Marvel Studios recently unveiled an extensive cast for the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday, yet an intriguing statistic regarding the character lineup suggests we may see even more names revealed in the near future. On March 26, a marathon livestream lasting over five hours introduced fans to a diverse group of 27 cast members, including notable stars such as Chris Hemsworth and Sebastian Stan, alongside unexpected additions like Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, and Rebecca Romijn.
The ensemble features heroes and villains from various Marvel factions, encompassing members from the Thunderbolts, The Fantastic Four, and X-Men. While a roster of 27 is impressive, directors Joe and Anthony Russo have demonstrated their capability to manage large casts effectively in previous installments like Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. However, the current lineup raises questions as it appears some key characters from the expansive Marvel Universe are glaringly absent. When considering the vastness of the MCU, especially with the recent multiverse storylines, there’s a strong possibility that Marvel has yet to disclose all the characters involved in this project.
48% of Avengers: Doomsday’s Characters Come From Alternate Universes or Timelines
As a multiverse event, Avengers: Doomsday showcases a collision of iconic figures from not just the MCU, but also from the Fox Universe and The Fantastic Four’s realm. While the precise involvement of Doctor Doom remains elusive, the prospect of these characters converging across different cinematic histories is sure to excite fans. Interestingly, it turns out that just under half of the announced cast—specifically 13 out of 27 characters—originates from multiverse stories, leaving the proportion of main MCU characters at a surprisingly low number.
Several key figures in the lineup hail from the Fox X-Men universe, while the version of The Fantastic Four introduced in this film comes from an unexplored dimension. Characters like Channing Tatum’s Gambit were first seen in the Void, indicating his roots in a distinct X-Men timeline. Likewise, Tom Hiddleston’s Loki features the variant that escaped from the Avengers, creating an alternate timeline of his own. With only 14 main MCU characters slated to appear, many fans, including myself, are left wondering about the absence of significant figures from the franchise.
More Main MCU Characters Likely to Join the Cast
In earlier Avengers films, characters were fewer in number, but as the MCU has expanded tremendously, it now necessitates a broader array of personalities. Notably, the 14 characters drawn from the main storyline appears insufficient given the universe’s grand scale; numerous pivotal characters are notably absent from the cast reveal. Excluded figures include Doctor Strange, Ms. Marvel, Hulk, Wong, Hawkeye, Captain Marvel, and none of the Eternals. The omission of Spider-Man is somewhat expected, as his standalone film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, releases shortly after Avengers: Doomsday.
Furthermore, the absence of Monica Rambeau stands out, especially considering the post-credit scene in The Marvels depicted her trapped in a multiversal predicament alongside Kelsey Grammer’s Beast, who is included in Doombday. The rationale behind Beast’s inclusion without Rambeau remains perplexing. Additionally, prominent characters like Wong, Captain Marvel, and Hulk would likely want to contribute to any major multiversal confrontation. While the cast of Avengers: Doomsday is indeed impressive, also considering the ongoing narrative developments, it wouldn’t be out of place to expect further announcements about significant characters from the MCU joining the adventure.