The Avengers: Doomsday cast list has been revealed, and all anyone can talk about is… who’s missing. It’s a strange state of affairs when one of the most star-studded line-ups in Hollywood history, announced via a five-hour live-stream featuring a bunch of named chairs, has everyone looking at the gaps. Then again, we’re not just talking about any cast: we’re looking at the next Avengers line-up.
Various reports have already signalled that the initial announcement – revealing everyone from Chris Hemsworth’s Thor to Patrick Stewart’s Professor X will be in Doomsday – is just the start of the cast rollout, with more names to be announced as production continues. So, which Marvel characters are left to join Captain America in the fight against Doom? Let’s run down the biggest missing heroes.
The Hulk and Hawkeye
Considering Bruce Banner and Clint Barton, alongside Thor, are two of the only remaining OG Avengers, it’s a surprise that neither Mark Ruffalo nor Jeremy Renner are part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast. Banner was last seen introducing his son, Skaar, to his family in She-Hulk (more on that later), while Hawkeye retired his alter-ego, Ronin, in the Hawkeye series. Both have embraced being family men rather than superheroes; perhaps they’re enjoying a newfound work-life balance instead of fighting Doom?
Ms. Marvel and The Young Avengers
After headlining a Disney Plus series, Ms. Marvel leaped to the big screen in The Marvels. That movie ended with Kamala Khan collecting friends, starting with Kate Bishop, in the hopes of forming a new superhero team, presumably the Young Avengers. Potential members that are already part of the MCU include Skaar, Cassie Lang, America Chavez, Riri Williams, Billy Maximoff, and Eli Bradley. Unfortunately, none of the actors behind those roles have been announced for Doomsday. However, in a recent episode of Daredevil: Born Again, we learnt that Kamala is "in California, visiting some friends". Our money is on them arriving when the Fantastic Four need them most.
Captain Marvel
Speaking of The Marvels, Captain Marvel is AWOL from the Avengers line-up – something that seems particularly strange considering she was expected to take on a leading role in the Avengers after Endgame. She’s currently living on Earth with Goose, having moved into a house with help from Khan’s family. It would be odd if Sam Wilson didn’t give her a call to help with an incoming threat from Doom.
Monica Rambeau and Nick Fury
To continue down The Marvels route, two major characters who appeared in that movie are missing from Doomsday: Monica Rambeau and Nick Fury. Rambeau was previously speculated to have a key part in Doomsday – she’s currently stuck in the X-Men universe following an incursion between timelines. It would make sense that a forlorn Nick Fury – who, lest we forget, started the entire Avengers initiative – would look for a way to retrieve Rambeau, thus setting his universe and the X-Men universe on a collision path. To add to why their absence is particularly grating, Kelsey Grammer’s Beast, who appeared in The Marvels post-credit scene alongside Rambeau, has been confirmed for Doomsday.
Storm and Jean Grey (and other X-Men)
After Disney acquired Fox, Marvel mastermind Kevin Feige quickly went about bringing the X-Men into the MCU. Doomsday will bring everything full circle with Patrick Stewart's Professor X, Ian Mckellen’s Magneto, Alan Cumming’s Nightcrawler, Rebecca Romijn’s Mystique, and James Marsden’s Cyclops all confirmed so far. That leaves a few major names out, including Halle Berry's Storm and Famke Janssen's Jean Grey, both major parts of the original X-Men line-up – more so than Nightcrawler (no offence, Kurt Wagner). Are they being held back for a second cast reveal? Then, of course, there are the likes of Anna Paquin's Rogue and Shawn Ashmore's Iceman, who could very well cameo in Doomsday. Oh, and then there are the rebooted X-Men… Actually, let’s not go overboard.
Deadpool and Wolverine (and friends)
How can we talk about the X-Men without discussing the X-Man, Wolverine? After his tragic demise in 2017’s Logan, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine was fittingly brought back into the fold by Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool in the aptly titled Deadpool and Wolverine. So, where are the troublesome duo? Like Hawkeye and Hulk, they are seemingly too busy enjoying family time, their movie having ended with them back home, reconnecting with their loved ones. We can also ask the same of Wesley Snipes’s Blade, Jennifer Garner’s Elektra Natchios, and X-23 herself, Dafne Keen. Just to confuse things a little, Channing Tatum’s Gambit – who debuted in Deadpool & Wolverine – will appear in Doomsday. Make of that what you will.
Doctor Strange and Clea
With Fox’s X-Men becoming an ever-growing part of the MCU, the multiverse has officially gone mad, yet its minder, Doctor Strange, is nowhere to be seen in the fight against Doom. Benedict Cumberbatch’s Strange was warned by his new companion Clea, played by Charlize Theron, that his actions in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness had triggered numerous incursions. Which, you would think, puts him on a path to meeting Doom.
