Avengers: Doomsday's cast includes characters from all over the MCU, with new recruits like the Fantastic Four and franchise stars like Chris Hemsworth's Thor. The film will also use the multiverse in interesting ways, with many stars from Fox's original X-Men franchise jumping in on the action, and a few of them could die.

Doctor Doom is a ruthless villain in the comics. If the MCU does something similar with the character, then his combined magical and technological abilities should lead to quite a few deaths. The Avengers: Secret Wars, some veterans — older characters and those in the MCU for a long time — could die, such as:

10 Shuri/Black Panther

Played By Letitia Wright

Starting the list is Shuri. Letitia Wright's Marvel character is the current Black Panther of the MCU after the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman and the subsequent death of T'Challa in the franchise. Shuri almost perished during her fight with Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Doctor Doom could make that a reality.

Marvel Studios is reportedly looking into recasting T'Challa through the multiverse...

The Black Panther franchise has introduced a new version of T'Challa through the son of the original Black Panther, aka Toussaint. Marvel Studios is reportedly looking into recasting T'Challa through the multiverse, and that, allied to Toussaint's debut, could mean the end of the road for Shuri, who could die for a new Black Panther to take over.

9 Hank McCoy/Beast

Played By Kelsey Grammer

With Fox's original X-Men returning in Avengers: Doomsday, I believe the movie could serve as the swan song for this iteration of the team. While some characters could make it to Avengers: Secret Wars, a few of the X-Men make sense for major deaths in the MCU's next Avengers movie.

Beast is one of the characters who I could see dying. Interestingly, he was the first X-Men character used by the MCU to set up Avengers: Doomsday, with Beast appearing in The Marvels. That makes me think he will have a key role in the film, and based on his selfless persona, I could see Beast sacrificing himself.

8 Ava Starr/Ghost

Played By Hannah John-Kamen

Ghost might have only appeared twice in the MCU, but she has been in the franchise for quite some time. The anti-hero debuted in 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp. While I liked the character in her MCU debut, Thunderbolts* recently made me care about Ghost and want to see more of her.

Sadly, I believe that could be a trick Marvel is pulling on the fans. Avengers: Doomsday will likely kill multiple characters. Bringing Ghost back, making fans like her, and killing her right after in the Avengers movie fits what Marvel has done in the past with a few characters.

7 Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier

Played By Sebastian Stan

Bucky Barnes is one of the longest-running MCU characters. That means Bucky's death would undoubtedly be a major moment that leaves several heroes and the audience in tears. Over the past few years, Sebastian Stan's MCU character has seen a lot of growth, making amends for his Winter Soldier past.

Every MCU Avengers Movie

Movie

Release Date

The Avengers

2012

Avengers: Age of Ultron

2015

Avengers: Infinity War

2018

Avengers: Endgame

2019

Avengers: Doomsday

2026

Avengers: Secret Wars

2027

In Thunderbolts*, Bucky takes the final steps towards atoning for his sins. He is now one of the main players of the MCU's New Avengers, which means he will likely play a big role in Avengers: Doomsday. Like Chris Evans' Captain America, Bucky tends to get in harm's way to save others, no matter the cost, and the price could soon be his life.

6 Ant-Man

Played By Paul Rudd

Ant-Man's MCU trilogy has come to an end. Since Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was not the hit Marvel expected, and Paul Rudd's legacy in the franchise can continue through Scott Lang's daughter, Cassie, I could see the hero bidding farewell to the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday.

Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror was once set to be the main villain of the Multiverse Saga. He was defeated by Ant-Man, and I believe the MCU's new Big Bad, Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom, could be aware of what happened. As such, Doom killing Ant-Man early on to prevent being stopped by him would make sense and use the MCU's previous Kang setup.

5 Red Guardian

Played By David Harbour

Thunderbolts*'s cast will play a key role in Avengers: Doomsday, and I can't see the team fully making it out of the film alive. As the oldest member of the New Avengers — not counting the time Bucky was in stasis under HYDRA — Red Guardian is a likely character to die fighting Doctor Doom.

In the MCU's latest 2025 movie, David Harbour's Marvel character was also seen as the heart of the team. It was Red Guardian who named them, calling the characters the Thunderbolts and telling them they could find glory together. His death would hit the team hard and could be a sacrifice to protect his daughter, Yelena.

4 Magneto

Played By Ian McKellen

With Fox's original X-Men coming back, I believe the franchise's two biggest characters — taking Hugh Jackman's Wolverine out of the equation — seem like good candidates to die in Avengers: Doomsday. Magneto was always about fighting to save mutants and take down humans. With incursions threatening his universe, he would not be happy.

Magneto would do everything to protect his people, and that makes him a powerful threat to Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom. I could see the two coming head to head in a battle of wills that ends with the death of Ian McKellen's Magneto, cementing how powerful Doom is in the MCU.

3 Charles Xavier/Professor X

Played By Patrick Stewart

Patrick Stewart's Charles Xavier has died multiple times in live-action. Professor X was killed in the main X-Men timeline, in Logan, and even in the MCU, when Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch murdered a version of the character in the MCU. If Marvel already decided to kill him once, then it could do it twice.

Charles Xavier is the creator of the X-Men and the protector of all mutants. Alongside Magneto, he would be among the first to put themselves in harm's way to protect the mutants and the world they have created. Knowing Charles' immense power, it would make sense for Doctor Doom to try to take him out early.

2 Loki

Played By Tom Hiddleston

The final two characters on the list are the heroes I feel are almost certain to die in Avengers: Doomsday. The first of them is Tom Hiddleston's Loki. At the end of Disney+'s Loki season 2, the God of Mischief underwent a major transformation, becoming the multiverse's protector.

Loki's The Void would be the perfect template for Doctor Doom's Battleworld in the MCU.

If he wants the power to create Battleworld as he did in the comics, then Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom could come after Loki. As the MCU's God of Stories, the character is aware of everything that is going on in the multiverse, and that puts him in Doctor Doom's way. As I believe the villain will win in Avengers: Doomsday, Loki could die.

1 Thor

Played By Chris Hemsworth

Finally, Chris Hemsworth's Thor ends the list. The actor had already commented on how Thor could die three years ago during an interview with Chris Hemsworth's new Thor comments and video ahead of his MCU return in Avengers: Doomsday.

Related
Chris Hemsworth Teased Thor’s Death 3 Years Ago & I’m Even More Sure He Dies In Avengers: Doomsday After His New MCU Comments

Chris Hemsworth's worrying new Thor comments echo his death tease from 3 years ago, convincing me that Thor will likely die in Avengers: Doomsday.

1

On YouTube, the Marvel actor thanked fans for his journey in the MCU in what sounded a lot like a goodbye. As one of the most powerful characters in the MCU and a remaining member of the original Avengers, Thor's death would be a major shocking moment in the film. I think Thor could die to save Loki's life, which would be a fitting ending for the hero in Avengers: Doomsday.

Avengeres Doomsday logo placeholder poster
Avengers: Doomsday
Release Date
December 18, 2026
Director
Joe Russo
Writers
Stephen McFeely, Stan Lee
  • Chris Hemsworth Profile Picture
  • Headshot Of Vanessa Kirby
    Vanessa Kirby
    Sue Storm / Invisible Woman
  • Headshot Of Joseph Quinn In The Premiere Of A Quiet Place: Day One
    Johnny Storm / Human Torch
  • Headshot of Ebon Moss-Bachrach
    Ebon Moss-Bachrach
    Ben Grimm / The Thing

All Announced MCU Movies