Marvel Studios has a monumental task ahead with the final two films of the Multiverse Saga, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. The cast reveal for Doomsday at D23 was nothing short of staggering, confirming the return of heavy hitters like Thor, Captain America (Sam Wilson), and Loki, along with the introduction of the Fantastic Four and a slew of Fox’s X-Men characters. They will all face off against Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom, and the sheer number of heroes already on the roster is a cause for both excitement and caution.
The creative challenge lies in ensuring that every character has a meaningful role and that the narrative doesn’t become overstuffed, a trap that even Avengers: Infinity War occasionally flirted with. To maximize the impact of Avengers: Secret Wars as the ultimate, earth-shattering finale, the studio would be wise to resist the temptation to squeeze every major player into Doomsday. Holding back certain fan-favorite and high-powered characters for the second act of this epic two-part finale would serve a crucial purpose.
Marvel Should Save These Heroes for Avengers: Secret Wars
Spider-Man (Tom Holland)
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man was a noticeable absence from the expansive cast announced for Avengers: Doomsday. While some reports speculated on his potential inclusion, his name was not among the chairs on stage. His most recent appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home left him with a clean slate, a forgotten hero starting anew with a more grounded, street-level existence, which will be portrayed in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Introducing him into the Multiversal conflict in Doomsday would immediately undermine the resolution of his last film and steal focus from the characters driving the current Multiverse-level plot.
By saving his return for Secret Wars, the MCU could make Peter Parker’s role feel more meaningful than just another hero in a crowd. His emotional journey of rediscovering his place as a forgotten hero could culminate in the ultimate test, being the last hope to save a shattered reality.
His arrival in Secret Wars, perhaps as a memory-retaining hero in the vein of the original comic’s Illuminati members, would be a moment of genuine awe, re-establishing him as a central figure in the post-Multiverse Saga MCU.
Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)
The fate of Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch, was left ambiguous after the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, with her sacrificing herself to destroy the Darkhold. Actress Elizabeth Olsen explicitly stated she is not returning for Avengers: Doomsday. While disappointing for some fans, this denial is a huge creative benefit. Wanda is arguably one of the most powerful beings in the entire MCU, and her presence in Doomsday would either solve the conflict too easily or require contrivances to sideline her.
Her true power and path to redemption are better suited for the ultimate event. In the original comics, Scarlet Witch played a role in creating the reality-warping events that led to the House of M storyline, which WandaVision borrowed from. In the context of the Multiverse Saga, her return in Secret Wars could be pivotal.
Whether she is resurrected, rescued from the rubble of Mount Wundagore, or emerges as a character integral to undoing Doctor Doom’s final, world-creating act, Wanda's return must be an event in itself, not just another participant in Doomsday’s opening battle.
Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch)
Much like the Scarlet Witch, Benedict Cumberbatch confirmed to Variety that Doctor Strange would not be in Avengers: Doomsday, citing that the character’s journey "Is not aligning with this part of the story." This is perhaps the most strategically sound omission. Strange has been at the center of the Multiverse Saga, from No Way Home to Multiverse of Madness, and sending him into yet another Multiversal battle in Doomsday could feel repetitive.
Furthermore, the comic book source material for Secret Wars positions Doctor Strange as a pivotal, central figure alongside Doctor Doom. In the 2015 event, Strange acts as Doom’s sheriff on the patchwork world of Battleworld, eventually turning against him to restore reality.
By saving Strange for Secret Wars, the film can immediately jump into this fascinating, high-stakes dynamic. His absence in Doomsday allows other characters, such as Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), to take the lead in discovering the truth about the Incursions. This would make Strange’s eventual, fateful alliance with or confrontation against Doctor Doom in the sequel a narrative climax for the entire saga.
Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds)
The blockbuster success of Deadpool & Wolverine naturally led to feverish speculation about Deadpool’s role in the final two Avengers films. However, while a few reports suggested Deadpool’s involvement, Ryan Reynolds was not featured in the official cast announcement for Avengers: Doomsday, despite a key Deadpool location set to be featured in the film. Furthermore, Ryan Reynolds has only joked cryptically about the rumors.
Given the tonal shift necessary for Doomsday, a film expected to be a dramatic, near-hopeless event, forcing the R-rated humor and chaotic energy of Deadpool into a PG-13 Avengers team-up would be difficult and potentially jarring.
His most impactful role would be as an unexpected wild card. In Secret Wars, with reality fractured and the heroes at their lowest point, Deadpool's sudden, unexpected arrival from the remnants of the Multiverse would provide a needed injection of energy, humor, and unpredictable power.
Kate Bishop (and the Young Avengers)
The collective of emerging young heroes, the Young Avengers, has slowly been assembled across Phases 4 and 5, including Kate Bishop, Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel, Riri Williams, and Cassie Lang/Stature. Aside from Riri, none of the primary Young Avengers characters were confirmed for the official Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement, a decision that makes sense for the narrative arc. Kate Bishop, in particular, has had only two live-action appearances to date, and her story, and that of the whole Young Avengers team, is still in its nascent stages.
Throwing these characters into the enormous ensemble of Doomsday would inevitably relegate them to background roles, dulling the excitement of their true team-up. The greatest moment for this new generation would be to see them unite as a team and step up to fill the void left by the original Avengers.
The Young Avengers' collective emergence in Secret Wars, as a fully formed, capable unit ready to join the fray, would serve as a thrilling symbol of hope and a powerful passing of the torch, a narrative thread that would resonate far more strongly than if they were overwhelmed in Doomsday.
Wolverine (Hugh Jackman)
The long-awaited Multiversal introduction of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most exciting events of Phase 6. Wolverine’s inclusion in the already packed cast of Doomsday is also unconfirmed, despite this video convincing fans otherwise, and likely unnecessary for the first film’s narrative. His character’s power set and narrative weight demand a significant role that would be hard to provide amidst the dozens of established and newly introduced heroes in Doomsday.
Wolverine is a character defined by his resilience and his status as the best there is at what he does. His arrival in Secret Wars, a broken, desperate reality, would feel like an event. He could be an essential piece of a desperate resistance or perhaps the only hero left standing from his own universe who finds himself on Battleworld.
Holding him back makes his inevitable involvement an absolute narrative anchor for the final film, providing a sense of raw, primal power that will be critical when the established heroes have been beaten to the brink.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
