Love chairs?
Well, there’s been strong rumor and innuendo — whether it be on Reddit or Ryan Reynolds Instagram — that Avengers: Doomsday casting news is on the way and we could be seeing a whole new slew of chairs as early as Tuesday August 27.
Do we have any concrete confirmation about any of this? Nope. But let’s throw it back to March of this year, and most of us didn’t know about the cavalcade of chairs until it started happening.
Regardless, it’s fun to speculate, hypothesize and predict things. Originally, this column was intended to give an opinion on every available MCU character’s chances of being announced for Doomsday. However, that proved to be absolutely ridiculous. So, things were reconfigured to a more manageable list of 50 Marvel Heroes who may be joining the Avengers: Doomsday. We’ve ranked them from 50-1 with #50 being essentially an educated wish, and #1 being a fairly good lock for the film.
Now, if you’ve ever read any of my wrestling predictions columns, my chance for accuracy and correctness is essentially very Peter Quill in nature — well-intentioned, but usually wildly inconsistent. So please, keep your receipts and make fun of me (in the comments) when these heroes do not appear in Doomsday.
Now to refresh everyone who has been announced for Avengers Doomsday:
- Chris Hemsworth – Thor
- Vanessa Kirby – Sue Storm/Invisible Woman
- Pedro Pascal – Reed Richard/Mr. Fantastic
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach – Ben Grimm/The Thing
- Joseph Quinn – Johnny Storm/The Human Torch
- Anthony Mackie – Sam Wilson/Captain America
- Sebastian Stan – Congressman Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier
- Letitia Wright – Shuri/Black Panther
- Paul Rudd – Scott Lang/Ant-Man
- Wyatt Russell – John Walker/US Agent
- Tenoch Huerta Mehia – Namor
- Simu Liu – Shang Chi
- Florence Pugh – Yelena Belova/White Widow
- Kelsey Grammer – Hank McCoy/Beast
- Lewis Pullman – Bob/Sentry
- Danny Ramirez – Joaquin Torres/Falcon
- David Harbour – Red Guardian
- Winston Duke – M’Baku
- Hannah John-Kamen – Ghost
- Tom Hiddleston – Loki
- Patrick Stewart – Professor Charles Xavier
- Alan Cumming – Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler
- Rebecca Romijn – Raven/Mystique
- James Marsden – Scott Summers/Cyclops
- Ian McKellen – Erik Lensher/Magneto
- Channing Tatum – Remy LaBeau/Gambit
- and Robert Downey Jr. as Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom
50. Blade (Mahershala Ali or Wesley Snipes): The ultimate “educated wish.” Apparently the Blade movie with Mahershala Ali is still happening so why not finally introduce the character onscreen in one of the biggest productions Marvel has ever done? You’d have to assume if Blade does appear it’ll be the Mahershala version as it’s doubtful the Wesley Snipes version would appear since he was (we assume) killed off in Deadpool & Wolverine.
49. Wonder Man (Yahya Abul-Mateen II): Wonder Man is a staple for the Avengers in the comics, but is still an absolute complete unknown in the MCU. His series is debuting in a matter of months and we still do not have a full trailer for it yet. If there was a character on the bubble it’d be the yet-to-be-defined Simon Williams aka Wonder Man.
48. Nakia (Lupita N’yongo): If we’re going full Wakanda then having Nakia, the ultimate Wakanda super spy, makes a lot of sense. However, let’s not forget this character has not been in any other live action Marvel film outside of Black Panther, so she’s definitely someone on the bubble.
47. Quicksilver (Evan Peters): Evan Peters’ portrayal of Quicksilver was one of the best parts of the latter day FOX X-Men films. We’ve already seen him play a version of the character in WandaVision so the inclusion of this character and actor fits the timey whimey-ness of this blow-off to the Multiverse Saga. Yet, on the other hand, the whole Ralph Bohner of it all might negate all this.
46. Daredevil (Charlie Cox): Cox has explicitly said “No” when it comes to being in Doomsday. But … that doesn’t mean he still won’t be a part of the film. Likely, you could see him in Secret Wars.
