Alan Cumming Returns as Nightcrawler in Avengers: Doomsday

Alan Cumming is set to reprise his role as Nightcrawler in the upcoming Marvel Studios film Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for release in December 2026, marking his return to the character more than two decades after his debut in 2003's X2: X-Men United. Cumming described his original experience filming X2 as "awful" and "miserable," citing an abusive and dangerous working environment under director Bryan Singer, which left a lasting negative impact on him. However, he found returning to the role "really healing" and "amazing," praising the positive and supportive atmosphere on the Doomsday set and expressing surprise and delight at being able to perform stunts at age 60. The production involved extensive use of green screens and isolated filming for Cumming's scenes, which were shot quickly due to his commitments to the reality competition show The Traitors. The actor also noted significant improvements in makeup application technology, reducing the process from over four hours to about 90 minutes. Cumming's return is part of a larger reunion with several former X-Men co-stars, though Marvel is already planning to cast younger actors for these characters in the future.