The debut teaser, which has already leaked, shines the spotlight on Steve Rogers, portrayed by Chris Evans. Following the announcement of Evans’s return, speculation about Captain America’s comeback has been rampant. However, the teaser provides limited information. It depicts Steve arriving at a house on a motorcycle and reuniting with Peggy (played by Hayley Atwell) and their son. The teaser ends with the text, “Steve Rogers will return in Avengers: Doomsday.” This hints that the conclusion of “Avengers: Endgame” might play a significant role in “Doomsday,” potentially involving Steve’s mission to return the Infinity Stones and triggering a multiverse crisis that catches the attention of Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr.

The subsequent teasers are rumored to focus on Thor, portrayed by Chris Hemsworth, and Doctor Doom, with the final installment being a full trailer for “Avengers: Doomsday.” This innovative marketing approach is a departure from previous “Avengers” films. But why opt for such a strategy now?

At first glance, the idea of purchasing four tickets to “Avatar: Fire and Ash” just to see each new “Avengers: Doomsday” teaser weekly might seem burdensome. While it’s likely that someone will eventually share these clips online, this tactic might initially appear to be a ploy to drive ticket sales for “Fire and Ash.” However, the “Avatar” franchise has historically performed well at the box office without much promotional help, thanks to its lasting appeal. Instead, this strategy might primarily benefit Marvel.

It seems like a hassle to buy four tickets to “Avatar: Fire and Ash” just to see a new “Avengers: Doomsday” teaser every week (although we’re betting someone will record and share them online). At first, it appears to be a gimmick to boost ticket sales for “Fire and Ash.” While that could be part of it, the “Avatar” movies have never needed much help making money, even if they tend to have stronger staying power than initial debuts. But the strategy may be more for Marvel’s benefit.

Marvel’s in a very different place now than in 2019. Whereas the first “Avengers: Endgame” trailer came out a little over five months before the movie itself, the first “Doomsday” tease is here nearly a year before that film comes out. Marvel didn’t need to win audiences over in 2019. But in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and diminishing quality across Marvel projects, the studio can’t bet solely on goodwill this time around. Sure, there have been hits like “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “Deadpool & Wolverine,” but those have become increasingly rare.

2026 will bring a new solo “Spider-Man” and “Avengers” film, so maybe casual audiences will start paying attention to Marvel again. For a more in-depth analysis of this bold marketing strategy, see Looper’s video on how it could work (or fail) spectacularly.