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Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 399 for April 6.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle, No. 1387 for April 6.

Explore our top picks for the best internet providers in Lakeland to find the ISPs offering the fastest speeds and more affordable broadband plans.

The video game industry is huge. Last year alone it generated an estimated $187 billion dollars in revenue.

But it's also facing a host of serious issues: massive layoffs, the advent of A.I., games that take years to be released, and a schism between big and small developers.

This week's Reporter's Notebook takes us inside this evolving industry with NPR's Vincent Acovino, who recently covered the annual Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

• Arm says Neoverse powers nearly half of 2025 hyperscaler compute shipments
• AI growth makes power-efficiency essential for hyperscale data centers
• AWS, Google, Microsoft are leading shift from x86 to Arm infrastructure

Arm says its Neoverse platform is becoming the architecture of choice for the cloud, as the likes of AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure and others drive a broader shift away from x86 in the data center.

Mohamed Awad, SVP and GM of the Infrastructure Business at Arm, says power efficiency and scalability are redefining infrastructure at hyperscale. “Just over six years ago, we launched Arm Neoverse for the next-generation of cloud infrastructure, recognizing a world where delivering new levels of scalable performance on top of Arm’s flexible and power-efficient compute platform could enable a systemic shift in the capabilities and costs of the data center ecosystem,” he explained.

“Fast forward to today, the adoption of Neoverse has reached new heights: close to 50 percent of the compute shipped to top hyperscalers in 2025 will be Arm-based,” he added. Much of this momentum can, inevitably, be attributed to the rise of AI.

AI servers set to grow by 300 percent

AI is reshaping cloud infrastructure, driving explosive growth in compute demand and forcing hyperscalers to prioritize power efficiency at massive scale. Data centers are being designed in gigawatts, not megawatts, making efficiency a requirement rather than a differentiator, something that has been central to Arm's architecture for decades.

That's not the only reason for the architecture's success of course.

"The Arm compute platform is additionally giving our partners the flexibility to create a new generation of customized, differentiated silicon solutions for AI. For example, Nvidia’s Grace Blackwell superchip for AI-based infrastructure combines Nvidia’s Blackwell GPU accelerated computing architecture with the Arm Neoverse-based Grace CPU, integrated with an extraordinarily high bandwidth, coherent mesh network – a system tailor-made to achieve unmatched performance for AI workloads," Awad says.

With ten of the world’s largest hyperscalers developing and deploying Arm-based chips, the future looks bright for the company - but that dynamic could shift if, as rumored, Arm decides to produce its own silicon.

Speculation on that front gained signifcant momentum after Arm’s Japanese owner, SoftBank, acquired Arm-based chipmaker Ampere for $6.5 billion, raising concerns that Arm could end up competing directly with its partners in the fast-growing data center market.

You might also like

• Softbank buying Ampere for $6.5 billion and could integrate it with Arm
• Is an AMD Arm superchip in the works?
• Arm wants to build its own CPU server for hyperscalers, reports say

Can the in-form Verdiblancos derail Barça's title challenge?

Another round of torrential rain and flash flooding was coming for parts of the South and Midwest. Areas are already waterlogged by days of severe storms that also spawned some deadly tornadoes.

(Image credit: Jon Cherry)

Another round of torrential rain and flash flooding was coming Saturday for parts of the South and Midwest already heavily waterlogged by days of severe storms that also spawned some deadly tornadoes.

(Image credit: George Walker IV)

• This Chinese laptop vendor tried to innovate with a touchpad that can be docked inside the keyboard
• The device also has two screens and uses a more powerful Core i3-1215U CPU unlike a lot of rivals
• It can accommodate up to 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD and costs far less than I'd expect

You can find all manner of unusual tech products on AliExpress, including tablets with insane battery capacity and mini workstations with colorful fans - our latest find is an incredibly affordable dual-screen laptop with some brilliant hidden touches.

Produced by Topton (which also made the mini workstation above), this dual-screen laptop features two 10.95-inch IPS touchscreens (1920x1200) that can fold and unfold to create a combined 15.5-inch display area.

The screens can be arranged either side by side in landscape mode or stacked vertically in portrait mode, depending on your preference.

