It’s happening, Marvel fans: Avengers: Doomsday is officially in production. Marvel Studios recently thrilled fans with a live stream cast announcement for the new film, which included a surprising mix of X-Men actors, notable absences, and an epic five-and-a-half-hour reveal session. As the buzz around the announcements settles, one burning question remains: Where are all the Avengers in this new "Avengers" movie?
The video confirmed 27 characters, but the roster includes only a few official Avengers members. Instead, it's dominated by actors from the Fox X-Men franchise, the Thunderbolts, and the Fantastic Four, leaving fans puzzled about the absence of key Avengers. Delving into the in-universe and real-world implications of this casting choice could offer significant hints about the plots of both Avengers: Doomsday and the upcoming Secret Wars. Let's dive deeper into this mystery.
The Most Surprising Avengers and Marvel Characters Not Announced for Doomsday
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Why the Thunderbolts Are More Important to Doomsday Than We Thought
The only characters in the announcement traditionally associated with the Avengers are Anthony Mackie’s Captain America, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, and Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man. Danny Ramirez’s Falcon and Letitia Wright’s Black Panther are also likely to join the Avengers, even though their comic counterparts aren't typically part of the team. There are also characters like Namor and the Fantastic Four who have occasionally been Avengers in the comics but aren't central to the team's history.
So, where are the heavy hitters like Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk, Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel, Don Cheadle’s War Machine, and Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange? The answer might lie with the Thunderbolts* and the mysterious asterisk that has sparked fan theories for months. Some international posters suggest the asterisk signifies that the "Avengers are not available," but this could be a playful marketing tactic.
Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, U.S. Agent, and the Sentry are confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday. Why the emphasis on this less powerful, non-traditional Avengers team? It seems the MCU is setting up a major shift. With the Thunderbolts playing a significant role in Doomsday, the asterisk might indicate that they will be rebranded as the New Avengers by the film's end. In the trailers, Red Guardian is the only one who seems to embrace the "Thunderbolts" name, while Bucky insists they "can’t call ourselves that." Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine's purchase of Avengers Tower and her comments on the lack of Avengers in the trailer suggest the Thunderbolts may be stepping into the Avengers' shoes as the MCU's primary superhero team.
The rebranding of the Thunderbolts as the New Avengers fits with the Sentry's prominence and his evil counterpart, the Void, likely serving as the film’s main antagonist. The Sentry was reintroduced into the Marvel Universe in 2005 as part of Brian Michael Bendis’ New Avengers comic, making this narrative choice fitting.
The Thunderbolts: The Tumultuous History of Marvel's Twisted Super-Team
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Once the Thunderbolts are established in the MCU, they could be recruited to fill out a new Avengers roster, possibly led by Sam Wilson’s Captain America. Recall that in Captain America: Brave New World, President Ross asked Sam to help rebuild the team. Without access to many traditional Avengers, Sam might have to rely on the Thunderbolts, potentially putting them at a disadvantage in their initial clash with Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.
Are the X-Men Doomed in Avengers: Doomsday?
One of the biggest challenges for Avengers: Doomsday is establishing Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom as a formidable threat. Since Doom is absent from the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, where Galactus takes the villain role (though we might see Doom in a post-credits cameo), Doomsday must set the stage for Doom as the Multiverse Saga’s ultimate antagonist. Just as Thanos decimated half of all life in Infinity War, Doom could eliminate major characters, particularly the Fox X-Men, to establish his dominance.
Wiping out the Fox X-Men would not only create a dramatic moment for Doom but also free up space and budget for the traditional MCU cast to return in Secret Wars. With Incursions—multiple universes colliding—already mentioned in Multiverse of Madness, showcasing an Incursion firsthand is crucial for setting the stakes for Secret Wars. Destroying the Fox X-Men universe would be a logical choice, allowing characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, and others to return and confront Doom in a triumphant finale to the Multiverse Saga. This approach could help Marvel Studios match the excitement of Endgame, something they've been trying and failing to replicate in Phases 4 and 5. We'll have to wait until the film's release on May 1, 2026, to see if this theory holds true, but it currently seems the most plausible explanation for the sparse Avengers presence in the Doomsday cast.
AnswerSee ResultsWhat do you think will happen in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments!
