Avengers: Doomsday promises to bring together the largest cast of heroes in MCU history in 2026, but one significant absence has caught attention. Scheduled for release on December 18, the Russo brothers’ film will unite the traditional Avengers, the New Avengers, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four against the villain Doctor Doom. However, the beloved Guardians of the Galaxy do not appear in the cast lists released so far, raising the hypothesis that the new cosmic heroes will take on their narrative role. This swap is crucial because it repeats the famous “strange alchemy” that made Infinity War and Endgame so memorable, mixing characters of radically different tones to create unexpected and fun chemistry.
But how will this substitution work in practice? The answer seems to lie in the latest trailer, which shows Ben Grimm, The Thing, interacting with the characters from Wakanda. This scene is a classic example of the Russo Brothers’ technique, which involves placing figures with very little in common to generate comedic conflicts and surprising connections. Thanks to this approach, the Fantastic Four, with their retro-futuristic origin and cosmic sensibility, should inject into the film the same dose of madness and humor that the Guardians brought to the Infinity Saga. In this way, even without Peter Quill and his crew, Doomsday seeks to maintain the magic of Marvel’s epic crossovers.
The secret formula behind Marvel’s crossovers
The so-called “strange alchemy” is not an accident, but a careful narrative strategy. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo use this method to tackle the challenge of uniting dozens of characters into a cohesive story. They start with an extremely fun or peculiar encounter between two unlikely figures, like Thor and the Guardians. This initial moment serves to make the audience suspend their disbelief and accept anything that follows. In Doomsday, The Thing introducing himself as “from Yancy Street” to the King of Wakanda fulfills exactly this function, creating a bridge between the grounded and the cosmic.
Therefore, the film’s success may depend heavily on how the Fantastic Four will be integrated. If Reed Richards’ team can replicate the comedic and emotional contrast that the Guardians provided, the new Marvel saga has everything it takes to repeat the previous phenomenon. Furthermore, the absence of the Guardians is not necessarily permanent. The ending of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 left Rocket Raccoon’s team active in the cosmos, and rumors suggest that Peter Quill, now “The Legendary Star-Lord,” may return. Still, in January 2026, all indications are that Brazilian fans will see the Fantastic Four shining at the center of the fun chaos that only an Avengers movie can provide.
