Movies

X-Men’s Alan Cumming ‘Excited and Amazed’ to Make Marvel Return

BBG News

Alan Cumming is “excited and amazed” to return to Marvel in Avengers: Doomsday.

The actor who turned 60 portrayed Nightcrawler in “X2: X-Men United” back in 2003, and is now ready to step back into the role for an upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movie. Interestingly, he recently shared that a significant factor in his decision to return was the improvement and streamlining of the makeup process required for him to embody the character.

During a conversation with co-star Olivia Munn on Collider, Cumming expressed his excitement and astonishment, saying, “Can you believe it? It’s been 23 years since I first put on the superhero suit!

I’ve undergone some makeup trials for the part I’m playing. However, what makes it exciting is that the application time has been reduced significantly, from roughly four and a half hours to just 90 minutes! In the beginning, all tattoos were hand-drawn and not decided upon until we started filming. Now, they are applied as stick-on tattoos directly onto my face – it’s truly revolutionized the process.

“I’m going back to being a 60-year-old superhero, and everyone seems really lovely.”

The actor from “Spy Kids” mentioned that the production of “Avengers: Doomsday” will start shooting very shortly in London, and hinted that it’s going to be absolutely wild.

Besides Cumming, other former X-Men cast members coming back for Avengers: Doomsday, leading to Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027, are Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Kelsey Grammer (Beast), and Rebecca Romijn (Mystique).

In “Avengers: Doomsday”, it’s expected that the Avengers, Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts, and the X-Men will join forces to thwart the menacing actions of Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr.

Although some actors from the X-Men series will feature in Avengers: Doomsday, Halle Berry, who portrayed Storm in X-Men from 2000 up until X-Men: Days of Future Past in 2014, has stated that she has no intention of appearing in future Marvel films.

Asked if she would consider coming back to the genre, she simply told Extra: “Nope!”

Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters on May 1, 2026.

Marvel Characters Who Aren’t in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

Nick Fury

In 12 distinct Marvel Cinematic Universe films (including the entire Avengers series) and his own Disney+ series, Secret Invasion, Nick Fury has made an appearance. However, during the YouTube unveiling of Doomsday’s production, Samuel L. Jackson’s name was missing from the lengthy list of actors. It’s possible he could still appear, especially considering he was saved for a post-credits surprise at the end of Avengers: Infinity War. If he does appear, it suggests that his role might not be central to the film’s plot, which is somewhat unexpected.

Hulk (And She-Hulk)

In multiple Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) productions, Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk has been a consistent presence, appearing in every Avengers film and numerous other MCU projects. Interestingly, just like in the Avengers: Endgame, his name was absent from the cast list for Avengers: Infinity War. Moving on to small screens, Ruffalo made a guest appearance during the first season of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, which stars Tatiana Maslany. Given that a potential showdown with Doctor Doom might require the MCU’s heaviest hitters, it’s intriguing that neither She-Hulk nor Hulk have been confirmed for the upcoming film.

Red Hulk

In addition to the existing Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), there’s a new one – Red Hulk, portrayed by Harrison Ford in “Captain America: Brave New World”. Now, it’s important to note that the ending of that movie doesn’t necessarily set up much Hulking for this character. However, considering the situation in “Avengers: Doomsday”, where the entire MCU seems to be under threat from Doctor Doom and a possible invasion from another reality, every Hulk available, regardless of their color or criminal history, could potentially be useful.

Doctor Strange and Wong

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), most of the heroes aren’t familiar with multiverse threats, with the notable exception being Doctor Strange, whose movie was all about a “Madness of the Multiverse”. Interestingly, Benedict Cumberbatch, who played Doctor Strange, is not featured in the upcoming film “Doomsday”, despite his claims that he won’t be part of it but will play a significant role in its sequel, “Avengers: Secret Wars”. Similarly, Benedict Wong’s character, the Sorcerer Supreme, isn’t present in “Doomsday” either. However, anything an actor says before a movie is released should be taken with a grain of salt. So we’ll have to wait and see!

America Chavez

In the film “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” audiences were introduced to America Chavez, a Marvel Comics character who can create portals across different universes. Given her unique ability, she could essentially be a convenient solution (deus ex machina) in a movie like “Avengers: Doomsday.” This might explain why Xochitl Gomez, who played America Chavez, wasn’t listed in the cast for “Doomsday.” However, if she doesn’t appear in a film where the destiny of multiple universes hangs in balance, will we get to see her again in future Marvel productions?

Tom Holland’s Spider-Man

As a movie buff, I’ve been buzzing with excitement over the whispers that Tom Holland may be appearing in “Avengers: Doomsday.” Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that he seems to be readying himself for a fourth standalone Spider-Man film, produced side by side with Marvel Studios. It’s possible they’ve kept him under wraps due to some spoilery reasons, or perhaps he won’t play a significant role in the main narrative until “Secret Wars” – considering the speculation about what that movie might entail, this could indeed make more sense.

