"Doomsday's Absence of Avengers Hints at Major Secret Wars and X-Men Reveals"

Exciting news for Marvel enthusiasts: Avengers: Doomsday is now in production. Marvel Studios has unveiled a live stream cast announcement for this much-anticipated film, which included a surprising lineup of X-Men actors and a notable absence of key characters. The five-and-a-half-hour-long announcement left fans buzzing with excitement and curiosity, particularly about the conspicuous absence of many beloved Avengers in this new "Avengers" movie.

The announcement confirmed 27 characters, yet only a few are traditional Avengers members. The majority of the cast comprises actors from the Fox X-Men franchise, the Thunderbolts, and the Fantastic Four. This unusual lineup raises intriguing questions about the film's plot and its connection to the upcoming Secret Wars. Let's dive deeper into what this could mean for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

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 revealed who have traditional ties to 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 also likely to be part of the Avengers, despite their characters, Joaquin Torres and Shuri, not being typical members. Other characters like Namor or the Fantastic Four have occasionally been Avengers in the comics but aren’t central to the team’s history.

The absence of 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 raises questions. The answer may lie in the Thunderbolts*, with the asterisk hinting at a significant twist. Some international posters suggest the asterisk means “Avengers are not available,” but this could be a playful marketing tactic.

Characters like Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, U.S. Agent, and the Sentry are confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday. The focus on the Thunderbolts, a team not typically considered powerful or Avengers material (except for the Sentry), suggests a major shift in the MCU. With Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine buying Avengers Tower and commenting on the lack of Avengers in the trailer, it seems the Thunderbolts are poised to take on the Avengers' role as the MCU's primary superhero team.

The Thunderbolts potentially becoming the New Avengers by the end of the film aligns with the Sentry’s significant role and his evil counterpart, the Void, likely being the main antagonist. The Sentry was reintroduced in the Marvel universe in 2005 as part of Brian Michael Bendis’ New Avengers comic, adding credence to this theory.

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, potentially 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. With many traditional Avengers unavailable, Sam might have to rely on the Thunderbolts, setting the stage for an initial confrontation with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom at a disadvantage.

Are the X-Men Doomed in Avengers: Doomsday?

Another significant aspect of Doomsday is establishing Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom as a formidable threat. With Doom absent from the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, where Galactus will be the main villain (though Doom might appear in a post-credits scene), Doomsday needs to set up Doom as the ultimate antagonist of the Multiverse Saga. By eliminating major characters thought to be safe, much like Thanos did in Infinity War, Doom could solidify his position. The Fox X-Men appear to be prime targets for this narrative strategy.

Wiping out the Fox X-Men would not only create a shocking moment for Doom but also free up resources for the traditional MCU cast to return in Secret Wars. The concept of Incursions, which involves universes colliding and leading to destruction, has already been mentioned in Multiverse of Madness and is central to the 2015 Secret Wars comic. An Incursion caused by Doom could set the stage for Secret Wars, with the destruction of the Fox X-Men universe being a pivotal event.

The return of characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, and others to confront Doom and avenge the destroyed universe would provide a triumphant conclusion to the Multiverse Saga. This approach could potentially match the excitement of Endgame, which Marvel Studios has been trying and failing to replicate in Phases 4 and 5. We'll have to wait until May 1, 2026, to see if this theory holds true, but for now, it seems a likely explanation for the limited presence of Avengers in the Doomsday cast.