Sebastian Stan hinted at potential deaths in Avengers: Doomsday during a recent appearance at an international convention. The upcoming mega-crossover event for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) will bring together heroes from across the Multiverse as they attempt to prevent Doctor Doom's evil plan from coming to fruition. This would strongly suggest that not everyone will make it out alive in the Avengers' next big-screen outing, considering that the Multiverse is already in grave danger due to the emergence of Incursions.
The Direct was in attendance in person at the Assemble! At the Marvel Gathering Stage at Tokyo Comic-Con 2025 on December 5, during which Bucky Barnes actor Sebastian Stan teased potential deaths of some heroes in Avengers: Doomsday, hinting that some characters won't make it in the crossover movie:
Tokyo Comic-Con Host: "Can you tell us what you’re most excited about Avengers: Doomsday?"
Sebastian Stan: "Oh. 'Avengers Doomsday.' Yeah, I don’t know if I could say very much about that. I don’t know what’s going to happen. We’ll see who makes it and who doesn’t, right?"
Although he didn't say much, Stan pointed out that the most exciting thing about Doomsday is the return of Robert Downey Jr., pointing out that the MCU mainstay is "definitely going to have something in store for everybody:"
"But, I think the most exciting thing is Robert Downey Jr, one of the greatest, is coming back, and he’s definitely going to have something in store for everybody."
Additionally, returning Gambit actor Channing Tatum previously described Avengers: Doomsday as a "dramatic movie," which could be due to a tragic death or two in the 2026 MCU flick. Either way, it seems as though Doomsday will continue the ongoing trend of the MCU's Avengers films in which at least one major character dies.
2012's The Avengers started the trend with the death of Agent Phil Coulson, followed by the heartbreaking demise of Pietro Maximoff in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron. Avengers: Infinity War then killed off Gamora (and half of the universe's population) before Avengers: Endgame showcased the tragic demise of two original Avengers: Natasha Romanoff and Tony Stark's Iron Man.
Directed by the Russo Brothers, Avengers: Doomsday will assemble the Fantastic Four, Earth's Mightiest Heroes, and the X-Men as they go up against Doctor Doom. The movie features a star-studded cast of 27 confirmed actors, headlined by Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, Simu Liu, Anthony Mackie, James Marsden, Patrick Stewart, Robert Downey Jr., and more. Avengers: Doomsday is set to premiere in theaters on December 18, 2026.
What Sebastian Stan's Latest Doomsday Comments Mean for Other MCU Characters
Sebastian Stan's latest tease about significant character deaths in Avengers: Doomsday is concerning because any character demise would be impactful, especially considering the movie's star-studded cast.
The actor's comments also suggest that the death toll in Doomsday could be high, as Doctor Doom is a villain with no emotional ties to most, if not all, of the characters. This would make it easy for him to kill these heroes without hesitation to achieve his evil plan for the Multiverse.
Some already speculated that Bucky Barnes will be among those who will not make it, and it's intriguing that this quote about character deaths came from Stan himself. Bucky has had quite a journey in the MCU, and with the rumored return of Chris Evans' Steve Rogers in Doomsday, it's possible that he could end up sacrificing himself for his best friend.
Meanwhile, other candidates for the deaths in Doomsday include Thor, Loki, and even Patrick Stewart's Charles Xavier (who is confirmed to say goodbye to his iconic role in the 2026 movie). While the X-Men might be the most powerful and experienced team in Doomsday, seeing Professor X's death in a clash against Doctor Doom might completely derail the mutant team's momentum.
Loki being a target for Doom for the control of the Multiverse, similar to Vision and Thanos' dynamic in Infinity War, makes him a top contender to die. Alternatively, Doomsday could surprise everyone by killing off Thor, which would prompt Loki to relinquish his throne and allow Doom to take over.
