Marvel fans, brace yourselves: Avengers: Doomsday is officially in production. Marvel Studios dropped a live stream cast reveal for the upcoming film, stunning audiences with a roster heavy on X-Men actors, several surprising absences, and an epic five-and-a-half-hour presentation. Yet, one question looms large: Where are the Avengers in this so-called “Avengers” movie?
The reveal confirmed 27 characters, but only a few are true Avengers. The lineup leans heavily on actors from the Fox X-Men universe, Thunderbolts, and Fantastic Four, leaving just a handful of core Avengers. This shift offers major clues about the storylines for both Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Let’s dive in.
Key Avengers and Marvel Characters Missing from Doomsday’s Lineup
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Thunderbolts Take Center Stage in Doomsday’s Narrative
Only a few traditional Avengers made the cut: 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 might also join the ranks, though their versions—Joaquin Torres and Shuri—aren’t typically Avengers. Characters like Namor or the Fantastic Four have occasionally crossed into Avengers territory in the comics but aren’t core members.
So, where are Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, War Machine, and Doctor Strange? The answer may lie with the Thunderbolts*. That mysterious asterisk, long a topic of fan speculation, might signal something bigger. (Some international posters hint it means “Avengers unavailable,” but that could just be clever marketing.)
Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, U.S. Agent, and the Sentry are all set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday. Why focus on a team that’s relatively underpowered (except for the Sentry) and not traditionally Avengers? The MCU seems to be shaking things up. The Thunderbolts’ prominent role suggests they could be rebranded as the New Avengers by the film’s end. In the trailers, Red Guardian is the only one fond of the “Thunderbolts” name, while Bucky insists it doesn’t fit. With Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine buying Avengers Tower and noting the Avengers’ absence, it’s likely the Thunderbolts will step into the MCU’s lead superhero role.
The Thunderbolts becoming the New Avengers would align with the Sentry’s prominence and his dark counterpart, the Void, likely serving as the film’s main villain. The Sentry debuted in a 2000 miniseries but was fully integrated into the Marvel universe in 2005’s New Avengers comic by Brian Michael Bendis.
Thunderbolts: The Chaotic Legacy of Marvel’s Unconventional Team
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Once established, the Thunderbolts could join a proper Avengers roster, likely led by Sam Wilson’s Captain America. In Captain America: Brave New World, President Ross tasks Sam with rebuilding the team. With traditional Avengers scarce, Sam might have to rely on the less powerful Thunderbolts, putting them at a disadvantage against Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom.
Will the X-Men Face Their End in Avengers: Doomsday?
A key challenge for Doomsday is establishing RDJ’s Doctor Doom as a formidable threat. With Galactus as the main villain in the Fantastic Four reboot (though Doom might appear in a post-credits cameo), Doomsday must set up Doom as the Multiverse Saga’s ultimate antagonist. What better way than having Doom eliminate major characters fans assumed were safe? Like Thanos’ snap in Infinity War, Doom could take out a chunk of Doomsday’s cast, with the Fox X-Men being the most likely targets.
An Incursion—universes colliding, causing mass destruction—is a key plot point from the 2015 Secret Wars comic and was mentioned in Multiverse of Madness. Witnessing an Incursion could set the stakes for Secret Wars, requiring an entire universe’s destruction at Doom’s hands. The Fox X-Men universe is a prime candidate. Its destruction would be a shocking moment for Doom and, like Infinity War’s losses paving the way for Endgame’s focus on the original Avengers, would free up space for the core MCU cast to return in Secret Wars.
The return of Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, and others to confront Doom and avenge a lost universe could deliver a thrilling Multiverse Saga finale. This might be Marvel’s best shot at recapturing the epic highs of Endgame, which Phases 4 and 5 have struggled to match. We’ll find out when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1, 2026.
What’s your take on Avengers: Doomsday? Share your thoughts in the comments!