Choice of CPUs

Although there are other laptops with vertically stacked screens - most notably the GPD Duo and the Lenovo ThinkBook Flip - Topton’s model is the most affordable we’ve seen.

It also has something else that really makes it stand out from the competition - a hidden touchpad that pops out from the keyboard. In addition, the laptop’s cover folds into as a stand, which I really like.

The twin displays offer 100% sRGB coverage for cinema-quality color, support for 1.07 billion colors, and high brightness. They are also EyeSafe 2.0 certified.

Buyers can choose between two configurations - one powered by an Intel Core i3-1215U with 6 cores and 8 threads, and another using an Intel Alder Lake-N N100 with 4 cores and 4 threads. The Core i3 model includes an 11.55V 3000mAh battery offering 2–4 hours of use, while the N100 variant features a larger 7.7V 5000mAh battery rated for 3–4 hours.

Both versions run Windows 11 and support up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM and up to 2TB of SSD storage.

Pricing ranges from $368 to $721 depending on the specifications. Connectivity options include USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, an additional USB 3.0 Type-C, and a USB 3.0 Type-A port. Wireless connectivity comes in the form of Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.

The laptops come with a 1.0MP front-facing camera, dual 1W speakers, and a G-sensor for screen orientation. Despite the dual-screen layout, the laptops remain lightweight at 1.2kg and measure just 259x175x23mm.

(Image credit: Topton) You might also like

• These are the best business laptops you can buy right now
• And these are best laptops for gaming and work
• With a pair of OLED screens, GPD Duo may be the best mobile workstation ever

We found the best internet providers in Binghamton, offering reliable service and various plans suitable for all needs and desires.

• Another Walmart Google TV box has been spotted
• This could be the Walmart Onn 4K Plus
• The device has apparently been part of an early testing program

We know there are no more Google Chromecasts on the way – with the Google TV Streamer acting as the replacement in Google's own smart home line-up – and it looks as though Walmart has another Chromecasting box in the pipeline.

Following on from the Walmart Onn 4K Pro we saw released last year, there are now signs of a Walmart Onn 4K Plus over at Home Tester Club (via 9to5Google). Multiple reviews have been left of the gadget, together with images of the packaging and its contents.

It seems the device may have been released early as part of a limited testing program, before being properly unveiled by Walmart. The feedback on the Walmart Onn 4K Plus seems to be mostly positive, with praise for its simplicity and low price.

That price isn't specifically mentioned, so we'll have to wait for clarity on that. The 2024 Walmart Onn 4K Pro costs $49.88, while the standard Onn box is a mere $19.88, so it should be between those two points (these gadgets aren't available internationally).

Smart specs

Google is now focused on the Google TV Streamer (Image credit: Google)

There are some hints at the specs of the Walmart Onn 4K Plus from the reviews and the images. As well as 4K video output with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, we've also got 2GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage.

As for the chipset, it's said to be a quad-core chip with a G310 V2 GPU, which the 9to5Google team thinks could be the Amlogic S905X5M – that's a newer chip than the one found in the Onn 4K Pro that Walmart sells.

The Pro box does have 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage though. This new device seems to be more of a replacement for the basic Onn box that launched back in 2023, and is now rather outdated with 2GB of RAM and a mere 8GB of storage on board.

We haven't heard anything officially from Walmart as yet, but given that there's now a month's worth of reviews of the Onn 4K Plus online, it shouldn't be too long before the streaming gadget is out and available to buy with Google TV on board.

You might also like

• Google TV is testing AI news summaries on the home page
• Xiaomi's Google TV Streamer rival gets a new processor
• Google TV just lost some more of its free streaming channels

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, April 5 (game #664).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #665) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• TRASH
• PIZZA
• CABLE
• REMOTE
• COOL
• WATER
• HIP
• RESISTANCE
• CURRENT
• SPIKE LEE
• DOVETAIL
• GAS
• RESERVED
• VOLTAGE
• DISTANT
• CHARGE

NYT Connections today (game #665) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Standoffish
• GREEN: Vital services
• BLUE: Power measurements
• PURPLE: Common word rhymes with “point”

