The cast for Avengers: Doomsday was recently announced, bringing several surprising names back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and nearly fulfilling a prominently featured joke from ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine. In a five-and-a-half-hour stream, Marvel confirmed the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, bringing in several members of Fox’s X-Men cast. With Rebecca Romijn and James Marsden confirmed to appear in the film, several of the longest-running superhero cast members will return to roles that they pioneered decades ago.
Clearly, the significance of Fox’s X-Men universe is set to be further higlighted by the MCU, despite ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine‘s ending suggesting it was something of a sendoff for the timeline. The ending montage for that film featured behind-the-scenes looks at many different Fox superhero films as a way of saying goodbye to that universe. However, this cast list suggests that Fox’s characters and stories will be important to this next MCU installment. As it stands, it’s now ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine‘s joke about Wolverine’s tenure that rings more true than the film’s ending montage.
ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine Joked Hugh Jackman Would Be Playing Wolverine “Till He’s 90”
Hugh Jackman Has Played Wolverine For 25 Years
ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine saw the surprising return of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, with a new iteration of his character being brought into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In a moment that was featured prominently in the advertising, ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool shows Wolverine to a family, making the meta-comment that “Disney brought him back. They’re gonna make him do this ’till he’s 90.” This moment is one of the most beloved and memorable in the film, and some have hoped it means we will see more of Hugh Jackman in the universe.
Jackman has been playing Wolverine for 25 years, and is now 56 years old. As one of the longest-serving superhero actors, there are no concrete details about whether Jackman will ever play this character again, let alone until he is 90. However, Jackman did previously respond to this meme with a post of his own that suggested he supported the idea, though it remains to be seen if the actor will ever return to the role. However, with that said, this comment now seems to be prophetic for other members of the X-Men cast.
Avengers: Doomsday Includes Two Stars Who Are Actually Closer To 90 Years Old
Patrick Stewart And Ian McKellen Are Confirmed For The Doomsday Cast
Avengers: Doomsday sets up an exciting X-Men roster with the return of stars like Alan Cumming. However, it is the return of Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen that may fulfill ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool’s prediction. Like Jackman, they have been playing their respective roles of Professor X and Magneto for 25 years. They have both been confirmed to appear in roles in the new Avengers film, and are notably closer to the age that ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool predicted for Wolverine in the franchise.
Patrick Stewart is currently 84 years old, and Ian McKellen is 85. When Doomsday releases, the actors will be 85 and 86, respectively. While not 90 years old, this is surprisingly close for the X-Men stars in Doomsday. While ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool’s quip in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine was ᴀssumed to be a joke, it appears that the longevity of these superhero roles is much longer than many might have expected. It’s shocking to reflect on how far these roles have persisted in the pop-culture pantheon, and to consider how much longer they may remain important.
Avengers: Secret Wars Could Make ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine’s Joke Even More Accurate
More Future Films Could Bring Back Professor X And Magento
Depending on how important McKellen and Stewart are to Doomsday, it is possible that the actors could also return for Avengers: Secret Wars alongside other rumored cast members like Tobey Maguire and Hugh Jackman. If this occurs, they will be 87 and 86 at the time the film releases. If their stories persist in the universe, it is even possible that they could wind up playing these roles until they are actually 90.
I can’t wait to see McKellen and Stewart in Doomsday, although I also hope that they are prioritizing their own health over the production of these films. ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine‘s joke was effective because the thought of Jackman playing Wolverine for over 50 years seemed surreal, but the X-Men actors will now have each played their respective roles for over 25 years. So long as they continue to be able to do it, and want to do it – and as long as their characters don’t die before Secret Wars – I’d love to keep seeing them in these films.
It’s strange to think about how long some of these actors have been playing some of these iconic roles. Even after being recast with James McAvoy and Michael Fᴀssbender, it seems that Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen are not able to escape the legacy of some of their greatest roles. I think seeing these two stars recur in Avengers: Doomsday is exciting, but it is so strange to see ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool’s “‘Till he’s 90” quip nearly coming true. Now, I can’t help but wonder if Jackman really will stay in the role that long.
Upcoming MCU Movies
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Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
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July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
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MCU Spider-Man 4
- Release Date
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July 24, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
- Release Date
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May 7, 2027
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