Alan Cumming, fresh off his Emmy win for outstanding host of a reality competition program for The Traitors, confirmed backstage on Sunday night that he has completed filming his return as Nightcrawler in Marvel’s upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.
When asked how he was preparing to step back into the fan-favorite mutant role he last played in 2002’s X2, Cumming revealed, “Well, I’ve already done it. I finished it.”
The actor explained that the process involved significant physical preparation.
I did a lot of stunt work and training. That was amazing. The stunt people couldn’t believe that I could get up, let alone jump around and do this boxing and training.
he said, joking
Cumming admitted he did not rewatch X2 before reprising the character, but said the fresh approach worked to his advantage. “I think that was what really helped, because this is super intense, and is loads of stuff at once.”
Reflecting on the character’s elaborate transformation, Cumming noted how makeup technology has advanced since his first time in the role. On Today With Jenna and Friends, he previously explained,
Actually, what’s great about it — it was four-and-a-half to five hours before, and now it’s 90 minutes. The thing about green screen, CGI and face replacement is that it’s very detailed work. So I did feel that I got a chance to really portray the character again properly.
He added on Sunday
Cumming joins returning X-Men alumni Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Kelsey Grammer, James Marsden and Rebecca Romijn in Avengers: Doomsday. The film will also feature several Marvel Cinematic Universe favorites, including Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Sebastian Stan, Paul Rudd, Tom Hiddleston, Letitia Wright and Winston Duke.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters on Dec. 18, 2026, followed by its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, on Dec. 17, 2027.
Source: Variety