A recent report about Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy being offered a fifth Avengers movie contained a spicy nugget of information. The next film is said to be bringing back a whopping 60 characters. You thought 30 main characters in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame was massive? Marvel is going to try and outdo that. Now, we have a suspicion it’s 60 characters spread across two films—The Kang Dynasty (or whatever Avengers 5 is called) and Secret Wars. Regardless, 60 is a lot. And here are our best guesses on who makes the cut. And who doesn’t, and why.
The Variants
A lot of marquee Avengers are currently dead, really old, or exist in another studios’ universe, like Sony’s Spider-heroes. This is the Multiverse Saga though. We fully expect these variants from other realities to appear, if not in Avengers 5, then in Avengers: Secret Wars.
1. Iron Man/Tony Stark
The Tony Stark of the 616 universe might have died saving reality, but we’d be shocked if his variant, played by Robert Downey Jr., did not return. He recently said he’s “surprisingly open-minded” about a return. That tells us all we need to know.
2. Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff
Just like Tony, Nat died saving reality. But a variant of her must exist out there, ready to be Black Widow again. We expect Scarlett Johannson to return for an OG Avengers actor reunion.
3. Captain America/Steve Rogers
Technically, the 616 Steve is still alive. He’s just very, very old. But we want to see Cap in his prime throwing the shield, and the only way to do that is to get a young Cap variant from the Multiverse.
4. Loki
Technically, the Loki we meet in his own Disney+ series is a variant, even if Tom Hiddleston’s character is now the God of Stories, keeping the Multiverse functioning.
5. Spider-Man I
Since No Way Home, we’ve learned that the Tobey Maguire Spidey from the Sam Raimi films is a variant. So we expect to to see the classic cinematic Peter Parker show up in Avengers 5.
6. Spider-Man II
Everything we just said about Tobey’s Spidey applies to Andrew Garfield’s as well.
7. Thanos
The “Big Bad” of the Infinity Saga may have died, but another version exists out there. We expect to see John Brolin return as a version of the Mad Titan, even if he’s not the primary villain.
8. Captain Peggy Carter
Although the version of Captain Carter from Earth-838 was killed by an angry Scarlet Witch in Multiverse of Madness, the What If…? series showed us another is out there. We’d love to see her fight alongside Steve Rogers.
The Mighty Avengers
9. Thor
The God of Thunder is one of the primary core Avengers. No way Chris Hemsworth won’t come back for a reunion.
10 Hulk (Bruce Banner)
Mark Ruffalo is always game to play Bruce Banner. We can’t imagine the Jade Giant sits this one out.
11. Hawkeye (Clint Barton)
Clint Barton might be retired, but he’ll always come calling if the Avengers need him. Jeremy Renner seems like a shoo-in.
12. Nick Fury
The greatest spy on Eath’s solo series Secret Invasion may have disappointed most, but he’s an eternal presence throughout the MCU. Samuel L. Jackson needs to be there.
13. War Machine (James Rhodes)
After being wasted in Secret Invasion, here’s hoping we see Don Cheadle in the suit again in Avengers 5 and 6. Also, we will never believe the War Machine in Endgame was a Skrull. Stop trying to make Fetch happen.
14. Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers)
At the end of The Marvels, Carol Danvers has moved back to Earth, ready to be called to action. We can’t imagine Carol won’t return as Captain Marvel. Brie Larson’s cosmic protector is too powerful to leave benched for a big event.
15. Captain America (Sam Wilson)
Our new Cap, Sam Wilson, is definitely going to be on an Avengers team in whatever the new iteration of the team is. Count on seeing Anthony Mackie on the roster.
16. Ant-Man (Scott Lang)
Ok, so the third Ant-Man film didn’t set the world on fire. We still love Scott Lang, and Paul Rudd needs to be there for whatever happens in Avengers 5. And not just as a giant corpse, like in Deadpool & Wolverine.
We should note, we didn’t include Wasp, as Evangeline Lilly has announced she’s retired from acting for now. It is unlikely they’d recast her. We also think both Hank and Janet Pym have earned a happy retirement. Besides, those iconic actors, Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer, are expensive for the relatively tiny roles they’d play.
