Avengers: Doomsday is on the way, promising to unite many original members of the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise (including Robert Downey Jr., though he's playing the villain Dr. Doom rather than the hero Iron Man) along with new heroes and villains from the more recent phases, as well as characters from Fox's X-Men movies. The massive crossover is a reminder of the sheer number of characters who have rubbed shoulders in the sprawling interconnected universe, which now includes 38 feature films. So before Doomsday throws all the numbers off, let's break down the actors who have appeared in the most installments up to this point.
A note: I will be including appearances in post-credits sequences and uncredited cameo appearances, but I will not be including roles in MCU television series appearances via archive footage.
8.Jon Favreau
'Iron Man 3' (2013)
Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
It's fitting that Jon Favreau is one of the actors who have appeared in the most MCU movies, considering the fact that he is the director who kicked off the whole darn thing. He helmed the original Iron Man, the massive success of which spawned the entire franchise. As he typically does when he directs a movie, he also appeared in a supporting role. In this case, he played Tony Stark's (Robert Downey Jr.) bodyguard, Happy Hogan.
Happy rose in the ranks, first becoming head of security for Stark Industries and then head of Asset Management for the Avengers. This has allowed him to appear in eight of the 38 extant MCU movies, including all three Iron Man movies and all three Spider-Man movies.
MCU Movies: Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Iron Man 3 (2013), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
7.Sebastian Stan
'Captain America: Civil War' (2016)
Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Now we're hitting a four-way tie between actors with nine MCU movies apiece. The first is Sebastian Stan, who plays one of the longest-running characters in the entire franchise. He was introduced as Steve Rogers/Captain America's (Chris Evans) best friend, Bucky Barnes, in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger. In that movie's sequel, Bucky is revealed to be the brainwashed assassin The Winter Soldier.
The conflict between Bucky's heroic side and his dark side has been a major story element of the entire franchise, leading him to appear in quite a few installments. In addition to starring in the Disney+ miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, he has appeared in four Captain America movies, two post-credits scenes (in Ant-Man and Black Panther), two Avengers movies, and more. He is also confirmed to be returning in Doomsday, so he will be climbing up the rankings soon.
MCU Movies: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Ant-Man (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Captain America: Brave New World (2025), Thunderbolts* (2025)
6.Mark Ruffalo
'Avengers: Endgame' (2019)
Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Mark Ruffalo plays Bruce Banner/The Hulk in the MCU. Even though he didn't star in the franchise's original 2008 disappointment, The Incredible Hulk (which starred Edward Norton in the title role), he stepped in for Norton in 2012's The Avengers and has been going strong since then, racking up nine films so far by playing major supporting roles in a number of other heroes' movies (plus Disney+'s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law) and appearing in the credits scenes in Iron Man 3, Captain Marvel, and Shang-Chi. Ruffalo is expected to appear in Doomsday as well, so he should continue tying with Sebastian Stan.
MCU Movies: The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Captain Marvel (2019), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)
5.Scarlett Johansson
'Black Widow' (2021)
Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Not only is two-time Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson's MCU character Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow one of the original Avengers, but she also debuted even earlier than the 2012 crossover film thanks to an early appearance in Jon Favreau's Iron Man 2. Up until her final appearance (in the character's first and only solo movie), she appeared as a main character in eight MCU movies and cameoed in a mid-credits scene (alongside Mark Ruffalo) in Captain Marvel.
MCU Movies: Iron Man 2 (2010), The Avengers (2012), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Captain Marvel (2019), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Black Widow (2021)
4.Chris Hemsworth
'Thor: Ragnarok' (2017)
Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Fellow original Avenger Chris Hemsworth has also appeared in nine MCU movies so far (though Doomsday will bump him up to 10). After originating the role of Thor in 2011's Thor, he has reprised the role in three direct sequels, every Avengers movie to date, and the mid-credits scene of Doctor Strange.
MCU Movies: Thor (2011), The Avengers (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Doctor Strange (2016), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
3.Robert Downey Jr.
'Iron Man' (2008)
Credit: Paramount Pictures
Just like Jon Favreau, Robert Downey Jr. got a head start on the rest of the franchise. His character, Tony Stark/Iron Man, was the lead of the very first installment in the MCU, and he is the lynchpin of multiple branches of the franchise, including being one of the core Avengers and a reluctant mentor to Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland). This has led to him appearing in a whopping 11 installments in the franchise.
Although his character died during the battle in Avengers: Endgame and hasn't appeared since then, Downey Jr. appeared as Dr. Doom in the mid-credits scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps and will be making his triumphant return as a major MCU player in Avengers: Doomsday, bumping his number up to a full dozen.
MCU Movies: Iron Man (2008), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)
2.Samuel L. Jackson
'The Avengers' (2012)
Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Although the only MCU project that he has ever led is the Disney+ miniseries Secret Invasion, Samuel L. Jackson has racked up a full dozen MCU movies thanks to the fact that his character, Nick Fury, is the creator of the Avengers Initiative. In addition to appearing in credits scenes to offer Avengers roles to various heroes, he has been a major supporting player in the Avengers movies, and a digitally de-aged version of himself helped out Captain Marvel in her debut movie, which was set in the 1990s.
MCU Movies: Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), The Avengers (2012), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Captain Marvel (2019), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), The Marvels (2023)
1.Chris Evans
'Spider-Man: Homecoming' (2017)
Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Chris Evans' Steve Rogers/Captain America is an original Avenger, too, but the reason the actor ties with Samuel L. Jackson with 12 MCU movies is due to some unusual circumstances. In addition to having a cameo in Spider-Man: Homecoming and appearing in the credits scenes in Ant-Man and Captain Marvel, he played Loki posing as Captain America in Thor: The Dark World and also appeared in Deadpool & Wolverine as his Fantastic Four character, Johnny Storm/The Human Torch.
Evans will reprise his role as Steve Rogers in Avengers: Doomsday, officially pulling ahead as the MCU cast member with the most movie appearances in the franchise.
MCU Movies: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), The Avengers (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Ant-Man (2015), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Avenger: Infinity War (2018), Captain Marvel (2019), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
The runners-up for this list, who each appeared in seven MCU movies, are Don Cheadle (as War Machine), Tom Hiddleston (as Loki), Tom Holland (as Spider-Man), Gwyneth Paltrow (as Pepper Potts), Anthony Mackie (as Falcon/Captain America), and Paul Bettany (as J.A.R.V.I.S./Vision).
Who are your favorite long-running MCU characters, and who are you most excited to see in Avengers: Doomsday? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
