Nearly every character imaginable appeared in Avengers: Endgame, but these 25 were more important to the film's plot than many expected. The 22nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe features a sprawling cast list when everything is said and done, but Avengers: Endgame predominantly focuses on the original six Avengers members: Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye. This was done to largely complete their arcs, but also out of necessity after Thanos wiped out half of the universe and the MCU's heroes.

Getting these characters back is the ultimate goal for the Avengers in Avengers: Endgame, and they only figure out how to make this a possibility through time travel. Their missions involve stealing the Infinity Stones from the past so they can snap their own fingers and bring back those who were dusted before. This plan makes the original Avengers incredibly important, with Hulk being the one to bring everyone back, Iron Man snapping Thanos' entire army out of existence, Captain America going back in time to return the Infinity Stones, and Black Widow sacrificing her life to get the Soul Stone originally.

Related: The Most Important Avengers In Beating Thanos In Endgame

As important as all of them were to Avengers: Endgame, the movie also saw many other characters play important roles of their own, and many weren't expected to do so. People like the Ancient One and Wong had only a few scenes in the film, but what they did is what makes them paramount to success. Additionally, there are several characters who still had small but vital roles to play in Avengers: Endgame that also have incredibly bright MCU futures. Check out the full list of characters in the latest Screen Rant video featured at the top of this post.

Looking ahead to the future of the MCU, it is expected that characters like Doctor Strange, Black Panther, and Spider-Man will take on larger roles. Each of them have experienced success on their own and have been elevated through the team up films, so they should continue to be prominently featured moving forward. The ending of Avengers: Endgame also sets up exciting futures for Valkyrie and Falcon, where they've become the ruler of New Asgard and the new Captain America respectively.

On the whole, several of the aforementioned characters will help shape the MCU in the years to come. They'll get additional help from characters like Ant-Man and Scarlet Witch, and together they could all make a formidable Avengers roster of their own after seeing what they can accomplish together in Avengers: Endgame. Plus, as the MCU continues to grow and introduce new heroes - like Shang-Chi - there are several other characters who will help define what the shared universe becomes.

MORE: What The New Avengers Line-Up Looks Like After Endgame

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