Avengers: Doomsday's colossal cast continues to expand. According to a new report, Marvel Studios is bringing back Nick Fury for the 2026 blockbuster, suggesting he won't be missing out on the crossover action a second time.
On X, The Cosmic Circus' Alex Perez posted a new report claiming that Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury is returning for Avengers: Doomsday. Therefore, fans can expect him in the mix when the Avengers, the Thunderbolts* (aka the New Avengers), the Wakandans, Fantastic Four, and the original Fox X-Men will unite in a Multiversal face-off against Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.
Despite enacting the Avengers Initiative and putting together that group of "remarkable people," Fury only appeared in the post-credits scene of Avengers: Infinity War, where he summoned Captain Marvel before being dusted. The former SHIELD director wasn't seen again until the conclusion of Endgame, where he attended Tony Stark's funeral. So with Marvel bringing back Fury for Doomsday, it's possible he will finally be involved not only in a MCU crossover but a Multiversal one at that.
Within the Multiverse Saga, Fury's presence has been limited and somewhat mixed. After dedicating his post-Endgame time in space as the director of SABER, he returned to Earth in his Disney+ series, Secret Invasion, to deal with an invasion of rogue Skrulls. However, his storyline and its drama were somewhat disconnected from his next appearance in The Marvels. However, Avengers: Doomsday offers plenty of opportunities for Nick Fury to play a pivotal role, given his connection to mutants in The Marvels, his work in space with SABER, and the need for a new Avengers initiative to unite the movie's various superhero teams.
Directed by the Russo Brothers and featuring a massive, ever-expanding roster of Marvel stars (check out a confirmed cast list here!), Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18, 2026, as part of Phase 6 of the MCU. The film's sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, is currently slated to debut on December 17, 2027.
8 Marvel Heroes Playing Major Roles in Avengers: Doomsday
Nick Fury is far from the only key MCU character returning for Avengers: Doomsday. The following is a list of Marvel heroes who are expected to play vital roles in Avengers 5:
Loki
Not only is Loki returning for Avengers 5, a fact Tom Hiddleston confirmed himself, but the actor also teased that audiences should expect a "new" Loki for Doomsday. After all, Season 2 of Loki on Disney+ ended with the God of Mischief finding his glorious purpose as the God of Stories and essentially holding the Multiverse together. It's no wonder then that he's expected to be key to the crossover's events and possibly headed for an Avengers rematch with Robert Downey Jr., whose new character is a villain, while Hiddleston's is now a hero.
Reed Richards
In case there was any doubt about Reed Richards' role in Avengers: Doomsday, Fantastic Four director Matt Shakman removed all doubt in confirming how instrumental Mister Fantastic is going to be, describing him as the guy who will be "leading the Avengers." This makes sense due to Reed's intelligence, his experience with Galactus in Fantastic Four: First Steps, and likely his experience with Doom and the Multiverse. He may also be pivotal in uniting the two Avengers teams together, with Nick Fury finding a new Stark-like supergenius to lead the charge.
Sam Wilson
In addition to Nick Fury's presence in Doomsday, Alex Perez previously reported that Sam Wilson's Captain America will have a leading role in Avengers: Doomsday and more screentime than other characters. Thunderbolts* established that Wilson copyrighted the Avengers due to Val's announcement of the New Avengers, meaning he may be on a collision course with Yelena Belova and her squad when the film begins. But there may be a bigger and more personal reason why Wilson dominates the screen in Avengers 5.
Yelena Belova
The technical leader of the Thunderbolts* (New Avengers), Yelena and the team witnessed the arrival of a Multiversal ship at the end of their May 2025 film, a scene that's actually part of Avengers: Doomsday. Therefore, she's likely to be involved with what's unfolding from the start, all the while learning to work with other heroes and protecting Bob, the latter of whom may also be instrumental in Doomsday.
Shuri
Since the Wakandans are one of the groups involved with Avengers: Doomsday, of course, audiences can expect to see plenty of Shuri's Black Panther following Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. But while she's not expected to be a lead on par with Sam Wilson's Cap, Alex Perez described her role as supporting, which is still significant and highly involved, given how vast the Avengers 5 cast truly is.
Shang-Chi
Another hero Alex Perez confirmed will be key to Doomsday (and whose return is long overdue) is Shang-Chi. In fact, Perez described him as a "big supporting character" within the crossover, which is great news for fans hoping for grounded martial arts action in addition to all the magic and superpowered warfare.
Doctor Strange
Another obvious candidate for significant screentime in Avengers: Doomsday is Doctor Strange due to his history with the Multiverse, incursions, and a Multiversal Reed Richards. In fact, the last Marvel audiences saw of Benedict Cumberbatch's hero, he and his third eye were following a Charlize Theron's Clea to deal with an incursion. While Perez agreed, reporting that he should be a lead in the film, the insider noted that, currently, his fate is uncertain.
Thor
Last, but never least, (especially in his estimation,) is the God of Thunder's importance to Avengers: Doomsday. Not only is Chris Hemsworth confirmed for the film (and where Thor's likely to reunite with his brother Loki), but the Asgardian was the focus of an Avengers promotional image at CinemaCon 2024. The big question amongst fans is whether the original Avenger will finally hang up the hammer post-Doomsday, especially after he posted this statement amidst retirement talk.
