Exciting news for Marvel enthusiasts: Avengers: Doomsday is officially in the works. Marvel Studios recently unveiled a live stream cast announcement for the upcoming film, which included a surprising lineup of X-Men actors, alongside some notable characters missing entirely. The reveal, which lasted an astonishing five and a half hours, left fans buzzing with excitement and curiosity. As the Marvel community processes these announcements, one pressing question emerges: Where are all the Avengers in this new "Avengers" movie?
The announcement confirmed 27 characters, yet only a few are officially recognized Avengers. The majority of the cast comprises actors from the Fox X-Men franchise, the Thunderbolts, and the Fantastic Four, resulting in a sparse representation of traditional Avengers. Delving into both the in-universe and real-world implications of this casting choice could offer significant clues about the narratives of Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Let’s explore further.
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 announced who are typically associated with the Avengers in either the comics or the MCU are Anthony Mackie’s Captain America, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, and Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man. Additionally, Danny Ramirez’s Falcon and Letitia Wright’s Black Panther are likely to join the Avengers, despite their characters, Joaquin Torres and Shuri, not traditionally being part of the team. There are also characters like Namor or the Fantastic Four who have occasionally been Avengers in the comics, but they aren't considered central to the team's history.
So, why are key Avengers 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 missing? The answer might be found in the Thunderbolts*, with the asterisk in the title sparking fan theories for months. Some international posters suggest the asterisk signifies that "Avengers are not available," but this could be a clever marketing twist.
Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, U.S. Agent, and the Sentry are all confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday. The inclusion of these characters, who are not typically powerful (except for the Sentry) and not traditionally Avengers, suggests a significant shift in the MCU. With the Thunderbolts set to play a major role in Doomsday, it's speculated that the asterisk indicates they will be rebranded as the New Avengers by the film's end. In the trailers, Red Guardian appears to be the only one fond of the "Thunderbolts" name, while Bucky insists they "can't call ourselves that." This could be a humorous subplot, but with Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine buying Avengers Tower and commenting on the Avengers' absence, it's clear the Thunderbolts are poised to take over as the MCU's primary superhero team.
Naming the Thunderbolts as the New Avengers would also align with the Sentry's prominence and his evil counterpart, the Void, likely being the main antagonist. The Sentry was first introduced in a 2000 miniseries and later integrated into the Marvel universe in 2005 as part of Brian Michael Bendis’ New Avengers comic.
The Thunderbolts: The Tumultuous History of Marvel's Twisted Super-Team
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Once established in the MCU, the Thunderbolts could be recruited to form a new Avengers roster, possibly led by Sam Wilson’s Captain America. A plot point in Captain America: Brave New World involves President Ross asking Sam to help rebuild the team. Without access to many traditional Avengers, Sam might have to rely on the less powerful Thunderbolts, setting them up for a challenging initial confrontation with Robert Downey, Jr.’s Doctor Doom.
Are the X-Men Doomed in Avengers: Doomsday?
One of the major concerns 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 will take the villainous role (though a cameo might occur in a post-credits scene), Doomsday must set the stage for Doom's role as the ultimate antagonist of the Multiverse Saga. What better way than having Doom eliminate several beloved characters thought to be safe? Just as Thanos decimated half of all life and many fan favorites in Infinity War, Doctor Doom might be poised to obliterate a significant portion of Doomsday's cast, with the Fox X-Men seeming most at risk.
Eliminating the Fox X-Men would not only create a dramatic moment for Doom but also free up resources and screen time for the return of traditional MCU characters in Secret Wars. With Incursions, a key plot element from the 2015 Secret Wars comic, already mentioned in Multiverse of Madness, witnessing an Incursion firsthand could set the stage for the high stakes of Secret Wars. This means an entire universe could be destroyed by Doctor Doom, and the Fox X-Men universe seems the most logical candidate. This move would allow characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, and others to return and confront Doom, avenging the destroyed universe and providing a thrilling conclusion to the Multiverse Saga.
This approach could be Marvel Studios' way of recapturing the excitement of Endgame's epic finale, which they've been trying and failing to replicate in Phases 4 and 5. While we won't know for certain until Avengers: Doomsday premieres on May 1, 2026, this theory offers a compelling explanation for the limited presence of Avengers in the film's cast.
AnswerSee ResultsWhat do you think will happen in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments!
