There are still a lot of big names missing from the Avengers: Doomsday cast. As there hasn't been a second cast reveal, it seems we'll have to wait until the movie is released in theaters before finding out how many superheroes the Russo Brothers have managed to enlist.
As of now, one of the biggest omissions is Brie Larson's Captain Marvel. Her being one of the MCU's most powerful characters makes inserting Carol Danvers into any story a challenge, but Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings firmly established her links to The Avengers.
In 2019, Captain Marvel made over $1 billion at the worldwide box office. In contrast, The Marvels flopped at the end of 2023, likely bringing an end to any future solo adventures for Larson as the character.
Avengers: Doomsday could serve as a fresh start for the hero, though it's previously been reported that the Captain won't appear in the upcoming blockbuster. Now, though, insider @MyTimeToShineH is reporting that, "Captain Marvel will have a big role in Secret Wars."
We don't have any additional details, but this likely means there will be a place for Carol on Doctor Doom's Battleworld. Whether she'll remember her past or be reimagined in that new reality remains to be seen.
In The Marvels, Monica Rambeau saved the universe, but left herself stranded in another reality. We'd later learn that she was in the same parallel world as the X-Men, seemingly setting the stage for her being the one responsible for bringing them and Earth-616's Mightiest Heroes together in Avengers: Doomsday.
Despite that, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, and Larson's names were all absent from last March's cast reveal. The Marvels may have been a box office flop, but received largely positive reviews, so the trio's absence would be baffling, to say the least.
Marvel Studios has made some missteps with Captain Marvel from the start, whether it's her retconned '90s origin story or the decision to loosely adapt the Kree/Skull War and make the shape-shifting Skrulls the good guys. Beyond lending a helping hand in the fight with Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, Carol Danvers has been largely absent from Earth-set stories, too.
We're in the dark when it comes to Larson's future as the hero, but the actress was asked about Captain Marvel's Avengers: Doomsday role during The Super Mario Galaxy Movie premiere. "Oh, you know I can’t talk about that," the Oscar-winner immediately replied. "Nice try."
The confirmed cast of Avengers: Secret Wars includes Robert Downey Jr. (Doctor Doom), Chris Evans (Steve Rogers), Anthony Mackie (Captain America), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), Paul Bettany (The Vision), Letitia Wright (Black Panther), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), and Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter).
Also appearing are Pedro Pascal (Mister Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (Human Torch), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Thing), and Sadie Sink.
The Russo Brothers direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars from a screenplay by Stephen McFeely, with whom they previously collaborated on the Avengers and Captain America franchises. Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness's Michael Waldron has also been enlisted to refine the story.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to arrive on December 17, 2027.