It's happening, Marvel fans: Avengers: Doomsday is officially in production. Marvel Studios thrilled audiences with a live stream cast announcement for the new film, revealing a surprising array of X-Men actors, notable character absences, and an astonishingly lengthy reveal that lasted over five hours. As fans digest these announcements, one pressing question emerges: Where are all the Avengers in this new "Avengers" movie?
The cast announcement confirmed 27 characters, but only a few are official Avengers members. The lineup heavily features actors from the Fox X-Men franchise, the Thunderbolts, and the Fantastic Four, leaving fans to wonder about the fate of the traditional Avengers roster. Delving into both the in-universe and real-world implications of this casting choice may provide significant clues about the plots of Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Let's explore this 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 traditionally 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. Danny Ramirez's Falcon and Letitia Wright's Black Panther are likely to be Avengers, though their comic counterparts aren't typically part of the team. Additionally, characters like Namor and the Fantastic Four have had some association with the Avengers in the comics, but they're not considered core members.
The absence of key Avengers such as 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 raises questions. The answer might lie with the Thunderbolts and the mysterious asterisk in their title, which fans have been speculating about. Despite some international posters suggesting the asterisk indicates "Avengers are not available," this might be a playful marketing tactic.
Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, U.S. Agent, and the Sentry are confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday. The focus on these less traditionally powerful characters, who aren't usually considered Avengers, suggests a significant shift in the MCU. With the Thunderbolts set to play a crucial role in Doomsday, it's possible that the asterisk hints at them becoming the New Avengers by the film's end. In the trailers, Red Guardian appears to favor the "Thunderbolts" name, while Bucky disagrees, indicating a potential running gag about their team name. Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine's purchase of Avengers Tower and her comments in the trailers further suggest that the Thunderbolts may take over as the MCU's primary superhero team.
This transition to the New Avengers makes sense, particularly with the Sentry's involvement and the looming threat of his evil counterpart, the Void, likely serving as the film's main antagonist. The Sentry was reintroduced to the Marvel universe in 2005 as part of Brian Michael Bendis' New Avengers comic, aligning with the film's potential narrative direction.
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 team, possibly led by Sam Wilson's Captain America. Recall that in Captain America: Brave New World, President Ross asks Sam to help rebuild the team. With many traditional Avengers unavailable, Sam might have to rely on the Thunderbolts, putting them at a disadvantage against Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom in their initial confrontation.
Are the X-Men Doomed in Avengers: Doomsday?
Establishing Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom as a credible threat is a major goal for Doomsday. With Doom missing from the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, where Galactus takes the villain role (though a cameo might still occur in a post-credits scene), Doomsday needs to set the stage for Doom as the Multiverse Saga's ultimate antagonist. One effective way to do this is for Doom to eliminate several beloved characters, echoing Thanos's snap in Infinity War. Given the confirmed characters, the Fox X-Men seem most vulnerable.
Doctor Doom wiping out the Fox X-Men would not only create a dramatic moment but also free up resources for the return of the traditional MCU cast in Secret Wars. Incursions—the collision of multiple universes causing widespread destruction—have been mentioned in Multiverse of Madness, hinting at their importance in Secret Wars. Witnessing an Incursion firsthand could establish the high stakes for Secret Wars, with an entire universe potentially destroyed by Doom. Eliminating the Fox X-Men universe fits perfectly, allowing for a "you bastard!" moment for Doom while paving the way for characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, and others to return and confront Doom, avenging the lost universe in a thrilling conclusion to the Multiverse Saga.
This strategy could help Marvel Studios recapture the excitement of Endgame's epic finale, something they've been trying and failing to achieve in Phases 4 and 5. While we won't know the full story until Avengers: Doomsday releases on May 1, 2026, this explanation seems the most plausible for the limited presence of traditional Avengers in the film.
AnswerSee ResultsWhat do you think will happen in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments!
