Marvel Studios confirming a number of returning X-Men characters for Avengers: Doomsday has me very excited about the possibility of them being changed in one perfect way, like other X-Men franchise stars before them. Even though Marvel Studios is developing its own X-Men reboot movie for the MCU, several actors have already reprised their roles from 20th Century Fox’s two-decade-long X-Men franchise, and more are on the way. Avengers: Doomsday is expected to bring back Fox’s classic X-Men team, and I hope they get given a brilliant twist.

Marvel Studios obtained the film rights to the X-Men back in 2019, following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, but the process of integrating mutants into the MCU has been remarkably slow. Only Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel and Tenoch Huerta Mejía’s Namor have been confirmed to be mutants in the MCU’s main continuity, but variants of some iconic X-Men characters have also been seen. I can’t wait to see a fully-fledged X-Men team back in action in Avengers: Doomsday, especially because Marvel Studios can make their reintroduction even stronger.

Avengers: Doomsday Will Bring The Classic X-Men Team Back Into Live-Action

Many X-Men Stars Have Been Announced For Avengers: Doomsday

On March 26, Marvel Studios revealed the first batch of confirmed actors set to appear in 2026’s upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, and this cast announcement included a number of returning X-Men franchise stars. While I reckon there are still more names to confirm, such as Halle Berry and Famke Janssen, and even Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds, I was thrilled to see so many X-Men stars revealed to be reprising their roles. This makes me think a version of Fox’s classic X-Men team will be seen in Doomsday.

While Kelsey Grammer’s return hints at the universe from the end of The Marvels being revisited, which could also bring back Lashana Lynch’s Binary and Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau, I can also see Fox’s classic team coming back. Patrick Stewart and James Marsden have been announced, along with Alan Cumming, so we’ll see Professor X, Cyclops and Nightcrawler team up. I think the dire circumstances of Doomsday’s possible incursion event could see them join forces with Ian McKellen’s Magneto and Rebecca Romijn’s Mystique, and Channing Tatum’s Gambit could finally become an official X-Men member, which is incredibly exciting.

Marvel Studios Has Already Given Many X-Men Members New Comic-Accurate Designs

Several X-Men Characters Have Already Returned To The MCU

It has been great to see some of 20th Century Fox’s classic X-Men actors reprise their roles in the MCU in the years since Disney’s acquisition of Fox. Not only has it been wonderful to see these stars, though, but Marvel Studios has made their returns even better by finally giving their characters comic-accurate costumes. This started with Patrick Stewart’s return in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which saw Professor X sporting his iconic yellow wheelchair from Marvel Comics and X-Men: The Animated Series.

2023’s The Marvels gave Kelsey Grammer’s Beast this honor, with a design replicating that of his look from the ’90s. 2024’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine took this one step further, as many X-Men characters had comic-accurate designs, including Reynolds’ ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool, Emma Corrin’s Cᴀssandra Nova and, perhaps most excitedly, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. We loved seeing Wolverine sport his legendary yellow-and-blue costume, and other designs as his variants, and I think this treatment will now be given to the returning X-Men characters in Avengers: Doomsday.

I Can’t Wait To See Fox’s X-Men In Comic-Accurate MCU Costumes

Fox Never Gave Its X-Men Comic-Accurate Costumes

While we’ll likely see Professor X, Beast and Gambit suit up in their comic-accurate looks again, every other returning X-Men star will be getting this makeover for the first time. James Marsden’s Cyclops could wear his blue costume with yellow details, while Alan Cummings’ Nightcrawler may don his sleek, red suit. Rebecca Romijn’s Mystique might be grateful to not be ɴuᴅᴇ in Avengers: Doomsday, but instead wear her white costume from Marvel Comics, while the prospect of Ian McKellen getting a faithful costume as Magneto is an even more exciting possibility.

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We never saw Ian McKellen suit up in a comic-accurate, fully-robed costume as Erik Lehnsherr’s Magneto in Fox’s X-Men timeline. Michael Fᴀssbender’s iteration came close, but also never quite hit the spot. It would be fantastic to finally see McKellen sport Magneto’s iconic purple-and-burgundy costume from Marvel Comics, perhaps even with longer hair as he’s depicted in X-Men ’97. This opportunity makes Avengers: Doomsday one of the MCU’s most exciting installments ever, so I can’t wait to see the X-Men finally come back to life.

Upcoming MCU Movies

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  Thunderbolts*

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  May 2, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  The Fantastic Four: First Steps

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  July 25, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Doomsday (2026)

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

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  MCU Spider-Man 4

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  July 24, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Secret Wars

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  May 7, 2027
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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