Earlier this year, Marvel Studios unfolded an unprecedented cast announcement; a livestream of directors’ chairs naming the actors in Avengers: Doomsday, an event that lasted over 5 hours. At the end of the video, a total of 27 performers were revealed for the movie. And Chris Evans was not one of those actors.
The man who played Steve Rogers in about ten Marvel Cinematic Universe films was not exactly expected in that lineup, considering he bid a fond farewell in Avengers: Endgame; his final appearance… before now. Internet leaks have uncovered that Evans will be at the center of the first Doomsday trailer. So, it is quite astounding that after Kevin Feige and company announced 27 cast members, someone not included in the list will be in the first footage.
That opens the door for plenty more “unannounced” MCU actors to participate in the Doomsday narrative. Evans was certainly a surprise, so it could be difficult to assume which heroes will be joining the fight against the evil doctor. However, based on storylines leading up to the fifth Avengers epic, many of the following actors could be added to the roster.
Benedict Cumberbatch has gone on record about working on upcoming Avengers projects, before backtracking a bit and leaving room for uncertainty. But the chances of the Doctor Strange actor levitating into either Avengers: Doomsday, Avengers: Secret Wars, or both, are practically 100%.
At this point it would be hard to believe that he wouldn’t have at least a small presence in the former. After all, Strange was the hero who ventured into dimension-hopping mishaps in his previous outing - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Doomsday promises to stick with the alternate reality course that the MCU has been riding for years now.
If Strange is a larger part of the story, one could then expect Charlize Theron, Benedict Wong, or Xochitl Gomez to accompany him. Theron’s Clea was the last person spotted with Strange before journeying into the Dark Dimension. Benedict Wong’s Sorcerer Supreme tends to be involved in important multiversal matters. And since Strange collaborated with Gomez’s dimension-hopping America Chavez in Multiverse of Madness, plot points related to her expertise would appear like a wise place for her to re-enter the MCU.
And speaking of dimension hopping, that is what Monica Rambeau did at the end of The Marvels. Rambeau/Spectrum’s heroics left her stranded in an alternate reality, where Teyonah Parris shared a few seconds of screentime with Kelsey Grammer’s Beast. "Coincidentally", Grammer’s name was called for the Doomsday roster.
It would be unusual if that same version of the X-Man shows up in the next Avengers without incorporating Rambeau into the mix as well. In which case, Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel would have more motive to join the superhero meetup. Carol Danvers is notably one of the most powerful Avengers in the franchise, so that in and of itself would seem like a good reason for her to stand with others against the dominant Doctor Doom.
Aside from Beast, a slew of X-Men are set to enter into the world of the Avengers, so what about the two hottest mutants on the planet in recent years, Deadpool and Wolverine? No one could have imagined Chris Evans would reprise his Human Torch role in their movie. Could Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman return the favor and slice their way into the group that Evans’ Captain America helped assemble.
Another popular hero that was left out of the initial lineup was Spider-Man. Tom Holland will be swinging around town as the web-slinger in next July’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day, so at least fans can look forward to Spidey action outside of an Avengers team-up. Once the summer blockbuster comes out, audiences will know more about what to expect for Peter Parker’s future.
There are also rumors swirling around about the return of past Peter Parkers. It would be hard to top the huge Spider-Man: No Way Home reveal of Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire stepping into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So, unless Kevin Feige and the Russo Brothers have another clever way to include those two Peter Parker actors, there is currently only unsubstantiated speculation that Maguire will appear in Avengers: Doomsday.
One original Avenger who was left without a chair during the Doomsday livestream is actually scheduled to “smash” into Brand New Day – Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk. Just like with Tom Holland, a lot will depend on what occurs in the solo Spidey flick, in terms of a potential Doomsday appearance for Ruffalo. If he did sit out, it would be the first Avengers without the Oscar nominated thespian. The same would go for Samuel L. Jackson (even if he only cameoed in the last few). No one should completely rule out Nick Fury.
There is also not a whole lot of discussion about the Guardians of the Galaxy. Especially Star-Lord, who left off Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 finally back on his home planet. Plus, the ending title card assured us that “The Legendary Star-Lord will Return”. Of course, Chris Pratt’s comeback could take place in a different film, but if something big is brewing while he is on Earth, his exclusion would ultimately need to be explained, like Hawkeye getting some much needed family time during Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Infinity War.
Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye may have officially retired, so his absence in Doomsday would be relatively understandable. But as we learned with the Chris Evans news, anyone and anything is possible for the upcoming Avengers crossover. Particularly in this multiversal era, where even Scarlett Johannson’s Black Widow could shock fans with a cameo. More likely, we will see Hayley Atwell return as Agent Peggy Carter to share crucial moments with Chris Evans.
Lastly, a satisfying inclusion for fans who dislike lingering story threads would be Jonathan Majors. His Council of Kangs tease at the end of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania should at least be addressed in some form. Marvel may have parted ways with the actor, but perhaps could come to an agreement where Majors would finish what he started, in a substantially limited capacity. Or, perhaps more likely, find a different way to incorporate Kang as he possibly falls to new villain Doctor Doom.
Avengers: Doomsday arrives in movie theaters on December 18, 2026.