Marvel Studios announced the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, and four Star Trek actors will reprise their roles as Marvel characters. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, Avengers: Doomsday revealed 27 actors and characters led by Robert Downey Jr., who was previously announced to play the villainous Doctor Doom instead of his iconic role as Iron Man (Tony Stark). Avengers: Doomsday will release in 2026, and Star Trek is well represented in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s multiversal superhero spectacle.

Star Trek has a long history with Marvel. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige is an avowed Star Trek fan, and he recruited Star Trek: Picard season 3 showrunner Terry Matalas as executive producer of Marvel’s upcoming Vision Quest series. Feige worked on Fox’s X-Men movie in 2000, which cast Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier, and Famke Janssen, who guest-starred in TNG, as Jean Grey. Thor actor Chris Hemsworth was also part of Star Trek before he became the God of Thunder.

Marvel Studios leaned into the Multiverse after Avengers: Endgame, and even integrated characters from Fox’s X-Men and Fantastic Four movies into the MCU. However, Star Trek innovated the Multiverse decades before the MCU. Star Trek introduced its first alternate reality – the Mirror Universe – during season 2 in 1967. With so many connections tying Star Trek and Marvel Studios together, it’s fitting and exciting to see these iconic Star Trek actors return to their Marvel roles in Avengers: Doomsday.

4

Chris Hemsworth As Thor

Hemsworth Played Lieutenant George Kirk In Star Trek (2009)

Chris Hemsworth returns as Thor in Avengers: Doomsday. Thor was last seen in 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder, where he bid farewell to his love interest, Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who also became Thor in director Taika Waiтιтi’s sequel. Thor is the only member of the original six Avengers in Avengers: Doomsday (not counting Robert Downey Jr., who plays Doctor Doom and not Iron Man). The God of Thunder has had a tumultuous journey in the MCU, but he remains steadfast, resilient, and a true hero.

Two years before becoming Thor, Chris Hemsworth appeared in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek (2009) reboot as Lieutenant George Kirk. In Star Trek (2009)’s prologue, Kirk commanded the USS Kelvin in its fateful final moments before it was destroyed by the Romulan time-traveler, Nero (Eric Bana). George saved the life of his wife, Winona Kirk (Jennifer Morrison), and their newborn son, Jim, who was inspired by his father’s sacrifice to join Starfleet and become Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) of the Starship Enterprise.

There were failed attempts to bring Chris Hemsworth back to Star Trek and team up with Chris Pine in a fourth J.J. Abrams-produced Star Trek movie. Unfortunately, Star Trek 4 starring Pine and Hemsworth as father and son Kirks was mired in “creative differences” and “development hell” before the idea was abandoned. While there seems to be no avenue for Chris Hemsworth to return to Star Trek, he will always be part of the franchise even as he saves the MCU as Thor.

3

Patrick Stewart As Professor Charles Xavier (Professor X)

Stewart Plays Captain Jean-Luc Picard In Star Trek: The Next Generation & Admiral Picard In Star Trek: Picard

Sir Patrick Stewart reprises his role as Professor Charles Xavier in Avengers: Doomsday. Professor X is Stewart’s most iconic role besides playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the telepathic leader of the X-Men is arguably better known to mainstream audiences. Avengers: Doomsday will be the 9th time Stewart plays Charles Xavier, and by that point, Sir Patrick will have played the Multiverse’s most powerful mutant psychic for 26 years.

Of course, Patrick Stewart became an icon as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Stewart then headlined the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek: Nemesis from 1994-2002; by the time he starred in his fourth Star Trek movie, Stewart was already splitting his time with Fox’s X-Men films. In 2020, Stewart reprised Jean-Luc in Star Trek: Picard, which concluded with its critically acclaimed third season in 2023.

It’s unclear which version of Professor X Patrick Stewart will play in Avengers: Doomsday. Charles Xavier infamously died several times in the X-Men movies, with an alternate universe Professor X killed by the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. However, part of the fun of Stewart’s latest comeback as Xavier will be seeing him reunite with Ian McKellan as Magneto, who also returns in Avengers: Doomsday.

2

Rebecca Romijn As Mystique

Romjin Plays Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley AKA Number One In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Rebecca Romijn returns as Mystique in Avengers: Doomsday. Romijn was world famous as a model and Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue cover girl when she was cast as the blue, shapeshifting mutant villain in 2000’s X-Men. Romijn’s striking, unforgettable presence instantly made Mystique an iconic character, and she became one of the most prominent mutants in the first three X-Men movies.

In 2018, Rebecca Romijn joined Star Trek when she was cast as Number One in Star Trek: Discovery, a role originated by Majel Barrett-Roddenberry in 1965. Romijn, along with Anson Mount’s Captain Christopher Pike and Ethan Peck’s Lieutenant Spock, were so popular, they received a spinoff, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. About to enter season 3, Strange New Worlds is a hit for Paramount+, and Number One’s backstory as Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley has been fleshed out.

Rebecca Romijn’s last appearance as Mystique was a cameo in 2011’s X-Men: First Class, when the younger version of Mystique played by Jennifer Lawrence briefly morphed into Romijn’s version. Fittingly, Romjin’s comeback as Mystique in Avengers: Doomsday is alongside Ian McKellan’s Magneto, her traditional partner in crime. In addition, Alan Cummings as Nightcrawler and James Marsden as Cyclops will also be part of Avengers: Doomsday‘s X-Men contingent.

1

Kelsey Grammer As Beast

Grammer Played Captain Morgan Bateson In Star Trek: The Next Generation

In 1992, Kelsey Grammer made a surprise cameo in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5, episode 18, “Cause and Effect.” The Cheers and future Frasier star appeared as Captain Morgan Bateson, a time-tossed starship captain, at the end of the classic TNG episode. While it was Grammer’s lone Star Trek appearance, Captain Bateson made an unexpected return in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 3, although Grammer did not voice his character in the episode.

Kelsey Grammer debuted as Beast, AKA Dr. Hank McCoy, in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand. Nicholas Hoult than took over the role as the younger Beast in X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, and Dark Phoenix. However, Grammer returned as Beast in a cameo in Days of Future Past before making a surprise appearance in the post-credits scene of The Marvels. Presumably, this sets up Grammer’s comeback as Beast in Avengers: Doomsday.