As Avengers: Endgame prepares for a theatrical re-release with four additional minutes of footage, a segment of the Marvel fanbase is expressing skepticism regarding the value of these additions and the directors' claims that the film is now "required viewing" for the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.
Directors Joe and Anthony Russo have stated that the re-release aims to connect the narrative between Endgame and Doomsday, with Joe Russo suggesting a rewatch is important for understanding the progression of the story. "I think it's important to see Endgame in theaters again for two reasons," he explained. "One, if you want to have a lot of fun cheering and screaming and reliving all the emotions you had the first time you saw it. Two, I think it's required viewing for following the story in Doomsday."
This assertion has been met with some doubt from fans, who speculate that the added footage may consist of scenes originally intended for Doomsday or scenes that might ultimately be cut from the new film. Many believe that Marvel would not intentionally make Doomsday incomprehensible to audiences who haven't recently seen Endgame, particularly with added footage from a film released years prior.
Online discussions reveal a prevailing sentiment that the four minutes of extra content risk being "oversold." One fan commented on Reddit, "It's literally four extra minutes of footage that will be in a YouTube short within two days. ... they are really overselling this extra footage, I think." Others expressed reluctance to pay for re-releases with minimal new content, with one user stating, "Not getting a babysitter. Spending $30-$40 for four minutes of footage. A little tone deaf to say 'required viewing'. I'll wait for the leaks."
While some acknowledge that the directors are likely promoting the re-release as part of their job, the general consensus among skeptical fans is that the added material is unlikely to be essential for understanding the future MCU narrative. Avengers: Endgame Encore is scheduled to return to theaters on September 25, ahead of Avengers: Doomsday's release on December 18.