Avengers Absence in Doomsday Hints at Secret Wars, X-Men

Exciting news for Marvel enthusiasts: Avengers: Doomsday is now in production. Marvel Studios thrilled fans with a live stream cast announcement that unveiled a surprising lineup featuring numerous X-Men actors, alongside notable absences and a marathon reveal session clocking in at over five and a half hours. As the fans process this flood of information, one burning question emerges: Where are the core Avengers in this new "Avengers" movie?

The announcement confirmed 27 characters, yet only a few are traditional Avengers members. The roster is heavily populated with actors from the Fox X-Men franchise, the Thunderbolts, and the Fantastic Four, leaving fans puzzled about the whereabouts of key Avengers like Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk, Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel, and others. Delving into the in-universe and real-world implications of this casting choice might offer significant clues about the narratives of both Avengers: Doomsday and the upcoming Secret Wars.

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 from the announcement traditionally linked to the Avengers are Anthony Mackie’s Captain America, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, and Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man. Additionally, Danny Ramirez’s Falcon and Letitia Wright’s Black Panther are likely to join the Avengers, despite their characters not typically being part of the team. Other characters like Namor and the Fantastic Four have had brief stints with the Avengers in the comics but aren't central to the team's history.

The absence of major Avengers like Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, and others raises questions. The answer might be tied to the Thunderbolts*, with the asterisk sparking fan theories. Some international posters suggest the asterisk means "Avengers are not available," but this could be a playful marketing tactic.

Confirmed members of Avengers: Doomsday include Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, U.S. Agent, and the Sentry. The focus on these less traditionally powerful characters, aside from the Sentry, suggests a significant shift in the MCU. The Thunderbolts' prominence hints that they might be rebranded as the New Avengers by the film's end. In the trailers, Red Guardian seems fond of the "Thunderbolts" name, while Bucky disagrees, suggesting a humorous subplot about their team identity. Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine's purchase of Avengers Tower and her comments on the Avengers' absence further indicate that the Thunderbolts are poised to take over as the MCU's primary superhero team.

The Sentry's inclusion, with his evil counterpart the Void likely as the main antagonist, aligns with his introduction in the 2000 miniseries and his integration into the New Avengers in 2005. This could set the stage for the Thunderbolts to become a legitimate Avengers team, possibly led by Sam Wilson’s Captain America, who was tasked with rebuilding the team in Captain America: Brave New World. Facing Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom, the less powerful Thunderbolts might be at a disadvantage initially.

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

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Are the X-Men Doomed in Avengers: Doomsday?

One of the major challenges for Avengers: Doomsday is establishing Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom as a formidable threat. With Doom absent from the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, where Galactus takes the villain role, Avengers: Doomsday must set the stage for Doom as the ultimate antagonist of the Multiverse Saga. A dramatic way to achieve this could be Doom eliminating several key characters, much like Thanos did in Infinity War. The Fox X-Men seem most at risk, given the confirmed cast.

Eliminating the Fox X-Men would not only create a shocking moment for Doom but also free up resources for the return of traditional MCU characters in Secret Wars. With Incursions already mentioned in Multiverse of Madness, witnessing an Incursion firsthand could set the stakes for Secret Wars, requiring the destruction of an entire universe. The Fox X-Men universe is a likely candidate for this, paving the way for characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, and Captain Marvel to return and confront Doom, avenging the lost universe.

This approach could provide a thrilling conclusion to the Multiverse Saga, potentially recapturing the excitement of Endgame, which Marvel has struggled to replicate in Phases 4 and 5. While we won't know the full story until Avengers: Doomsday premieres on May 1, 2026, this theory offers a compelling explanation for the limited presence of traditional Avengers in the film's cast.