Marvel Studios is reshaping its cinematic future, and if the latest casting updates for 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday are any indication, the studio is swinging big.
In the wake of past blockbuster hits like Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), the Marvel Cinematic Universe has found itself at a pivotal moment. While anticipation for Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) remains high, overall fan investment has become more selective, with audiences and critics alike scrutinizing Marvel’s evolving strategy. Hopes were pinned on Captain America: Brave New World (2025) to revitalize momentum, but the film failed to deliver the impact Marvel had anticipated.
Enter Thunderbolts* (2025). Jake Schreier’s ensemble anti-hero entry has been met with a strong critical reception and enthusiastic word-of-mouth, helping to spark new excitement for what lies ahead in the MCU.
That momentum comes despite the turbulence left by Jonathan Majors’ departure from the franchise. Majors, originally cast as the Multiverse Saga’s central antagonist, Kang the Conqueror, was meant to weave through multiple MCU phases. His storyline, teased across Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023), Loki Season 2, and beyond, was upended after legal allegations of battery, assault, and defamation surfaced from his ex-partner, Grace Jabbari. Following Majors’ dismissal, Marvel was left with a narrative void—and a major decision to make.
The result? A significant shift in direction. Marvel has now repositioned the legendary Fantastic Four nemesis, Doctor Doom, as the primary villain of its next saga-spanning storyline. At last year’s San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced that Anthony and Joe Russo—who previously directed Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)—would return to helm the newly renamed Avengers: Doomsday and its sequel Avengers: Secret Wars, slated for 2026 and 2027.
But the twist that captured fans’ attention was the revelation of who would play Doom: none other than Robert Downey Jr. The actor, synonymous with Tony Stark/Iron Man and widely credited with launching the MCU in 2008, will return to the franchise in a dramatically different role. Following his Oscar-nominated turn in Oppenheimer (2023), Downey Jr. is set to debut as Victor Von Doom in a post-credits scene in The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), setting the stage for his central role in the retooled Avengers films.
While the door hasn’t entirely closed on Kang, it’s clear the spotlight has shifted. The last major appearance of a Kang variant came in Loki Season 2, via Victor Timely. As Doom now takes center stage, Kang’s role appears to be diminishing. Speculation has emerged about potential recasts, including Oscar nominee Colman Domingo (Rustin, Sing Sing), who confirmed discussions with Marvel, though not tied to any particular character.
That forward momentum was reinforced during a high-profile live stream earlier this month, when Marvel Studios confirmed a massive ensemble cast for Avengers: Doomsday, blending returning favorites with new additions to the MCU.
The lineup includes: Robert Downey Jr. as Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man, Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Kelsey Grammer as Hank McCoy/Beast, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, James Marsden as Scott Summers/Cyclops, and Chris Hemsworth as Thor.
Also confirmed: Channing Tatum as Remy LeBeau/Gambit, Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/Falcon, Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Lewis Pullman as “Bob”/Sentry, Rebecca Romijn as Raven Darkhölme/Mystique, Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier/Professor X, and Alan Cumming as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler.
Rounding out the core roster are David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, Letitia Wright as Shuri/Black Panther, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Wyatt Russell as John Walker/U.S. Agent, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, Tenoch Huerta Mejia as Namor, Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/Thing.
And that may only be the beginning. According to journalist Jeff Sneider of The InSneider (via Comic Book Movie), additional major players are rumored to be joining Avengers: Doomsday. While not yet officially confirmed, the reported list includes:
Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk), Benedict Wong (Wong), Don Cheadle (James Rhodes/War Machine), Brie Larson (Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton/Hawkeye), Danai Gurira (Okoye), Iman Vellani (Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel), Ke Huy Quan (Ouroboros/”O.B”), Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie), Teyonah Parris (Monica Rambeau), Will Poulter (Adam Warlock), Dominique Thorne (Riri Williams/Ironheart), Xochitl Gomez (America Chavez), Sophia Di Martino (Sylvie), and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Simon Williams/Wonder Man).
Even more names continue to swirl in rumor mills: Tatiana Maslany (Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk), Kathryn Newton (Cassie Lang), Wunmi Mosaku (Hunter B-15), Lashana Lynch (Maria Rambeau/Binary), Famke Janssen (Jean Grey), Halle Berry (Ororo Munroe/Storm), Kai Zen (Phyla), Owen Wilson (Mobius M. Mobius), Chris Pratt (Peter Quill/Star-Lord), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Charlize Theron (Clea), Benedict Cumberbatch (Stephen Strange/Doctor Strange), Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter/Captain Carter), Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America), Bradley Cooper (Rocket Raccoon), Vin Diesel (Groot), and Maria Bakalova (Cosmo the Spacedog).
One conspicuously absent name? Tom Holland. Reports suggest that Spider-Man won’t appear in Doomsday, as Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) is set to unfold concurrently.
What Could Have Been: The Kang Dynasty Era
Earlier this year, more details emerged about Marvel’s original direction for Avengers 5, back when the project was still known as The Kang Dynasty and set to be helmed by Destin Daniel Cretton and written by Michael Waldron.
“According to [Alex Perez], separate Avengers teams set out to battle Immortus, Centurion, and Rama-Tut, the three Kang Variants teased at the end of Quantumania,” Comic Book Movie reported. “However, the Conqueror Variant was going to return from ‘The Beyond’ in the third act to take revenge against his doppelgangers and become He Who Remains.”
“It’s said that Doctor Doom was never part of Marvel Studios’ original plans for the two-part Multiverse Saga finale; instead, he—and others—were to be revealed as being among those removed from the timeline by Kang to ensure they could thrive,” the outlet added. “However, once those Variants had been defeated, Doom was teased as the ‘evil’ they were trying to keep at bay with their actions.”
Now, with Doom front and center, what was once a shadowy potential has become Marvel’s new masterplan. Industry insiders point to this pivot as the foundation for what’s being called the Mutant Saga. With Doomsday integrating key figures from Fox’s former X-Men franchise, it’s clear Marvel is embracing Multiversal chaos—one that could prove fatal for more than a few fan-favorite heroes, if Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) is any indication.
More than just another team-up, Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars are being pitched as the beginning of a new narrative era. According to the Russo Brothers, these upcoming installments won’t just conclude a saga—they’ll launch the next one.
How do you feel about these new names being rumored for Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments below!