Scarlet Witch
Last seen sacrificing herself to destroy the Darkhold in Multiverse of Madness, the Scarlet Witch’s absence makes a lot of sense. She’s dead! Or is she? We did not see a body, and fans have speculated that Elizabeth Olsen’s Sorceress could make a comeback sooner rather than later. Considering she played a key role in introducing the MCU to the multiverse, it would not be a surprise to see the Avengers turning to Wanda (or perhaps a Variant of her) for help, though that may have to wait for Avengers: Secret Wars. (It’s worth noting that the multiverse-hopping America Chavez would make complete sense to appear in the ultimate multiverse movie, Doomsday.)
Wong
In many ways, Benedict Wong’s Wong has been The Multiverse Saga’s glue, sticking together various separate projects, having appeared in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Considering none of the main Doctor Strange cast have been announced for Doomsday, it’s less surprising that Wong’s name is not on the call sheet. But let’s be real, there’s no way the multiverse will break without the Sorcerer Supreme knowing.
Spider-Man and His Variants
Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is arguably the most important character in the MCU right now – the only hero to lead a multi-billion-dollar movie in the years since Endgame. Yet, somehow, Holland’s chair was not pulled up alongside Robert Downey Jr..’s during the Doomsday cast announcement. It’s important to note that Holland’s Spider-Man 4 will release between Doomsday and Secret Wars, implying that his journey during the events of Doomsday may be saved for that film. Rumor also has it that Spider-Man will go on to play an essential role in Secret Wars. On that note, it would then make sense for any Spider-Man Variants, like Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, to be saved for Secret Wars.
Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter
There have been a large number of reports speculating online about who will appear in Doomsday, the most viral of which have claimed that Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell will appear in the movie. Considering Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU as Doom, it would make sense for Evan and Atwell to appear as Variants of Rogers and Carter in Doomsday, potentially versions of those characters in Doom’s timeline. Both actors have had steady work in the MCU since their original characters aged out of superhero work in Endgame, with Evans appearing in Deadpool & Wolverine and Atwell playing variations of Captain Carter in Multiverse of Madness and the animated series, What If…?.
Nicolas Cage's Ghost Rider and Ben Affleck's Daredevil
A few more variants for you. Nicolas Cage played Ghost Rider in the 2007 movie and its sequel, 2012’s Spirit of Vengeance, while Affleck portrayed Matt Murdoch in 2003’s Daredevil alongside Garner’s Elektra. They are the two last remaining major Marvel alumni not to have appeared in some form in the MCU, and with Secret Wars closing the door on The Multiverse Saga, this may be the last chance Feige has to wrangle the two actors into appearing in his universe.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Whether Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is canonical to the MCU, or how much exactly of the series is part of the canon, remains hotly debated. Most fans agree that Phil Coulson’s television adventures are canon, even if they are inconsistent with the main MCU timeline. What would confirm the series as canon would be an appearance from one of its characters, like Chloe Bennet's Quake or Adrianne Palicki's Bobbi Morse, in an Avengers movie. Considering how packed Doomsday already is, it seems unlikely. Then again, Anson Mount reprised his role as Black Bolt from the long-forgotten Inhumans in Multiverse of Madness. Don’t count out a background cameo from a S.H.I.E.L.D. member in Doomsday – or even a reappearance of someone from Runaways or Cloak & Dagger.
The Guardians of the Galaxy
We have gone over a lot of various multiverse shenanigans, but there are still dozens of main-universe Avengers missing from the Doomsday line-up. The Guardians of the Galaxy played a major role in Infinity War, with members Nebula and Gamora being tied to the villain Thanos, though they are now absent from the fight against Doom. This makes sense considering the events of Guardians Vol. 3, when the majority of original Guardians went their separate ways and a new squad – consisting of Rocket, Groot, Kraglin, Cosmo, Adam Warlock, Phyla, and Blurp – took on the name. However, they too are missing from the battle against Doom, as is Star-Lord, who was last seen on Earth, reuniting with his grandfather. Another superhero retiring to spend time with his family? It’s beginning to feel like a recurring theme (although Guardians 3 did end with the tag "The Legendary Star-Lord Will Return").
She-Hulk, Moon Knight and Agatha (and Echo, Ironheart, Wonder Man, and Werewolf by Night)
When Feige first announced that Marvel’s Disney Plus shows would feed into the movies, and the movies would feed back into the shows, everyone was eager to see exactly how that would work. And while WandaVision and Ms. Marvel laid the foundations for Multiverse of Madness and The Marvels, respectively, the TV shows have slowly had less and less impact on their big-screen counterparts. Now, it seems Marvel’s small-screen heroes are destined to stay on streaming. She-Hulk, Moon Knight, Agatha, Echo, Ironheart, Wonder Man, and Werewolf by Night are nowhere to be seen. It’s a shame, but also, if these characters were given key roles in Doomsday, it may feel like giving us all a bit too much homework to do before heading to the cinema.
