Avengers Doomsday Writers List Adds Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in Surprise WGA Credits
Avengers Doomsday writers now include Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, according to the Writers Guild of America directory, in a surprise credit that has set Marvel fans talking. The listing, spotted by fans and reported by Variety on 12 November 2026, names both actors among the ten writers credited on Marvel Studios’ next Avengers film, which opens in cinemas on 18 December 2026.
Neither actor has been announced as appearing in the film. Marvel has never confirmed that Deadpool or Wolverine will feature in Avengers: Doomsday. Yet the credits are the strongest signal so far that the pair may return, barely a month before the film reaches cinemas.
Avengers Doomsday Writers: At a Glance
| Detail | What is confirmed |
|---|---|
| Film | Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel Studios |
| Cinema release | 18 December 2026 |
| Directors | Anthony and Joe Russo |
| Main screenplay credit | Stephen McFeely and Michael Waldron |
| Additional literary material | Eric Pearson, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jeff Loveness, Andrew Lanham, Destin Daniel Cretton, Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman |
| Total writers listed | 10 |
| Villain | Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr. |
| Runtime | 165 minutes (2 hours 45 minutes) |
| Advance ticket sales | More than $50 million in domestic pre-sales |
| Follow-up film | Avengers: Secret Wars, scheduled for 17 December 2027 |
How Fans Spotted the Names in the WGA Directory
Marvel fans combing through the Writers Guild of America directory found the screenwriting credits for Avengers: Doomsday and noticed two unexpected names. The directory lists the film’s final credits as of 21 October 2026. Stephen McFeely, who co-wrote Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, and Michael Waldron, the creator of Loki and writer of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, hold the main feature writing credits.
The eight further names sit under “additional literary material”. That group includes Eric Pearson, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jeff Loveness, Andrew Lanham, Destin Daniel Cretton, Reynolds and Jackman. Variety reported the discovery on 12 November, and coverage spread across entertainment outlets through 13 November.
There is one caveat baked into the database itself. The WGA directory states that some of its information is self-reported by writers and is not independently verified by the Writers Guild of America West or East. A listing is a strong signal, not a confirmation, and Marvel has not commented on what the credits mean.
What Additional Literary Material Actually Means
The phrase sounds technical because it is. The WGA defines additional literary material as an official film credit for Guild-contracted writers who contributed writing services to a theatrical feature but did not qualify for a traditional primary writing credit. The work counts, but it does not appear on screen when the credits roll.
That distinction matters here. Reynolds and Jackman are not credited as the film’s screenwriters. McFeely and Waldron hold that credit. The two actors are recognised for material they contributed, and the simplest reading is that they wrote dialogue for their own characters.
The names around them support that reading. McKenna and Sommers wrote all four Tom Holland Spider-Man films. Cretton directed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and is directing Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Loveness wrote Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and was the original writer on the film back when it was known as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Each name maps to a character or a strand of the story.
Why the Credits Point to Deadpool and Wolverine
Reynolds has form as a writer. He previously co-wrote Deadpool 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine, the 2024 film that paired his mercenary with Jackman’s mutant. For Jackman, the credit is a first: he has never previously held a writing credit.
Their last film together was a box-office phenomenon. Deadpool & Wolverine finished its 2024 run at $1.338 billion worldwide, split between $636.7 million in North America and $701.3 million internationally, according to Box Office Mojo. It held the title of the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time until The Odyssey passed it in August 2026.
Reynolds appeared to weigh in on the discovery with a cryptic post on X, sharing a video clip from Deadpool & Wolverine. The post offered no confirmation and no denial, just Deadpool explaining why he cannot speak about what is in a document. Back in May, Reynolds told Sunday Today that he had written more Deadpool material and saw the character fitting into ensemble films from here on.
Marvel, for its part, has said nothing. Variety said it had contacted representatives for Marvel, Reynolds and Jackman for comment. Until the studio speaks, the credits remain a hint rather than a casting announcement, and fans should treat any claim that the pair are confirmed to appear as speculation.
