Avengers: Doomsday Cast Signals Shift to X-Men and Thunderbolts

Marvel enthusiasts, brace yourselves: Avengers: Doomsday is now in production. Marvel Studios recently streamed a cast reveal for the upcoming film, unveiling a surprising number of X-Men actors, several notable absences, and an unexpectedly lengthy presentation (over five hours!). As fans digest the announcements, one question stands out: Where are the Avengers in this so-called “Avengers” movie?

The reveal confirmed 27 characters, but only a few are traditional Avengers. The lineup heavily features actors from the Fox X-Men franchise, the Thunderbolts, and the Fantastic Four, leaving just a small group of core Avengers. This unusual casting may offer major clues about the storylines for both Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Let’s dive in.

Key Avengers and Marvel Characters Missing from Doomsday Lineup

Thunderbolts’ Unexpected Central Role in Doomsday

Only a few characters from the announcement are classic Avengers in the comics or 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 may also join the ranks, though Joaquin Torres and Shuri aren’t typical team members. Others, like Namor or the Fantastic Four, have occasionally been Avengers in the comics but aren’t central to the team’s legacy.

So, what’s going on? Where are Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk, Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel, Don Cheadle’s War Machine, or Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange? The answer might lie with the Thunderbolts* and the mysterious asterisk that’s sparked fan speculation for months. (Some international posters suggest the asterisk hints at an “Avengers unavailable” message, 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, aside from the Sentry, lacks major power and isn’t traditionally tied to the Avengers? The MCU seems to be redefining their role significantly. With the Thunderbolts confirmed as key players in Doomsday, the asterisk likely suggests they’ll be dubbed 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. This could be a recurring joke throughout the movie, but with Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine buying Avengers Tower and noting the absence of Avengers in the trailer, it appears the Thunderbolts will step into the Avengers’ shoes as the MCU’s primary superhero team.

If the Thunderbolts are rebranded as the New Avengers or a similar title by the film’s conclusion, it would align with the Sentry’s prominence and his evil counterpart, the Void, likely serving as the main villain. The Sentry debuted in a 2000 miniseries but was fully integrated into the Marvel universe in 2005 as part of Brian Michael Bendis’ New Avengers comic.

Thunderbolts: The Chaotic Legacy of Marvel’s Antihero Team

Once established in the MCU, the Thunderbolts could be recruited to form a proper Avengers roster, likely led by Sam Wilson’s Captain America. In Captain America: Brave New World, President Ross tasked Sam with rebuilding the team. With many traditional Avengers unavailable, Sam might 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?

Regarding Doctor Doom, a key challenge for Doomsday is establishing RDJ’s portrayal as a formidable threat. With Galactus taking the villain role in the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot (though a Doom cameo in a post-credits scene remains possible), Doomsday must set the stage for Doom as the Multiverse Saga’s ultimate antagonist. One way to achieve this is by having Doom eliminate several major characters fans assumed were safe. Given the confirmed cast, the Fox X-Men seem the most vulnerable.

Doctor Doom wiping out the Fox X-Men would also clear the way for the traditional MCU cast to return in Secret Wars. We know Secret Wars is on the horizon, and Incursions—colliding universes causing massive destruction, a key element of the 2015 Secret Wars comic—were mentioned in Multiverse of Madness. Witnessing an Incursion firsthand is likely the best way to establish the stakes for Secret Wars, meaning an entire universe may need to perish at Doom’s hands. The Fox X-Men universe is the most logical candidate for destruction. This would create a shocking moment for Doom’s villainy and, like Infinity War’s temporary elimination of newer characters to focus on the original Avengers in Endgame, allow the MCU’s core heroes to return in Secret Wars.

The return of characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, and Captain Marvel to confront Doom and avenge a destroyed universe could deliver a thrilling conclusion to the Multiverse Saga. This approach might be Marvel Studios’ best shot at recapturing the excitement of Endgame’s epic finale, which Phases 4 and 5 have struggled to match. We won’t know Marvel’s full plan until the film releases on May 1, 2026, but this theory offers the most plausible explanation for the limited Avengers presence in Doomsday’s cast.

What’s your take on Avengers: Doomsday’s direction? Share your thoughts in the comments!