & Wolverine).
As Wakanda serves as a major tactical and narrative hub, expect your favourite Black Panther characters to also appear in the upcoming film, too.
Letitia Wright in the first Black Panther film in 2018
Marvel/Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock
Simu Liu will also be back as Shang-Chi, for the first time since 2021′s Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings.
Meanwhile, because no one ever truly stays dead in the MCU, Chris Evans will be returning as Captain America, although the circumstances around his comeback remain shrouded in mystery.
“I said I would only come back if there was a real reason, and in Doomsday, there’s a very real reason why these heroes need Steve Rogers,” Chris Evans revealed at this year’s CinemaCon, with Hayley Atwell also expected to return as Steve’s beloved SHIELD agent Peggy.
And talking of the dead never staying dead in the MCU, Robert Downey Jr. is back, too – only this time, it’s not as Tony Stark…
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Yes, Robert Downey Jr. is actually returning to the MCU for Avengers: Doomsday
The new Avengers film’s main antagonist – a genius scientist from the fictional Latveria, who seeks world domination – first made a cameo in the post-credits of last year’s Fantastic Four: First Steps, although at the time, his identity remained hidden behind his iconic mask.
Robert’s last Marvel film was 2019′s Avengers: Endgame, in which his character Tony Stark sacrificed himself to save the world.
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In March 2025, the directors of Avengers: Doomsday told Variety that the Oscar winner had been “immersed” in his new character, and was heavily involved in the creative process.
“He’s writing backstory, costume ideas,” Joe Russo said about Robert’s commitment to the franchise. “We were just on the phone with him this morning before we got here talking about it. He just loves really rich three-dimensional characters. He sees a real opportunity here with the character.”
Kevin Feige shared that Robert has been “ingrained in the fabric” of the MCU for so long that they couldn’t help but “talk about when and how and if there could be a return”.
However, when asked how the idea of bringing Robert back as Doom came about, he did tell Entertainment Weekly in April this year that: “It’s our universe. It’s a multiverse. We can do whatever the heck we want. He played the most iconic hero. Let’s have him play the most iconic villain.”
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Robert recently spoke to CBR alongside Joe Russo, and revealed that this film “landed in a place that I think will more than suffice” for fans.
“It’s not even about how I executed it,” the Oscar winner actor added. “It’s about the way it’s been structured, and the other characters.
“There’s something going on in Doomsday and forward that is literally the only antidote to: How do you not have these films be let down after an Infinity War and an Endgame? And boy, have we laboured long and hard to bring that down.”
As for why Doom’s face looks so similar to Tony Stark, we’ll have to wait until Avengers: Doomsday is released to find that out…
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Jonathan Majors was also originally supposed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, but his 2023 arrest led to major changes to the movie
Jonathan Majors in Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania
After the heroes defeated Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, Kang looked set to play the newest big bad, with numerous appearances for Jonathan Majors having been slated.
In fact, Avengers: Doomsday was originally called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and was set to revolve around Jonthan’s time-travelling, multiverse-hopping superhuman character.
However, after Jonathan was arrested in 2023 under charges of strangulation, assault and harassment, Marvel was forced to drastically rethink their fifth Avengers film.
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Jonathan was eventually found guilty of one count of reckless assault in the third degree, and a charge of harassment as a violation. In April 2024, he was sentenced to 52 weeks of a domestic violence intervention program and probation.
Despite the controversy around Jonathan’s exit from the Marvel universe, studio boss Kevin Feige has always maintained that the pivot from Kang to Doom as a central villain was an entirely creative one.
“We had started even before what had happened to the actor happened, we had started to realise that Kang wasn’t big enough, wasn’t Thanos, and that there was only one character that could be that, because he was that in the comics for decades and decades,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in the summer of last year.
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Who is directing Avengers: Doomsday?
Robert Downey Jr. with Avengers: Doomsday directors Joe and Anthony Russo
Destin Daniel Cretton, the director of Marvel’s Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings and Wonder Man, was first set to helm the film, back when it was still being referred to as The Kang Dynasty.
In November 2023, Deadline reported that Destin had left the project to pursue other Marvel projects, including the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Taking over from Destin are brothers Anthony and Joe Russo, who previously directed the Captain America films The Winter Soldier and Civil War, as well as the Avengers films Infinity War and Endgame.
Originally, the Russo brothers turned down the chance to direct both Avengers: Doomsday and its sequel, Secret Wars, due to the strain and energy of making such epic blockbusters.
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“Robert [Downey Jr] tried to talk us into doing it and we said, ‘No’,” Joe Russo revealed to Omlete last year. “We just didn’t have a story. We didn’t have a way in, right? We were resistant for a while.
“And then one day [Endgame writer] Steve McFeely, who’s one of our key collaborators, said, ‘I have an idea.’ And we went, ’That’s the story. That story has to be told. It’s a really powerful story.”
The brothers have been tight-lipped about the film’s finer details, although they did tease: “We love villains who think they’re the heroes of their own stories. That’s when they become three-dimensional and when they become more interesting.
“And when you have an actor like Robert Downey, you have to create a well-shaped three-dimensional character for the audience.”
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Is there a trailer for Avengers: Doomsday?
Marvel has slowly been releasing teaser trailers for Avengers: Doomsday, each of them themed around a different hero.
At CinemaCon in April, they did release a trailer for the press – and industry pros lost their minds over it.
Back in December, an official teaser premiered, depicting Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers in full dad mode, cradling a baby above a crib, hinting that in his alternate universe, he and Peggy got their happy-ever-after ending.
A second trailer saw the X-Men back in comic-appropriate attire, featuring Ian McKellen back as Magneto alongsidde Patrick Stewart’s Professor Charles Xavier and James Marsden as Cyclops.
Following this, a third teaser depicted the return of Chris Hemsworth as Thor, calling on his father Odin to help in the upcoming war.
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The most recent trailer brought us a crossover between Wakanda and the Fantastic Four, with the short clip featuring Ben Grimm, AKA The Thing, introducing himself to the Wakanadans.
Is there a release date for Avengers: Doomsday?
Avengers: Doomsday is officially scheduled to release in cinemas on 18 December 2026.
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If this date sounds familiar, that’s because it is also when Dune: Part Three is also scheduled to hit cinemas.
This has already caused upset among fans and cinema owners, who have voiced their concerns that the clash could cause audiences to pick just one film to see on opening night, as well as limiting IMAX screenings.
Are there any other Avengers films in the works?
An Avengers: Doomsday sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, will hit cinemas almost a year to the day later, on 17 December 2027.
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If you can’t wait until then, Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into cinemas on 31 July 2026 – and promises to introduce plot points and characters from the upcoming Doomsday movie.
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