Who Will Die in ‘Avengers Doomsday’? Ranking 15 Major Characters’ Survival Chances

While there is still so much we don’t know about Avengers: Doomsday, one thing is near certain: a few beloved heroes are going to die. Aside from the fact that the film is called Doomsday, the number of confirmed heroes set to appear leaves no doubt that everyone walks away unscathed.

The lead-up to Avengers: Doomsday is well and truly upon us. The latest trailer was shown at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, giving fans their best look yet. Between the return of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, the X-Men finally entering the MCU in full force, and Thor enlisting the help of the New Avengers to take on Dr. Doom, there’s honestly too much to examine before the film releases.

Some heroes are in bigger trouble than others, but knowing Marvel, no one is really safe. However, it’s worth acknowledging something before we do jump in. Trying to predict who lives and who dies in Avengers: Doomsday is a fool’s errand. 

That said, the stakes need to feel real, the emotional punches need to land, and some characters are almost certainly approaching the end of their journey while others are only getting started. For these predictions, there are a few key factors weighing in. 

• Where does each hero currently sit in their MCU arc?
• How could their comic book history influence the story?
• Marvel’s announced future slate. 
• The narrative needs heading into Secret Wars. 

While most of the heroes on this list are confirmed to appear in Doomsday, I’ve also thrown a few other names into the mix. Heroes who, while not confirmed, are very likely to join in the fight. Without further ado, let’s dive straight in.

Who is Least Likely to Die in Avengers: Doomsday?

Yelena Belova (Confirmed Character)

Of all the heroes in Doomsday, Yelena Belova is definitely most likely to survive. As well as Florence Pugh quickly becoming one of the MCU’s most important new faces, Thunderbolts cemented her as a new figurehead of the MCU.

We’ve already had one Black Widow heroically sacrifice herself in Natasha Romanoff, so the idea of Yelena meeting the same fate in Doomsday is extremely unlikely. 

If anything, Doomsday would be more inclined to double down on her importance in the larger universe. 

Shang-Chi (Confirmed Character)

It’d be truly shocking if Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi didn’t make it out of Avengers: Doomsday alive. Shang-Chi (2021) is universally considered one of the best MCU films post-Endgame. And yet, its titular character and the mystery of the 10 rings have barely been seen or heard from again.

It’s highly unlikely that Marvel would finally introduce the character to simply kill him off after only a few appearances. 

With so much left to show, Shang-Chi’s time in the MCU probably won’t come to an end in Doomsday.

Reed Richards (Confirmed Character)

Disney didn’t finally acquire the rights to the Fantastic Four just to kill off their leader in his second appearance. So, Reed Richards is one of the safest heroes confirmed to star in Doomsday.

After all, Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four are some of the most iconic Marvel comic book characters ever created. With decades of material ready to finally be adapted on the big screen. Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) may have almost met her fate at the end of their standalone film that released in 2025, but the family of four should be pretty safe in Doomsday.

And if we’re being honest, there is no way Marvel would cast Pedro Pascal as Mister Fantastic and not try to lock him down for at least the next few years.

Spider-Man (Unconfirmed Character)

If there’s one Avenger I’d confidently bet on making it through Doomsday, if they do indeed appear, it’s Peter Parker. Spider-Man: No Way Home effectively reset the character, and Brand New Day built on that arc. Everyone has forgotten Peter. He’s operating independently, and Marvel has finally positioned him for the classic street-level Spider-Man stories fans have wanted for years. 

Killing him now would derail one of the MCU’s freshest narrative opportunities.

Scarlet Witch (Unconfirmed Character)

Elizabeth Olsen’s turn as Wanda Maximoff began as more of a secondary role. Amazingly, she’s slowly become one of the most interesting and powerful characters in the MCU. Her standalone TV series Wandavision remains one of the best MCU shows on Disney Plus. A unique and inventive way to finally introduce the moniker of the Scarlet Witch.

She technically perished in Multiverse of Madness, but there is no way Wanda will stay down for the count. If she does pop up in Doomsday, her villainous turn and tendencies will make her a formidable foe for Earth’s mightiest heroes. In turn, a useful ally to Dr. Doom.

Given her power, she’s almost a sure thing to make it through Doomsday alive.

Who Might Die In Avengers: Doomsday?

Thor (Confirmed Character)

Before any footage was shown for Avengers: Doomsday, Thor would have been sitting firmly at-risk of meeting his end. After Love and Thunder struggled to connect with both critics and fans, it seemed time was running out for Chris Hemsworth in the MCU.

However, the new trailer showed Thor, one of the last remaining original Avengers, rallying The Fantastic Four and other heroes together against Dr. Doom. Rather than the overly goofy tone of his latest standalone outing, Thor appears scared, stoic and ready to lead.

Given his clear importance, Thor could remain alive throughout the film and continue to hold down the legacy of the earliest heroes of the MCU. However, for that same reason, he could meet his demise, with his death spurring the other heroes to work together against the new evil that arises.

Cyclops (Confirmed Character)

While James Marsden’s Cyclops was a central part of the X-Men films of the 2000s, he was never really given the chance to take on the leadership role he often holds in the comics. In Avengers: Doomsday, Cyclops will finally get his chance to properly lead the X-Men on the big screen, in a comic-book-accurate suit to boot. 

If Marvel does want to really integrate the X-Men into the MCU, Cyclops feels like a character that should make it through Doomsday and have a bright future. 

On the other hand, if Doomsday serves as a farewell to that era of X-Men movies, losing their field leader in battle would be a fitting way to raise the stakes. Right now, either outcome feels equally plausible.