17. Vision
We expect an emotional reunion between Paul Bettany’s android who cries and his beloved Wanda in Avengers 5, after the events of his upcoming solo series.
18. Monica Rambeau
We’re not sure what her superhero codename is yet (Captain Marvel II? Photon? Spectrum?) But Teyonah Parris definitely needs to return for a fifth Avengers movie.
19. Spider-Man III (Peter Parker)
The friendly neighborhood Spider-Man of Earth 616, played by Tom Holland, is gonna be a key player. We fully expect this Peter Parker to have a big role in the Avengers going forward. And we are dying to see that Tony Stark/Peter Parker reunion.
The Mystics, and Those From Mystic Lands
20. Doctor Strange
He may not be Sorcerer Supreme anymore, but he’s still Earth’s most powerful mage. Benedict Cumberbatch will almost certainly return as Stephen Strange to help save reality once again.
21. Wong
The current Sorcerer Supreme, there’s no way Benedict Wong’s character won’t pop up. He will have to be there, wielding his sling-ring.
22. Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)
Yeah, we know. Wanda Maximoff supposedly died in Multiverse of Madness. However, no body, no death. Those are comic book rules. We expect to see Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlet Witch, decked out in red again.
23. Clea
Oscar winner Charlize Theron appeared in the end credits tag after Multiverse of Madness, but nothing has been done with that little cliffhanger. Now would be the time to call in Clea from the Dark Dimension.
24. Namor
We haven’t seen the undersea ruler since Wakanda Forever, but he’s been an Avenger in the comics. Now would be a good time for him to join up.
25. Shang-Chi
Carol Danvers and Bruce Banner welcomed Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi into the world of the Avengers at the end of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and it’s time to pay that off.
The Young Avengers
26. Cassie Lang
The daughter of Ant-Man, the now teenage Cassie has dad’s powers, and is a superhero in her own right. Hopefully, we’ll see Kathryn Newton suit up as a Young Avenger.
27. Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan)
At the end of The Marvels, we see young Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) approach Kate Bishop about forming a Young Avengers team. We imagine if the Young Avengers are formed, they’ll play a part in Avengers 5, with Kamala leading the way.
28. Hawkeye II (Kate Bishop)
The arrow-shooting heroine is a lead Young Avengers hero in the comics, so we think Hailee Steinfeld will have to appear in this film, alongside her buddy Clint Barton.
29. Wiccan (Billy Kaplan)
Although not 100% confirmed, it seems that Joe Locke from Heartstopper is playing Wiccan in Agatha All Along. As a very powerful Young Avenger, we expect him in a big league Avengers film.
30. America Chavez
The dimension-hopping teen (Xochitl Gomez) played a big role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. With the Multiverse being a big deal going forward, we doubt that she’ll miss Avengers 5.
The World of Wakanda
If there’s a reality-shaking event, then the citizens of Wakanda should be in the thick of it. We think some characters have earned a rest, like Nakia, but we expect most of these major players to be alongside the Avengers.
31. Black Panther (Shuri)
The current Black Panther, Princess Shuri, played by Letitia Wright, has to represent Wakanda in whatever world-shaking events will take place in the future Avengers.
32. M’Baku
At the end of Wakanda Forever, Shuri left M’Baku as the steward of Wakanda, until T’Challa II comes of age. So whatever big events happen that involve Wakanda, Winston Duke’s character will have to return.
33. Black Panther (T’Challa II)
We think thanks to time travel or Multiversal shenanigans, we’ll see an older version of T’Challa’s son take his place as the Avengers’ Black Panther in this movie.
34. Okoye
Although no longer head of the Dora Milaje, the Wakanda national is now a Midnight Angel. Time for this angel to join the Avengers on their next big screen
35. Ironheart (RiRi Williams)
Another character who debuted in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, this inheritor of the Iron Man legacy is set for her own Disney+ show soon. And we expect her to be part of a new Avengers movie.
The Streaming Series Stars
Ever since Netflix, and now Disney+, there have been several heroes who star in streaming series who need to make the jump to the big screen. We left off Jessica Jones and Punisher, only because their worlds are so extra street level, as to not fit into an Avengers story.