45. Clea (Charlize Theron): Clea is Doctor Strange’s wife in the comics and an important Marvel character. However, in the MCU she’s one of a long line of end credit characters that we’ve seen no follow-up on. Her character was brought in when Strange was battling incursions and since that’s still part of what’s happening in Doomsday and Secret Wars, it’s an obvious pick. However, she’s also on that long list of end credit characters with a lack of follow-up, so it’s very up in the air.
44. Nebula (Karen Gillan): Karen Gillan is an in-demand actress so availability is a question for sure. However, when we left our favorite group of assholes at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — Nebula was still involved. Given the multiversal and all encompassing nature of these films, Nebula is a must but not a lock.
43. Jean Grey (Famke Janssen): One of the biggest shocks during the initial announcement was the inclusion of the original live action X-Men. Equally shocking was the fact the original Jean Grey, Famke Janssen, was not announced. Look, if you’re going full original X-Men, you can’t not have Jean Grey in the mix — especially with Cyclops in the fold.
42. X23 (Dafne Keene): X23 is very much alive and well, and if the rumors of Marvel wanting to go young for the new X-Men films is true, then you need to get your anchor character for those films in this big one.Â
41. Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll): The Disney+ street-level and Netflix-era Defenders characters will likely be few and far between. However, if we see The Punisher and/or Daredevil included, then their muse Karen Page will somehow and some way be involved. Not a huge role, but definitely one where she’s in peril, crying or someone she cares about is straight up murdered.
40. Ms. Minutes (Tara Strong): Ms. Minutes was not involved in the TVA hijinks of Deadpool & Wolverine, however, given that Loki is announced for this film, it would behoove one to think that everyone’s favorite retro animated character will return to drop some much-needed exposition.
39. Rogue (Anna Paquin): If you want to drop a jaw or two, one of the main emotional touchstone’s of X-Men and X2, Anna Paquin’s Rogue, would do the trick. Rogue had such an ignominious conclusion in X-Men 3, that giving the character something bigger and better would absolve the sins of that horrible, horrible film.
38. Moon Knight (Oscar Isaac): Listen, Oscar Isaac is great. Moon Knight, the character, is great. Moon Knight, the series, was not. There’s been heavy speculation about the future of the series and his involvement in the film so it’s no lock for him to be in this film. But once again, we’ve not seen anything of this character in three going on four years. Moon Knight is a big character, could be really fun to have in a big movie like this, but there’s no guarantee.
37. Death (Aubrey Plaza): A character and performer that are too damn good to leave on the sideline. Death does not have to be a major character in the film, but imagine the emotional impact of a character that’s in peril, and then we see Death appear. Instant tears.
36. Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn): We last saw Agatha as a ghost helping out Wiccan/Billy (Joe Locke). If we get Wiccan in this film then it would make sense that his partner in the paranormal Agatha would be a great fit for the film.
35. Binary/Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch): If you missed the end credit of The Marvels, you would have missed Lashana Lynch’s appearance not as Monica Rambeau’s mom, but as the X-Men team member Binary. With the inclusion (or should we say incursion) of the X-Men, Lynch is likely to be involved.
34. She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany): She-Hulk is a wildly popular Marvel character that unfairly received a lot of hate and heat from the fanbase. We’re not going to re-litigate She-Hulk: Attorney-at-Law’s quality (it’s really good), but we cannot ignore this character’s importance in Marvel. Her relationship with Hulk, potential interactions with Deadpool, and her history (in comics) to Fantastic 4, make her a likely addition to this film.
33. Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds): There’s so much being made about this. There was the IG post. Then rumors popped up he and RDJ were feuding on set. Then there’s stories he’s not even going to be in the film. It’s a lot. However, if you’re looking for a character to really break the internet … it’s Deadpool. Don’t see him in the majority of the film, but instead as an end credit teaser for Secret Wars.
