Avengers Secret Wars Adds Its 17th Reported MCU Cast Member (And No One Saw This Coming)

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A recent report suggests that a seventeenth actor has joined the cast of Avengers: Secret Wars. Marvel Studios is being very secretive about the cast for Avengers 6, and understandably so – they want to keep surprises from the December release of Avengers: Doomsday under wraps. However, maintaining that secrecy might become more difficult when filming begins in the U.K. from April to September.

The upcoming movie, Avengers 5, is already shaping up to be massive! Doomsday reports over 30 actors are confirmed to appear when it releases on December 18, 2026. However, Marvel Studios is keeping many details under wraps – they haven’t revealed about half the cast yet, and rumors suggest as many as 61 heroes and villains could be involved. With Robert Downey Jr. expected to play Doctor Doom, the stakes are high, and anyone could be in danger, especially considering the significant number of characters who died in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame.

Okay, so I just read some exciting news! Apparently, Sadie Sink, who you know from Stranger Things, is already set for her next big role after she finishes filming her first Marvel movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, this December. Deadline is reporting she’s going to be in Avengers: Secret Wars! They’re shooting it in London in 2026, which feels so far away, but I’m already hyped!

It’s currently unknown what role Isabela Merced (Sink) will have in Spider-Man 4, but speculation suggests she might play a villain, potentially the shapeshifting character Shathra. This makes it even more puzzling how her character will reappear in Avengers 6.

So far, 17 characters – both heroes and villains from the Marvel Cinematic Universe – have been officially announced for the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars movie, either by the actors who play them or by Marvel Studios directly.

All 17 Actors & Characters Returning for Avengers: Secret Wars

Robert Downey Jr. – Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom

Okay, Comic-Con 2024 just blew everyone away! Marvel brought Robert Downey Jr. back to the stage – yes, the Robert Downey Jr. – and announced he’s officially joining the MCU as Doctor Doom! It’s a huge shift, as he’s stepping into the role of the main villain, replacing Jonathan Majors’ Kang. Apparently, we’ll be seeing his Doom take center stage in both Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, mirroring his powerful presence in the comics. Honestly, it’s a fantastic move – Downey Jr. as Doom feels incredibly right, and it sets the stage for a seriously epic showdown.

Anthony Mackie, who plays Sam Wilson, has revealed that Avengers 5 will end with a suspenseful cliffhanger, similar to Infinity War. This suggests Doctor Doom will be the winner and will likely lead into Secret Wars. Following the 2015 comic book story, Doom is expected to be depicted as the all-powerful ruler of Battleworld, known as God Emperor Doom, in the movie.

Benedict Cumberbatch – Stephen Strange/Doctor Strange

Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Doctor Strange, hasn’t officially been confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday, and his comments about it have been unclear. However, he recently stated he’s involved with Secret Wars to a significant degree.

During the 2015 Secret Wars event, a version of Doctor Strange from another reality worked as the sheriff and enforcer of the law on Battleworld, which was ruled by Doctor Doom.

Anthony Mackie – Sam Wilson/Captain America

Anthony Mackie, who now plays Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, told Deadline this summer that he’s scheduled to film Avengers: Secret Wars next year, immediately after finishing his work on the movie Doomsday.

Although Sam Wilson is said to be building a new team of Avengers with heroes like Shang-Chi and Captain Marvel, it’s still unclear who will actually fight alongside him in the upcoming Secret Wars event.

Tom Holland – Peter Parker/Spider-Man

Tom Holland is expected to reprise his role as Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Brand New Day next year. However, reports suggest he won’t appear in Avengers: Doomsday before playing a major part in Secret Wars, which has surprised many fans.

The young hero faces a difficult challenge: Doctor Doom, disguised as his former mentor. To make things even harder, none of the other Avengers recognize him because of a spell Doctor Strange cast in No Way Home. Many fans believe he won’t be alone, though, and expect to see Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield reprise their roles as Spider-Man one last time.

Hayley Atwell – Peggy Carter

Hayley Atwell, known for playing Captain America’s Peggy Carter, is expected to be in the upcoming movie Avengers: Doomsday, likely as the version of her character from the main Marvel Cinematic Universe. Recent news from The Hollywood Reporter confirmed she’s also signed on for Secret Wars, revealing she’s committed to both of these Avengers sequels.

Although only the classic Peggy Carter is featured in Doomsday, there’s potential for different versions of her to show up in Secret Wars. Fans have already seen a super-soldier version of Captain Carter in both What If…? and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and another appearance is likely.

Pedro Pascal – Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic

At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, Marvel Studios announced that the Fantastic Four – including Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards – will appear in both upcoming Avengers movies, Doomsday and Secret Wars. They also revealed the actor who will play RDJ’s villain.

As a huge Fantastic Four fan, I always loved the dynamic between Reed Richards and Doctor Doom – their rivalry is legendary! The ‘Secret Wars’ comic event from 2015 really centered around that, and Reed was the one who ultimately triumphed. I’m really hoping the upcoming ‘Doomsday’ movie starts building up that same kind of history between them in the MCU. It would be awesome to see that classic rivalry play out on the big screen!

Vanessa Kirby – Sue Storm/Invisible Woman

Vanessa Kirby, who starred in Hobbs & Shaw, previously impressed audiences in The Fantastic Four, and fans hoped to see her character return in the Avengers movies. Now, with the powerful Franklin Richards – Reed and Sue’s son – poised to become a key part of the upcoming conflict with Doctor Doom, it’s likely she’ll be motivated by a strong desire for revenge.

