We can’t wait to see Marvel Studios bring together these exciting partnerships in theMCUnow that some of the impressive cast ofAvengers: Doomsdayhas been confirmed. On March 26, Marvel Studios surprised us all by revealing 27 actors set to reprise their Marvel roles, old and new, in the Russo brothersupcoming 2026 crossover,Avengers: Doomsday. Many members of iconic teams such as the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the Thunderbolts and even the X-Men will be appearing in the movie, bringing a huge array of characters together.
The fact that so manyvaried characters will be included inAvengers: Doomsdaymeansthe movie will be forming some of Marvel’s most entertaining, dramatic and interesting partnerships. Some of these characters have already been seen together on-screen, and have proved how brilliant their partnerships can be, while others have strong connections in Marvel Comics that could finally be explored in live-action for the first time. These partnerships coming together will makeAvengers: Doomsdayeven more exhilarating and enjoyable.
6Sam Wilson & Bucky Barnes
Sam Wilson & Bucky Barnes Formed A Close Friendship In The Falcon & The Winter Soldier
Ever since they first crossed paths in 2014’sCaptain America: The Winter Soldier, it has been brilliant to see the friendship betweenAnthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnesdevelop in the MCU.They grew closer inCaptain America: Civil WarandAvengers: Endgame, and eventually officially became friends in 2021’sThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Sam and Bucky’s friendship is full of wit, banter, sarcasm and hilarious hostility, but also a great deal of love and respect, so it will be fantastic to see this recreated inAvengers: Doomsday.
This is especially true afterCaptain America: Brave New World, which sawBucky Barnes appear to comfort Sam Wilsonafter Joaquín Torres became injured while fighting at Celestial Island. Bucky even proclaimed his love for Sam, which contributed to one ofBrave New World’smost memorable moments.Sam Wilson will likely be leading the Avengers, while Bucky Barnes, a new Congressman, is headlining the upcoming Thunderbolts team, so their dynamic will have changed inDoomsday, but it’s still be just as heartwarming.
5Sue Storm & Namor
Namor & The Invisible Woman Have A Complex Marvel Comics History
Both Tenoch Huerta Mejía and Vanessa Kirby have been confirmed to be returning inAvengers: Doomsdayfollowing their debuts inBlack Panther: Wakanda ForeverandThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, respectively. This means thatone of Marvel Comics' most controversial partnerships can be seen in the MCU, even though many never expected it to be adapted for live-action.Sue Storm and Namorfirst met in 1962’sFantastic Four #4, which saw the Invisible Woman immediately express a physical attraction to the Atlantean antihero, which caused conflict among the Fantastic Four, mainly with Reed Richards.
Vanessa Kirby will be joined by Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the cast of the MCU’s Fantastic Four, portraying Sue Storm’s Invisible Woman, Reed Richards' Mister Fantastic, Johnny Storm’s Human Torch and Ben Grimm’s Thing, respectively.
In the years since, Sue Storm and Namor’s connection has grown more intense and complex. Namor became obsessed with the Invisible Woman, even when she firmly chose Mister Fantastic over him, though this didn’t stop Namor from making countless inappropriate advances. He kidnapped her, abused her and threatened to kill her teammates to force her to love him. WhileMarvel Studios may bring together Namor and Sue Storm for the first time inAvengers: Doomsday, we hope these darker aspects of their relationship are removed.
4Joaquín Torres & Sam Wilson
Avengers: Doomsday Will Reunite The New Captain America & Falcon
While we can’t wait to see Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes join forces again inAvengers: Doomsday, it will also be brilliant to see Sam’s bond with Danny Ramirez’s Joaquín Torres get developed even further.Sam and Joaquín met inThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier, whileCaptain America: Brave New Worldofficially reintroduced Joaquín as the MCU’s new Falcon.Brave New Worldteased Torres' Falcon as the first official member ofSam Wilson’s new Avengers team, so it will be great to see him truly come into his own as a bona fide hero inDoomsday.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier(2021)
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania(2023)
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings(2021)
Thor(2011)
Thor: Love and Thunder(2022)
Danny Ramirez’s live-action version of Joaquín Torres is very different to his Marvel Comics counterpart, and is in fact following more closely in the footsteps of Sam Wilson during his time as the Falcon.Sam Wilson has now become the MCU’s Captain America, gifted the shield and mantle by Steve Rogers at the end ofAvengers: Endgame, soit will be great to see the Captain America and Falcon dynamic explored more with these new iterations. We can’t wait to see who else will be included in Captain America’s new Avengers team alongside Joaquín Torres' Falcon.