Captain Marvel

The official cast list for Marvel’s movie “Doomsday” features Kelsey Grammer as the Beast, who previously appeared in a post-credits scene from “The Marvels,” where he spoke with Monica Rambeau, who fell through a portal to an alternate dimension housing the X-Men. Although it isn’t surprising that the Beast is in “Avengers: Doomsday” considering this scene, it is peculiar that Grammer is part of the film but none of the main characters from “The Marvels,” such as Captain Marvel, have been confirmed (or at least announced yet). Given her role in protecting Earth from extraterrestrial threats, it seems unusual for Captain Marvel to be missing from the cast. Perhaps there will be a second casting announcement with additional names.

Ms. Marvel

Ms. Marvel played a pivotal part in both “The Marvels” and the significant gap in the multiverse, she’s also hinted at forming her own group of Young Avengers, which could be a part of the upcoming “Avengers” sequels. It’s possible that Marvel is planning to introduce her and her team in “Secret Wars,” or maybe even in a standalone “Young Avengers” movie that hasn’t been officially announced yet.

Rocket Raccoon (and the new Guardians of the Galaxy)

Although the conclusion of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” marked the end of one iteration of that team, with some actors like Dave Bautista expressing their belief that their time at Marvel is finished. However, it’s worth noting that “Vol. 3” also introduced a fresh set of Guardians, under the leadership of Rocket Raccoon and Groot. It’s plausible that the A-list actors might be preoccupied or cost-prohibitive for brief appearances. Given their significant roles in “Infinity War” and “Endgame”, it seems surprising they weren’t included in “Doomsday”.

Deadpool and Wolverine

In a recent announcement, Marvel revealed several X-Men actors will feature in the upcoming movie “Doomsday.” However, two individuals you might expect – Ryan Reynolds from Deadpool and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine – have not been confirmed to appear. This doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t be part of the film; it simply implies that their involvement hasn’t been disclosed yet. With 27 named stars already attached to this project, one can wonder if Marvel is planning for Reynolds and Jackman to make an appearance in “Avengers: Secret Wars” instead?

The First Class X-Men

In the upcoming film “Doomsday,” all the announced X-Men actors, excluding Channing Tatum, are drawn from the initial Fox “X-Men” series. Notably absent are any names associated with the subsequent prequel films, which featured notable stars like James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Nicholas Hoult, and Jennifer Lawrence. Interestingly, “Doomsday” is a multiverse movie, allowing for multiple iterations of the X-Men. This setup could pave the way for an intriguing twist in “Secret Wars,” where we see the original cast in “Doomsday” and then the prequel cast in the sequel, creating quite a fun surprise!

The Wasp

It’s hard to believe that The Wasp wasn’t originally intended to appear in the fifth “Avengers” movie, titled “The Kang Dynasty.” Given that she and Ant-Man were among the few Marvel Cinematic Universe heroes who interacted with Kang, it seemed likely she would be there. However, only Paul Rudd (Ant-Man) has been officially confirmed for the film, now known as “Doomsday.” This could mean that Evangeline Lilly’s name was kept secret for some mysterious reason, or perhaps Marvel significantly altered their plans when they brought Robert Downey Jr. back to the franchise.

Moon Knight

It appears that none of the characters from Marvel’s Disney+ series are featured in the cast of “Doomsday.” It’s hard to believe that not a single hero from Disney+ is included, even Hawkeye? It seems unlikely, but it looks like that’s the situation for now. I have to assume Jeremy Renner will make an appearance in the movie, possibly in a minor role.

Regarding Moon Knight, he’s a character with ties to gods and various mystical entities, and Oscar Isaac, who plays him, is currently one of the most recognized actors in the MCU. Notably, Moon Knight was also an Avenger based on the West Coast! Let’s hope Moon Knight gets his chance to shine in the movie!

Daredevil

Perhaps Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, being a street-level hero, might seem out of place in an action-packed movie like “Avengers: Doomsday”. However, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Matt Murdock, played by Charlie Cox, has been consistently appearing across the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He appeared in “Spider-Man: No Way Home”, was seen in “She-Hulk”, and now leads one of Disney+’s top-tier Marvel series, “Daredevil: Born Again”. It seems that even Victor Von Doom could benefit from Murdock’s legal expertise.

Literally Any Member of the Eternals

The ominous words “Eternals will return” seemed doubtful after the movie’s release. With no news about a potential sequel for years and no appearance or mention of the Eternals in movies like “Captain America: Brave New World” and “Doomsday”, it appears that this team may not be returning to our screens anytime soon, despite their potential relevance in stories about cosmic threats. So, let’s keep our fingers crossed, fellow Druig fans!

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2025-04-07 17:55

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