36. Moon Knight (Marc Spector)
We don’t know what the deal is with Moon Knight season 2, but we feel Oscar Isaac’s Avatar of Konshu should be there for whatever big Multiversal event takes place.
37. Daredevil (Matt Murdock)
The original Marvel Neflix star, the blind vigilante/lawyer is now officially a part of the MCU. Even if it’s just a cameo, we expect Charlie Cox to be swing by and knock a few bad guys out.
38. Luke Cage
The venerable hero of Harlem, we last saw Mike Colter’s bulletproof badass at the end of season two of his self-titled Netflix show. It’s time for him to join the big leagues and become an Avenger.
39. She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters)
We’re currently not sure if the gamma-powered lawyer is going to get another season of her Disney+ series, but Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) definitely needs to lend her considerable strength to the Avengers for whatever is coming next.
40. Wonder Man
His show has yet to debut, but this longtime Avenger (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen) needs to fight alongside his comic book teammates at some point. Why not Avengers 5 and 6?
The Thunderbolts
We have a strong feeling that many of the Thunderbolts won’t survive their own upcoming movie. But if any two are going to make it out alive, and into an Avengers 5, it’s these two.
41. The Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes)
The former Hydra assassin and BFF of Steve Rogers, should the Winter Soldier survive the events of the upcoming Thunderbolts, actor Sebastian Stan should definitely to the role, and appear alongside the Avengers.
42. Yelena Belova
The adopted sister of Natasha Romanoff, Yelena Belova, played by Florence Pugh, has appeared in Black Widow, Hawkeye, and soon, in Thunderbolts. It’s time for her to graduate to Avengers status.
The Cosmic Heroes
After Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, many of the original Guardians have earned their retirement from superheroing. Also, Zoe Saldana and Dave Bautista have made it very clear they are done with Gamora and Drax, respectively. Nebula has chosen to remain on Knowhere with Drax. And Mantis just wants a different kind of life now. This is why we didn’t include them.
43. Star-Lord (Peter Quill)
The former leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, he returned home to Earth after decades to live with his grandpa. Now that he’s on Earth, Chris Pratt’s space hero will likely team up with the Avengers, and probably his former Guardian friends, one more time.
44. Rocket Raccoon
The irritable raccoon creation of the High Evolutionary, he now leads a new team of Guardians. If the Multiverse is in danger, we expect Rocket to show up and help save it. And maybe steal some stuff.
45. Groot
He is Groot.
46. Adam Warlock
A major Marvel hero with a relatively minor role in the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, an upcoming Avengers film might be the best plan to let a golden-skinned Will Poulter shine.
47. Valkyrie
The current King of Asgard, Valkyrie is always itching for battle. So we say let Tessa Thompson pick up the sword one more time and fight on the side of her buddy Thor and his fellow Avengers. Maybe bring that flying horse again.
The Marvel Mutants
48. Deadpool
With Shawn Levy in talks to direct Avengers 5, having completed Deadpool & Wolverine, we are pretty sure he’ll bring in Wade Wilson in a major role. We simply can’t imagine Ryan Reynolds not appearing in some capacity.
49. Wolverine
We don’t buy that Hugh Jackman’s Deadpool & Wolverine performance as being his last as Logan. Fool us once, good sir. He’ll be popping those claws as an Avenger. Or at an Avenger.
50-59. The X-Men
Yes, we think all of the original Fox X-Men are appearing in the last Avengers movies. We’re talking Cyclops (James Marsden), Storm (Halle Berry) Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), Rogue (Anna Paquin), Beast (Kelsey Grammar), Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) Professor X (Patrick Stewart), Magneto (Sir Ian McKellen) and Mystique (Rebecca Romijn), and Stefan Kapičić as Colossus.
60. Kang the Conqueror
Oh yeah, this movie needs a villain. Whether Avengers 5 is called The Kang Dynasty or something else, we are pretty sure the time-controlling villain will play a part. We’re also sure he won’t be played by Jonathan Majors this time. But some variant from the Multiverse will fill his shoes.