Marvel has revealed to fans which characters they can expect to see in Avengers: Doomsday, which has built up a lot of excitement surrounding its release. However, even though the movie will boast the likes of Thor, the Fantastic Four, and the majority of the Thunderbolts*, there are some major characters that aren’t expected to be part of Avengers: Doomsday.

Significant heroes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, such as Spider-Man and Captain Marvel, will not be involved. However, there is also a notable lack of characters from Marvel’s television shows, which continues to prove that the studios aren’t firmly invested in them at this stage.

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Marvel Studios Needs To Take Things Back To The Basics As Avengers: Doomsday Promises To Be Overstuffed

Avengers: Doomsday is set to be overstuffed, showcasing the need for Marvel Studios to go back to the basics.

Marvel Had Plenty Of Characters To Choose From

Marvel Studios has created a vast cast for the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday movie, holding nothing back when it comes to adding as many personalities to the film as possible. That’s what makes the lack of MCU television stars seem like such a strange decision, as there is no real reason to omit them when the cast is so wide. Even the likes of Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch couldn’t get a look in this time around. Marvel Studios has certainly put effort into creating memorable television characters with the likes of She-Hulk, Daredevil, and Moon Knight all being exciting options with genuine backstories and offering something different from the same old characters that fans have seen.

These characters aren’t just random ones who would mean nothing to fans, as the people who are invested in the MCU have watched all of these shows in detail. People want to see them integrated into the movies when the rest of the franchise is involved because it makes them feel as if they’re part of it all rather than just being on the outside looking in. With so many characters at their disposal, it’s slightly disheartening for fans who have taken the time to watch those shows with the idea that they will play into the overall franchise only to find out that they won’t be.

Marvel Still Doesn’t Feel Firmly Invested In The Television Shows

The problem with not including any of the television characters outside of Loki – who was already well-established before getting his own series, is that it shows a lack of investment in that aspect of the franchise. Marvel is creating these shows for Disney Plus in a bid to create more stories outside of just the movies, with more long-form storytelling. Yet the studios rarely include them in the biggest movies, which is where the most important moments take place. That’s why it feels like Marvel isn’t properly invested in the characters, as they never intend to put them into the crucial parts of the MCU. That hurts the entire franchise as it doesn’t give people a reason to watch the television shows, nor should the writers include those characters in the movies.

Marvel Could Hade Made The Television Shows Feel More Important

Some might argue that the MCU television characters aren’t important enough to be placed in movies such as Avengers: Doomsday because the storylines aren’t built up to that point. However, these arguments were both ways around, as fans would care about them more if the television shows themselves felt more important to the grand scheme of the MCU. While the likes of Daredevil: Born Again and WandaVision have been made with real quality, the fact that the characters don’t translate means a lot of potential viewers don’t give it a try as they see it as a waste of time. However, if they had been brought into Avengers: Doomsday, then people would have been more inclined to check them out because they would have been given a reason to care. Marvel showing that they’re important is the only way to truly make people believe.

Marvel has teased that more characters could be added to Avengers: Doomsday in the future, leading to the cast becoming bloated. However, there would be plenty of benefits to having some of the television characters in this movie. Not only would it enhance the story and add more star power, but it would reward anyone who has decided to watch the television shows. Marvel Studios has always been about fan service, and having that link between television and the wider MCU movies is a great way of showcasing that. However, up until now, it doesn’t feel like it’s going to happen. Despite Marvel claiming they’re putting more effort into the television department with long-running shows being the future as opposed to brief one-season runs that many have had until now, there still isn’t the right level of investment. If the MCU wants people to care about the shows as much as any movie, then they must do whatever it takes to showcase them more prominently in a movie, such as Avengers: Doomsday.

Avengers: Doomsday

Release Date

May 1, 2026

Director

Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

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  Vanessa Kirby

  Sue Storm / Invisible Woman

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  Joseph Quinn

  Johnny Storm / Human Torch

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  Ebon Moss-Bachrach

  Ben Grimm / The Thing

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  Pedro Pascal

  Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic