When was Avengers: Doomsday Cast Announced?
On March 26 2025, Marvel Studios has officially confirmed the cast for Avengers: Doomsday, the highly anticipated Avengers 5 installment set for release on May 1, 2026. This comes after Marvel’s decision to rework the film’s direction, moving away from Avengers: Kang Dynasty due to the underwhelming response to Kang as a villain and the studio parting ways with Jonathan Majors. Instead, the movie will introduce Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, setting the stage for a multiversal showdown unlike anything seen before in the MCU.
The casting reveal was made during a livestream on X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and Instagram, where Marvel Studios confirmed that the movie is now in production. Fans have been eagerly awaiting confirmation of which characters would return, and Marvel delivered an all-star lineup that spans the MCU, the X-Men universe, and even the Fantastic Four.
Every Actor Confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday
Here’s the full confirmed cast list for Avengers: Doomsday, along with the last time each character was seen in the MCU:
| Character | Actor | Franchise | Last Film Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doctor Doom | Robert Downey Jr. | Fantastic Four | Avengers: Endgame (2019) as Tony Stark / Iron Man |
| Thor | Chris Hemsworth | Thor | Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) |
| Captain America (Sam Wilson) | Anthony Mackie | Captain America | Captain America: Brave New World (2024) |
| Loki | Tom Hiddleston | Thor | Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) |
| Shang-Chi | Simu Liu | Shang-Chi | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) |
| Shuri / Black Panther | Letitia Wright | Black Panther | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) |
| Yelena Belova | Florence Pugh | Black Widow | Thunderbolts (2024) |
| Ant-Man (Scott Lang) | Paul Rudd | Ant-Man | Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) |
| Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier | Sebastian Stan | Captain America | Thunderbolts (2024) |
| John Walker / U.S. Agent | Wyatt Russell | Falcon and the Winter Soldier | Thunderbolts (2024) |
| Red Guardian | David Harbour | Black Widow | Thunderbolts (2024) |
| Ghost | Hannah John-Kamen | Ant-Man | Thunderbolts (2024) |
| Sentry | Lewis Pullman | Thunderbolts | Thunderbolts (2024) |
| Namor | Tenoch Huerta Mejía | Black Panther | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) |
| M’Baku | Winston Duke | Black Panther | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) |
| Professor X | Patrick Stewart | X-Men | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) |
| Magneto | Ian McKellen | X-Men | X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) |
| Cyclops | James Marsden | X-Men | X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) |
| Beast | Kelsey Grammer | X-Men | X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) |
| Nightcrawler | Alan Cumming | X2 | X2 (2003) |
| Mystique | Rebecca Romijn | X-Men | X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) |
| Gambit | Channing Tatum | X-Men | N/A (First appearance in the MCU) |
| Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic | Pedro Pascal | Fantastic Four | Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) |
| Sue Storm / Invisible Woman | Vanessa Kirby | Fantastic Four | Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) |
| Johnny Storm / Human Torch | Joseph Quinn | Fantastic Four | Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) |
| Ben Grimm / The Thing | Ebon Moss-Bachrach | Fantastic Four | Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) |
Spider-Man (Tom Holland) is notably absent from the confirmed list, though future announcements may change that. This massive lineup confirms Marvel’s plan to bring the Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts, X-Men, and classic Avengers together in one film, teasing a truly multiversal battle.
Is This the New Avengers Roster?
The inclusion of the Fantastic Four and X-Men characters has left fans wondering whether this is just a one-time crossover event or if it signals the formation of a new Avengers team. Notably, the absence of major original Avengers like Hulk, Spider-Man, and Captain Marvel raises speculation that Marvel might be passing the torch to a new generation of heroes.
However, with Avengers: Secret Wars on the horizon, this roster could be temporary, paving the way for even bigger surprises.
Fan Reactions: X (Twitter) and Reddit Go Wild
The announcement sent social media into a frenzy, with #AvengersDoomsday trending within minutes. Fans had mixed reactions, ranging from hype for the return of X-Men legends to skepticism about how such a massive cast will fit into one movie.
X (Twitter) Reactions:
- @MarvelFanatic98: “Seeing Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen return as Professor X and Magneto is a dream come true. Absolute legends!”
- @MCUInsider: “I love that we’re finally getting Doctor Doom, but will RDJ really be a villain, or is there more to this?”
- @CineGeek42: “Why does Marvel keep making these movies with 30+ characters? Endgame worked because it was a conclusion. This feels like another Infinity War mess.”
Reddit Discussions:
-
r/marvelstudios user u/CinematicNerd posted:
“This might be the biggest comic book movie ever made. But I worry it’ll be another Multiverse of Madness situation where too many cameos overshadow the story.” -
r/movies user u/InfinityWatcher commented:
“The casting of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom is genius. I bet there’s a twist where he’s actually a good guy in the end.”
The sheer scale of the cast has left many wondering how Marvel will balance so many characters while delivering a compelling story.
What Avengers: Doomsday’s Cast Means for the MCU
The announcement solidifies Avengers: Doomsday as a true multiversal crossover, uniting heroes from different corners of the Marvel universe. Here are the biggest takeaways:
-
The Fantastic Four & X-Men Are Here to Stay
- With Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm, and Beast involved, Marvel is fully integrating these characters into the MCU before Secret Wars.
-
Doctor Doom is the New Big Bad
- Robert Downey Jr.’s casting as Victor Von Doom suggests Marvel wants a villain with charisma and complexity. Could he be a misunderstood antihero instead of a full villain?
-
Thunderbolts Are Surprisingly Important
- Multiple characters from Thunderbolts appearing means Marvel sees them as key players rather than side characters.
-
Old X-Men Stars Are Back, But Are They Canon?
- With Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and others reprising their roles, it’s unclear if they’re the definitive X-Men of the MCU or just variants.
-
Avengers 5 Might Be an Infinity War-Style Setup
- With so many heroes, Doomsday could be a stepping stone to Secret Wars, setting up even bigger stakes.
Final Thoughts: A Potential Game-Changer for Marvel
Avengers: Doomsday is shaping up to be one of the biggest MCU films yet, and if done right, it could redeem the franchise after recent struggles. However, with a cast this massive, Marvel will need to balance character depth with epic spectacle.
What do you think? Is this cast too big, or are you excited for an Avengers movie with Fantastic Four and X-Men characters? Let us know in the comments and on social media!
