Alan Cumming Returns as Nightcrawler in Avengers Doomsday

Alan Cumming is returning to the screen as Nightcrawler in Avengers Doomsday, saying the experience has been healing after the difficult time he had making X2 X-Men United two decades ago. The actor revealed he had just finished filming his scenes for the Marvel Studios project, which brings together a wide ensemble of former X‑Men and current Marvel heroes. Doomsday is scheduled for release in 2026, with production wrapping for Cumming after a brief, tightly scheduled shoot that fit around his work on The Traitors.

Cumming described the experience of returning to Nightcrawler as unexpectedly positive. He told a panel in Los Angeles that stepping back into the blue-skinned mutant felt “amazing” and, in an “ooey, gooey way,” “really healing” to revisit a character associated with a tumultuous earlier chapter. He reiterated his affection for the film, calling it “great” and saying he loved the project. This stands in contrast to his recollections of X2, where he has spoken about a set history that included long makeup sessions and tensions with the director, experiences he has discussed publicly in the past.

The actor noted that his time on Doomsday was streamlined compared with...