Daredevil and The Defenders
Yes, Daredevil could be grouped with the other Disney Plus heroes who have not been recruited by Sam Wilson to join the Avengers, but come on, this is Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, one of the most popular characters in the MCU and the only Defender to have been featured in a movie, having cameod in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Yet, there’s nary a whiff of Marvel’s horniest hero joining the MCU. Everyone wants it to happen. Make it happen, Feige!
War Machine
James Rhodes has had a hard time in the MCU. Not only was he recast between Iron Man and Iron Man 2, but the war veteran’s solo series, Armor Wars, was retooled into a movie, and then taken off the release schedule altogether, with no word on whether it’s still releasing or not. On top of that, Rhodes' appearance in Secret Invasion complicated things even further as it was revealed that a shape-shifting Skrull invader had taken Rhodes' place for an unknown amount of time. Perhaps it’s no wonder that Don Cheadle’s chair was not on the Doomsday line-up – dealing with the aftermath of the little-seen Secret Invasion may just be too much for Doomsday. Still, if Doom turns out to be a Tony Stark Variant, surely Rhodes will have a lot of emotional trauma to deal with?
Happy Hogan and Pepper Potts
On that note, Robert Downey Jr.’s casting as Doom hints at some major internal conflicts for certain characters. Spider-Man will have to reconcile with the fact that his new nemesis has the face of his former mentor. Likewise, Happy Hogan and Pepper Potts were Stark’s closest confidants, and Doom’s appearance will shake them to their core. Like Holland’s Spider-Man, it would not be a shock to see the pair making an appearance in Secret Wars when – theory time! – Doom will have taken over Earth and his identity unmasked.
Kang
It’s no surprise that Jonathan Majors has not been announced as part of the Doomsday cast. Although the movie was originally subtitled The Kang Dynasty, Majors, who plays Kang, was found guilty in court of two misdemeanor counts of assault and harassment. Marvel cut ties with the actor after the initial accusations were made. Previously, there was some discussion online regarding whether the role could be recast – after all, Kang has thousands of Variants – but that never came to pass (the general negative reception to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania may have had something to do with it). Instead, the imposing threat of Kang has been all but forgotten.
The TVA
Although Kang died on his way to his home planet, the TVA are still very much a part of the Marvel universe. Indeed, Loki, the new keeper of time and leader of the TVA, has been confirmed for Doomsday. That means other members of the TVA, tasked with keeping the timelines in check, will almost certainly appear in Doomsday. Sophia Di Martino’s Sylvie is an almost shoo-in for some kind of role in stopping Doom.
Wasp, Valkyrie, Nakia, and Okoyo
The Doomsday line-up has drawn some criticism for being heavily male-dominated, with only five women among the 26 names announced. That’s not for lack of female characters in the MCU: Wasp has co-headlined two MCU movies, Valkyrie leads the people of Asgard on Earth, and Nakia and Okoyo are major parts of the Black Panther movies. If Sam Wilson is recruiting new Avengers, he could turn to any of them for help.
Taskmaster, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (and Everett K. Ross)
The Thunderbolts* has yet to reach theaters, yet the Avengers: Doomsday line-up potentially spoils who does and does not survive the movie. Taskmaster, who was introduced in Black Widow, has been absent from a fair amount of the movie’s marketing, and without Olga Kurylenko among those announced for Doomsday, it seems her fate may be sealed. Likewise, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is missing in action despite having brought the Thunderbolts* together. And finally, there’s Martin Freeman’s Everett K. Ross, who is not in Thunderbolts* but is worth a shout-out just for the sake of it.
The Eternals, Kit Harington and Blade
Finally, we reach The Eternals. After the immortal group’s introductory movie failed to make billions at the box office, their fate has remained unknown. Last we saw, Sersi, Phastos, and Kingo were taken by a Celestial back to its homeworld for judgment, while the other Eternals were seen traveling through space with Harry Styles’ Eros. A sequel was clearly in the works, and it’s unlikely Doomsday – or Secret Wars – will wrap up those story strands. Saying that, the events of Eternals – in which a Celestial came out of the Earth’s core – were finally referenced in Captain America: Brave New World. Could they be on for a comeback? Oh, and Kit Harington was in that film, with the post-credits scene teasing a team-up with Mahershala Ali’s Blade. The less said about that, the better.
For more on all things Marvel, check out our guides to upcoming Marvel movies and shows as well as how to watch the Marvel movies in order.
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