Audiences heading into theaters last weekend expecting a simple rerelease of Avengers: Endgame found themselves staring at something stranger: four brand-new scenes setting up Avengers: Doomsday, and a catch. The only way to see all of them was to pay extra for an IMAX or Infinity Vision screening.
Reddit user Tyler_the_hourman captured the frustration in a thread shared via IGN. He wrote that he was really frustrated that he didnât get to see all the new footage. He said the arrangement was completely unknown to him (and the others in my showing) that we wouldnât get the full cut with all the clips. He admitted it was technically my fault for seeing it in a regular showing, but added that he never saw any sort of disclaimer that you have to see it in the IMAX version to get all the clips.
New Scenes
Four scenes were added to the encore. One pairs Steve Rogers with Peggy Carter. Another shows Bruce Banner meeting Doctor Doom. There’s a brief look at the forging of the Doom mask, and a TVA scene featuring cameos from the Loki TV series on Disney+.
What Audiences Missed
The TVA scene featuring Loki cameos was tied to IMAX and Infinity Vision screenings.
The Disclaimer Problem
The August 25 press release from Disney mentioned the exclusivity. An additional sneak peek at the film will also be available to audiences who see Avengers Endgame: Encore on IMAX and Infinity Vision-certified screens, it explained.
Fan Reaction
The frustration isn’t just about missing a scene. It’s about the expectation of a rerelease being treated like a marketing vehicle. A seven-year-old movie that cost nothing extra to watch now comes with a paywall, and the payoff is a quick plug for a sequel that doesn’t exist yet.
Another viewer in the thread was equally surprised. They wrote that they were also frustrated and felt confused. They said they had no idea about this and felt like I just got scammed. They noted that the premise of gatekeeping extra scenes on a 7-year-old movie was wild, especially since it’s supposed to get all of us extra hyped for Doomsday.
The Schedule So Far
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Last weekend | Avengers: Endgame Encore released in theaters |
| December | Avengers: Doomsday scheduled for release |
The Paywall Question
Is this a fair trade? The TVA scene is a brief cameo, and the press release warned of it. But the warning only reached people who read it. Most audiences didn’t.
What Happens Next
Doomsday is still on the calendar. The TVA scene is now part of the IMAX package.
The Verdict
This is a marketing stunt dressed as a cinema event. It worked for the people who knew about it. It worked for the people who wanted to see the Loki cameo. It did not work for the people who showed up expecting a free rerelease and got a half-finished movie instead.
The paywall was real. The anger is real. The sequel hasn’t arrived yet.
Source material: “Avengers: Endgame Encore Viewers Shocked To Find Out One Scene Teasing Doomsday Was Exclusive To IMAX,” Kotaku.
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