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Doomsday is coming, and not everyone will survive the fallout. Avengers: Doomsdayis only a few months away, and MCU fans are reeling from the recent trailer. The film lands in theaters on December 18, marking the beginning of the end for the Multiverse Saga as Earth's Mightiest Heroes team up with the Fantastic Four and the X-Men to defeat Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.
Avengers: Doomsday will be a bloody affair, with many beloved characters meeting their untimely demises at the hands of the villainous Doctor Doom. While the upcoming crossover event won't hold back when it comes to tragic character deaths, at least some MCU icons are safe from the carnage. A handful of heroes and villains have been quietly confirmed to survive the events of Avengers: Doomsday, living on into Phase 7 and the next MCU saga.
Deadpool Will Return in Future MCU Projects
Deadpool hasn't yet been confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, but most fans take it as a foregone conclusion that the Merc With a Mouth will team up with Earth's Mightiest Heroes to take down Doctor Doom. The character most recently appeared in Deadpool & Wolverine, where the MCU laid much of the groundwork leading into its next crossover event, which would make it strange if Wade Wilson were left out of the upcoming adventure.
If Deadpool does indeed appear in Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel fans can rest easy knowing that he isn't in any danger. Besides being generally difficult to kill, Wade Wilson is confirmed to have at least one more project in development for after Doomsday. Ryan Reynolds recently confirmed that he is working on a fourth Deadpool movie that would most likely see the character in another team-up scenario. Given that this project is definitely set after Doomsday, it seems fair to conclude that Deadpool will be around for a long time to come.
Spider-Man Is at the Dawn of a New Era in the MCU
Another character not confirmed to star in Avengers: Doomsday, but who fans are certain will appear, is Tom Holland's Spider-Man. The web-slinging superhero is set to grace the big screen for the first time in five years with Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the last MCU film before Doomsday later this year. While the proximity of these projects makes Holland's involvement in both difficult, it is impossible to imagine the MCU moving forward on Doomsday without Spider-Man.
If Spider-Man does show up in Doomsday, he will be one of the few heroes counted safe from Doctor Doom's villainous machinations. Brand New Day is the start of a new trilogy of films starring the character, giving Peter Parker at least a few more years before his inevitable exit from the MCU. Marvel isn't going to kill Spider-Man off at the start of his new storyline, leaving fans to rest easy knowing that the trauma of Infinity War won't be repeated.
The same can't be said for Spider-Man's multiversal variants, however. As the multiverse collapses, the chances remain high that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man variants could show up in Avengers: Doomsday. Rumors already suggest that Doomsday could open with Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man meeting a bitter end as his universe is destroyed. Thus, while Tom Holland's Spider-Man is safe, it remains possible that a version of Spider-Man could still die in the fight against Doctor Doom.
Shang-Chi's Long-Delayed Sequel Is Still Coming
Five years after his crowd-pleasing MCU debut, Simu Liu's Shang-Chi finally returns in Avengers: Doomsday. The Master of Kung Fu will team up with Earth's Mightiest Heroes to fight Doctor Doom. While his power pales in comparison to Robert Downey Jr.'s villain, Shang-Chi will escape with his life. Marvel has already confirmed that audiences will see more of the hero in the years to come.
Despite the long delay, Shang-Chi 2 is still in development at Marvel Studios. Director Destin Daniel Cretton is still involved in the sequel, though his work on other projects like Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Wonder Man has caused the film's production to be pushed back. Nevertheless, everyone involved is still passionate about bringing Shang-Chi 2 to the big screen, even if it takes years to happen. The one good thing about the sequel's delay is that it guarantees that Shang-Chi will live to fight another day after facing Doctor Doom.
Shuri Still Has More Stories to Tell
Avengers: Doomsday marks the first time that Letitia Wright's Shuri has starred in a crossover film as the Black Panther. During the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the Princess of Wakanda took over the mantle of Black Panther from her late brother, T'Challa. Besides the fact that Marvel Studios has already killed off more than enough of the Wakandan royal family, other factors suggest that Shuri will survive the events of Doomsday and continue to serve as the Black Panther into Phase 7.
Black Panther 3 is in early development at Marvel Studios, with Ryan Coogler returning to finish out his superhero trilogy. The film is expected to hit theaters sometime in 2028, after the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga. While it is possible that the highly anticipated sequel could replace its lead character, Coogler and Wright have hinted at Shuri's return in Black Panther 3. Despite rumors that Marvel is looking to bring back T'Challa with a new actor, Shuri seems safe for at least one more movie.
The Fantastic Four Are Just Getting Started in the MCU
The Fantastic Four are finally a full-fledged part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The fabulous foursome made their MCU debut in 2025's The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which explored their homeworld of Earth-828. The team is set to arrive on Earth-616 in Avengers: Doomsday to help fight their arch-nemesis, Doctor Doom. While Doom has always had a special hatred for the Fantastic Four, he most likely won't be successful in harming any member of the team.
Marvel Studios has waited decades to finally get its hands on the Fantastic Four. Although recent films like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Deadpool & Wolverine have enjoyed gruesomely killing off alternate-reality versions of the team, the Earth-828 version is most likely safe from Doctor Doom's wrath. The Fantastic Four are only just getting started in the MCU and will take a leading role in Phase 7 and beyond. It would be a massive mistake for Marvel to kill off any of the team now, just one year after their debut.
Doctor Doom Will Return in Secret Wars
The one character who is confirmed to survive Avengers: Doomsday is none other than Doctor Doom himself. Robert Downey Jr. returns to the MCU in a villainous role eighteen years after originating the role of Iron Man in 2008. Now serving as the "big bad" of the Multiverse Saga, Downey aims to bring to life the most powerful and dangerous iteration of Doctor Doom ever portrayed in live-action. While Doom may or may not be victorious in the upcoming Avengers crossover, he will get the chance to fight Earth's Mightiest Heroes again next year.
When Robert Downey Jr. was first cast as Doctor Doom, Marvel Studios revealed that he would star in both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. This means that the character will undoubtedly survive the events of Doomsday and return for at least one more confrontation in 2027. However, his fate in Secret Wars is much more ambiguous. The character may indeed meet his bitter doom at the hands of the Avengers, but it won't be in Doomsday.
Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters on December 18, 2026.
