For something coming from Disney and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the reveal was a bit anticlimactic. A long, slow sweep of the back of 27 actors’ director-style chairs, followed by Robert Downey, Jr., whose Tony Stark aka Iron Man was killed off as the grand finale of 22 Infinity War movies. But we also learned Downey would be playing the Marvel villain Doomsday at a panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 (just don’t rule out some kind of return of Tony Stark–we’re in Multiverse Land here). Yesterday Marvel announced the fifth big team-up is underway, and with one video gave fans a peek at what is to come, although it is unlikely to be a comprehensive slate even as it relates to the key cast members. Expect two superhero epics coming your way, first Avengers: Doomsday, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, taking over theaters across the world May 1, 2026. That will be followed a year later by Avengers: Secret Wars. So what’s the big surprise from the cast list?
That would be the return of the first generation of actors playing the X-Men: Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier aka Professor X (last seen in a surprising return in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness), Ian McKellen as Erik aka Magneto, Kelsey Grammer as Hank McCoy aka Beast, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique (who lost her powers when we last saw her), James Marsden as Cyclops, and Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler. Note no mention of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, or Famke Janssen as Jean Grey, which may help narrowing some timeframes for the movie. Along with Jackman there was no mention of Ryan Reynolds returning as Deadpool, but one standout name in the cast list is Channing Tatum, bringing his character Gambit for a second appearance.
It’s less a surprise we’ll see the new cast of the coming Fantastic Four reboot #3, Fantastic Four: First Steps. Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm means we will see the first major crossover of the X-Men and Fantastic Four in this movie.
MCU old-timer Robert Downey, Jr. will be joined by Avengers Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, Simu Liu as Shang Chi, Letitia Wright as Shuri, Winston Duke as M’Baku, and Danny Ramirez as The Falcon. But another surprise is the return of Marvel classic sometimes villain, sometimes hero Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner, played again by Tenoch Huerta Mejía.
And it’s no surprise the new Thunderbolts assemblage will be in Avengers: Doomsday. That’s Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova aka the new Black Widow, Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, and Lewis Pullman as Sentry.
It’s going to be quite a wait. Avengers: Doomsday arrives May 1, 2026, and the conclusion with Avengers: Secret Wars, May 7, 2027.
C.J. Bunce / Editor / borg