Steve Rogers (Confirmed Characters)

Chris Evans returning to Avengers: Doomsday immediately sparked endless speculation.

The Multiverse is an unpredictable world, though, so it’s a very real possibility that the version of Steve Rogers that appears in Doomsday is not in fact that same one audiences have been in love with since The First Avenger.

Is it an older Steve from the main timeline? Or could Robert Downey Jr.’s Dr. Doom somehow bring an evil variant into the fight? If Evans is playing a variant with a darker agenda, his story may be designed to end within a single film. 

Loki (Confirmed Character)

The MCU’s Loki continues to rise up from the ashes time and time again. Even more bizarrely, Tom Hiddleston’s villain-turned-anti-hero has somehow found himself among the most powerful characters in the cinematic world as the guardian of the multiverse.

After spending two seasons of his own TV show traversing through the multiverse, Loki is ready to rejoin the larger story, his role likely to be pivotal in the showdown against Dr. Doom. 

Ironically, that’s exactly why his future feels uncertain.

Loki poses a massive threat and will likely have a big target on his back. Could this mean he goes out early in the film to minimise his ability to help his fellow heroes? Or will he sacrifice himself to save reality? Either is possible, so he’s definitely at least a bit at risk in Avengers: Doomsday.

Doctor Strange (Unconfirmed Character)

Another hero that could go either way, Doctor Strange’s role in Doomsday is still unknown despite being so central to the Multiverse Saga. While the end of Doctor Strange and The Multiverse of Madness teased a sequel through the introduction of Charlize Theron’s Clea, we haven’t seen Strange since.

For most of his time in the MCU, Doctor Strange has felt so deeply connected to the foundations of narrative arcs and aided the likes of Spider-Man and Thor in various films. In keeping with a very famous comic book storyline, Doctor Strange may find himself no longer fighting alongside these heroes but rather against them. 

If this is the direction the character takes in Doomsday, he could manage to make it through the film alive, only to meet his fate in Secret Wars. However, anything is possible in the MCU.

Who’s Most Likely to Die in Avengers: Doomsday?

Sam Wilson’s Captain America (Confirmed Character)

It feels inevitable that there will be a surprise death in Doomsday. A beloved hero whose time is cut short despite it feeling as though they’ve just started to really begin their journey. Unfortunately, Sam Wilson feels like the most obvious pick as the sacrificial lamb.

Sam Wilson has only just inherited the shield, which is exactly why his position feels so dangerous. Unlike Steve Rogers, Sam has no Super-Soldier Serum to fall back on. His greatest strength is his unwavering moral compass and determination. Both very honourable traits, but when you’ve got a villain as powerful and fantastical as Doctor Doom, that still might leave you in trouble.

A heroic death defending the Multiverse could instantly cement Sam’s legacy while creating enormous stakes heading into Secret Wars.

Magneto (Confirmed Character) 

Is there a more iconic superhero casting than Ian McKellen as Magneto? With X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) marking his last appearance as the character, audiences are eagerly anticipating his return

Having spent decades shifting between villain and reluctant ally, Magneto sacrificing himself to protect mutantkind, or even the entire multiverse, would be a fitting conclusion to his long journey. 

Among the returning legacy characters, Magneto feels like one of the strongest candidates not to make it to the credits.

Ant-Man (Confirmed Character) 

Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang may be Ant-Man, but he’s faced death enough times and come out the other end throughout his run in the MCU to be renamed cockroach man at this point. 

From the Quantum Realm to Kang’s attacks, Ant-Man has managed to ward off an almost endless onslaught of impossible situations. Could the introduction of Dr. Doom finally be the foe that causes his luck to run out? 

With younger heroes increasingly taking centre stage, including his daughter Cassie, Scott also feels like one of the veterans whose story could realistically come to an end in Doomsday.

Bucky Barnes (Confirmed Character) 

Sebastian Stan has been a standout star of the MCU, in large part due to his character’s deliciously satisfying redemption arc. Bucky Barnes was first introduced way back in The First Avenger. Over the course of two decades, he’s gone from the best friend of Steve Rogers to Hydra’s brainwashed assassin to a genuine hero who has made real peace with his past.

Unfortunately, that’s precisely what makes him vulnerable.

A sacrifice to protect Sam Wilson, the new Avengers, or even the wider world would perfectly complete his evolution from the Winter Soldier into one of Earth’s greatest heroes. It would be heartbreaking, but also tragically fitting.

Wong (Unconfirmed Character) 

Wong hasn’t officially been confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday. However, given his role as the MCU’s Sorcerer Supreme, it’s fair to expect him to appear in some capacity. But, if he does, he could find himself in serious danger.

In the comics, the Sorcerer Supreme is one of the few heroes capable of standing against multiversal threats on Doctor Doom’s level. Naturally, this makes Wong an obvious target. His death would also create a major power vacuum for the mystical side of the MCU.

If Doctor Strange does appear in the film and is working for Doctor Doom, Wong’s death at the hands of his longtime friend would be a devastating but no doubt effective emotional beat for Avengers: Doomsday.

Final Verdict

Avengers: Endgame was about saying goodbye to the heroes who built the MCU. Avengers: Doomsday will test the heroes who define its future.

Of course, this is Marvel we’re talking about. Variants, multiversal resets and surprise resurrections mean even the most convincing death might not be permanent. But for Doomsday to truly live up to its title, audiences need to believe that some losses will matter. If Marvel wants to make Doctor Doom feel every bit as terrifying as Thanos, someone important definitely isn’t making it to the credits.

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