Attention, Marvel fans! The wait is over as Avengers: Doomsday has officially entered production. Marvel Studios made waves with a live stream cast announcement that lasted an astonishing five and a half hours, introducing a mix of X-Men actors and other surprising characters while notably missing several key Avengers. As fans process the flood of information, the burning question remains: Where are the Avengers in this new “Avengers” movie?

The announcement confirmed 27 characters, but only a few are traditional Avengers members. The lineup is dominated by actors from the Fox X-Men franchise, along with members of the Thunderbolts and the Fantastic Four. This leaves us with a limited number of core Avengers, sparking curiosity about the plot implications for both Avengers: Doomsday and the upcoming Secret Wars. Let's delve deeper into what this could mean.

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 from the announcement traditionally linked to the Avengers 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, even though Joaquin Torres and Shuri aren't typically part of the team. Additionally, characters like Namor or the Fantastic Four have had fleeting associations with the Avengers in the comics but aren’t considered central to the team.

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 might lie with the Thunderbolts*, particularly with the mysterious asterisk that has fueled fan theories. While some international posters suggest the asterisk means “Avengers are not available,” it could also be a playful marketing twist.

Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, U.S. Agent, and the Sentry are all set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday. The focus on these less traditionally powerful characters might suggest a significant shift in the MCU. With the Thunderbolts taking a central role, it hints that they might be dubbed the New Avengers by the film's end. In the trailers, Red Guardian seems fond of the “Thunderbolts” name, while Bucky resists it, suggesting a humorous ongoing debate about the team's moniker. Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine’s purchase of Avengers Tower and her remarks about the lack of Avengers in the trailer further indicate that the Thunderbolts could step into the Avengers' shoes as the MCU's primary superhero team.

This rebranding would align with the Sentry's pivotal role and his evil counterpart, the Void, likely being the film's main antagonist. Introduced in 2000 and reincorporated into the Marvel universe in 2005 as part of Brian Michael Bendis’ New Avengers comic, the Sentry’s involvement supports 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. This aligns with a plot point from Captain America: Brave New World, where President Ross asks Sam to help rebuild the team. Given the absence of many traditional Avengers, Sam might have to rely on the less powerful Thunderbolts, setting them up for a challenging initial confrontation with Robert Downey, Jr.’s Doctor Doom.

Are the X-Men Doomed in Avengers: Doomsday?

A major focus of Avengers: Doomsday is establishing 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. Doom could achieve this by eliminating several major characters, much like Thanos did in Infinity War. The confirmed cast suggests that the Fox X-Men are most at risk.

Wiping out the Fox X-Men would not only solidify Doom's villainy but also clear the way for the traditional MCU cast to return in Secret Wars. With Incursions, a key element from the 2015 Secret Wars comic, already mentioned in Multiverse of Madness, showcasing an Incursion firsthand would effectively establish the stakes for Secret Wars. Destroying the Fox X-Men universe would be a dramatic move, freeing up resources for the return of characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, and Captain Marvel to confront Doom and avenge the lost universe.

This approach could culminate in a thrilling finale to the Multiverse Saga, potentially matching the excitement of Endgame, which Marvel Studios has struggled to replicate in Phases 4 and 5. While we won't know for certain 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.