Avengers: Doomsday to Feature 2 Motion-Capture Characters

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The cast for “Avengers: Doomsday” is taking shape, however, two actors will be virtually unidentifiable in the movie as they’ll be portrayed through motion capture. Slated to hit theaters on May 1, 2026, this fifth “Avengers” installment serves as the next significant interconnected film within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Directed by the team behind “Avengers: Endgame,” Anthony and Joe Russo, it also signifies the first joint appearance of superhero teams on-screen, featuring the New Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men. This Phase 6 film is set to be a groundbreaking crossover event within the MCU.

The Motion-Capture Characters Appearing in Avengers: Doomsday

Beast

Originally introduced in the Fox X-Men universe, Kelsey Grammer reprises his role as the blue-haired character Beast (also known as Dr. Hank McCoy) in the movie Avengers: Doomsday. Previously, to portray Beast in X-Men: The Last Stand, Grammer underwent a detailed prosthetic makeup procedure. However, this method will be replaced with motion capture technology in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

In the thrilling post-credits scene of Marvel Studios’ “The Marvels”, I, as the new-look Beast, made my grand entrance, overseeing Monica Rambeau’s recovery in an alternate universe. Recently, I, the man behind the beast, shared my excitement about reprising my role. With motion capture technology taking over from hours spent in makeup, it’s a whole new experience that I can’t wait to dive back into!

In the course of filming “The Marvels,” someone contacted me to propose a small motion capture role. I participated in a brief scene, after which they applied blue makeup to me, eliminating the need for costumes. It was quite convenient!

Grammer is set to reunite with his X-Men co-stars Ian McKellan, Patrick Stewart, and James Marsden (among others), but it remains undetermined how significant the X-Men characters’ involvement will be in Avengers: Doomsday.

The Thing

In July’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”, Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s character, The Thing, will join forces with other superpowered individuals such as Vanessa Kirby’s Invisible Woman, Pedro Pascal’s Mr. Fantastic, and Joseph Quinn’s Human Torch. Originally a human named Ben Grimm, he acquires his rocky appearance following the team’s space voyage. This new form bestows him with extraordinary abilities, including immense strength and durability that can rival those of the Hulk.

In the upcoming film, The Fantastic Four, and its sequel, Avengers: Doomsday, the character The Thing will be brought to life using CGI and motion-capture technology, similar to how Bruce Banner’s alter ego functions. A sneak peek of this transformation can be seen in trailers for The Fantastic Four, where actor Moss-Bachrach is almost unrecognizable after the magical visual effects have been applied to turn him into The Thing.

Avengers: Doomsday Actors Who Will Use Prosthetic Makeup

Mystique

In the film Avengers: Doomsday, certain actors endure extensive hours in makeup to achieve their character’s appearance, notably Rebecca Romijn as Mystique. This character, a blue-skinned shape-shifter, has been a recurring element in X-Men films for decades. Romijn portrayed Mystique in the original trilogy, while Jennifer Lawrence stepped into the role in the prequel X-Men movies.

In a return after more than two decades, Romijn is set to don the blue makeup once more for the role of Mystique in Avengers: Doomsday. Reminiscing with Looper in 2021, Romijn highlighted that the application of makeup was a standout experience during her portrayal of the character in the X-Men series, and this procedure typically took between seven to nine hours.

In simpler terms, “Initially, it took us nine hours to apply makeup for each film. However, by the third movie, we’d streamlined the process and were able to complete it in just seven hours.

Nightcrawler

In the upcoming movie, Avengers: Doomsday, Alan Cumming reprises his character, Nightcrawler, who shares a blue-skinned likeness with Beast and Mystique. Just like them, Nightcrawler’s appearance will be achieved through practical makeup. Cumming portrayed the teleporting mutant in X2 back in 2002, making him one of the X-Men actors to revive their roles after a gap of two decades. Interestingly, he has already been seen working alongside other X-Men stars on set.

In an update from April, shared with The Hollywood Reporter, Cumming indicated that he had undergone initial makeup trials for reprising his role as Nightcrawler. Moreover, the pace of these trials has noticeably picked up.

I’ve previously done some makeup tests, which took around four and a half to five hours, and now it’s been reduced to approximately 90 minutes.

The progress made in the creation of prosthetics is certain to bring about a beneficial change for actors such as Cumming and Romijn, who play roles that necessitate full-body application.

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2025-05-18 13:34