"Doomsday's Missing Avengers Hint at Secret Wars and X-Men"

Get ready, Marvel enthusiasts: Avengers: Doomsday is officially in production. Marvel Studios stunned fans with a live stream cast announcement that ran over five and a half hours, revealing a cast heavy on X-Men actors but notably missing many beloved Avengers. As the fan community digests these reveals, the burning question remains: Where are all the Avengers in this new "Avengers" movie?

The announcement confirmed 27 characters, yet only a few are traditional Avengers members. The roster leans heavily towards the Fox X-Men franchise, the Thunderbolts, and the Fantastic Four, leaving fans puzzled about the absence of key Avengers. Delving into the in-universe and real-world implications might offer clues about the plots of both Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Let's dive in.

The Most Surprising Avengers and Marvel Characters Not Announced for Doomsday

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

The cast announcement included only a handful of characters traditionally associated with the Avengers, such as 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 Avengers, though their comic counterparts, Joaquin Torres and Shuri, are not typical team members. Other characters like Namor or the Fantastic Four have occasionally joined the Avengers in the comics but aren’t central to the team’s history.

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 tied to the Thunderbolts* and the mysterious asterisk that has sparked fan theories. International posters hint at an “Avengers are not available” message, which could be a clever marketing ploy.

Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, U.S. Agent, and the Sentry are confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday. The focus on these less traditionally powerful characters (with the exception of the Sentry) who aren't typically Avengers suggests a significant shift in the MCU. With the Thunderbolts set to play a crucial role in Doomsday, it's possible the asterisk hints at them becoming the New Avengers by the film's end. In the trailers, Red Guardian seems fond of the “Thunderbolts” name, while Bucky is adamant about not using it. Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine’s purchase of Avengers Tower and her comments about the lack of Avengers in the trailer further indicate that the Thunderbolts might step into the Avengers' shoes as the MCU's premier superhero team.

The Thunderbolts adopting the New Avengers moniker aligns well with the Sentry's role and his evil counterpart, the Void, likely being the main antagonist. The Sentry was reintroduced into the Marvel Universe in 2005 as part of Brian Michael Bendis’ New Avengers comic, which could be a nod to this new direction.

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

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Once established in the MCU, the Thunderbolts might be recruited to fill out a new Avengers roster, possibly led by Sam Wilson’s Captain America. In Captain America: Brave New World, President Ross enlists Sam to help rebuild the team. With traditional Avengers unavailable, Sam might have to rely on the less powerful Thunderbolts, setting the stage for an initial confrontation with Robert Downey, Jr.’s Doctor Doom.

Are the X-Men Doomed in Avengers: Doomsday?

A major goal for Avengers: Doomsday is to establish Robert Downey, Jr.'s Doctor Doom as a formidable threat. With Doom missing from the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, where Galactus takes the villain role (though a cameo might still occur in a post-credits scene), Doomsday must set the stage for Doom's role as the Multiverse Saga's ultimate antagonist. Much like Thanos in Infinity War, Doom could eliminate several major characters, particularly those from the Fox X-Men franchise.

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. Incursions, a key plot element from the 2015 Secret Wars comic, have already been mentioned in Multiverse of Madness. Witnessing an Incursion firsthand would heighten the stakes for Secret Wars, likely involving the destruction of an entire universe at Doom's hands. Destroying the Fox X-Men universe aligns with this narrative, allowing characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, and others to return and confront Doom in a triumphant finale to the Multiverse Saga.

This approach might be Marvel Studios' best shot at recreating the excitement of Endgame, which they've struggled to match in Phases 4 and 5. While we won't know for certain until Avengers: Doomsday premieres on May 1, 2026, this theory offers a plausible explanation for the sparse presence of traditional Avengers in the film's cast.