Nightcrawler’s SHOCKING Doomsday Return!

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In an exciting turn of events, Alan Cumming has announced that his reprisal of Nightcrawler in the upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday” will employ practical makeup effects instead of computer-generated imagery (CGI), much like his performance in the 2003 film “X2: X-Men United.” This shift in production methods stands apart from Marvel Cinematic Universe’s recent trends, where characters such as Kelsey Grammer’s Beast were presented as CGI entities in the post-credits scene of “The Marvels.” The actor’s statement fuels the buzz surrounding the groundbreaking crossover between the original Fox X-Men and the current MCU heroes, set to unfold on screen for the first time. Additionally, Cumming’s remarks hint at Marvel Studios’ dedication to preserving visual continuity with the original “X-Men” films, which played a pivotal role in kickstarting the modern superhero movie era more than two decades ago.

It’s quite incredible! I can hardly contain my excitement and awe. It’s been an astounding 23 years since I last played a superhero, as Cumming mentioned in his interview on “Today With Jenna and Friends.” He was clearly thrilled to take up the role again. He’s even had some makeup tests for it already, and here’s what makes it even more wonderful – whereas it used to take over four hours to apply the makeup, now it only takes 90 minutes!

In the movie X2, Kelsey Grammer’s portrayal of Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler was highly acclaimed due to its emotional resonance and thrilling action scenes, such as the opening White House attack where his teleportation skills were spectacularly displayed thanks to groundbreaking visual effects. The makeup process for this film was infamously challenging, with Grammer having to go through lengthy application sessions that ultimately led him to opt out of X-Men: The Last Stand. However, he mentions a streamlined makeup process now in place, suggesting that Marvel Studios has devised more efficient methods to replicate the character’s appearance while minimizing the strain on the actor. This could pave the way for extended screen time for Nightcrawler in the upcoming crossover event.

How Are the X-Men Returning for Avengers: Doomsday?

Incorporating Fox’s X-Men characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the most daring storytelling endeavors since Disney took over 20th Century Fox in 2019. Alongside Cumming, the extensive cast reveal for Avengers: Doomsday brought back several original X-Men actors such as Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), Kelsey Grammer (Beast), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), and James Marsden (Cyclops). This unique gathering of mutant heroes outside the MCU’s usual timeline hints that Doomsday may delve into the multiverse aspects initially touched upon in projects like Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

It seems that the foundation for this crossover has been carefully set up in recent Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) productions, primarily by introducing the idea of “incursions” – disastrous occurrences where different realities intersect. The post-credits scene of The Marvels provided a clear lead-in, as Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) woke up in what looked like the X-Mansion from the Fox films, encountering a version of her mother Maria (Lashana Lynch) and Grammer’s Beast. This intentional link implies that Monica’s dimensional voyage might have alerted the X-Men universe to the existence of the multiverse, which could prompt the mutant squad to explore these occurrences further, ultimately leading them to encounter the Avengers.

The process of combining these distinct storylines brings up concerns about the lasting narrative for these recurring characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Marvel Studios is concurrently plotting strategies for a unified X-Men franchise featuring new cast members, implying that the mutants from the Fox era could function as both a tribute and farewell to the cherished portrayals we’ve seen before. By adopting this twofold strategy, the studio can pay respect to the origins of the X-Men films while laying the groundwork for a new era of mutant storytelling within the main MCU timeline. This could possibly be achieved through the reality-bending occurrences predicted in Avengers: Secret Wars, the climax of the ongoing Multiverse Saga set for 2027.

The filming for “Avengers: Doomsday” has commenced, with its release slated for May 1, 2026. After that, “Avengers: Secret Wars” is set to hit theaters on May 7, 2027.

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2025-04-08 11:10