The much-anticipated Avengers: Doomsday won’t include fan-favorites Deadpool and Wolverine, likely because the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is building toward a crucial storyline for Avengers: Secret Wars. Both characters made a significant impact in their debut within 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, which achieved remarkable success as the MCU’s first R-rated film, grossing an impressive $1.3 billion globally, securing its place as the sixth-highest-grossing movie in the franchise.
Given this success, it seems plausible that Marvel would want to capitalize on the appeal of Deadpool and Wolverine, especially in the first Avengers movie since the monumental Avengers: Endgame. Marvel recently unveiled the initial cast for Avengers: Doomsday, which features familiar names like Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, and Pedro Pascal, but it was the inclusion of actors such as Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, and James Marsden that generated significant buzz online. Curiously, however, many anticipated names were noticeably missing.
Hugh Jackman & Ryan Reynolds Are Not It For Avengers: Doomsday’s Cast
Surprising Absences: Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds
In this latest casting announcement, many familiar faces from Fox’s X-Men franchise were confirmed to return, including notable actors like Patrick Stewart (Professor X) and James Marsden (Cyclops), along with some unexpected choices like Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler) and Rebecca Romijn (Mystique). Notably, even Channing Tatum, who portrayed Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine, was part of this ensemble. However, the glaring omission of both Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds stood out.
| Returning X-Men Actor | Character | Last Seen |
|---|---|---|
| Kelsey Grammer | Hank McCoy/Beast | The Marvels (2023) |
| Patrick Stewart | Charles Xavier/Professor X | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) |
| Ian McKellen | Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto | X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) |
| Alan Cumming | Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler | X2 (2003) |
| Rebecca Romijn | Raven Darkhölme/Mystique | X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) |
| James Marsden | Scott Summers/Cyclops | X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) |
| Channing Tatum | Remy LeBeau/Gambit | Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) |
The absence of Jackman and Reynolds is particularly striking due to Jackman’s historic significance in the X-Men series—he has long been considered the franchise’s central figure. Similarly, Reynolds’ portrayal of Deadpool has interwoven with the X-Men storyline, even making connections in Deadpool & Wolverine. However, the mismatched alignment between their roles and the evolving MCU narrative suggests their exclusion may be deliberate.
The X-Men’s Inclusion in Avengers: Doomsday Suggests Deadpool & Wolverine’s Role in Secret Wars
A Special Introduction Awaits for Deadpool and Wolverine
The chances of Deadpool and Wolverine reuniting with their X-Men counterparts in the MCU appear promising, particularly after the conclusive end of Wolverine’s arc in the Fox timeline. Notably, these characters have not yet interacted with the confirmed returnees from the X-Men ensemble on-screen, aside from a fleeting appearance by Channing Tatum’s Gambit. Interestingly, Deadpool’s tangents often involve jokes about his lack of on-screen encounters with the X-Men, highlighting a humorous yet poignant narrative.
Such interactions will undoubtedly mark a pivotal moment as Deadpool, desperate for inclusion, finally unites with the core X-Men for the first time. As these characters carry their own emotional baggage—particularly “Worst Wolverine,”dealing with the loss of his X-Men team—the anticipation builds for their eventual convergence in what is predicted to be the climactic finale of the Multiverse Saga, Avengers: Secret Wars. Therefore, it may serve the narrative better for Avengers: Doomsday to establish the new X-Men presence in the MCU, ultimately making the eventual crossover with Deadpool and Wolverine all the more significant.