Arguably 2026’s first truly great film by popular consensus was Christopher Miller and Phil Lord‘s acclaimed adaptation of Project Hail Mary. Starring Ryan Gosling in the role of a middle school teacher turned unlikely astronaut charged with saving humanity, Ryland Grace, the blockbuster earned rave reviews upon blasting off back in March, earning early buzz as a potential Oscar contender. Now that the year is winding down, it’s still considered one of the finest adventures to hit the big screen this year and certainly among the best sci-fi movies, full of heart, high stakes, a bit of humor, and one very lovable alien named Rocky. Yet, the end of the year is bound to give it a run for its money, with two sci-fi titans set to close out 2026 on a thundering note — Dune: Part Three and the MCU‘s next big crossover, Avengers: Doomsday.
One Project Hail Mary star has, fittingly, joined the MCU this year, with Gosling‘s casting as Ghost Rider during San Diego Comic-Con. Now, another member of the international task force that launched him into space is following him, and she’ll appear even sooner than the Spirit of Vengeance’s 2028 release date. The Hollywood Reporter has officially confirmed that Oscar nominee Sandra Hüller will appear in Doomsday. Marvel has not commented yet, but she’s said to have a cameo role as part of the star-studded roster led by Robert Downey Jr.‘s Doctor Doom.
Marvel being Marvel, who Hüller is playing exactly is being kept under lock and key somewhere in Latveria. However, there have been rumors that she could be playing one of the Latverian Witches or Victor von Doom’s mother, Cynthia von Doom. Either way, it’s a big addition to a cast that already doesn’t lack for star power. The film will revolve around a massive team-up to stop the all-powerful ruler in his tracks, uniting everyone from the New Avengers of Thunderbolts* to The Fantastic Four, introduced in First Steps, the Wakandans, and even the original 20th Century Fox X-Men. Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans are among the original Avengers slated to return, joining other familiar faces like Simu Liu, Anthony Mackie, Hayley Atwell, Paul Rudd, Kathryn Newton, and many more. Anthony and Joe Russo have returned to direct the massive undertaking.
Sandra Hüller Is Already Having a Monster Year Before ‘Doomsday’
Hüller‘s star has been on an otherworldly rise ever since her breakout in 2023, when she stunned in both the Palme d’Or winner Anatomy of a Fall and the haunting WWII flick The Zone of Interest. 2026, however, has been a banner year for the actress. Kicking off with the Markus Schleinzer war drama Rose, she’s earned praise for two of the biggest films of her career in the aforementioned Project Hail Mary and the recent Tom Cruise vehicle, Digger. Her turn in Paweł Pawlikowski’s period biographical drama, Fatherland, has also gotten a bit of Oscar buzz this year, adding to the chances she’s up for a golden statuette next spring.
Avengers: Doomsday premieres on December 18.
via Collider