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #665) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: ALOOF
• GREEN: UTILITIES 
• BLUE: WHAT AN ELECTROMETER MEASURES 
• PURPLE: __ JOINT 

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #665) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #665, are…

• YELLOW: ALOOF COOL, DISTANT, REMOTE, RESERVED
• GREEN: UTILITIES CABLE, GAS, TRASH, WATER
• BLUE: WHAT AN ELECTROMETER MEASURES CHARGE, CURRENT, RESISTANCE, VOLTAGE
• PURPLE: __ JOINT DOVETAIL, HIP, PIZZA, SPIKE LEE

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 2 mistakes

A solid performance from me today, but I did make two mistakes. They both came in trying to organize what would become WHAT AN ELECTROMETER MEASURES.

I convinced myself we were looking for something to do with charging electric cars, so I had CHARGE, CURRENT, CABLE and VOLTAGE before trying REMOTE too. I eventually decided to abandon it altogether.

Fortunately, the other three groups came together quite easily despite a few US-UK linguistic differences.

This was a rare turn where I saw the purple group first. SPIKE LEE was the giveaway (whose Do The Right Thing movie featured a PIZZA joint), while DOVETAIL is permanently edged in my memory from school and my major life achievement of making a spice rack that lasted about two weeks, collapsing under the pressure of a jar of oregano.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, 5 April, game #664)

• YELLOW: EMPLOY CONTRACT, ENGAGE, RETAIN, SIGN
• GREEN: PARTS OF A WEBSITE BANNER, HEADER, MENU, SIDEBAR
• BLUE: MAGAZINES BILLBOARD, PEOPLE, STAR, TIME
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH MEDIEVAL WEAPONS CROSSWORD, GRIMACE, RAINBOW, SEMBLANCE

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, April 5 (game #398).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #399) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… The feeling is mutual

NYT Strands today (game #399) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• LEMON
• GNOME
• LIKE
• ZERO
• GAMES
• SHAME

NYT Strands today (game #399) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 8 letters

NYT Strands today (game #399) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 5th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #399) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #399, are…

• CLICK
• RELATE
• MESH
• CONNECT
• VIBE
• HARMONIZE
• AGREE
• SPANGRAM: GET ALONG

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

A very easy wordsearch today which fit perfectly with the theme — I was sad not to find simpatico, one of my favorite words which would most definitely HARMONIZE with the others.

When we think about things that GET ALONG we are usually thinking about people – friends and family (well, mainly friends).

But it’s true of animals too, particularly pets. My two cats didn’t get on for about two years, but some truce appears to have been agreed and now they sleep squished up against each other.

It can also be true of technology, of course – for years Macs and Windows did not talk to each other, now the lines between them are blurred and I work seamlessly across both systems. Well, sort of seamlessly.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, 5 April, game #398)

• SWEEP
• ROUT
• RALLY
• UPSET
• COMEBACK
• THREEPEAT
• SPANGRAM: GAMECHANGERS

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, April 5 (game #1167).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1168) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1168) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #1168) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1168) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 2.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1168) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• A

• G

• S

• S

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1168) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1168, are…

• AMBER
• GAUZE
• STORE
• SLICK

My slip up was picking a common word (GAUGE) instead of an uncommon one with a rare letter – GAUZE.

It’s fun when it comes off, but these choices tend not to work in the long run. In this case, though, I’m kicking myself as with the letters I had remaining these were the only two options.

AMBER took me a while to get and I almost typed in an incorrect word just to release some more clues, but I got there eventually. A slow day.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1168) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1168, are…

