Hot on the heels of announcing 26 new cast members for the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel and Robert Downey Jr. have hinted that the casting announcements are far from over. Just yesterday, Marvel unveiled the cast through an extensive livestream, confirming the actors who will join Robert Downey Jr. in this superhero epic and signaling the start of production.

Among the notable announcements, Channing Tatum will reprise his role as the beloved X-Men character Gambit. You can explore the full Avengers: Doomsday cast list here.

However, some key MCU figures are conspicuously absent from the announced lineup. Fans noticed that Tom Holland's Spider-Man is missing, as is Chris Evans, despite earlier rumors of his involvement in either Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars. Evans later refuted these rumors. Additionally, there's no sign of Hulk, Hawkeye, Nick Fury, or Rhodey. On the X-Men front, characters like Deadpool, Wolverine, Storm, and Jean Grey are also missing from the list.

The absence of these fan-favorite characters sparked disappointment among superhero enthusiasts. However, hope remains as Robert Downey Jr., who will portray Doctor Doom after his long stint as Iron Man, teased more announcements in an Instagram post. He remarked, "That's what u call a deep bench of talent. Actually it's more like a row, but an extra long one... That must be it.. right?"

The Most Surprising Avengers and Marvel Characters Not Announced for Doomsday

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Marvel further fueled speculation by commenting, "there's always room for more." The film's directors, the Russo Brothers, added to the excitement by stating, "It's time..."

Clearly, Marvel has more surprises up its sleeve for Avengers: Doomsday. Who might join the fray? Share your thoughts and predictions in the comments section below.

Earlier this month, the Russo brothers described Avengers 5 and 6 as a "new beginning" that will set the stage for Phase 7 of the MCU. Joe Russo emphasized their focus on creating complex villains, stating, "The only thing I'll say about the movie is this: we love villains who think they're the heroes of their own stories. That's when they become three-dimensional and they become more interesting. When you have an actor like Robert Downey, you have to create a three-dimensional, well-shaped character for the audience. That's where a lot of our focus is going."

Avengers: Doomsday is slated for release on May 1, 2026, with Secret Wars following in May 2027. Before these, fans can look forward to Thunderbolts* in May 2025, the TV series Ironheart in June, and the kickoff of Phase 6 with The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July.

In October, Marvel Studios added three untitled movie projects to its 2028 release schedule: February 18, 2028; May 5, 2028; and November 10, 2028. Speculation is rife that one of these could be the long-awaited X-Men film.