"Doomsday's Avengers Absence Hints at Secret Wars, X-Men"

It’s official: Avengers: Doomsday is moving forward, and Marvel Studios has just dropped a massive cast announcement via a live stream that left fans buzzing. The reveal brought together a surprising number of X-Men actors, while notably omitting several core Avengers characters—and yes, the whole event ran for over five hours. As fans digest the details, one question stands out: Why are so few classic Avengers appearing in this new “Avengers” movie?

The official list includes 27 confirmed characters, but only a small portion of them are traditional Avengers. Much of the roster is made up of former Fox X-Men stars, Thunderbolts members, and upcoming Fantastic Four actors—leaving us with just a handful of recognizable faces from Earth's Mightiest Heroes. However, this casting direction may offer major clues about the future of the MCU, especially regarding both Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Let’s dive into what it all could mean.

Most Surprising Absences in Avengers: Doomsday

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

Only a few characters revealed in the announcement are classic Avengers. Among them are Anthony Mackie as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, and Paul Rudd as Ant-Man. Danny Ramirez’s Falcon and Letitia Wright’s Black Panther will likely be part of the team, even if they aren’t the exact versions previously associated with the Avengers. There are also figures like Namor or the Fantastic Four who have had limited ties to the Avengers in the comics, but never held central roles.

So where are Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk, Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel, Don Cheadle’s War Machine, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange, and others? Part of the answer might lie in the Thunderbolts*, and that mysterious asterisk fans have speculated about for months. (Although some international posters suggest the asterisk indicates the phrase "Avengers are not available," that could simply be a marketing ploy.)

Now that we know the Thunderbolts will play a major role in Doomsday, it hints that by the end of the film, they might be referred to as the New Avengers—or something similar. In the trailers, Red Guardian seems proud of the Thunderbolts name, but Bucky clearly resists it. This could lead to an ongoing joke throughout the film. Additionally, Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine has purchased Avengers Tower and comments on the lack of active Avengers, suggesting the Thunderbolts will take over as the MCU’s primary superhero team.

This narrative shift makes sense when considering the presence of the Sentry, whose dark alter ego, the Void, is expected to be the film’s main antagonist. The Sentry was reintroduced into the Marvel universe in Brian Michael Bendis’ New Avengers comic series in 2005, making his inclusion here potentially symbolic of a larger transition in the MCU.

The Thunderbolts: A Complicated Legacy in Marvel Comics

11 ImagesOnce fully introduced in the MCU, the Thunderbolts can become a stepping stone toward rebuilding a full Avengers roster, likely led by Sam Wilson’s Captain America. Remember, during Captain America: Brave New World, President Ross asked Sam to help rebuild the Avengers. Without access to many traditional heroes, he may turn to the Thunderbolts for support—putting them at a disadvantage when facing Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom head-on.

Is the X-Men Universe Fated to Fall in Avengers: Doomsday?

With RDJ returning as Doctor Doom, establishing him as a legitimate threat becomes crucial. Since Doom won't appear in the Fantastic Four reboot (where Galactus is set to be the main villain), Doomsday must serve as his introduction as the Multiverse Saga’s central antagonist. One way to do that is by having him eliminate several fan-favorite characters, much like Thanos did in Infinity War.

Looking at the confirmed cast, it seems the Fox X-Men characters are most at risk. Wiping them out would allow Marvel Studios to free up resources and budget for the return of core MCU heroes in Secret Wars. Given that Secret Wars is coming and Incursions—key plot points from the 2015 storyline—are already referenced in Multiverse of Madness, it makes sense for Doctor Doom to destroy an entire universe on screen.

Eliminating the Fox X-Men universe would create a dramatic emotional impact and mirror how Infinity War temporarily removed newer characters to refocus on the original Avengers in Endgame. This move would give space for Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, and others to return and directly confront Doom in Secret Wars, delivering a satisfying conclusion to the Multiverse Saga.

While we’ll have to wait until May 1, 2026, to see if this theory plays out, it currently offers the most logical explanation for the surprisingly low number of Avengers in Avengers: Doomsday.