While we await a second cast announcement (assuming Marvel Studios is still planning to make one), a couple of new rumors relating to Avengers: Doomsday are doing the rounds online.
Though some of this has previously been rumored, potential spoilers follow.
Chris Evans' return as Steve Rogers seems like the worst-kept secret in Hollywood at the moment, but the actor continues to deny his involvement in the next MCU event movie, claiming that he is now "happily retired."
"I mean, it's sad to be away. It's sad to not be back with the band, but I'm sure they're doing something incredible, and I'm sure it's going to be that much harder when it comes out and you feel like you weren't invited to the party," Evans said in a recent interview.
Well, Daniel Richtman is now reporting that Evans is definitely in Doomsday, and he will play a "major role in the story." The scooper also mentions that, aside from Evans, the "announced cast are the main players" in the film.
From what we can gather, Rogers will be targeted by Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) for causing the Multiversal incursion that led to the death of the villain's family.
Marvel is believed to be keeping (or attempting to, anyway) certain characters under wraps until audiences are sitting down to watch the movie, and Richtman claims that one of the "multiple cameos" will indeed be Ghost Rider.
We're not sure if this will be Nicolas Cage's take or a brand-new incarnation of the Spirit of Vengeance, but if the studio is planning to do more with this character down the line, the latter obviously seems more likely.
Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars were recently hit with significant delays, with Doomsday now set to arrive in theaters on December 18, 2026, and Secret Wars positioned for December 17, 2027.
Both movies will be directed by the Russo brothers, who also make their MCU return after helming Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
"Being able to create stories and explore characters within the Marvel Universe fulfilled a life-long dream of ours, and we discovered a powerful connection with audiences in each film that we made. We’re thrilled to collaborate once again with Kevin, Lou and the entire Marvel team to bring this epic adventure in storytelling to new and surprising places for both the fans and ourselves”, said The Russos in a statement after the SDCC panel.
You can check out the full (for now) Doomsday cast list below.
• Paul Rudd as Ant-Man
• Simu Liu as Shang-Chi
• Tom Hiddleston as Loki
• Lewis Pullman as Sentry
• Florence Pugh as Yelena
• Danny Ramirez as Falcon
• Ian McKellen as Magneto
• Sebastian Stan as Bucky
• Winston Duke as M’Baku
• Chris Hemsworth as Thor
• Kelsey Grammer as Beast
• James Marsden as Cyclops
• Channing Tatum as Gambit
• Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent
• Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm
• Rebecca Romijn as Mystique
• Patrick Stewart as Professor X
• Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler
• Letitia Wright as Black Panther
• Tenoch Huerta Mejia as Namor
• Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards
• Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost
• Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm
• David Harbour as Red Guardian
• Robert Downey Jr as Doctor Doom
• Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing
• Anthony Mackie as Captain America