We May Already Know One of Avengers: Doomsday’s Major Hero Deaths

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The impending production schedules for the next two Avengers installments provide a compelling map for where Bucky Barnes fits into the future of the franchise. Marvel Studios is preparing to begin principal photography for Avengers: Secret Wars in the summer of 2026, a massive undertaking that typically requires lead actors to remain on standby for months of filming. Simultaneously, Warner Bros. has confirmed that The Batman Part II is scheduled to begin its own production in Spring 2026. Both films feature high-stakes narratives that demand a level of secrecy that makes it nearly impossible for a single performer to headline both simultaneously. Because these shooting windows overlap, the logistics strongly suggest that Bucky Barnes is not a participant in the events of Avengers: Secret Wars. This would imply that the Winter Soldier’s journey reaches its ending during the chaotic war of Avengers: Doomsday.

Is Bucky Dying in Avengers: Doomsday?

Image courtesy of Marvel Studios

The reality of high-stakes franchise filmmaking suggests that if Stan has the freedom to commit to a major DC antagonist role in The Batman Part II, his schedule is likely unburdened by the long-term requirements of Avengers: Secret Wars. While there are numerous ways for a character to exit a narrative without dying, the MCU has struggled to provide Bucky Barnes with true prominence during the Multiverse Saga. He functioned primarily as an emotional support for the journey of Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and acted as a veteran anchor for Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) during the events of Thunderbolts*. Because Avengers: Doomsday needs to kill significant characters to underline the emotional weight and power of Victor von Doom (Robert Downey Jr.), Anthony Russo and Joe Russo may choose to sacrifice a fan-favorite who has recently existed on the fringes of the MCU’s larger narrative.

Another distinct possibility is that the roles for Sebastian Stan in both The Batman Part II and Avengers: Secret Wars are relatively small, allowing him to navigate both sets through careful coordination. Director Reeves previously stated that the villain in the sequel to The Batman is a character that has never quite been the focus of a live-action film before. Since Two-Face has appeared as a primary antagonist in Batman Forever and The Dark Knight, this comment implies that Harvey Dent might play a supporting role in the plot rather than serving as the central “big bad.” If Stan’s presence on the Gotham set is limited to a few weeks of filming to establish the character’s origin or political standing, he might still have the necessary time to record a handful of scenes for the MCU’s multiversal finale. This would allow Marvel to keep the character alive for future cameos while freeing Stan to explore new creative opportunities within the DC Universe alongside his former Avengers castmate Scarlett Johansson. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to be released in theaters on December 18, 2026.

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