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

It’s finally official — Avengers: Doomsday is moving forward, and Marvel Studios made the big reveal with a marathon live stream announcing the film’s cast. The event brought plenty of surprises, including the unexpected presence of several X-Men actors, the notable absence of some fan-favorite characters, and yes — it did last over five hours. As fans digest all the news, one major question keeps coming up: Why are there so few actual Avengers in this new “Avengers” movie?

Marvel confirmed 27 characters for Avengers: Doomsday, yet only a small portion of them are traditional Avengers members. Instead, much of the roster is made up of actors from the former Fox X-Men franchise, the Thunderbolts, and the Fantastic Four. This leaves us with just a handful of recognizable Avengers like Anthony Mackie’s Captain America, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, and Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man. While Danny Ramirez as Falcon and Letitia Wright as Black Panther are likely to be part of the team, others like Namor or the Fantastic Four have only dabbled with Avengers membership in the comics.

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 other key figures? To understand what’s going on, we need to take a closer look at the Thunderbolts and how they might play into the larger narrative of Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.

Key Absences in Avengers: Doomsday

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Why the Thunderbolts Are More Central Than We Thought

The inclusion of Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, U.S. Agent, and the Sentry suggests that the Thunderbolts will play a pivotal role in Avengers: Doomsday. Though not traditionally powerful or core Avengers, their presence could signal a shift in the MCU's team dynamics.

Fans have speculated for months about the asterisk in Thunderbolts*, and while international posters hint that it may stand for “Avengers are not available,” it could also indicate a rebranding effort. In the trailers, Red Guardian seems proud of the Thunderbolts name, but Bucky clearly resists it. This tension may lead to the team being referred to as the New Avengers by the end of the film.

Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine purchasing Avengers Tower and referencing the lack of active Avengers further supports this theory. With the Sentry’s heroic persona and his dark counterpart, the Void, likely serving as the main antagonist, the Thunderbolts' evolution into the next generation of Avengers makes perfect sense — especially considering their introduction in Brian Michael Bendis’ New Avengers comic series back in 2005.

Once the Thunderbolts solidify their place in the MCU, they could become the foundation for a new Avengers lineup led by Sam Wilson’s Captain America. After all, President Ross explicitly asked him to help rebuild the team in Captain America: Brave New World. Without access to more established heroes, Sam may be forced to work with this unconventional group, setting up an underdog story against Robert Downey Jr.’s return as Doctor Doom.

The Thunderbolts: A Complicated Legacy in Marvel Comics

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Could the X-Men Be Eliminated in Avengers: Doomsday?

Establishing RDJ’s Doctor Doom as a credible threat is one of Doomsday’s most important tasks. Since he doesn’t appear to be the villain in the upcoming Fantastic Four film — which features Galactus instead — Avengers: Doomsday must set him up as the Multiverse Saga’s ultimate antagonist. One effective way to do that is by having Doom eliminate a significant number of characters thought to be safe — much like Thanos did in Infinity War.

Looking at the confirmed cast, the Fox X-Men characters seem the most vulnerable. Wiping out these versions would free up space and budget for the return of classic MCU heroes in Secret Wars. Given that Incursions — a key plot point from the 2015 Secret Wars storyline — have already been referenced in Multiverse of Madness, it’s logical that Doomsday will depict a universe-wide destruction event.

Destroying the Fox X-Men universe would not only provide a dramatic moment for Doctor Doom but also mirror Infinity War's approach of temporarily removing newer characters to focus on the original Avengers in Endgame. Bringing back fan favorites like Spider-Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, and Captain Marvel to fight Doom directly in Secret Wars would deliver a satisfying conclusion to the Multiverse Saga. It could also help Marvel Studios recapture the excitement seen in Endgame, something they’ve struggled to match in Phases 4 and 5.

While nothing is confirmed until release day on May 1, 2026, the current casting choices strongly suggest that the X-Men from the Fox universe may not survive Avengers: Doomsday. Only time will tell, but for now, this theory offers the clearest explanation for the surprising lack of traditional Avengers in the film.

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