In the 2015 storyline featuring Battleworld, Sue Storm was actually Susan von Doom – the wife of Doctor Doom, and mother to their children, Franklin and Valeria. A similar story could happen in future movies, potentially giving the character of Kirby a significant role and providing a softer, more empathetic side to contrast with Doctor Doom’s villainy.

Joseph Quinn – Johnny Storm/Human Torch

Okay, let’s talk Joseph Quinn. When he was first cast as Johnny Storm in The Fantastic Four, a lot of fans were skeptical – it felt like a risky move for the MCU. But honestly, he absolutely killed it! He quickly won everyone over with his performance, and now we’re all eagerly anticipating his return – not just in more Fantastic Four films, but also in the upcoming Avengers movies in 2026 and 2027. He’s become a real standout, and I’m excited to see what he does with the role going forward.

In Secret Wars, Johnny Storm was given the incredibly important and daunting job of being the sun for the entire Battleworld. If that same event happened within the Avengers storyline, it would likely mean a smaller part for him throughout most of the story, possibly only appearing near the end to help with the final battle.

Ebon Mass-Bachrach – Ben Grimm/The Thing

With Ebon Mass-Bachrach officially back as Ben Grimm, also known as The Thing, the main lineup for the Secret Wars movie is now complete.

As a big Fantastic Four fan, I’m so relieved to hear that they’re already planning a sequel! It sounds like the team will make it through Secret Wars after all, which isn’t a huge surprise, but it’s great to know our favorite heroes will be back for more adventures soon.

Florence Pugh – Yelena Belova

Let me tell you, San Diego Comic-Con last year wasn’t just about the Fantastic Four joining the Secret Wars fray. We also got official confirmation about the Thunderbolts – or, as they’re now being called, the New Avengers. And the big news? Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, who we first met in Black Widow, is leading the charge. It’s exciting to see where Marvel is taking this team!

Yelena has quickly become a fan favorite in the Multiverse Saga, and her story is really taking off with the Thunderbolts movie. Looking ahead to Secret Wars, she’s likely to be a key leader of a rebel group on Battleworld, and could eventually take over the role of Black Widow from Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff.

Sebastian Stan – Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier

Sebastian Stan, who has been nominated for an Oscar, will reprise his role as Bucky Barnes in Avengers 6. He’ll be working alongside both the original Avengers team and Sam Wilson’s new group of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, giving him plenty of familiar faces to team up with.

Along with popular heroes like Thor, Loki, and War Machine, Bucky Barnes is one of the MCU’s original characters. He’s been part of the universe for 16 years, and with the upcoming Secret Wars, there’s speculation he might face a tragic fate in future Avengers films.

Wyatt Russell – John Walker/U.S. Agent

Wyatt Russell, who jokingly referred to himself as “your third-favorite Thunderbolt,” is set to return as John Walker, also known as U.S. Agent, in the next Avengers movie, Avengers 6.

I’m really intrigued by the potential for John Walker’s character in the upcoming Marvel movies, especially with the buzz around Secret Wars. It sounds like Doctor Doom might be using him as a sort of enforcer on Battleworld, which is a cool idea. With so many shield-wielding heroes planned for 2026 and 2027, I’m hoping we get to see Steve Rogers interact with his U.S. Agent counterpart, John Walker – that could be a really compelling dynamic to watch play out on the big screen.

David Harbour – Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian

Following the popular finale of Stranger Things, where many fans believe his character Hopper survived, David Harbour will reprise his role as Red Guardian—Russia’s version of Captain America—in the next two Avengers films.

According to The Cosmic Circus, Red Guardian and The Thing will team up in Avengers 5. Fans are now speculating whether this pairing will be strong enough to last into the Secret Wars movie.

Hannah John-Kamen – Ava Starr/Ghost

Hannah John-Kamen first appeared as the character Ghost in Ant-Man and the Wasp, and it seemed like her story might be over. But now, Ghost has joined the New Avengers and will be back in both Doomsday and Secret Wars movies.

Fans are worried that some of the less popular heroes, like Red Guardian, Ghost, and U.S. Agent, might be killed off in future Avengers movies. With Marvel planning a fresh start after Secret Wars, focusing on the X-Men, it’s possible not all these characters will survive.

Sadie Sink – TBD

As a huge movie fan, I was thrilled to read on Deadline that Sadie Sink – you know, from Stranger Things – is officially joining the cast of Avengers: Secret Wars! It’s so exciting, especially since she’s also gearing up to make her Marvel debut in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Everyone’s buzzing about who she’ll be playing, and Marvel’s keeping her character’s details super secretive, which just adds to the hype!

Catch the first look at Sadie Sink on set as her mystery MCU character.

The upcoming return of Sink’s character in Secret Wars, after the Brand New Day storyline, has sparked a lot of debate about who she’s playing. Fans are suggesting she could be Mayday Parker (Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man’s daughter), the living embodiment of the Multiverse known as Abyss, or even iconic X-Men characters like Jean Grey or Firestar – the possibilities are incredibly diverse and exciting.

Ryan Omoto – TBD

Ryan and Daniel Omoto, hosts of the “Just the Nobodys” podcast, have a working relationship with AGBO, the production company run by the Russo Brothers. In an Instagram video, they jokingly asked director Joe Russo if they could make their first on-screen appearances in the upcoming Marvel movies Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.

The filmmaker happily agreed and told the podcasters they would be featured in the movie, even having specific roles in mind, though those roles haven’t been revealed.

Daniel Omoto – TBD

This year, the Omoto brothers began their acting careers by appearing in the casts of Doomsday and Secret Wars. This is their first time appearing in any film or television project.

Therefore, these characters will probably appear in minor roles during the making of the Avengers movies, or only briefly as cameos – possibly as themselves or as journalists.

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2025-11-19 19:10