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

It's official, Marvel fans: Avengers: Doomsday is now in production. Marvel Studios stunned fans with a live-streamed cast announcement that lasted over five hours and included a surprising mix of X-Men actors. Notably, several key characters were missing entirely, sparking a flurry of speculation among fans processing the reveals. The burning question on everyone's mind: Where are the Avengers in this new "Avengers" movie?

The announcement confirmed 27 characters, but only a few are traditional Avengers members. The roster is dominated by actors from the Fox X-Men franchise, the Thunderbolts, and the Fantastic Four, leaving fans puzzled about the absence of major Avengers like Tom Holland's Spider-Man, Mark Ruffalo's Hulk, Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch, and others. Delving into the in-universe and real-world implications could provide 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 revealed who are traditionally 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 be Avengers, even though Joaquin Torres and Shuri aren't typically part of the team. There are also characters like Namor or the Fantastic Four who have occasionally been Avengers in the comics, but they aren't major players in the team's history.

So, where are the rest of the Avengers? The answer might lie with the Thunderbolts*. The asterisk in the title has been a topic of speculation, and some international posters suggest it indicates "Avengers are not available." However, this could be a playful marketing tactic.

Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, U.S. Agent, and the Sentry are all confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday. The focus on this less powerful team, aside from the Sentry, suggests a significant shift in the MCU. The Thunderbolts may be poised to become the New Avengers by the end of the film, especially with Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine purchasing Avengers Tower and hinting at the absence of the Avengers in the trailers. The Sentry's presence, with his evil counterpart the Void likely as the main antagonist, aligns with his introduction in the 2000 miniseries and his integration into the New Avengers in 2005.

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 in Captain America: Brave New World, where President Ross asks Sam to rebuild the team. With the traditional Avengers unavailable, the Thunderbolts might be the only option, putting them at a disadvantage against Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.

Are the X-Men Doomed in Avengers: Doomsday?

One of the biggest challenges for Avengers: Doomsday is establishing Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom as a credible threat. With Doom absent from the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, where Galactus takes the villain role, Avengers: Doomsday must set the stage for Doom as the ultimate antagonist of the Multiverse Saga. Just as Thanos decimated half of all life in Infinity War, Doom may be poised to eliminate several key characters, with the Fox X-Men seeming most vulnerable.

Eliminating the Fox X-Men would not only create a dramatic moment for Doom but also free up resources for the traditional MCU cast to return in Secret Wars. With Incursions, a plot point from the 2015 Secret Wars comic, already mentioned in Multiverse of Madness, witnessing an Incursion could set the stakes for Secret Wars. The destruction of the Fox X-Men universe by Doom could be the catalyst for the return of characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, and Captain Marvel, who would then lead the charge against Doom in a triumphant finale to the Multiverse Saga. This approach could be Marvel Studios' best chance to match the excitement of Endgame, which they've been trying and failing to replicate in Phases 4 and 5. We'll find out for sure when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1, 2026.

What do you think will happen in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments!