15 Characters Marvel Could Still Be Hiding In Avengers: Doomsday

For as long as Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Doomsday" cast announcement livestream lasted, we can't help but feel like the list itself came up a bit short. Don't get us wrong , so far, this is one of the most stacked ensembles we've ever seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, from fan-favorite characters to sheer star power. Also, by no means are we suggesting that the livestream needed to be any longer than it was. It's just that, from a story perspective, there were a number of major Marvel characters left out, especially given what we know about both past entries in the MCU as well as upcoming releases. From multiverse-hoppers to original X-Men, there are a number of characters who, despite their unknown current whereabouts, have every reason to appear in this cataclysmic, climactic installment.

In fairness, Marvel knows this: According to The Hollywood Reporter, they aren't done with big reveals just yet (though let's hope they're done with nearly six-hour long livestreams). Given that, let's take a look at a few glaring omissions from the "Avengers: Doomsday" cast, remind ourselves of when we last saw them, and speculate what role they have to play in the return of Robert Downey Jr. as supervillain Doctor doom.

Here are 15 characters Marvel could still be hiding for "Avengers: Doomsday."

Perhaps the most surprising omission from "Avengers: Doomsday" thus far is the Sorcerer Supreme himself, Doctor Strange, portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch. Given much of the multiversal shenanigans that will take place in "Doomsday," including both the Fantastic Four's alternate timeline and the possibility of Robert Downey Jr.'s Victor Von Doom being a variant of Tony Stark, it only makes sense that the great protector of the multiverse would be involved in some capacity. Last we left Strange, he had been recruited by sorceress Clea (Charlize Theron) to fix a multiversal incursion caused by the events of "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," so we know he's already patrolling the multiverse. He's bound to come across Doom's dastardly deeds.

For a brief moment, Cumberbatch's return to the MCU was left up to question. Fans naturally speculated that the British actor would return for the fifth "Avengers" installment, but in an early 2025 interview with Variety, he explained that his role in the film, previously subtitled "The Kang Dynasty," was minimized following Jonathan Majors' assault conviction and subsequent departure from Marvel. However, just a few days after that interview aired, Cumberbatch backpedalled. "I got that wrong, I am in the next one," he told Business Insider. "Don't ever believe anything I say." Whether or not that response was instigated by Marvel's spoiler sniper team, something tells us Cumberbatch's role in "Doomsday" is all but secured.

Though "The Marvels" felt like a rather self-contained entry in the MCU, its final moments had major implications for the future of the franchise, leading us to believe its central trio will make appearances in "Doomsday." To start with the obvious, it's hard to imagine any Avengers team-up going down without assistance from Captain Marvel, aka Carol Danvers, portrayed by Brie Larson. Danvers came the closest to torching Thanos in "Endgame" (other than Tony Stark, of course), so her cosmic powers will be even more necessary in a fight against a multiversal adversary like Doom.

That said, fans are likely more curious about the exclusion of Monica Rambeau, portrayed by Teyonah Parris. Following a cliffhanger ending that left her on the opposite side of the interdimensional Jump Point, a post-credits scene revealed that Monica had been rescued in an alternate timeline and was under observation by none other than Hank McCoy, also known as Beast, portrayed by Kelsey Grammar. This confirms that she will be directly involved with the return of the original X-Men, a number of whom were confirmed as part of the "Doomsday" cast, including Grammar himself. If Beast is coming back, there's no question Monica Rambeau will be back as well.

Rounding out our check-in with the Marvels is stand-out MCU addition Kamala Khan, also known as Ms. Marvel, portrayed by real-life MCU superfan Iman Vellani. Though Khan's role in the MCU is a bit more on-the-ground than Carol Danvers or Monica Rambeau, a number of factors suggest she could play a major role in "Doomsday." For one, the end of "Ms. Marvel" revealed that Kamala is a mutant, which could tie in to the film's inclusion of several X-Men.

