Now that both Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans have been confirmed to be cast inAvengers: Doomsday, there are many other brilliant actors that we would love to also see return to theMCU. Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans were the faces of the MCU throughout the Infinity Saga asTony Stark’s Iron Man and Steve Rogers' Captain America, respectively. Five years after leaving the MCU in 2019’sAvengers: Endgame, both have now been confirmed to return, which creates the opportunity for even more missing MCU stars to join them.
Instead of returning as Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. is set to debut asDoctor Doom inAvengers: Doomsday, which means it’s possible that Chris Evans will also be portraying a new character, rather than Captain America.The freedom that the Multiverse Saga offers could allow many more veteran MCU actors to either reprise their old roles or bring new heroes and villains to life in Phase 6. This could give some wasted MCU stars a second chance, while also bringing back some fan-favorites from Marvel Studios' rich history.
10Cobie Smulders
Cobie Smulders Was Last Seen In The MCU In Secret Invasion (2023)
Cobie Smulders made her MCU debut as high-ranking SHIELD agent Maria Hill in 2012’sThe Avengers, but she was never utilized by Marvel Studios as much as she could have been. Smulders made appearances inCaptain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron,andSpider-Man: Far From Home, among others, before meeting her shocking demise in the premiere episode of 2023’sSecret Invasion.Maria Hill’s death in one of the MCU’s lowest-rated projectswas incredibly controversial, andmany would prefer for it to be reversed, which could bring Cobie Smulders back to the MCU.
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Exclusive: MCU star Cobie Smulders reveals to Screen Rant whether she will ever return to the MCU despite Maria Hill’s shocking Secret Invasion death.
It would be great forCobie Smulders to appear as a variant of Maria HillinAvengers: DoomsdayorSecret Wars, perhaps a more comic-accurate version of the character, who could even be the Director of her universe’s SHIELD.Maria Hill was at the center of some of Marvel Comics' biggest storylines, so she deserved a lot more attention in the live-action MCU, especially considering Cobie Smulders' brilliant portrayal. Cobie Smulders' return would be the perfect redemption after Maria Hill’s unexpected and unnecessary death inSecret Invasion.
9Idris Elba
Idris Elba Was Last Seen In The MCU In Thor: Love & Thunder (2022)
Despite early undue controversy about his casting as Heimdall, Idris Elba went on to really make the iconic Asgardian role his own, but, similarly to Maria Hill, Heimdall also met his untimely demise in the MCU.The opening ofAvengers: Infinity Warsaw Thanos prove his strength by killing Heimdall and Loki in quick succession, but, thankfully, both have since returned. Idris Elba reprised the role in thepost-credits scene of 2022’sThor: Love and Thunder, as Heimdall welcomed Jane Foster to Valhalla, and this could be a great jumping-off point for his return in Phase 6.
Earth’s Mightiest Heroes may need all the help they can get in the battle against Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, soit’s possible Thor could enter Valhalla and recruit a number of deceased Asgardian heroes. This could officially bringHeimdall back to the MCU, giving Marvel more opportunity to explore the character’s incredible gifts and develop his relationship with his son, Axl, who wasn’t seen or mentioned prior toThor: Love and Thunder. Idris Elba has huge star-power, so it would be great to see him return inAvengers: DoomsdayorSecret Wars.
8Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow Was Last Seen In The MCU In Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Since Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU, it would make sense for Gwyneth Paltrow to also come back. Paltrow portrayedPepper Potts, Tony Stark’s love interest, between 2008’sIron Manand 2019’sAvengers: Endgame, and the latter even saw her suit up in her own Iron Man-esque suit of armor as Rescue. Downey Jr. will be playing the villainous Doctor Doom inAvengers: Doomsday, soit would be interesting to see how Pepper Potts reacts to a villain who looks like her deceased husband and the father of her child.
Tony Stark and Pepper Potts had a daughter, Morgan Stark, duringAvengers: Endgame’sBlip, but neither Pepper nor Morgan have been seen or heard from in the five years since.
It’s also possible that Gwyneth Paltrow could be recast in the MCU similarly to Robert Downey Jr., perhaps even as a love interest to Victor Von Doom. PerhapsDoom’s most notable love interest in Marvel Comics was Valeria, his childhood sweetheart in Latveria, so this could be a great potential role for Gwyneth Paltrow inAvengers: Doomsday. In recent years, Paltrow has been the subject of some controversy, so she could use a return to the MCU to build back her good reputation.
