As Marvel Studios confirms a steady stream of cast members for Avengers: Doomsday, the absence of one primary Thunderbolts* cast member further suggests they won’t survive. Theories have already been swirling about the unfortunate fates of certain team members as fans find evidence in the Thunderbolts* trailers. Perhaps without intending to, the Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal has all but confirmed these theories to be true.

In a live stream posted to YouTube, enтιтled “Avengers: Doomsday | Cast Announce”, Marvel Studios has confirmed Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, David Harbor, Hannah John-Kamen, and Lewis Pullman will be starring in Avengers: Doomsday, while the lack of Olga Kurylenko suggests that Taskmaster will die in Thunderbolts*. The reveal doesn’t come as much of a shock, as the most prominent Thunderbolts* theory always suggested Taskmaster would die early on due to her absence from much of the trailer footage. The full announcement can be viewed below:

What So Many Thunderbolts* Cast Members Being Confirmed For Avengers: Doomsday Means

It Looks Like The Team Will Survive Their Encounter With The Void

Thunderbolts* stars a litany of down-and-out ex-villains and antiheroes who, in Yelena Belova’s words, “All just punch and shoot.” As rumors surrounding Sentry’s involvement were vindicated by the trailers, it became worryingly apparent that this particular team will be vastly outmatched by Sentry’s ruinous alter ego, the Void. The prognosis therefore looked dire, as many fans speculated the entire Thunderbolts team would not survive the events of Thunderbolts*.

Short of them appearing in flashbacks or as variants, which seems unlikely, the Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal puts those concerns to bed. Instead, it looks as though they will form one of the many teams in Avengers: Doomsday, joined by the likes of the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and, presumably, the Avengers led by Sam Wilson’s Captain America. Lewis Pullman’s presence, meanwhile, confirms that he will also survive the events of Thunderbolts* and possibly give the team a dazzling power boost as Sentry.

Our Take On So Many Thunderbolts* Cast Members Being Confirmed For Avengers: Doomsday

Did Marvel Just Spoil Thunderbolts*?

While I am ecstatic to see most of the charismatic cast of Thunderbolts* joining Avengers: Doomsday, the confirmation comes with a sting in its tail. Now we can expect all but Taskmaster to survive Thunderbolts*, it feels as though the stakes have significantly diminished. The fact that this announcement came just over a month before Thunderbolts* hits theaters on May 2 makes me wonder if Marvel could have held off just a while longer. On the other hand, confirming that the Thunderbolts* cast will play an important role in Avengers: Doomsday should help to stoke enthusiasm for both.

Source: Marvel Studios/YouTube