Every X-Men Character Making a Comeback in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Revealed!

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As a cinema enthusiast, I must say that the five-hour unveiling of the Avengers: Doomsday cast left me buzzing with excitement for numerous reasons. One of the most intriguing aspects was the confirmation of characters from the X-Men films produced by 20th Century Fox rejoining the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in the upcoming movie. This announcement builds on the hints dropped in The Marvels and Deadpool & Wolverine, adding a layer of anticipation to the plot. Although heavyweights like Wolverine, Storm, and Jean Grey were absent from this initial reveal, it’s clear that Marvel isn’t done making announcements yet, and we can expect more X-Men characters to join the roster in the coming months.

The returning X-Men characters, as announced, are intriguing because they feature several actors reappearing in the series for the first time since their last appearance in “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” with one actor stepping back into his role over twenty years after he last featured. As it stands, the X-Men team includes three well-known blue mutants, two friends or foes who share a complex relationship, the underappreciated leader of the X-Men, and a popular character introduced to the franchise in “Deadpool & Wolverine.” These are the confirmed X-Men characters set to feature in “Avengers: Doomsday.

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Beast

Initially, it was Kelsey Grammer who stepped back into his character, Hank McCoy, better known as Beast. Previously, Grammer brought this role to life in “X-Men: The Last Stand” and made a brief appearance at the film’s end in “X-Men: Days of Future Past” within the altered timeline. More recently, he reprised the character again in the closing credits scene of “The Marvels,” where the character was digitally enhanced to resemble his depiction in “X-Men: The Animated Series.

Although Nicholas Hoult portrayed the Beast character for a longer period, spanning four X-Men films from 2011 to 2019, many fans view Kelsey Grammer as the quintessential Beast. This is quite noteworthy, considering that Grammer’s most significant role in the X-Men series, The Last Stand, is often criticized as one of the franchise’s weakest installments. However, the teaser appearance of Beast at the end of The Marvels and the anticipation for his reappearance in the Multiverse Saga has been a pleasant surprise for fans.

6
Professor X

In just a few weeks when “Avengers: Doomsday” premieres, Patrick Stewart will have been portraying Professor X for an impressive 26 years, starting with the 2000’s “X-Men”. With eight appearances on screen, Stewart’s Professor X has been featured in more films than any other X-Men character, trailing only Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Stewart is well-versed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), having previously taken on a version of his Professor X in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”.

In the upcoming film, Avengers: Doomsday, fans are eagerly waiting to see if Professor X, played by Sir Patrick Stewart, will meet his end again. The character in Avengers: Doomsday is expected to be similar to the one Stewart portrayed in the 20th Century Fox films due to the franchise’s complex timeline. Additionally, fans are excited for the long-anticipated reunion of Professor X and Magneto, with Ian McKellen set to return as Magneto for the fifth Avengers movie.

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Magneto

Fans were taken aback when it was announced that Ian McKellen would reprise his role as Magneto in “Avengers: Doomsday.” The surprise came since Grammer and Stewart had also appeared in previous MCU films. However, McKellen’s past association with Marvel’s X-Men series made the revelation all the more electrifying, as it suggested that any character from Marvel’s history could potentially join the action. McKellen originally played Magneto in 2000’s “X-Men,” 2003’s “X2: X-Men United,” 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand,” and was last seen in 2014’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” This will be his return to the character, twelve years after he last portrayed Magneto on screen.

Though Magneto is commonly recognized as the X-Men’s arch-nemesis, he frequently collaborates with them. This suggests that Magneto will join forces with the X-Men in “Avengers: Doomsday,” making the upcoming movie all the more intriguing. Magneto’s appearance holds double appeal. On one hand, it offers fans the thrill of watching Magneto clash with Doctor Doom – two legendary Marvel villains known for their complex comic book dynamic. The confrontation between these powerful adversaries promises a visually stunning spectacle.

On the other hand, there’s anticipation surrounding the potential reunion of Magneto and Scarlet Witch, who were depicted as his children in the comics for many years. However, due to the division of film rights between X-Men and Avengers at that time, Marvel Comics altered this backstory in 2014. Now, with Disney owning both franchises, “Avengers: Doomsday” could reinstate Magneto as Scarlet Witch’s father, rekindling the heartwarming bond between them on the big screen.

