Original 'Avengers' Star Officially Pulled From MCU Movie Series

The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s biggest movie series–the Avengers–has officially lost one of its original stars.

Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday (2026) is steadily emerging as one of the MCU’s most sweeping undertakings yet, even as its path to theaters has been anything but straightforward. The tentpole sequel, helmed once again by Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019) directors Anthony and Joe Russo, has undergone a significant creative pivot.

What was once designed as a Kang-driven storyline has been retooled to spotlight Doctor Doom, with Robert Downey Jr. making a headline-grabbing return to the franchise in a radically new role.

In May 2025, Marvel ignited conversation across fandom with a high-profile “chair reveal” livestream that unveiled a sprawling ensemble of heroes spanning multiple eras of the franchise. Among the confirmed returns were Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, and Kelsey Grammer reprising Beast.

Grammer officially entered the MCU proper in the post-credits scene of Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels (2023), where he was present at the meeting of Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau and Lashana Lynch’s Maria Rambeau/Binary–a Multiversal Variant of Monica’s mother from Earth-616.

Perhaps most notably, the announcement marked the formal integration of several Fox-era X-Men actors into the MCU fold. Ian McKellen returns as Magneto, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, Patrick Stewart as Professor X, and Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, with James Marsden once again suiting up as Scott Summers/Cyclops, signaling Marvel’s growing comfort with blending its cinematic timelines.

The reveal also reignited speculation about who else might still be waiting in the wings. Names frequently mentioned include Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel, Karen Gillan’s Nebula, Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock, Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie, Dominique Thorne’s Ironheart, and Xochitl Gomez’s America Chavez.

While none of those characters have been officially confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday, the already-crowded roster positions the film as one of Marvel’s most expansive crossovers to date.

By September 2025, attention shifted to who might not be appearing as prominently as expected. Reports indicated that Pedro Pascal, fresh off his MCU debut as Reed Richards in 2025’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, had completed his Avengers: Doomsday filming far earlier than anticipated. While an early wrap doesn’t automatically signal a diminished role, it does hint that Mister Fantastic may not dominate the runtime.

Around the same time, Alan Cumming shared that his work as Nightcrawler was fully finished, including stunts and training. Together, these updates underscored the evolving nature of a production still very much in motion.

One absence that didn’t go unnoticed during the cast rollout was Mark Ruffalo, whose Bruce Banner has been part of the MCU since 2012’s The Avengers. Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last year, Ruffalo offered a playful explanation when asked why Hulk wasn’t listed among the confirmed characters: “They decided that it was better to get rid of me than for me to tell the end of the next movie.”

Even so, Ruffalo doesn’t appear to be done with the MCU. He is set to return in Destin Daniel Cretton’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026), and leaked concept art has featured both Hulk and She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany) in Avengers-related imagery. Whether those designs belong specifically to Doomsday or instead to Avengers: Secret Wars (2027) remained an open question.

Since then, Marvel Studios has opened the door on Doomsday, revealing footage centring on an assortment of characters set to feature in the fifth Avengers series entry.

Those clips, which collectively garnered over one billion streams, included Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America; Chris Hemsworth as Thor; Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, and James Marsden as Professor Charles Xavier, Magneto, and Cyclops, respectively; and Ebon Moss Bachrach’s Ben Grimm of the Fantastic Four meeting the Wakandans, namely Shuri (Letitia Wright) and M’Baku (Winston Duke).

One notable name that is still missing from proceedings is Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk, and now, fans know the truth about his role in Avengers: Doomsday.

There won’t be one.

“The latest issue of Empire Magazine put the spotlight on Crime 101, a crime thriller in which Thor’s Chris Hemsworth stars alongside Hulk’s Mark Ruffalo,” The Direct wrote. “As part of the interview, Ruffalo confirmed he won’t be joining his MCU colleague in Avengers: Doomsday, but remained optimistic for the future.”

Per the outlet, Ruffalo said, “As long as they keep finding cool things to do with Hulk. It’s given me so many gifts. You know, I probably wouldn’t be in Crime 101 if it wasn’t for [The Avengers].”

All of these developments are unfolding as Marvel navigates the broader challenges of Phase Six. The Fantastic Four: First Steps launched the new chapter with a strong opening weekend before experiencing a sharp second-week drop, highlighting the studio’s ongoing effort to recalibrate audience engagement after years of rapid expansion.

Still, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and the Russo brothers have repeatedly framed Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars as pivotal turning points. Both films are expected to streamline continuity and set the stage for a new era, with the X-Men poised to take on a more central presence.

With Doctor Doom positioned as the saga’s next overarching threat and a cast that bridges the MCU with legacy X-Men films, Avengers: Doomsday is shaping up to be a major inflection point for the franchise. As some actors wrap their involvement and others remain conspicuously absent, questions persist—particularly surrounding Hulk’s place in the future of the Avengers series.

The MCU continues to evolve amid canceled projects and shifting strategies. As Marvel looks toward its next decade, the road ahead for the billion-dollar franchise remains very much in flux.

How do you feel about Mark Ruffalo not appearing in Avengers: Doomsday? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!