Credit: Marvel StudiosMarvel fans are starting to notice a possible shift happening inside Avengers: Doomsday (2026), and it involves one of the MCU’s biggest original stars. For years, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor has stood near the center of nearly every major Avengers story. From The Avengers (2012) through Avengers: Endgame (2019), Thor remained one of the franchise’s defining heroes, often carrying some of the emotional weight alongside Iron Man and Captain America.
But now, with Avengers: Doomsday inching closer to release, it suddenly feels like Marvel may be repositioning Thor in a much different way than many fans expected.
The conversation exploded after a new reported cast billing order surfaced following CinemaCon 2026. While Robert Downey Jr.’s return as Doctor Doom grabbing the top position was hardly surprising, fans immediately noticed another major detail: Chris Evans reportedly ranks above Chris Hemsworth in the official billing order.
That may not sound huge on paper, but longtime Marvel fans know billing order often reveals a lot about a character’s importance in a film. In big ensemble movies, placement can quietly tell audiences who the studio sees as the emotional anchor or central figure of the story.
And right now, all signs point toward Steve Rogers reclaiming that spot.
Marvel May Be Rebuilding Around Steve Rogers Again
That has led many fans to wonder whether Thor’s role has quietly been scaled back compared to what audiences originally expected after the first footage shown from the film.
Early reactions from CinemaCon footage reportedly placed Thor front and center in several moments. Many assumed Hemsworth would once again serve as one of the movie’s primary leads, especially after becoming arguably the MCU’s most consistently active original Avenger following Tony Stark and Steve Rogers exiting the franchise after Endgame(2019).
Instead, Marvel appears to be leaning heavily into Evans’ return.
According to the report, Steve Rogers is not being treated like a small cameo or nostalgic appearance. The film reportedly positions him as one of the story’s defining figures.
For Thor fans, that changes the entire perception surrounding the movie.
It does not necessarily mean Hemsworth has a tiny role. In fact, Thor still reportedly lands within the top three names attached to the project. But compared to expectations heading into the movie, the shift is noticeable. A lot of fans assumed Avengers: Doomsday would effectively belong to Thor after Hemsworth carried so much of the MCU’s post-Endgame era.
Instead, Marvel seems ready to hand the emotional spotlight back to Evans.
The biggest reason this matters is because Thor’s future in the MCU already feels uncertain.
Unlike many of the original Avengers, Hemsworth has continued to appear regularly over the last several years. He led Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), appeared across multiple crossover projects, and remained one of Marvel’s most marketable legacy characters. But fans have also started wondering how much longer Marvel can realistically keep Thor around without finally giving the character a true ending.
That speculation only intensified after Love and Thunder (2022) divided audiences.
While some viewers enjoyed the movie’s lighter tone, others felt Marvel pushed Thor too far into comedy and stripped away some of the emotional depth that made the character so compelling in films like Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Endgame (2019).
Thor Could Still Be Central to the MCU’s Future
Because of that, many fans viewed Avengers: Doomsday as an opportunity for Marvel to restore Thor as one of the franchise’s definitive centerpieces.
Now, that expectation may need to change.
Interestingly, the reported trailer description still suggests Thor plays a major emotional role in the film. One of the biggest moments shown allegedly involves Steve Rogers shocking Thor with his return, creating what many attendees described as one of the footage’s most emotional scenes.
That dynamic could ultimately become one of the movie’s strongest elements.
After all, Steve and Thor now represent two of the last true connections to the MCU’s original Avengers era. Tony Stark is gone. Natasha Romanoff is gone. Clint Barton has largely stepped away. Bruce Banner’s future remains uncertain. Seeing Thor reunite with Steve again may carry enormous emotional weight for longtime fans who have followed these characters for more than a decade.
Still, the larger focus appears to be shifting toward Steve Rogers’ return and Robert Downey Jr.’s transformation into Doctor Doom.
That alone changes the balance of the film dramatically.
Marvel also seems increasingly focused on legacy storytelling as the Multiverse Saga approaches its climax. Bringing back Evans in a major role instantly creates emotional familiarity for audiences who may have drifted away from some of the newer MCU characters introduced during Phases 4 and 5.
From a business perspective, it makes sense.
Chris Evans returning as Steve Rogers is one of Marvel’s biggest possible nostalgia plays. Pairing him against Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom gives the studio a marketing angle that practically sells itself.
Unfortunately for Thor fans, that may naturally reduce how much narrative space Hemsworth receives.
There is also another possibility fans have started discussing online: Marvel may intentionally be lowering Thor’s prominence now because the character could have an even larger role in Avengers: Secret Wars (2027). If that happens, Doomsday may simply serve as the beginning of Thor’s final major MCU arc rather than his biggest showcase.
And honestly, that might be the smartest move.
Thor remains one of Marvel’s few remaining characters capable of generating real emotional investment across generations of MCU fans. Rushing through his final storyline in a single crossover movie would probably feel disappointing after everything Hemsworth has contributed to the franchise since Thor (2011).
Still, there is no denying the optics surrounding this latest update.
When fans saw Chris Evans leapfrog Chris Hemsworth in reported billing order, many immediately interpreted it as a sign that Thor’s importance inside Avengers: Doomsday had changed significantly behind the scenes.
Whether that proves true will not become fully clear until Marvel finally releases a full trailer publicly.
But one thing already feels obvious: Avengers: Doomsday is shaping up to be much more of a Steve Rogers story than many fans originally expected.
