The Avengers: Doomsday casting announcement shocked fans worldwide by unveiling that many of our favorite heroes are bound to assemble yet again in one epic multiversal adventure. Thor, The New Avengers, Captain America, and the Fantastic Four will all be there, along with countless other fan-favorites. However, heroes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe aren't the only ones that are about to steal the spotlight. Much to fans' surprise, variants of the X-Men from the Fox universe will also join the fight against Victor Von Doom (which was a long time coming).
In case the list of over 25 characters didn't seem like enough, then we have good news. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has confirmed there's still room for more. Many assumed that this was an indirect confirmation that big heroes like Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Hulk, and Captain Marvel would make a comeback. How could they not? They were all present in Avengers: Endgame (with Hulk even appearing in all Avengers movies to date), and they are incredibly popular characters. However, a new report might indicate that one of them will not be in Doomsday after all.
Doctor Strange has a big role in the MCU's Multiverse Saga, but he might skip Avengers: Doomsday
Renowned industry scooper Alex Perez has monthly superhero Q&As, which are then published in The Cosmic Circus. During June's round of questions, Alex was asked whether Doctor Strange will have a big role in Avengers: Doomsday, to which he responded that he doesn't know what's going on with the character in the upcoming movie.
That's certainly... odd, especially for an insider who even knew that Henry Cavill would appear as a Wolverine variant during Deadpool & Wolverine. With production for the MCU's next big crossover underway, Doctor Strange's arc should already be set in stone... unless he isn't going to appear in the film altogether.
The soon-to-be Sorcerer Supreme had a major role in Avengers: Infinity War, yet he barely had any screentime during Avengers: Endgame. This was done to ensure that the many MCU characters who appeared in both movies had balanced screen times overall and that they each had their chance to shine. It wouldn't be too far-fetched to assume we'll see a similar approach in Doomsday and Secret Wars, especially considering that the Russo Brothers will be the directors yet again. With that in mind, there's a chance that big heroes will be absent through the first chapter of the end of the Multiverse Saga, only to return in the second part.
Back in January 2025, Benedict Cumberbatch himself shocked the world by announcing he wouldn't be reprising his role as Doctor Strange during Avengers: Doomsday because his character would "not align with this part of the story". He would later backtrack those comments, but he also said we should never believe anything he says. Maybe the script's constant rewrites (and the project's secrecy overall) have led to a situation where not even the actors or insiders truly know what's going on with the beloved hero. However, we know he's bound to have a huge role as we head towards the end of the Multiverse Saga.
The last time we saw Doctor Strange, he embarked on a mission with Clea to fix an upcoming incursion. With that in mind, there's a scenario where Stephen Strange misses out on the events of Avengers: Doomsday because he was in another universe altogether, attempting to prevent the multiverse's collapse as a whole. Meanwhile, Doctor Doom will reportedly form Battleworld by the end of the movie, which is an amalgamation of every Marvel reality in existence. In that moment, we could see Doctor Strange's return, but only for a little while before we head into Secret Wars.
Unfortunately, we might have to wait until the release of Avengers: Doomsday to completely figure out who will make it into the final cut and who won't. But at the very least, we know some big comebacks are in store and that the X-Men, New Avengers, and Fantastic Four will all be there, which is a first in the history of superhero cinema. That alone is more than enough if you were to ask me.
Avengers: Doomsday will be released on December 18, 2026.