7Clark Gregg
Clark Gregg Was Last Seen In The MCU In Captain Marvel (2019)
Throughout the MCU’s Phase 1,Clark Gregg’s SHIELD agent Phil Coulsonhelped Nick Fury find and recruit superhero candidates for the Avengers team, and he quickly became a fan-favorite character. This made his tragic death inThe Avengerseven more heartbreaking, andwhile he was resurrected in the alternate timeline of theAgents of SHIELDseries, Phil Coulson has remained dead in the MCU since Phase 1. Clark Gregg did reprise the role for the 1995-setCaptain Marvel, but it would be great to see Phil Coulson return in the MCU’s present continuity.
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Since Phil Coulson was such a pivotal part of the Avengers' original formation in Phase 1, it would be great to see him reunite with some of this original team inAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Wars.This could, of course, see Clark Gregg portray a variant of Coulson, perhaps even the version of the character fromAgents of SHIELD, which could provide a definite answer to the canon status of Marvel Television series. Clark Gregg continues to have a relationship with Marvel, and will next be heard inWhat If…?season 3, so his return to live-action is very likely.
6Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman Was Last Seen In The MCU In Thor: Love & Thunder (2022)
Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster has been Thor’s primary love interest throughout his entire MCU career, despite only having appeared in three MCU movies. Natalie Portman is one of the most recognizable and talented actors of her generation, soit would be a shame for her to not be included in the MCU’s upcoming crossover events, especially after she finally became a superhero in her own right inThor: Love and Thunder. Wielding the thought-lost Mjolnir,Foster became the Mighty Thor, but tragically lost her life inThor: Love and Thunderdespite her new abilities.
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If Chris Hemsworth’s Thor finds himself entering Valhalla to recruit warriors, including Heimdall, for the battle against Doctor Doom, Marvel will have the perfect opportunity to also bring back Natalie Portman as Jane Foster.Since she fought as the Asgardian hero, the Mighty Thor, inThor: Love and Thunder, Foster was welcomed into Valhalla after her death, which perfectly mirrored her Marvel Comics history. Her resurrection is the best next step, andNatalie Portman has voiced her interest in returning, so this would be great to see in the MCU’s Phase 6.
5Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Aaron Taylor-Johnson Was Last Seen In The MCU In Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is perhaps one of the most wasted actors ever to join the MCU, as he debuted asPietro Maximoff’s Quicksilver, a legendary character from Marvel Comics, back in 2015’sAvengers: Age of Ultron, and lost his life in the same movie.Quicksilver has been a huge part of Marvel Comics' X-Men and Avengers storylines since his first appearance in 1964, so it was a massive insult to see him killed off in his first MCU movie. Aaron Taylor-Johnson did a brilliant job at bringing Quicksilver to life, so he deserves redemption inAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Wars.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Quicksilver is the twin brother of Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch, who went on to have a brilliant MCU journey after her debut alongside her brother inCaptain America: The Winter SoldierandAvengers: Age of Ultron.
Now that Marvel Studios has creative control of mutants and the X-Men, it would be fantastic to see Aaron Taylor-Johnson return as Pietro Maximoff.Should Wanda Maximoff also return, it would be great to see them explore some of their connections to the world of mutants, even though their own mutant history in Marvel Comics was retconned in 2015.Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s recent stint inKraven the Huntercould mean that he’d also bring this new Spider-Man-related character into the MCU, particularly since his debut movie as Kraven has not been well-received.
4Josh Brolin
Josh Brolin Was Last Seen In The MCU In Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Back in February 2024, Josh Brolin revealed toComicBookthat he had heard whispers ofThanos being brought back to the MCU. The Mad Titan was the primary antagonist of the Infinity Saga who waged war on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes inAvengers: Infinity WarandEndgamein hopes of acquiring the six Infinity Stones. Thanos proved himself to be one of the MCU’s most powerful and unstoppable villains, soit would be amazing to see Josh Brolin reprise the role, especially since Thanos has a pivotal role in Marvel Comics’Secret Wars event from 2015.