32. Ironheart/RiRi Williams (Dominique Thorne): Ironheart, the series, was way better than advertised and deserved to be seen by more people. That aside, Ironheart, the character, should be involved with the Champions/Young Avengers project. Also, given Robert Downey Jr. ‘s endorsement of the actress and character, it would dictate Iron Heart makes her return to the big screen in Doomsday.
31. Okoye (Danai Guria): Once again, if you’re going all in on Wakanda, you need to have the incredible Danai Gurrira in this film. The head of the Dora Milaje had a feature role in Infinity War and Endgame, and it should be no different here.
30. The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly): Evangeline Lilly announced her retirement from acting in 2024. However, for all us wrestling fans, retirements rarely stick, and Lilly has hinted at just this. Wasp is a staple in the MCU to varying degrees of importance. However, this character is a good utility character — fulfilling numerous roles and solid backstories with numerous characters — it’d be weird not to have her.
29. Storm (Halle Berry or TBD): Halle Berry has stated she’s not in these films. Come on. Are we seriously not going to get Storm in a film that has a ton of original X-Men? If they’re going to do another series of chair reveals — then have Halle Berry as one of your big surprises. If she doesn’t return, we could see a brief recast (think John Krasinski as Mr. Fantastic).
28. Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg): If we’re doing multiversal jaw drops, what better way to do than by having Agent Phil Coulson coming back to drop the jaws of the original Avengers and Nick Fury. The Agents of SHIELD have been known to jump realities and timelines before, so having Coulson back makes a lot of sense.
27. Captain America (Chris Evans): Chris Evans said he misses his Avengers friends which some have interpreted as he won’t be back for Doomsday. You can read this two ways. First, he’s not going to be in the movie. Second, he’s not filming with a lot of his original compatriots, but will down the road. Remember some characters have wrapped already. Also, we can’t rule out the speculation out there is we could see him as an evil variant of Cap, or who knows maybe we do see him as Captain America returning. None of us had him on our list for Deadpool & Wolverine, so don’t count him out.
26. The Punisher (Jon Bernthal): He’s a red hot character in the MCU. He has his own series coming up in 2026 plus a Spider-Man appearance. If any street-level Marvel character is going to show up in this film, it’s going to be Frank Castle.
25. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson):2023 was not a good year for Nick Fury in the MCU. Secret Invasion was an unmitigated disaster and we all know the story on The Marvels = box office. However, the multiverse cannot be in danger without Nick Fury trying to save it. His two-year absence (three by the time this film is released) will be a good deodorant for Fury.
24. America Chavez (Xochitil Gomez): Put her in the same category as Shang Chi — an entertaining character we’ve only seen in the MCU one time. Xochitil Gomez has had cryptic things to say about the film and her involvement. Having a character that can punch a hole through dimensions seems to be a good one to have in a multiversal movie.
23. Billy Maximoff/Wiccan (Joe Locke): His appearance was leaked earlier this year, hence why he likely wasn’t announced during the first batch of characters. Also, my theory is that his search for his brother is going to lead for a search for Wanda, who will set the universe back together.
22. Groot (Vin Diesel): If we do get The Guardians of Galaxy in this film, it’s a lay-up for Vin Diesel to return as the voice of Groot.
21. Adam Warlock (Will Poulter): There’s been some scoopers saying Adam Warlock will be involved in the film. It does make a lot of sense since he’s one of the most powerful beings in the universe. Also, Poulter being a piece for the future of the MCU is the right call.
20. Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper): Rocket is such an awesome character and you could make the argument that its arc was closed perfect in Guardians Vol. 3. However, in the Infinity Saga Rocket was able to work perfectly with so many characters. One does have to wonder if the character would have the same impact without James Gunn.
19. Wolverine (Hugh Jackman): This is a swing for the fences pick. It seems like a no-brainer that Wolverine would be in the film due to his box office value, and his integral part in all of Marvel in totality. However, the only doubt of him being announced is they’re either saving him for a surprise, or punting his appearance to Secret Wars.
