Legacy Marvel Characters Likely to Return in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Secret Wars’

Legacy characters have become a common feature in superhero movies. Some examples, like Spider-Man: No Way Home, have been big hits, while others, like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, were less successful.

The next MCU films expected to feature many legacy characters are Avengers: Doomsday (coming in 2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (coming in 2027). However, with over 50 characters rumored to appear in Secret Wars, it’s hard to know which of these rumors are actually true.

Alex Perez from Cosmic Circus recently reported that Marvel is considering including ALL legacy characters in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. This came up during his November AMA, and Perez is known for his reliable track record with leaks and scoops.

Perez explained that Marvel wants to bring back legacy characters like Tobey Maguire, Wesley Snipes, and Nicolas Cage, but not just for quick cameos.

These characters need to play an important role in the story, similar to what we’ve seen in films like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Perez also hinted that we might see a “Council of Reeds,” featuring actors like Ioan Gruffudd, Miles Teller, and John Krasinski.

There have been conversations and ideas about practically ALL Marvel legacy characters, but the important thing here is not to bring them in for the sake of a small one-and-done cameo appearance and that’s a very big part of why they are so selective with the appearances of these characters.

Kevin Feige and co. want these characters to serve a purpose and actually have some action to them, a story to tell, if you will, no matter how short it may be, and you can see it in their previous executions. If you look back at these appearances, all the way from Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, The Marvels and even Deadpool & Wolverine, the appearance of these legacy characters served a purpose to the story.

Marvel Studios honored their past and gave them their moments to shine. But that’s the spirit and driving force behind these legacy appearances. They have to serve a purpose to the story.

But that’s like a massive side answer to your question, my bad. To answer your question, yes, you can expect legacy appearances in both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. If I were to add one more suggestion for a possible legacy appearance that could serve a purpose to the story, a Council of Reeds featuring Ioan Gruffudd, Miles Teller, John Krasinski, and maybe even Alex-Hyde White, along with the other actors rumored to be up for the role like Adam Driver could show up at some point in the near future.

It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time the “Council of Reeds” has been mentioned in connection with these upcoming films. Fans are also eager to see Nicolas Cage return as Ghost Rider and Wesley Snipes as Blade, especially after Snipes’ recent cameo in the highly praised Deadpool & Wolverine—another great example of using legacy characters effectively.

However, it’s not an easy task. Striking the right balance between meaningful storytelling and fan-service cameos is tricky. We’re hopeful that, as Perez suggests, the films will ultimately deliver a satisfying result.

Have thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below!