• SCOWL
• SWINE
• RIGID
• GHOUL

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1167, Saturday 5 April: GUSTY, VAULT, WHINE, BEGAT
• Quordle #1166, Friday 4 April: OAKEN, LOOPY, CURIO, BUTTE
• Quordle #1165, Thursday 3 April: ASCOT, JETTY, DRUNK, JOLLY
• Quordle #1164, Wednesday 2 April: INDEX, QUEEN, INCUR, STOLE
• Quordle #1163, Tuesday 1 April: HUMUS, BALMY, WORRY, ERECT
• Quordle #1162, Monday 31 March: RECUT, MOODY, WHERE, BRACE
• Quordle #1161, Sunday 30 March: CRIME, DRINK, CLOVE, TRUER
• Quordle #1160, Saturday 29 March: LATER, ODDLY, CUMIN, AGREE
• Quordle #1159, Friday 28 March: TERSE, MUSHY, PROVE, FROND
• Quordle #1158, Thursday 27 March: CRONE, APNEA, LIGHT, AWOKE
• Quordle #1157, Wednesday 26 March: LEFTY, NOOSE, NOISE, TRIAD
• Quordle #1156, Tuesday 25 March: SNEER, WATCH, FLORA, STAIN
• Quordle #1155, Monday 24 March: FLOUT, SMASH, RAZOR, SMALL
• Quordle #1154, Sunday 23 March: ALLEY, GAMUT, GEESE, RADII
• Quordle #1153, Saturday 22 March: PICKY, BRACE, BOOZE, SURLY
• Quordle #1152, Friday 21 March: DITTY, VALOR, TOWER, AMISS
• Quordle #1151, Thursday 20 March: RIPER, STILL, WAFER, NOTCH
• Quordle #1150, Wednesday 19 March: FLAME, CARAT, SPAWN, TUNIC
• Quordle #1149, Tuesday 18 March: NAVEL, TREAT, COPSE, SLINK
• Quordle #1148, Monday 17 March: INFER, FLINT, CHUMP, SHEER

It's a crucial match at Villa Park in the race for Champions League qualification.

Palestinian medical officials say they obtained video footage that refutes Israel's claims about the killing of 15 rescue and aid workers in the southern Gaza Strip last month.

(Image credit: Abdel Kareem Hana)

Theodore McCarrick, a once-powerful Catholic cardinal who was defrocked by Pope Francis in 2019 after a Vatican investigation determined he had molested adults and children, has died.

(Image credit: Robert Franklin)

Avengers: Doomsday – key information

– Due to be released in May 2026
– Officially in production as of late March
– No trailer released yet
– 27-strong cast confirmed so far
– No firm details about its plot
– Two big comic book series offer clues about its story
– Will set up events to come in Avengers: Secret Wars
– Might impact Spider-Man 4's story, too

Avengers: Doomsday has a lot – and I mean a lot – riding on it ahead of its May 1, 2026 launch.

The next Marvel team-up movie has already promised us plenty. Still with the comic book giant's cinematic universe spluttering at various points over the last six years, Avengers 5 needs to be a huge hit for the Disney subsidiary. Otherwise, interest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) could really start to wane.

So, what do we know about it thus far? Below, I've rounded up the latest and most important information on Doomsday. That includes its confirmed cast, possible story details, how it'll set up future MCU projects, and more. Potential spoilers follow, so proceed at your own risk.

Avengers: Doomsday release date

Just announced in Hall H: The Russo Brothers return to direct Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday, starring Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. Only in theaters May 2026. #SDCC pic.twitter.com/oqnSwWKnYnJuly 28, 2024

Avengers: Doomsday will be released in theaters worldwide on May 1, 2026. The movie's official launch date was one of nine big reveals at San Diego Comic-Con 2024.

The Marvel Phase 6 film was confirmed to be in full production on March 28, too. That announcement was made following the culmination of a five-hour-plus livestream that unveiled the first members of its ensemble cast (more on this later).

Avengers: Doomsday trailer – is there one?

275 million views. 50+ trending topics. 27 chairs. 5+ hours.One massive thank you to the greatest fans in the universe. pic.twitter.com/uS6hrX8ZypMarch 28, 2025

No. There won't be a full trailer for a long time, either.

Marvel could release a snippet or two of footage at Comic-Con 2025 (July 24 to 27) or this year's D23 Expo (August 29 to 31). Given the secrecy that'll surround this project, though, I'd be amazed if we see or hear anything from a story and/or footage perspective until December 2025 or January 2026 at the earliest.

