Alan Cumming is heading back into the Marvel universe – and he’s just as stunned as fans are.
The 60-year-old actor, who first brought the fan-favorite mutant Nightcrawler to life in 2003’s X2: X-Men United, is officially returning for Avengers: Doomsday, and he’s not shy about how surreal it all feels. “Isn’t it nuts? I’m excited and amazed,” Cumming said in an interview with Olivia Munn for Collider. “It’s been 23 years since I was a superhero.”
What ultimately made him say yes again? Technology. Back in 2003, his transformation into Nightcrawler took more than four hours in the makeup chair. Today? Just 90 minutes. “Before, all of the tattoos were done by hand. Now they just stick onto my face. It’s a game changer,” he said. “I’m going back to being a 60-year-old superhero, and everyone seems really lovely.”
Filming for Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday begins soon in London, and according to Alan Cumming, it’s going to be chaos – in the best way. “It’s going to be nuts,” he teased.
He’s not the only familiar face returning. The film is stacking its lineup with returning legends from the X-Men era, including Sir Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Sir Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Kelsey Grammer (Beast), and Rebecca Romijn (Mystique). Even Channing Tatum, who recently appeared as Gambit in Deadpool and Wolverine, is confirmed – sort of. He told ExtraTV: “All I was guaranteed was a chair… it was just my name, it wasn’t exactly Gambit.”
One name fans never expected to see again? Robert Downey Jr., who’s playing Doctor Doom. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo confirmed the comeback, calling him irreplaceable. “Nobody else in the world could play this character the way he’s about to,” Anthony Russo told The Sunday Times.
As for Halle Berry, the return as Storm isn’t happening. Asked recently if she’d do another Marvel film, she told Extra: “Nope.”
With Avengers: Doomsday setting up a crossover of Avengers, X-Men, Thunderbolts, and the Fantastic Four to stop Doctor Doom, it’s clear this isn’t just another sequel – it’s Marvel going all in.
Avengers: Doomsday lands in theaters in 2026 and leads directly into Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027.
- Daijo Is Quietly Redefining Melodic Techno in His Own Way - January 20, 2026
- Solitary, Evaluations, Lockdown Inside Nick Reiner’s Life in Jail - January 9, 2026
- Trump Says Diddy Asked For A Pardon But It’s Not Happening - January 9, 2026
