Alan Cumming is making a triumphant return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe! During a live-streamed announcement, Marvel Studios confirmed the cast for Avengers: Doomsday, and fans were thrilled to see Cumming back as Nightcrawler. The Traitors US host celebrated the news on social media, sharing a video of himself practicing Nightcrawler’s signature moves alongside an image of the character. “Never say never!” he captioned, tagging Marvel Studios and using the hashtag #AvengersDoomsday.
Cumming originally portrayed the teleporting mutant in 2003’s X2: X-Men United. Now, over 20 years later, he’s set to reunite with fellow X-Men alumni Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), and James Marsden (Cyclops) in the highly anticipated Avengers film.
The Scottish actor has spoken fondly about his experience playing Nightcrawler. In a 2024 interview with Entertainment Weekly, he described X2 as the “gayest film” he had ever done, highlighting its queer director, cast members, and themes. “The comic book world is so queer,” Cumming noted, explaining that superhero stories often resonate with LGBTQ+ audiences. He likened superheroes to queer individuals, saying both possess unique gifts they sometimes hide from the world to fit in.
Adding even more excitement to Avengers: Doomsday, the film will mark Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU—this time as the iconic villain Doctor Doom.
Fans can catch Avengers: Doomsday when it hits theaters on May 1, 2026.