Avengers: Doomsday confirmed cast

#AvengersDoomsday. Now in production. pic.twitter.com/G84UVU8HOcMarch 26, 2025

Here's the 27-strong cast for Avengers: Doomsday that's been announced so far:

• Robert Downey Jr as Doctor Victor von Doom
• Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic
• Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman
• Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch
• Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing
• Chris Hemsworth as Thor
• Tom Hiddleston as Loki
• Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America
• Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/Falcon
• Sebastian Stan as James 'Bucky' Barnes/The Winter Soldier
• Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
• David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian
• Wyatt Russell as John Walker/US Agent
• Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost
• Lewis Pullman as Bob Reynolds/Sentry
• Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man
• Simu Liu as Shang-Chi
• Letitia Wright as Shuri/Black Panther
• Winston Duke as M'Baku
• Tenoch Huerta Meija as Namor
• Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier/Professor X
• Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto
• James Marsden as Scott Summers/Cyclops
• Kelsey Grammar as Henry 'Hank' McCoy/Beast
• Rebecca Romijn as Raven Darkholme/Mystique
• Alan Cumming as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler
• Channing Tatum as Remy LeBeau/Gambit

The headline news is that Downey Jr, who played Tony Stark and his superhero alias Iron Man between 2008 and 2019, is back in the MCU. With Stark sacrificing himself in Avengers: Endgame, it seemed that the actor responsible for kickstarting Marvel Studios' shared universe had run out of comic book movie road.

However, following a crowd-cheering reveal (or a desperate Hail Mary move, depending on who you ask) at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, Downey Jr announced his MCU return as Doctor Victor von Doom. One of Marvel's most iconic villains and long-time adversary of The Fantastic Four in Marvel Comics, Doom will be the primary antagonist of Avengers: Doomsday and its sequel Avengers: Secret Wars.

It's unclear how Marvel plans to introduce Doom to the MCU – or, rather, the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse (MCM). Some fans believe he'll be a multiversal variant of Tony Stark, one who followed a darker path than the MCU's more heroic counterpart. Others believe Downey Jr's take on Doom won't be dissimilar to the God Emperor form he takes in 2015's 'Secret Wars' comic book series (more on this in the plot section).

Regardless, nobody knows how Doom will work his way into the MCU. He could do so alongside The Fantastic Four if, as predicted, their universe is destroyed by Galactus in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Alternatively, Doom could already exist in the MCU without anyone knowing, or show up from one of the multiverse's other realities. Simply put, your guess is as good as mine.

Spider-Man, Captain Marvel, and Daredevil weren't part of the first raft of Doomsday cast reveals (Image credit: Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios/Disney+)

As for the rest of Avengers 5's cast, 26 more members were confirmed via a lengthy livestream event on March 26. Some inclusions spoiled what'll happen in the next Marvel Phase 5 film – that being Thunderbolts* – while others were surprise additions to Doomsday's roster, including the return of legacy X-Men characters from 20th Century Fox's defunct mutant-centric comic book movie universe.

There were many notable absentees from the aforementioned list, but Marvel insists "there's always room for more" cast announcements in the near future. Marvel chief Kevin Feige doubled down on this during Disney's CinemaCon 2025 panel, too (per ScreenRant). One of those individuals may be another MCU returnee, too, with former Captain America star Chris Evans rumored to have signed on.

Three actors have seemingly ruled themselves out of appearing, though – Halle Berry, Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen. Cumberbatch has claimed Doctor Strange will only show up in Secret Wars. Olsen has seemingly denied that Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch is in either of the next Avengers movies. Halle Berry (per the Black Girl Nerds podcast) says she won't be reprising Ororo Monroe/Storm, either.

Will we learn more about other cast additions at Comic-Con or D23 Expo? Maybe. For now, read about the 17 Marvel heroes I want to see added to Doomsday's cast, and what directors Joe and Anthony Russo say about whether we'll see any other Marvel heroes from Disney+ shows appear in Avengers 5.

Avengers: Doomsday story speculation

Marvel is keeping a very tight lid on Doomsday's story (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Potential spoilers follow for Avengers: Doomsday's plot.

Unsurprisingly, Doomsday's story brief hasn't been revealed yet. However, we have some idea of what might happen.

