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

Excitement is building among Marvel fans as Avengers: Doomsday officially enters production. Marvel Studios recently stunned audiences with a live stream cast announcement that revealed a surprising lineup for the new film. The announcement was not only notable for its inclusion of X-Men actors but also for the absence of several key characters, and the marathon duration of the stream—clocking in at a whopping five and a half hours. As fans process the flood of information, one burning question emerges: Where are all the Avengers in this new "Avengers" movie?

The live stream confirmed 27 characters, yet only a small fraction of these are official Avengers members. The roster is heavily populated by actors from the Fox X-Men franchise, the Thunderbolts, and the Fantastic Four, leaving fans puzzled about the absence of iconic 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. Delving into both the in-universe and real-world implications of this lineup might provide significant clues about the plots 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 announcement included only a few characters traditionally linked to the Avengers in the comics or the MCU: 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 Avengers, despite Joaquin Torres and Shuri not being typical team members. Other characters like Namor or the Fantastic Four have occasionally been part of the Avengers in the comics but aren't central to the team's narrative.

The absence of major Avengers raises questions, but the answer might lie with the Thunderbolts* and the mysterious asterisk that has fueled fan speculation. Some international posters hint that the asterisk could signify that the "Avengers are not available," though this might be a clever marketing tactic.

Characters like Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, U.S. Agent, and the Sentry are confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday. The focus on these characters, who aren't typically considered powerful or part of the Avengers, suggests a significant shift in the MCU. The Thunderbolts' role in the film hints that they may be rebranded as the New Avengers by the end. In the trailers, Red Guardian appears fond of the "Thunderbolts" moniker, while Bucky seems to reject it. This could be a running gag, but with Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine's purchase of Avengers Tower and her remarks about the absence of Avengers, it's clear the Thunderbolts are poised to take over as the MCU's primary superhero team.

The rebranding to New Avengers aligns with the inclusion of the Sentry and his evil counterpart, the Void, who is likely the film's main antagonist. The Sentry, first introduced in 2000 and reincorporated into the Marvel Universe in 2005 as part of Brian Michael Bendis' New Avengers comic, adds further weight to 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. Recall that in Captain America: Brave New World, President Ross enlists Sam to rebuild the team. With many traditional Avengers unavailable, Sam might have to rely on the less powerful Thunderbolts, setting the stage for a challenging 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. Given Doom's absence from the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, where Galactus will serve as the main villain, Avengers: Doomsday becomes crucial in setting up Doom as the Multiverse Saga's ultimate antagonist. Doom's potential to eliminate significant characters, reminiscent of Thanos' snap in Infinity War, could see him wiping out the Fox X-Men, thereby making room for the traditional MCU cast to shine in Secret Wars.

Incursions, a key element of the 2015 Secret Wars comic storyline, have already been referenced in Multiverse of Madness. An Incursion, where multiple universes collide and cause destruction, would be an ideal way to raise the stakes for Secret Wars. By having Doom destroy the Fox X-Men universe, Marvel can create a dramatic moment that also clears space and budget for the return of beloved characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, and Captain Marvel. Their return to confront Doom and avenge the lost universe could provide a thrilling conclusion to the Multiverse Saga, possibly recapturing the excitement of Endgame that Marvel has been trying and failing to replicate in Phases 4 and 5. We'll have to wait until May 1, 2026, to see if this theory holds true, but it offers a compelling explanation for the sparse Avengers presence in the Doomsday cast.