3Reed Richards & Victor Von Doom
Mister Fantastic & Doctor Doom Are Archenemies In Marvel Comics
It remains to be seen what kind of relationship Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards will have withRobert Downey Jr.’s Victor Von Doom. The pair are intricately connected in Marvel Comics, however, soit would be great to see some of their incredible backstory explored in the live-action MCU. Bringing Pascal and Downey Jr. together inAvengers: Doomsdaypresents the perfect opportunity for this to happen, especially since the connection between Mister Fantastic and Doctor Doom is pivotal to 2015’sSecret Wars storyline from Marvel Comics.
The Fantastic Four’s Newest MCU Reveal Has Me Even More Convinced Doctor Doom Will Appear In The Phase 5 Movie
The first synopsis for The Fantastic Four: First Steps has been revealed, making me sure that RDJ’s Doctor Doom will have a role in the MCU reboot.
Doctor Doom and Mister Fantastic are archenemies in Marvel Comics. They met while studying in the United States, where Doom held Reed Richards responsible for the accident that caused his scarring, and this vendetta has persisted for many decades since, with Doom becoming perhaps the Fantastic Four’s most enduring and threatening adversary.In 2015’sSecret Wars,it’s Doctor Doom and Mister Fantastic’s spar on Battleworld that leads to the end of Doom’s reign and the rebuilding of the multiverse, and it would be great to see this moment play out inAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Wars.
2Thor & Loki
The Brothers' Reunion Is One Of The MCU’s Most Highly-Anticipated Events
Chris Hemsworth was the first actor confirmed to be appearing inAvengers: DoomsdayinMarvel Studios' five-and-a-half-hour-long chair-laying livestream, revealing Thor’s return to the MCU after his divisive adventure in 2022’sLove and Thunder. Tom Hiddleston’s Loki had a much more successful Multiverse Saga run in the eponymousLokiseries. Now, however,Marvel Studios will bring the long-lost brothers back together for the first time on-screen sinceAvengers: Infinity War(discountingEndgame’sTime Heist), finally exploring their long-awaited reunion.
Both Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston are two of the MCU’s longest-running characters, having appeared in eleven and nine live-action projects, respectively, prior to their returns inAvengers: Doomsday.
Over the duration of the MCU’s Infinity Saga,Thor and Loki went from enemies to allies, with the latter even becoming something of a hero. Thanos stopped this trajectory short by killing Loki, but his variant escaped from 2012 inEndgame, and has since become an even more powerful hero inLokias the new guardian of the entire multiverse.This will surely make Loki a central character inAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Wars, and as an original Avenger, Thor will likely be the same, so it will be brilliant to see them join forces as heroes once again.
Patrick Stewart & Ian McKellen Haven’t Been Seen Together In A Marvel Movie Since X-Men: Days Of Future Past
Two of the most exciting confirmed actors to be returning to their roles inAvengers: Doomsdayare English actors Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen.These acting legends debuted as Charles Xavier’s Professor X and Erik Lehnsherr’s Magneto in 2000’sX-Men, but haven’t been seen on-screen together since 2014’sX-Men: Days of Future Past. Before Marvel Studios reinvents Professor X and Magneto in theMCU’s officialX-Menreboot, Stewart and McKellen will be reuniting in the MCU proper, which is an incredibly exciting prospect.
The chemistry thatPatrick Stewart and Ian McKellen had as Professor X and Magnetowas remarkable, so it will be brilliant to see this revived in 2026. James MacAvoy and Michael Fassbender delivered strong performances as Stewart and McKellen’s replacements in Fox’s revised timeline, butthere was nothing quite like seeing the original iterations of these iconic Marvel Comics characters on-screen.Avengers: Doomsdaywill revive this excitement, and bring Stewart and McKellen back together with other classic X-Men stars, which is a highly-anticipated reunion.
