Everyone is excited to find out who will be appearing in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. With new rumors popping up daily and filming now underway, set leaks are beginning to reveal the cast without Disney’s approval.
To stay ahead of the speculation, Marvel decided to officially announce the cast. In theory, this could have been an exciting moment. But instead, it turned out to be a disaster in every way—from the presentation, to who made the list, to who didn’t.
#AvengersDoomsday. Now in production. pic.twitter.com/G84UVU8HOc
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) March 26, 2025
The Stream – A Snooze Fest
Marvel’s big reveal took place through a painfully slow livestream that lasted for hours. It simply panned over chairs labeled with the names of the actors appearing in the film. Watching it was as exciting as watching grass grow. There had to have been at least 50 better ways to do this. The only good thing to come from it was the flood of internet memes mocking the entire ordeal.
The Cast – A Strange Mix
Instead of listing every actor, just take a look at the image above. The biggest surprise was the large number of FOX X-Men characters, a total of six. Between them and what looks like the entire cast of Thunderbolts, these groups alone take up 13 out of the 27 total spots (plus Gambit).
This also accidentally spoiled Thunderbolts since we now know these characters survive the film, including its villain. With the movie coming out in just a month, couldn’t Marvel have waited a little longer? If Thunderbolts flops, this announcement is going to look even worse.
I honestly have no idea what Marvel’s plan is for the X-Men moving forward. The original X-Men movie debuted in 2000, before many current MCU fans were even born. Most of that cast is now between 50 and 85 years old (Ian McKellen is 85). The only younger addition is Channing Tatum’s Gambit, but he was never really part of the FOX lineup.
The logical next step is to introduce a fresh lineup of X-Men after these Avengers movies with younger, recast actors. They can’t seriously expect to build the future of the MCU around Patrick Stewart (84) and Ian McKellen (85). Deadpool & Wolverine felt like the perfect tribute to the FOX era, but this? It’s unclear what Marvel is trying to do here. Also, where are Deadpool and Wolverine?
Who’s Missing – Too Many Important Characters
It’s shocking that the only core Avenger in this lineup is Thor. Sure, we knew Steve Rogers and Tony Stark wouldn’t be here, but there are some massive absences, including:
- Doctor Strange
- Bruce Banner (Hulk)
- Star-Lord
- Captain Marvel & Ms. Marvel
- Hawkeye & Kate Bishop
- Scarlet Witch
- Spider-Man (Tom Holland!)
It’s possible that some of these characters will have cameos, but they shouldn’t just be cameos, they should be central to the film. Instead, half the cast is made up of characters from the last three non-Deadpool MCU movies, and seven spots went to FOX X-Men.
None of this feels right, and I’m honestly worried. Given the Russo Brothers’ shaky track record outside the MCU, I’m not sure how much confidence I have in them pulling this off.