Avengers: Doomsday’s Shocking Gender Imbalance – Where Are Marvel’s Women?

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Previously, Marvel Studios generated a significant online buzz by unveiling the cast for the upcoming film, “Avengers: Doomsday,” during a live-stream event. Over a span of approximately 5 and a half hours, they disclosed the names of actors one by one, written on the backs of chairs on set, amassing a total of 26 actors. While some criticized it as a gimmick, the event attracted an impressive 275 million viewers. Among the announced names, some were anticipated, while others caught us off guard, such as the original X-Men from Fox. However, one notable observation was that only five out of the 26 roles went to female actors. Given the MCU’s abundance of strong female characters, this raises a question: why is “Avengers: Doomsday” predominantly male-populated?

Initially, it’s important to acknowledge that we don’t think this is the complete cast list for the upcoming Marvel Studios project. The studio has already given hints that more names may be added later. For now, the cast list appears to include only those actors whose roles have been confirmed thus far. However, during actual filming starting in April, additional actors are expected to join, many of whom are still finalizing their contracts. It’s rumored that as many as twenty or more names could be announced at a later “reveal” event. Some speculate that many of these potential additions might be female, but for now, the gender imbalance in this initial lineup remains striking.

There Were Only 5 Women in the Initial Avengers: Doomsday Cast List

Marvel Studios frequently boasted about their memorable group shot featuring all the female heroes in “Avengers: Endgame,” which some fans found empowering while others rolled their eyes. However, when it comes to the upcoming “Doomsday” project, many are surprised at the limited representation of women, with only five out of twenty-six characters announced: Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Florence Pugh as Yelena, Letitia Wright as Shuri, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, and Rebecca Romijn as Mystique. This leaves a substantial gap in female characters, leading some to question if there will be more announcements to come or if this is an unbalanced representation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s diverse roster of powerful female heroes.

The MCU Ladies We Were Not Shocked to See Missing

Currently, we can see why certain prominent characters are absent. Characters such as Nebula and Gamora have seemingly wrapped up their stories in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. While there’s always a chance Zoe Saldaña and Karen Gillian might reappear, for now, it seems they deserve a break from the large-scale Multiversal crises. Hope Van Dyne, who is now CEO, and Evangeline Lilly, who has mentioned taking a break from acting, also make sense to be absent. Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) is unfortunately deceased, but a variant could potentially appear in Secret Wars. However, recent comments from Scarlett Johansson suggest her MCU journey may have concluded. The Scarlet Witch, portrayed by Elizabeth Olsen, seems like an emergency option reserved for events like Secret Wars. As for the women of Eternals, it appears Marvel is treating that movie as if it never happened.

The MCU Heroines We Were Surprised Not to See in the Initial Avengers: Doomsday Cast Lineup

Leaving out some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s strongest female characters from the cast for “Doomsday” appears quite conspicuous, considering the storyline. To begin with, three significant absences stand out: Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, and Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel. The ending of “The Marvels” suggested that they would play crucial roles in the Multiverse story arc. Particularly since Monica’s journey led her to the X-Men universe. So, why aren’t we seeing any of them? Tatiana Maslany as She-Hulk seems like a natural fit for the new Avengers roster, but there has been no announcement regarding her involvement. Moreover, Valkyrie is now the ruler of New Asgard on Earth. If a threat were to emerge in the Earth-616 universe, she would undoubtedly lead the defense efforts. It just doesn’t seem right to keep Valkyrie benched.

These Missing X-Men Ladies Felt Like Glaring Omissions

Afterward, we have the original live-action X-Men cast assembled. Currently, this includes Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier, Ian McKellen as Magneto, James Marsden as Cyclops, Kelsey Grammer as Beast, Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, and Rebecca Romijn as Mystique. It’s exciting to see them return, but it raises a point – where are many of the X-Women? Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, and Anna Paquin seem to be conspicuously absent from the usual lineup. This could result in a sensation similar to a Beatles reunion, but with John and Paul not present. If you’re aiming for a reunion, Marvel, go all out. That means incorporating more women, not just Mystique.

Fingers crossed, should there be another Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement, let’s hope they take note that the Marvel Cinematic Universe boasts an abundant pool of talented individuals, as Robert Downey, Jr. describes it, which includes a significant number of women. If the upcoming cast list features around 20 ladies and just 5 gentlemen, it would be a fair representation. We’re not anticipating that exact balance, but the women in the MCU have certainly proven their worth and deserve more recognition now.

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2025-04-02 23:33