"Doomsday's Lack of Avengers Hints at Secret Wars, X-Men Involvement"

Exciting news for Marvel enthusiasts: Avengers: Doomsday is officially underway! Marvel Studios unveiled a live stream cast announcement for this eagerly awaited film, which included a surprising lineup of X-Men actors, notable absences, and a marathon session lasting over five and a half hours. As fans process the flood of information, one burning question emerges: Where are the Avengers in this new "Avengers" movie?

The announcement confirmed 27 characters, yet only a few are traditional 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 iconic Avengers such as 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. This shift in focus could hint at significant plot developments for both Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Let's delve deeper into what this might mean.

The Most Surprising Avengers and Marvel Characters Not Announced for Doomsday

12 Images

Why the Thunderbolts Are More Important to Doomsday Than We Thought

The characters announced who have traditional ties 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 be part of the team, despite their characters not typically being Avengers in the comics. Some characters like Namor and the Fantastic Four have occasionally been Avengers, but they aren't central to the team's history.

The absence of key Avengers might be explained by the prominence of the Thunderbolts* in the film. The asterisk has fueled fan theories for months, and some international posters suggest it might indicate that the “Avengers are not available.” However, this could be a marketing gimmick.

Confirmed members of Avengers: Doomsday include Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, U.S. Agent, and the Sentry. Despite their relatively lower power levels (except for the Sentry), the focus on these characters suggests a significant shift in the MCU. The Thunderbolts' involvement hints that the asterisk might signify their transformation into the New Avengers by the film's end. In the trailers, Red Guardian seems to be the only one fond of the "Thunderbolts" moniker, while Bucky insists they "can’t call ourselves that." This could be a running gag throughout the film. Moreover, with Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine purchasing Avengers Tower and commenting on the Avengers' absence, it appears the Thunderbolts are poised to assume the Avengers' role as the MCU's primary superhero team.

The Thunderbolts becoming the New Avengers would also align with the Sentry's significant role, especially considering his evil counterpart, the Void, who is likely the film's main antagonist. The Sentry was introduced in a 2000 miniseries and later integrated into the Marvel Universe as part of the 2005 New Avengers comic by Brian Michael Bendis.

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

11 Images

Once established in the MCU, the Thunderbolts could be recruited to form a new Avengers roster, possibly 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. Given the scarcity of traditional Avengers, Sam might have to rely on the less powerful Thunderbolts, potentially putting them at a disadvantage in their initial confrontation with Robert Downey, Jr.’s Doctor Doom.

Are the X-Men Doomed in Avengers: Doomsday?

One of the primary challenges for Avengers: Doomsday is establishing Robert Downey, Jr.'s Doctor Doom as a credible threat. Since Doom is absent from the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, where Galactus takes center stage (though a cameo might still occur in a post-credits scene), Doomsday must set the stage for Doom as the ultimate antagonist of the Multiverse Saga. A compelling way to do this would be for Doom to eliminate several major characters, much like Thanos did in Infinity War. Given the confirmed characters, the Fox X-Men seem most vulnerable to Doom's wrath.

By wiping out the Fox X-Men, Doom could create space and budget for the return of traditional MCU characters in Secret Wars. With Incursions—a key plot point from the 2015 Secret Wars comic—already mentioned in Multiverse of Madness, witnessing an Incursion firsthand could effectively set the stakes for Secret Wars. The destruction of the Fox X-Men universe by Doctor Doom would be a powerful narrative moment, akin to the temporary removal of newer characters in Infinity War to focus on the original Avengers in Endgame.

The return of characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, and others to confront Doom and avenge the destroyed universe could culminate in a triumphant finale for the Multiverse Saga. This approach might be Marvel Studios' best chance to replicate the excitement of Endgame, which has been elusive through Phases 4 and 5. While we won't have definitive answers until Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1, 2026, this theory offers a compelling explanation for the limited presence of Avengers in the film's cast.