For weeks, the internet has been surging with so-called “leaks” of actors who will be in Avengers: Doomsday. At first glance, most of these pictures look real; some might even be. However, when looking carefully, you can tell some of the pictures are generated using AI. This whole phenomenon sent shockwaves throughout the media and also made many question, “Are they doing this on purpose?”
On November 18, 2025, four images leaked of what four characters would look like in the upcoming movie. Loki, Shang-Chi, Dr. Strange, and Captain Marvel all had new suits and had the fandom buzzing whether it was real or not. Days later, pictures of Spider-Man come out. Not just any, Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man. This sent everyone into a frenzy as they were trying to figure out whether all of the pictures were real or only a couple. Although nothing has been officially confirmed by Marvel Studios, the discussion has begun to drift towards whether or not Marvel is doing this on purpose.
The speculation surrounds the idea of whether or not Marvel Studios is doing this on purpose to slowly build anticipation for the movie. Combining the use of AI with potentially real photos to mess with fans and draw attention to the Avengers: Doomsday name is a smart marketing move. This decision could lay the blueprint for the future of Hollywood marketing using AI. Blending the mix of realistic AI “leaks” and potential real ones will have one group of people discussing which one is real and which one isn’t while another is discussing what the content of the leaks are. Either way, the buzz creates anticipation and draws attention to the studio.
Whether this is the future of movie marketing or just unique marketing for Avengers: Doomsday, a lot still remains unknown. Inherently this causes a spark of curiosity and excitement for the movie as audiences won’t know what is really going on behind the scenes for them.