You know, I hear kind of like through the grapevine, that they’re gonna bring him back. And there’s theWhat If…?series and that’s a different kind of Thanos and all that. But I don’t know in the Marvel world whether they’re going to bring him back, but I didn’t know that he was the most killed-off Marvel villain … You learn something new every day.
While it would be great to see Josh Brolin back in action as Thanos, it’s also possible he couldreturn as Cable afterDeadpool & Wolverinebridged the gap between the MCU and Fox’sX-Menfranchise. Brolin’s Cable first appeared in 2018’sDeadpool 2, and was noticeably absent fromDeadpool & Wolverine, so it would be great to see him get a reprise.Josh Brolin is a fantastic actor with a huge amount of range, so it would be a huge benefit toAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Warsto include him among the castin some capacity.
3Ty Simpkins
Ty Simpkins Was Last Seen In The MCU In Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Ty Simpkins first appeared in the MCUas the child in Tennessee who helps Tony Stark investigate Aldrich Killian, the so-called “Mandarin,” and the Extremis explosions in 2013’sIron Man 3. Harley Keener seemed to have been set up to have a larger role in the MCU, especially after Stark gifted a huge array of new gadgets to the kid as a means of saying ‘thank you.’ However,Simpkins has only reprised the role once six-years-later, appearing at Tony Stark’s funeral inAvengers: Endgame, so it’s high time he came back to the MCU permanently.
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Now 23-years-old, Ty Simpkins could appear inAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Warsas a superhero in his own right, perhaps leading to him joining theMCU’s upcoming Young Avengers team. Early speculation suggested Simpkins' MCU character could have been a variant of Kang the Conqueror, perhaps Iron Lad, though it seems Marvel Studios won’t address this connection now that Phase 6’s focus has moved onto Doctor Doom.The fact that Robert Downey Jr. is returning, however, means now would be the perfect time to bring Harley Keener back to the MCU.
2Elizabeth Olsen
Elizabeth Olsen Was Last Seen In The MCU In Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (2022)
While it would be great to see Aaron Taylor-Johnson bring Quicksilver back into the MCU, this would be even better if Elizabeth Olsen also reprises her role of his sister,Wanda Maximoff’s Scarlet Witch. Quicksilver may have lost his life inAvengers: Age of Ultron, but the Scarlet Witch went on to have a lengthy career in the MCU, becoming one of the franchise’s most popular heroes and most terrifying villains.The Scarlet Witch sacrificed herself to destroy the Darkhold inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but Elizabeth Olsen’s return has nevertheless been heavily rumored.
Wanda Maximoff embraced her identity as the Scarlet Witch inWandaVision, but her use of the Darkhold then corrupted her and transformed her into a villain inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as she chased America Chavez and Doctor Strange across the multiverse.
Both Marvel Studios and Elizabeth Olsen have teased the concept of Wanda Maximoff returning to the MCU in Phase 6, so this seems very likely to happen.The Scarlet Witch seems primed to reappear alongside Doctor Doom, just as she does after theHouse of Mstoryline in Marvel Comics, which loosely inspired 2021’sWandaVisionseries. AfterAgatha All Alongbrought back Billy and Tommy Maximoff, now is the perfect time for theScarlet Witch to return to the MCU, so it surely won’t be long before Elizabeth Olsen is back in action.
1Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson Was Last Seen In The MCU In Black Widow (2021)
Even though she was one of the first heroes featured in the MCU, making her debut in 2010’sIron Man 2,Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow, was also one of Marvel’s most wasted characters. She was a founding member of the Avengers, a formidable SHIELD agent, a sister and daughter, and a hero willing to sacrifice her own life for the greater good, butMarvel Studios never gave Natasha Romanoff the attention she deserved. Even her first solo MCU movie, 2021’sBlack Widow, failed to explore the Natasha Romanoff stories audiences really wanted to see.
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Despite her legal dispute with Disney, it seemsScarlett Johansson’s relationship with Marvelis still strong, as she is credited as an executive producer on 2025’sThunderbolts*. This makes her return possible, and since both Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans have been cast inAvengers: Doomsday, and Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Jeremy Renner will likely be included,Johansson may be the only original Avenger actor who is not yet returning. It would be fantastic to see her reunite with her Avengers family, even if she assumes a different role to retain Black Widow’s heartfelt sacrifice inAvengers: Endgame.