For starters, Joe and Anthony Russo have confirmed that, while Doomsday and Secret Wars will close out the Multiverse Saga, they're actually telling "a beginning story" with Avengers 5 and 6. According to Marvel chief Kevin Feige, this will set the stage for the MCU's exciting future that'll be all about the X-Men.

The next two Avengers flicks will take inspiration from both 'Secret Wars' comic book series, too. The MCU hasn't directly adapted many Marvel Comics storylines, but that doesn't mean they won't influence the story that'll be told in Doomsday and Secret Wars.

Nonetheless, I won't spoil anything about either comic book run here. You can read the previously linked-to article for some spoiler-based details if you wish, or take advantage of our exclusive Marvel Unlimited App deal below, which will allow you to read both comic series for 'free'.

Marvel Unlimited monthly subscription: was $9.99 per month now $4.99 at Marvel
The ultimate digital comics subscription for Marvel fans is offering new and returning customers 50% off their first month, which is much cheaper than a streaming subscription to watch all the best superhero movies. To gain access to a library of more than 30,000 comics, use the code 'SPIDEY50' at checkout. You're able to use the Marvel Unlimited app on all iOS and Android devices, including the web, too. But, be quick – the deal expires on May 5!View Deal

Speaking of spoilers, Marvel detectives think they've solved the case of Avengers: Doomsday's story – and it's all down to the shadow cast by a director's chair in an image taken after the film's cast livestream reveal.

In March, it appeared that other story elements and cast announcements had been ruined by apparent concept art for Doomsday and Secret Wars leaked online. According to the Russo brothers, though, that artwork doesn't spoil anything significant about the films. Read into that what you will.

As for previous MCU projects that may set the scene for Avengers 5's plot, Captain America 4 director Julius Onah suggested that Brave New World might have laid the groundwork for Doomsday's narrative. You can learn more about what that may entail in that article and my Captain America 4 ending explained piece.

Based on Beast's cameo appearance in The Marvels' mid-credits scene, that much-maligned Marvel film could have a part to play in establishing Avengers: Doomsday's story.

Lastly, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which takes flight in theaters on July 25, is the final MCU film to be released before Doomsday. Given the group's ties to Doctor Doom, it's as inevitable as Thanos that it'll leave some plot threads unresolved to be picked up in Avengers 5. Based on the Thunderbolts team's inclusion in the latter's cast, expect Doomsday to build on the ending to that group's big-screen debut, too.

Where can I stream the other Avengers movies?

Avengers: Endgame is one of four Avengers films you can stream on Disney+ (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The only place to watch the Avengers movies is on Disney+.

The superteam's first four films – 2012's Avengers Assemble, 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron, 2018's Avengers: Infinity War, and 2019's Avengers: Endgame – are available exclusively on one of the world's best streaming services. So, you'll need to sign up for an account to stream them at home.

See how much a subscription will cost you via our Disney+ price guide, or check out our Disney+ free trial page to see if you can try before you buy.

How will Avengers: Doomsday set up Secret Wars and other Marvel projects?

Avengers: Secret Wars is currently slated to arrive one year after Doomsday (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

I can't tell you how Avengers: Doomsday will impact the MCU.

What I can say, though, is that it'll definitely set up events to come in Avengers: Secret Wars. That film, which will bring the Multiverse Saga to a close, will arrive in theaters in May 2027. Just like Infinity War set up events to come in Endgame, the fifth Avengers movie will directly affect the plot of its sequel, so expect Doomsday to establish what'll play out in Secret Wars.

That isn't the only film that may be impacted. Spider-Man 4, which was recently christened Spider-Man: Brand New Day, bisects the next two Avengers movies. It's due out on July 31, 2026.

If Brand New Day's events run concurrent to Doomsday – just as Ant-Man and the Wasp did with Infinity War – its story isn't likely to be influenced by events elsewhere. However, if the webslinger's next big-screen adventure takes place after Avengers 5, there's no question that it won't pick up some loose plot threads from that superhero flick. While we wait for more concrete details, read my Spider-Man 4 hub for the latest news and rumors.

For more Marvel coverage, read my guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order. Alternatively, see if you agree with my ranking of the best Marvel movies and/or which MCU films made it onto my best superhero movies list.

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(Image credit: Bryan Dozier)

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