"Doomsday's Lack of Avengers Hints at Secret Wars and X-Men"

Attention, Marvel aficionados! The much-anticipated film Avengers: Doomsday is now officially in production. Marvel Studios delighted fans with a live stream cast announcement that not only featured a surprising inclusion of X-Men actors but also left many characters noticeably missing entirely. The marathon announcement, clocking in at a staggering five and a half hours, has left the Marvel community buzzing. As fans process the news, one burning question stands out: Where are all the Avengers in this new "Avengers" movie?

The announcement confirmed 27 characters, but the list is notably short on traditional Avengers members. Instead, it's filled with actors from the Fox X-Men franchise, the Thunderbolts, and the Fantastic Four, leaving only a few genuine Avengers. Delving into the in-universe and real-world implications of this lineup might provide significant clues about the plots of both Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Let's dive in and explore.

The Most Surprising Avengers and Marvel Characters Not Announced for Doomsday

12 Images

Why the Thunderbolts Are More Important to Doomsday Than We Thought

The announcement revealed only a handful of characters traditionally linked to the Avengers in either the comics or the MCU: 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, despite their characters, Joaquin Torres and Shuri, not being typical team members. Other characters like Namor or the Fantastic Four have occasionally been part of the Avengers in the comics but aren't major players.

So, where are the likes of 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 be connected to the Thunderbolts* and the mysterious asterisk that has sparked fan theories for months. Although some international posters suggest the asterisk means “Avengers are not available,” it could also be a clever marketing ploy.

Confirmed members of Avengers: Doomsday from the Thunderbolts include Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, U.S. Agent, and the Sentry. Why the focus on a less powerful team, apart from the Sentry, and not typically considered Avengers? The MCU seems to be setting up a significant shift. With the Thunderbolts poised to play a key role in Doomsday, the asterisk might indicate 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” moniker, with Bucky insisting they “can’t call ourselves that.” This could be a humorous running gag, but Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine’s purchase of Avengers Tower and her comments about the lack of Avengers in the trailer suggest the Thunderbolts are stepping into the Avengers' shoes as the MCU's primary superhero team.

This transformation makes sense with the Sentry's pivotal role and his evil counterpart, the Void, likely being the film's main antagonist. The Sentry was first introduced in a 2000 miniseries and later reintroduced in 2005 as part of Brian Michael Bendis’ New Avengers comic.

The Thunderbolts: The Tumultuous History of Marvel's Twisted Super-Team

11 Images

Once established in the MCU, the Thunderbolts could be recruited to form a new Avengers roster, likely 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 less powerful Thunderbolts, putting them at a disadvantage when facing off against Robert Downey, Jr.’s Doctor Doom.

Are the X-Men Doomed in Avengers: Doomsday?

Speaking of Doom, one of the central challenges for Avengers: Doomsday is to establish Robert Downey, Jr.’s portrayal of the character as a formidable threat. Since Doom is absent from the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, where Galactus takes the villain role (though a cameo might still occur in a post-credits scene), Doomsday is tasked with setting the stage for Doom as the Multiverse Saga's ultimate antagonist. What better way to do this than to have Doom eliminate several major characters fans believed were safe? Just as Thanos snapped away half of all life and many fan favorites in Infinity War, Doctor Doom might be set to decimate a significant portion of Doomsday's cast. Given the confirmed characters, the Fox X-Men seem most at risk.

Doctor Doom wiping out the Fox X-Men would not only create a shocking moment but also clear space and budget for the return of more traditional MCU characters in Secret Wars. Consider this: Secret Wars is on the horizon, and Incursions (the collision of multiple universes leading to widespread destruction), a key element from the 2015 comic storyline, have already been mentioned in Multiverse of Madness. Witnessing an Incursion firsthand could effectively set the stage for Secret Wars, requiring the destruction of an entire universe at Doctor Doom's hands. The Fox X-Men universe seems the logical choice for this catastrophic event. This would not only serve as a dramatic "you bastard!" moment for Doom but also allow Marvel Studios to refocus on the core MCU cast in Secret Wars, similar to how Infinity War set the stage for the original six Avengers in Endgame.

Having characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, and others return to confront Doom and avenge the destroyed universe could provide a triumphant end to the Multiverse Saga. This approach might be Marvel Studios' best shot at recreating the excitement of Endgame's epic conclusion, which they've struggled to match in Phases 4 and 5. We won't know for certain until Avengers: Doomsday premieres on May 1, 2026, but this theory offers a compelling explanation for the scarce presence of Avengers in the Doomsday cast.