However, the more specific reason we foresee Kamala's inclusion is because of her final scene in "The Marvels," during which Kamala recruits Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) to be part of a new superhero team. This seemingly confirms the long-held suspicion that Marvel Studios is laying the groundwork the Young Avengers, an offshoot composed of Avengers-adjacent members. 

It was unclear what role they would play in "Doomsday," that is until a collection of leaked concept art included a rendering of Kamala and Kate sitting alongside Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton) from "Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania," also a confirmed member of the team, as well as Tommy (Jett Klyne) from "WandaVision" and Billy Maximoff (Joe Locke) from "Agatha All Along," the latter known as Wiccan. "Doomsday" directors Joe and Anthony Russo have denied the concept art is real (via The Hollywood Reporter), but if they're merely saving face, it looks like Kamala may play a role in saving the world from Doctor Doom.

It wouldn't be an "Avengers" movie without Nick Fury, as played by Samuel L. Jackson. He currently holds the record for the most appearances across the MCU, including every "Avengers" film — even if it was just to be snapped away in "Infinity War." So why stop now, especially when he would be such a natural inclusion? We last saw Fury in "The Marvels" coping with the loss of Monica Rambeau and dealing with the repercussions of a rip in space-time aboard the S.A.B.E.R. Space Station. It would only make sense for him to pursue Rambeau, which would put him on the path to eventually encounter Beast, who we know is confirmed for "Doomsday." The math is math-ing.

Fans have wondered what fate holds for Nick Fury, but more specifically Samuel L. Jackson. At 76 years old, it's only a matter of time before he decides to hang in the towel, which would leave the character in limbo. However, whenever that time may come, it isn't anytime soon. With appearances in MCU projects as recent as "Secret Invasion" and "The Marvels," as well as other films like "Argylle" and "The Piano Lesson," it appears Jackson shows no signs of slowing down, meaning he is more than able to give it his all in two more "Avengers" installments.

In terms of the biggest names missing from the "Doomsday" cast list, it's hard to get bigger than Tom Holland as Peter Parker, your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. The web-slinging wall-crawler has been Marvel's most popular character for decades, making his debut in "Civil War" a major moment in MCU history and his three solo films gargantuan hits for Marvel and Sony Pictures. There's no reason for Marvel to leave out their most valuable commodity, especially when we know he has a fourth installment right around the corner. The Hollywood Reporter agrees, noting "a likely stop for 'Avengers: Doomsday'" in-between Holland shooting both "Spider-Man 4" and Christopher Nolan's latest epic, an adaptation of "The Odyssey."

Peter Parker was left in quite the precarious position at the end of "No Way Home," having had all memory of him erased from everyone's minds, including Ned, MJ, and presumably all of the current Avengers. This leaves him with a blank slate to reintroduce himself as a hero to New York City, though what he has done in that regard remains to be seen. Despite his detachment, Parker's need to heed calls for help will surely get him involved in the events of "Doomsday," which would make his eventual interactions with Doctor Doom — who bears a striking resemblance to Tony Stark — all the more contentious.

Let's get one thing straight: Sam Wilson is Captain America, and we welcome yet another confirmed appearance by Anthony Mackie in "Doomsday." In fact, we don't really need any more of Steve Rogers, frankly. That said, when The Wrap reports that Chris Evans is returning to the MCU, you take it seriously. This isn't entirely a surprise given that he already returned to the MCU once before, incredulously appearing as his take on Johnny Storm in "Deadpool & Wolverine," but it's clear that Evans would only come back a second time if given a unique opportunity.

