Avengers: Doomsday, the MCU's next major event, hits theaters on December 18, 2026, six years after Avengers: Endgame reshaped the franchise. While Endgame saw Black Widow and Iron Man make the ultimate sacrifice, Doomsday raises the stakes even higher, threatening not just the central universe but the entire multiverse. As a story and as a financial bet on the future of Marvel at the movies, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Here are the heroes most likely to die in Avengers: Doomsday.
Captain America (Steve Rogers)
Chris Evans returns as Steve Rogers, though rumors suggest it's a variant from another universe. Killing any version of Cap would devastate the Avengers' morale; however, if it is the original that sticks around, it signals Marvel is leaning on nostalgia rather than progressing into its next generation.
Ant-Man
Comedic characters make perfect martyrs; killing a fan-favorite who brings levity instantly makes audiences despise the villain. So, Scott Lang would be the perfect hero to sacrifice to tug at everyone’s heartstrings.
Red Guardian
The Red Guardian is long overdue for a heroic sacrifice for his daughter, Yelena. The beginning of this arc was kick-started in 2021’s Black Widow and further explored in 2025’s Thunderbolts. Doomsday would be the perfect stage for Red to fulfill his prophecy and end his story.
The Original X-Men
With Marvel planning to reboot the team with a younger cast, most — if not all — of the original X-Men will likely perish. Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is the exception, since the character is rumored to have a major role in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire)
Rumors point to Maguire's Spider-Man making one final appearance instead of Tom Holland's version — potentially giving the legendary hero a proper, teary-eyed send-off.