Nightcrawler Returns in Avengers Doomsday, Uniting Fox X-Men

Alan Cumming has returned to his Nightcrawler role for Avengers Doomsday, signaling a major crossovers-friendly moment for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actor, who has previously described his experience shooting X2 as miserable, says returning to the blue-skinned teleporter felt healing and affirming. Doomsday brings back several former Fox-era X‑Men, including Professor X, Magneto, Mystique, Beast, and Cyclops, and also features Robert Downey Jr.’s Victor von Doom as a central antagonist. The film is scheduled for release in December 2026, with the broader plan for the next phase of Marvel storytelling, including a fresh take on the X‑Men in subsequent projects.

Cumming has openly discussed the stark contrast between his two experiences with the X‑Men franchise. He has long described X2 as a difficult production, citing issues tied to its director and the overall working conditions. In his recent reflections, he said the Doomsday shoot felt entirely different: “It was amazing... in a sort of ooey, gooey way, it was really healing and really nice to go back to something that was a terrible experience when I did it the first time.” He added that returning to Nightcrawler...