18. OB (Ke Huy Quan): While we didn’t see him in Deadpool & Wolverine, it’d make all the sense in the world to have the ultimate guy in the chair to return to deal with a multiversal crisis. He’s the type of high profile name that would great reaction upon reveal, and he just fits Marvel so well.
17. Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino): She’s also stoked the flames of involvement online. She’s a vital part of the Loki/TVA story. And the fun the film could have with her and Thor interacting.
16. Hunter B15 (Wunmi Mosaku): Hunter B15 showed up as the head of TVA in Deadpool & Wolverine — no doubt she returns in the same capacity in Doomsday.
15. Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton): Whether she’s going by Stature or Stinger or whatever, Cassie will be a part of this film. She was a main part of Quantumania (we try to forget that, but it’s still a fact) and we’ve got the Young Avengers of it all.
14. Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner): It’s oft been speculated that Doomsday and Secret Wars will be lead into the soft reboot of the entire MCU. So it makes sense to have as many OG Avengers as possible. While it seemed like Renner’s future with Marvel seemed to be in doubt, things seem to have changed. I don’t see Clint Barton as heavily involved in the action but he’ll still be a vital, emotional touchstone for this film.
13. Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld): We saw Kate Bishop being recruited by Kamala Khan at the end of The Marvels. There’s definitely going to be some Young Avengers/Champions shenanigans happening here. Also, the idea of getting Kate and Yelena back together is a must.
12. Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson): Valkyrie is a staple supporting character for Marvel. She’s been fantastic with everything she’s done — whether it’s being a headliner (Ragnarok) or a cameo (The Marvels). With Thor in town, Skrulls being homed in New Asgaard, and her being an intergalactic leader and former hero of The Battle for Earth, she’ll be suiting up for this one.
11. Vision (Paul Bettany): Vision Quest comes out in early 2026, and while we have only really have casting news — one has to assume it’s vital to what’s happening in the MCU. Vision meant a lot to Infinity War and WandaVision, so this is a character that matters, and won’t be left on the sideline.
10. War Machine (Don Cheadle): We’re going to forget about everything that happened with James Rhoades in Secret Invasion. War Machine is part of the furniture – someone who comes with an Avengers movie, and thus it’s a lay-up he’ll be there.
9. Monica Rambeau/Photon (Teynoah Parris): Monica opened the door for the X-Men to return, so it’s a near lock that you have her return.
8. Ms. Marvel (Iman Villani): Ms. Marvel is a no-brainer for this film. Her interacting with the other Marvel heroes (fingers crossed for a Wolverine interaction) will be worth its weight in gold. She was recruiting members for a new team.
7. Captain Marvel (Brie Larsen): Captain Marvel is not only returning to the Avengers, they will be one of the focal points of the film. She was a huge part of Endgame, and will continue to be that way. Cry about it.
6. Star-Lord/Peter Quill (Chris Pratt): “The Legendary Star-Lord Will Return” was one of the last things we saw at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Star-Lord returning to help the Avengers in this film, since he’s now located on earth, seems to be where we’ll see him.
5. Wong (Benedict Wong): Where Dr. Strange goes, as does Wong. But the question has to be asked — if Wong shows up, will we see Madisynn?
4. Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch): Can you really have a film about the multiverse with Doctor Doom in it without Doctor Strange? The answer is obviously, you can’t.
3. Hulk/Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo): How do you not have Mark Ruffalo in an Avengers movie? Hulk will be joining the new Spider-Man movie, and according to a conversation Ruffalo had with Kevin Feige, there’s a lot of stories left to tell with Bruce Banner.
2. Agent/Captain Cater (Hayley Atwell): It was reported back in December by Deadline that Atwell would return as Peggy Carter. Lock it in everyone.
1. Spider-Man (Tom Holland): Spider-Man: Brand New Day is currently in production and is poised to be one of the biggest films of the Summer of 2026. So, there’s absolutely no way you’re going to even think about excluding Spider-Man and Tom Holland from this film. Box office aside, we’re all waiting for Peter to say “Mr. Stark?” When Doctor Doom reveals his face.