Endgame Encore Lands on Disney+ Today
The timing adds to the buzz. Avengers: Endgame Encore, a new extended cut of the 2019 film, streams on Disney+ from today, Friday 13 November 2026. Marvel announced the date on 11 November, and the film arrives on the platform roughly a month before Doomsday takes over cinemas.
Encore runs 185 minutes, about four minutes longer than the original film. The new footage includes scenes that connect directly to Doomsday, and the cut carries revised colour grading. The cinema re-release of the same version was built to carry Doomsday footage, with a second look playing only on IMAX and Infinity Vision screens. Director Joe Russo has described the re-release as a bridge from Endgame to Doomsday.
Disney+ is also running a Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday collection of earlier Marvel films, alongside a new television spot and poster. Like Heartland, the Jessica Chastain thriller that premiered on Netflix today, Encore shows how the biggest streaming platforms are using this week to launch major titles before the Christmas season.
What We Know About Doomsday So Far
Avengers: Doomsday is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, who previously directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Robert Downey Jr. returns to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom, the film’s villain, in a casting twist that stunned fans when it was announced.
The ensemble cast includes Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Pedro Pascal, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Wyatt Russell, Channing Tatum, Simu Liu, Ian McKellen, Tom Hiddleston, James Marsden, Patrick Stewart and Joseph Quinn. The film runs 165 minutes and will be available in Infinity Vision, a premium large-format theatre certification unveiled by Marvel chief Kevin Feige at CinemaCon.
Advance demand looks strong. Doomsday crossed $40 million in domestic pre-sales 100 days before its release, and Disney later confirmed the figure had passed $50 million. Feige has also been correcting fan theories in the run-up: in an interview with Empire magazine, he insisted that the popular idea that Doctor Doom is secretly a variant of Tony Stark is not true. “He’s Victor Von Doom,” Feige said, according to WDW News Today.
The film faces Dune: Part Three at the box office in the same December window. Avengers: Secret Wars follows on 17 December 2027, closing the two-part story. As with Cunk on Cinema, the Philomena Cunk series that returned to BBC Two this week, the December release calendar is crowded, and Marvel is leaning on every available signal to keep Doomsday at the front of the conversation.
What Marvel Has Not Confirmed
For all the excitement, three things remain unconfirmed. Marvel has not announced Deadpool or Wolverine for the film. It has not said what Reynolds and Jackman actually wrote. And it has not confirmed whether the credits mean the characters appear on screen at all.
That silence is deliberate. Marvel has guarded Doomsday’s story closely, revealing little about the plot beyond Downey’s Doom standing as the heroes’ most feared foe. The WGA listing answers who contributed, not how much of the film they touched. Fans hoping for a full Deadpool and Wolverine return will have to wait for the studio, or for 18 December, to find out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in Avengers: Doomsday?
Not confirmed. The WGA directory lists them among the film’s ten writers, which strongly suggests they contributed material for Deadpool and Wolverine, but Marvel has never announced either character for the film.
What does additional literary material mean?
It is an official WGA credit for writers who contributed writing to a film but did not qualify for a primary screenplay credit. The work is recognised by the Guild but does not appear in the on-screen credits.
When is Avengers: Doomsday released?
The film opens in cinemas on 18 December 2026. Avengers: Secret Wars follows on 17 December 2027.
What is Avengers: Endgame Encore?
It is an extended cut of Avengers: Endgame that runs 185 minutes, about four minutes longer than the 2019 film, with new footage leading into Doomsday. It streams on Disney+ from 13 November 2026.
Did Ryan Reynolds confirm the writing credits?
No. He posted a cryptic video clip from Deadpool & Wolverine on X, offering neither confirmation nor denial. Variety said it had contacted representatives for Marvel, Reynolds and Jackman for comment.
Who are the main writers of Avengers: Doomsday?
Stephen McFeely and Michael Waldron hold the main screenplay credit. McFeely co-wrote Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, while Waldron created Loki and wrote Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