Picture this: Chris Evans is back, though not as Captain America but as some variant of Steve Rogers. After all, we last saw him as just that, Steve Rogers, dancing with Peggy Carter in a warm embrace. It's surely no coincidence that Carter is also reportedly appearing in "Doomsday," though apparently as Agent Carter specifically (via Deadline). How lovely would it be to check in with ol' Steve and Peggy, living out their lives together as an older married couple with their lovely children and grandchildren. Hell, what if we got a variant of Peggy as Captain Carter with Steve Rogers as the HYDRA Stomper, as seen in the "What If...?" animated series? There are plenty of ways we can make this work as long as we don't overshadow America's new ass, Sam Wilson.

It's impossible to deny that the success of "Deadpool & Wolverine" all but confirms that the two titular frenemies will return for future installments in the MCU, but in what capacity? Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have thus far played coy, but there are a few straws to grasp at. For one, both of these characters are now familiar with the multiverse and how to access it, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see them hop into another alternate timeline. If anything, with Deadpool's wisecracking, it's an opportunity Marvel wouldn't pass up.

However, the bigger tell is that the cast list of "Doomsday" so far includes a number of other X-Men, including Wolverine's alternate-frenemy Cyclops (James Marsden) and new acquaintance Gambit (Channing Tatum). It's hard to believe that Marvel would go to the trouble of bringing back so many "X-Men" alumni, conspicuously loop-in Tatum's Gambit, but then suddenly restrain themselves from key-jangling Logan and Deadpool for good measure. Plus, it's unclear what timeline any of the returning X-Men come from, so perhaps both characters will appear as variants. 

Regardless, only one thing is certain: There's no Wolverine without Deadpool. "I would always want Deadpool and Wolverine to be paired in some way," Reynolds told The Hollywood Reporter. So, sure, like Deadpool himself joked, make them do it 'til their 90, so long as it's together.

Catalog this under wishful thinking, but, man, we really want to see X-23, also named Laura, play a stronger role in the MCU going forward. Actress Dafne Keen was, of course, a breakthrough talent in "Logan," which will always be the definitive end to the X-Men in our eyes, and she was a delightful, if slight addition to the team in "Deadpool & Wolverine." The complex father-daughter dynamic between Logan and Laura fits perfectly into the MCU's history of dysfunctional families and, along with Hugh Jackman, Keen's talent would be a beautiful addition to the ongoing calamity in the MCU.

Though there's no hard proof, scoopers have already speculated she is locked for both "Avengers" sequels, and the last time this happened with "Deadpool & Wolverine," the scoopers had it right. Take it with a grain of salt, but it would be fitting for X-23 to be featured in "Avengers: Doomsday" given that it is already set to feature many "X-Men" alumni, including past co-star Patrick Stewart. Again, timelines may make things complicated, but if Channing Tatum's Gambit can make his way out of the Void and into the MCU proper, who's to say Laura can't do the same? If anything, her role as a mutant may make her a complementary ally to Kamala Khan and her Young Avengers. Whatever form it may take, Keen herself is down to play the character, like Deadpool jokes, 'till she's 90, telling Empire Magazine "I would 100% do this for the rest of my life."

As we saw Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romjin, and James Marsden's names slowly appear on the back of those chairs, only for them to skip over to Channing Tatum next, we couldn't help but ask...where's Halle Berry?? Her portrayal of Storm, originally named Ororo Munroe, in 20th Century Fox's "X-Men" series has long been considered the definitive portrayal of the character and a central member of the ensemble. She appeared as the character in the class reunion that was "X-Men: Days of Future Past" and was set to have a larger role in that film if it weren't for an unexpected pregnancy and limited schedule. She even offered to reprise her role in "Deadpool & Wolverine," but Ryan Reynolds never made the call (via ComicBook).

Though the MCU has experimented with a Mjolnir-wielding variant of Ororo in "What If...?", it simply wouldn't be a true "X-Men" reunion without the Storm we know and love. In fact, we're positive that plenty more X-Men will be announced to return, including Anna Paquin as Rogue, Shawn Ashmore as Iceman, and, if they really want to stir the pot, Elliot Page as trans Kitty Pryde. If "Deadpool & Wolverine" was any indication, Marvel Studios is willing to collect fan-favorite characters and their original actors like Infinity Stones to the point that no stone is left unturned. If we're going all-in on "X-Men," Storm will surely be a part of it.

