Marvel Studios revealed the first casting announcements for 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige dropped a number of bombshells at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con related to the Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts, Captain America: Brave New World, and the MCU’s upcoming Avengers films.
In addition to completely renaming Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to Doomsday, and making headlines with a shocking casting reveal, Feige confirmed the first five MCU cast members who will appear in Avengers 6.
[ Avengers 5 Doomsday Title Explained: What Does 'Doomsday' Mean? ]
5 Avengers: Secret Wars Cast Members Revealed
While on stage at San Diego Comic-Con, Kevin Feige informed the crowd that many of the Marvel Studios stars who appeared at the Hall H panel would be appearing in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Secret Wars is inspired by the comic book narrative of the same name where MCU heroes and villains engage in a critical multiversal showdown.
While Feige's comments were intentionally left vague, he did single out a few names that would definitively be joining the 2027 movie's roster. The following are all five cast members confirmed to return for Avengers: Secret Wars:
1.) Robert Downey - Doctor Doom
The actor whose Secret Wars role made the biggest splash was the surprise return of Robert Downey Jr. as Avengers: Doomsday villain, Doctor Doom.
Directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who return to the MCU for Avengers 5 and 6, made Downey's Doctor Doom introduction, referring to him as the character required "to do Secret Wars justice" and who "could be the most important character in all of the Marvel universe:"
"There is one very, very important character that is required to do 'Secret Wars' justice. And it's a character that Marvel has not introduced yet. And it could be the most important character in all of the Marvel universe."
Marvel Studios' decision to rename Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (aka Avengers 5) to Avengers: Doomsday, and now Downey Jr.'s casting confirmation for Avengers 6, suggests the Iron Man actor is likely taking the place of Kang the Conqueror as the Multiverse Saga's new big bad.
What's particularly interesting about Downey's Secret Wars role is that he will cross paths with past and present MCU stars who knew Tony Stark. This will make their confrontations with the multiversal villain far more emotional and complex.
2.) Pedro Pascal - Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic
Alongside the movie's big bad, Feige confirmed that the "Fantastic Four cast" will be sticking around through 2027.
In addition to Marvel Studios giving the Fantastic Four a new title, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Pedro Pascal made his first MCU appearance both on the Hall H stage and in the 2025 film's first trailer.
As Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, The Mandalorian and Gladiator 2 star is taking on a role speculated to be a new cornerstone character in the MCU — a fact further confirmed by his presence in Secret Wars opposite Robert Downey Jr.
3.) Vanessa Kirby - Sue Storm / Invisible Woman
Known for her roles in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning: Part One and The Crown, Vanessa Kirby's role as Sue Storm/the Invisible Woman was already significant given the character's comic book importance.
But her casting in Avengers 6 confirms her presence in the MCU extends far beyond just the 2025 film and its 1960s timeline, and with the potential to be Marvel Studios' next big female heroine.
4.) Ebon Moss-Bachrach - Ben Grimm / Thing
Taking on the role of Ben Grimm or the Thing, as well as Reed Richards' best friend, is The Bear's Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who is confirmed to be playing the rock-covered hero via motion capture.
A big question leading into the Fantastic Four: First Steps is how the film will address Grimm's relationship with his newfound powers.
5.) Joseph Quinn - Johnny Storm / The Human Torch
Stranger Things and A Quiet Place: Day One star Joseph Quinn is set to play the youngest member of the Fantastic Four team, a ladies man, and the younger brother of Sue Storm.
What's interesting about Quinn's role is the fact that two other MCU actors have played Johnny Storm in previous Fox-Verse Fantastic Four films, those being Captain America star Chris Evans and Black Panther's Michael B. Jordan.
Who Else Will Appear in Avengers: Secret Wars?
While the Fantastic Four cast is confirmed for Avengers 6, Kevin Feige did claim that "other members you've seen today" will also appear:
"The 'Fantastic Four' cast and many of the other members you've seen today will also be appearing in the two 'Avengers' films that we're making."
Since the cast of Thunderbolts and Captain America 4 also made appearances, the question now is who from those films will be involved in this Multiversal battle.
Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson/Captain America seems like a safe bet, especially since Brave New World is expected to serve as the actor's foray into a top MCU spot.
But another likely candidate is Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova.
Not only is Pugh no longer an MCU rookie, but her own star power, coupled with her significant role in Thunderbolts, would make her absence from an Avengers film both baffling and a missed opportunity.
Fans should expect more about the future of the MCU at D23 in August.
Avengers: Secret Wars arrives in theaters on May 7, 2027.
Check out other Marvel Studios stories below:
First Trailer for Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts Movie Released at Comic-Con
Who Is Marvel’s Sidewinder? Giancarlo Esposito’s Captain America Brave New World Villain Explained
Marvel Hall H 2024: Announcements & Photos From Their SDCC Event
