The Apparent Lack of Actual Avengers in Doomsday May Give Us Big Secret Wars (and X-Men) Hints

Exciting news for Marvel fans: Avengers: Doomsday is now officially in production. Marvel Studios thrilled audiences with a live stream cast announcement for the upcoming film, which revealed an unexpected mix of X-Men actors, some glaring absences, and ran an astonishing five and a half hours. As fans process these revelations, a burning question remains: Where are all the Avengers in this new "Avengers" movie?

The announcement confirmed 27 characters, yet only a few are official Avengers members. The roster is predominantly filled with actors from the Fox X-Men franchise, the Thunderbolts, and the Fantastic Four, leaving fans puzzled about the whereabouts of key Avengers. Delving into the in-universe and real-world implications of this casting choice might offer significant clues about the plots of both Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.

The Most Surprising Avengers and Marvel Characters Not Announced for Doomsday

12 ImagesWhy the Thunderbolts Are More Important to Doomsday Than We Thought

The only characters announced who have traditionally been 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 join the Avengers, despite Joaquin Torres and Shuri not typically being part of the team. Additionally, characters like Namor or the Fantastic Four have had brief stints with the Avengers in the comics, but aren't central figures in the team’s history.

So 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, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange, and others? The answer may lie in the Thunderbolts*, and the mysterious asterisk that has sparked fan theories for months. Some international posters suggest the asterisk hints at an “Avengers are not available” message, though this could be a playful marketing tactic.

Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, U.S. Agent, and the Sentry are confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday. Why such a focus on a team with less power (except for the Sentry) and not traditionally Avengers? It seems the MCU is setting the stage for a major shift. With the Thunderbolts poised to play a significant role in Doomsday, it hints that the asterisk might signify them becoming the New Avengers by the film's end. In the trailers, Red Guardian is the only one who seems to favor the “Thunderbolts” name, while Bucky insists they “can’t call ourselves that.” This could be a recurring gag throughout the movie. Additionally, with team benefactor Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine purchasing Avengers Tower and commenting on the absence of Avengers, it appears the Thunderbolts are stepping into the Avengers' shoes as the MCU’s primary superhero team.

The Thunderbolts becoming the New Avengers, or something similar, fits well with the Sentry's prominent 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 integrated into the Marvel universe in 2005 as part of Brian Michael Bendis’ New Avengers comic.

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. Recall that in Captain America: Brave New World, President Ross asked Sam to help rebuild the team. With many traditional Avengers unavailable, Sam might have to rely on the less powerful Thunderbolts, setting the stage for a challenging initial confrontation with Robert Downey, Jr.’s Doctor Doom.

Are the X-Men Doomed in Avengers: Doomsday?

One of Doomsday's primary goals is to establish Robert Downey, Jr.’s Doctor Doom as a formidable threat. Since Doom is absent from the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, where Galactus takes the villain role (though a cameo might appear in a post-credits scene), Doomsday must set the stage for Doom as the Multiverse Saga’s ultimate antagonist. What better way than for Doom to eliminate several major characters fans thought were safe? Just as Thanos snapped away half of all life and many fan favorites in Infinity War, Doctor Doom might be poised to decimate a significant portion of Doomsday's cast. 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 free up resources for the more traditional MCU cast to return in Secret Wars. With Secret Wars on the horizon and Incursions (multiple universes colliding) already mentioned in Multiverse of Madness, witnessing an Incursion firsthand could set the stakes for Secret Wars. This means an entire universe might need to be destroyed by Doctor Doom, and the Fox X-Men universe is the logical choice. This move would not only be a dramatic "you bastard!" moment for Doom but also allow Secret Wars to focus on the return of characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, and others to confront Doom and avenge the destroyed universe.

This approach could provide a triumphant finale to the Multiverse Saga, potentially matching the excitement of Endgame's epic conclusion, which Marvel Studios has been trying and failing to replicate in Phases 4 and 5. While we won't know for sure until Avengers: Doomsday premieres on May 1, 2026, this theory offers a compelling explanation for the limited presence of Avengers in the film's cast.