4
Nightcrawler

As a die-hard movie enthusiast, I can’t contain my excitement when I heard about Magneto’s return, but let me tell you, it was Alan Cumming’s comeback as Nightcrawler that had us all on the edge of our seats! Cumming brought Nightcrawler to life in X2: X-Men United, delivering one of the best performances in the entire X-Men series, and his exhilarating opening action scene still reigns supreme as the finest prologue in any superhero film. Sadly, Cumming was missing from X-Men: The Last Stand, a decision that left many of us fans yearning for more. Even though Kodi Smit-McPhee portrayed a young Nightcrawler in X-Men: Apocalypse and X-Men: Dark Phoenix, there was just something about Cumming’s performance that couldn’t be replicated.

It turns out that a significant number of fans were let down when Brian Cumming did not reprise his role as Nightcrawler in the movie “X-Men: Days of Future Past”. The intricate makeup required was a significant reason behind his decision to skip future X-Men films, but he also had a less than satisfactory experience working with director Bryan Singer on “X2: X-Men United”. Given that Singer returned for “Days of Future Past”, Cumming opted not to participate. However, now that Singer is no longer involved, Cumming’s return as Nightcrawler in the upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday” is set to occur on the eve of the 23rd anniversary of “X2: X-Men United”, an event fans have eagerly anticipated for years and may not have envisioned would transpire.

3
Mystique

Jennifer Lawrence may have portrayed Mystique in four X-Men films, but Rebecca Romijn is still widely adored as the iconic shape-shifting mutant by fans. Romijn initially brought the character to life in X-Men and was given a more substantial role in X2: X-Men United. However, due to her commitments on Ugly Betty, Mystique’s part was scaled back in X-Men: The Last Stand, where she was stripped of her powers – marking the last time Romijn donned the blue makeup. She made a brief appearance as an older Raven Darkholme in X-Men: First Class, but by the time Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters, it will have been twenty years since she last embodied Mystique completely.

Fans are eagerly anticipating that the upcoming movie Avengers: Doomsday will shed light on the long-standing theory that Mystique is Nightcrawler’s mother. Although the possibility was hinted at in X2: X-Men United, subsequent films like X-Men: Apocalypse and X-Men: Dark Phoenix didn’t explore this connection, despite both characters being part of the same X-Men team. Mystique also shares a significant comic book history with Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel). Although Brie Larson wasn’t initially announced for the film, as more cast members are revealed, there’s speculation that Marvel might include a confrontation between Captain Marvel and Mystique as a tribute to their comic book past.

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Cyclops

Fans were thrilled to learn that James Marsden will reprise his role as Cyclops, a character he played in the X-Men movies but who wasn’t fully utilized back then, often overshadowed by Wolverine. Since then, Marsden has become a popular actor through roles in Enchanted, Westworld, and Sonic the Hedgehog films. However, his portrayal of Cyclops in the original X-Men trilogy didn’t fully capitalize on his talents. Marsden last appeared as Cyclops in a cameo in X-Men: Days of Future Past, effectively rectifying the character’s controversial death in X-Men: The Last Stand—a decision made due to Marsden’s commitment to Superman Returns during that time.

The public’s perception of Cyclops has significantly improved due to X-Men ’97, where he is portrayed not only as an effective leader of the X-Men but also as a formidable force. With whispers that Avengers: Doomsday could be loosely based on Avengers vs. X-Men, there’s a possibility that Cyclops, played by Marsden, will lead a more aggressive and militant team in this film—a team prepared to safeguard their world at any expense. In both Avengers vs. X-Men and Secret Wars, Cyclops harnesses the power of the Phoenix Force, and given these comics are likely sources of inspiration for the final two parts of the Avengers saga, it’s likely audiences will witness a Cyclops empowered by the Phoenix Force.

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Gambit

Following years of eager expectation, Channing Tatum’s character Gambit eventually gained recognition alongside Deadpool and Wolverine in the film. Tatum had been chasing this role for over a decade and spent close to five years attempting to produce a standalone Gambit movie. Many spectators were skeptical and criticized the casting decision, but Tatum was able to demonstrate his abilities in the 2024 version of Deadpool & Wolverine—Marvel’s first hint at the X-Men and Avengers merging in the Multiverse Saga.

Initially perceived as a humorous character, Gambit quickly became an adored figure among fans, sparking numerous memes and animated clips. Originally planned, Deadpool & Wolverine had a post-credits scene where Gambit was saved from the Void using a sling ring portal. Although this scene was removed from the cinema version, it eventually surfaced online. A faint hint of it is visible on one of the TVA monitors in the film’s actual post-credits scenes. After years of skepticism, Tatum successfully demonstrated his ability to portray Gambit. Now, in Avengers: Doomsday, he will share the screen with the X-Men, as originally intended.

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2025-04-02 03:03