It's easy to forget amidst the wave of "Doomsday" news and the hype surrounding "Daredevil: Born Again," but there's an Ironheart show coming out. Set directly after the events of "Wakanda Forever," "Ironheart" is going to continue the story of MIT student Riri Williams, portrayed by Dominique Thorn, who was last seen helping Shuri, now the Black Panther (Letitia Wright), fight off the Talokanil in "Wakanda Forever." How exactly the series will tie into current MCU events is unclear, but what is clear is that the series will debut in June of 2025, leaving ample time for Marvel to establish a role for Riri in the events of "Doomsday." Plus, with the confirmed return of "Wakanda Forever" cast members Wright, Winston Duke, and Tenoch Huerta Mejía, it's almost certain that Thorne will be somewhere in the mix.

Some speculate that she could be a part of the Young Avengers, especially after a clip of her, Cassie Lang, and America Chavez (Xochtil Gomez) was seen on a Disney cruise ship. Not only would she be an obvious Iron Man corollary, given that her suit is directly reverse-engineered from his plans, but her prodigal skills in technology would make her an essential member of the team. Though there is little to go off of, Riri's involvement in the Young Avengers would all but cement her with an appearance in "Doomsday" alongside Kamala Khan.

It has been far too long since we caught up with our boy Bruce Banner, aka The Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo. Last we checked on him, he was trying to help his cousin, Jessica Walters (Tatiana Maslany), adjust to becoming She-Hulk while dealing with "unfinished business" on Sakaar, which turned out to be a son named Skaar. Yeah, wild. What exactly was Hulk doing on Sakaar and how the hell did he get a son out of it? Also, whatever happened to Hulk's research into the Ten Rings with Carol Danvers, Wong (Benedict Wong), and Shang-Chi (Simu Liu)? Liu's confirmed casting in "Doomsday" implies something came of that, right? There's a lot of confusion right now surrounding one of the MCU's most beloved characters, and "Doomsday" sure would be a good time to straighten it out.

In the aforementioned leaked concept art, we do get a glimpse at a community of Hulks, including what is visibly Ruffalo and Maslany as Hulk and She-Hulk. The third Hulk is a bit of a toss-up; maybe it's Skaar, maybe it's not. What this shows us is that Hulk (and even She-Hulk) is likely in "Doomsday" but probably as a variant on Battleworld, a planet from the original "Secret Wars" comics storyline that is pieces of several other destroyed realities stitched together. Given the "Doomsday" sequel is subtitled "Secret Wars," this is a safe bet. Regardless of what form it appears in, so long as it features Ruffalo, we're in.

James Gunn capped off his "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy on his own terms, and it was a beautiful thing, but to act like the Guardians are not going to be involved in the future of the MCU is a bit naive. If the team collapsed altogether, it would feel more definitive, but we currently sit with an all-new Guardians line-up, and we can't lie, it's pretty exciting. You've got Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) leading the way, solidifying him as official captain following Peter Quill's (Chris Pratt) departure to Earth. Quill also appeared in the leaked concept art alongside Kamala Khan, suggesting he may return to "Doomsday" as well, but it would be a lot of fun to witness Rocket get some screentime with a renewed sense of confidence.

But let's not forget, Rocket has a whole team behind him, including Groot (Vin Diesel) and previous allies Kraglin (Sean Gunn, who most recently contributed to his brother's work on "Creature Commandos") and Cosmo. Alongside them are new members Adam Warlock (Will Poulter), previously their adversary, and Phyla, one of the children previously imprisoned by the High Evolutionary. This is the most cosmic team the Guardians have ever assembled, making it a no-brainer for them to appear somewhere in the galactic, multiversal mayhem of "Doomsday."