Alan Cumming is set to make a long-awaited return to Marvel as Nightcrawler in Avengers: Doomsday. The actor first brought the fan-favorite mutant to life in 2003’s X2: X-Men United, but this time, he admits the experience was much more positive compared to his earlier outing.
Speaking to People Magazine, the actor and The Traitors host reflected on how different the process felt this time around. “It was amazing. It was actually really… 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,” Cumming said. “A great film, a great film. I love the film.” He went on to clarify that although X2 remains beloved by fans, his own time working under director Bryan Singer was “miserable” and “awful for a variety of reasons that I have talked about at length.”
Cumming has already wrapped filming his scenes for Avengers: Doomsday so that he could return to his hosting duties on The Traitors. The 60-year-old actor expressed how surprising it felt to be back in superhero mode at this stage in his career. “I’m 60 years old. I did not think I would be doing stunts, playing a superhero in my 60s. So that was great. And everyone was really nice. And I got it done really quickly because I couldn’t go because of The Traitors when most of my scenes were being shot.”
The film, directed by the Russo Brothers, has stacked its cast with both returning Marvel heroes and iconic X-Men alumni. Alongside Cumming, veterans Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Kelsey Grammer, James Marsden, and Rebecca Romijn are also confirmed to reprise their roles.
Adding to the anticipation, Avengers: Doomsday will feature Robert Downey Jr. back in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, not as Tony Stark/Iron Man, but as the villainous Dr. Victor von Doom. The star-studded lineup also includes Chris Hemsworth, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Tom Hiddleston, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, and Channing Tatum.
Avengers: Doomsday is slated to hit theaters in December 2026, and its direct sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, will follow in December 2027.
