'That's Where Doomsday Is Born': Avengers Director Discusses Endgame Encore's New Ending That Rewrites Steve Rogers' Story

Avengers: Endgame director Anthony Russo has discussed the movie's newly extended final scene, and how it leads directly into Avengers: Doomsday.

Speaking during a Q&A after a New York screening of Avengers: Endgame Encore, Russo was asked about moments in the film which are designed to take on a fresh meaning or significance now, with Doomsday in the pipeline.

Warning! Spoilers for Avengers: Endgame Encore follow...

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Russo pointed to Endgame Encore's big finale twist, which sees Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter's happy ending suddenly interrupted by a visit from Loki. As revealed yesterday by fans who attended early showings, Steve and Peggy's romantic dance together does not last long. This new version of the scene sees Loki drop by, seemingly from his tenure as a TVA agent.

"There's certainly a pivotal moment at the end where... the moment has a different meaning," Russo teased (via Avengers Updates). "We play one beat past where Steve Rogers' story ended with Peggy Carter, and in that moment, that's where Doomsday is born."

While Russo did not elaborate further, the suggestion here is that whatever Steve, Peggy, and Loki decide sets in motion the eventual rise of Doctor Doom — and fans have certainly got theories. In a recent teaser, we saw Doom mourning his wife and child, and fans believe that whatever timeline shenanigans Steve and co. get up to, their actions inadvertently set Doom on a path of revenge.

There's lots here that we don't know, such as why Loki needs to visit Steve in the first place, and where the former Captain America ends up. Fans have posited that Steve and Peggy are actually being saved by Loki from living in a universe that will soon be destroyed, and wind up in Doctor Doom's universe instead. Other speculation points to issues caused by Steve and Peggy ultimately having a child there — in a reality they don't belong — somehow removing another child to balance the multiverse's scales.

Of course, we don't have long to wait to find out the answers to these questions. Avengers: Doomsday will arrive in theaters on December 18, and pick up Steve Rogers' story from there. Here's hoping everything goes absolutely fine for him and his family, and nothing bad happens at all. Yep.