Recently, Thunderbolts* actors David Harbour and Wyatt Russell revealed that—like many fans watching—they too were anxious watching the five-and-a-half-hour Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal. Over the course of the livestream, Marvel slowly unveiled the first announced cast members of the next Avengers installment by panning over a row of director’s chairs with actors’ names printed on them. Aside from Harbour, Russell, and most of their Thunderbolts* costars, the film will also star the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Chris Hemsworth, Simu Liu, Paul Rudd, Letitia Wright, and several returning X-Men cast members, among others.
Despite knowing their names would appear eventually, both Russell and Harbour grew anxious waiting for their moment. Speaking with Screen Rant’s Joe Deckelmeier, the two shared a humorous exchange:

ScreenRant: It was announced that both of you are going to be in Avengers: Doomsday. When you guys heard the announcement, was it similar to Alexei’s reaction to being a part of a team?

David Harbour: [Laughs] Did you have that reaction? Did you sit there and go, “YEAH!!!”

Wyatt Russell: Yeah, my wife was like, “What are you doing?” I’m like, “I’m cheering my own name on the back of my chair. I love myself!”

David Harbour: I mean, I’ll tell you what it did create in me was anxiety. Because that chair thing went on for so long, and they paused for 30 minutes.

Wyatt Russell: You were like, “Did I get the right information?”

David Harbour: Well, yeah, it was like 20 chairs in or something! I was like, “I don’t think I’m going to make it. …Oh no, there it is!”

Wyatt Russell: It brought back PTSD for me. I swear to God. I was like, “Wait a second…” Because I got it afterwards, so I was like, “Where is it?” You’d kind of skip over your name real quick. Like, “Was that my name?”

Not Even The Cast Of Avengers: Doomsday Knew What To Expect

Custom image by Ross Tanenbaum

It’s interesting to consider how little the stars of Avengers: Doomsday knew about how the cast reveal would transpire beforehand. Russell stated that they at least knew their own names would appear, but otherwise, they were left watching the livestream with the rest of the world. Moreover, other recent comments from the film’s actors imply the entire production is being this secretive.

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Notably, both Harbour and castmate Florence Pugh stated that they had yet to read a script, so with the level of confidentiality surrounding Avengers: Doomsday in mind, it’s not surprising that the actors weren’t certain when or if their names would appear. This is especially true given that Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige has been open that there are as-of-yet unrevealed cast members. That said, Russell and Harbour were clearly teasing each other. Avengers: Doomsday is a major production; any actor who joins such a huge, potentially career-defining film is bound to be anxious.
The Thunderbolts May Play A Substantial Role In Avengers: Doomsday

How directly Thunderbolts* feeds into Avengers: Doomsday remains to be seen, but with so many cast members shared between both films, there is bound to be connective tissue. Moreover, director Jake Schreier teased the possibility of the former being a stepping stone to the major MCU crossover, stating: “There might be some stones or pebbles; I don’t know how you want to rate your rocks.” Harbour and Russell’s excitement is palpable and for good reason.

After Thunderbolts* hits theaters, the sole movie between it and the next big Avengers film is The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

With the release of Thunderbolts* on May 2, the lead-up for Avengers: Doomsday only grows more intense. After the former hits theaters, the sole movie between it and the next big Avengers film is The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Not only is this an exciting time for Marvel fans, but it is also a huge moment for Russell, Harbour, and the rest of the MCU cast.

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