The Marvel Cinematic Universe is heading into uncharted territory with ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, the first team-up film since 2019’s ‘Avengers: Endgame’. As Phase 6 begins to unfold, this highly anticipated installment promises a collision of worlds, literally, with the MCU’s Avengers finally crossing paths with beloved X-Men characters from Fox’s Marvel era.
While the film is packed with spectacle and the promise of universe-shaking battles, recent comments from returning X-Men star Alan Cumming, reveal that the behind-the-scenes process hasn’t been as seamless as fans might imagine.
Alan Cumming On Nightcrawler’s Isolated Filming Experience For ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Cumming, who played Nightcrawler in ‘X2: X-Men United’, is among the Fox-era veterans making his MCU debut in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. However, according to Cumming himself, his experience filming the blockbuster was surprisingly solitary. Speaking with GoldDerby, Cumming revealed that he shot nearly all of his scenes in isolation.
“I did the entire film in isolation. Lots of green screen, face replacement. They even gave characters fake names. I don’t know who I was acting with half the time,” he admitted, laughing. While it’s not unusual for effects-heavy roles to involve long days in front of green screens, the fact that Cumming didn’t share the set with co-stars raises questions about how Nightcrawler will fit into the sprawling narrative.
With Marvel keeping its secrets under lock and key, there’s speculation that his isolated filming may hide a major surprise. This surprise could possibly be a showdown with ‘Avengers: Doomsday’s big bad, Doctor Doom. Marvel Studios has long been notorious for its secrecy during production, often giving actors incomplete scripts or even fake scene partners to prevent leaks. Cumming himself joked about once “breaking the internet” by letting slip a detail he might have misunderstood.
James Marsden Reflects On Returning As Cyclops
For James Marsden, returning as Scott Summers/Cyclops was less about green screens and secrecy and more about revisiting a character that defined the early part of his career. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Marsden reflected warmly on stepping back into the role that first put him “on the map.” “I’m getting a little long in the tooth to put on the superhero costume,” Marsden joked.
In case you missed it: ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Set Photos Reveal Returning X-Men Stars Including Cyclops And Magneto
“I was excited because you’re a part of something gigantic, and I’ve spent 20 years listening to people say, ‘When are you coming back?’” Marsden’s first outing as Cyclops came in 2000’s X-Men, a film that kicked off the modern superhero movie boom. He reprised the role in ‘X2’ and ‘The Last Stand’, though his character’s untimely death at the hands of Dark Phoenix left fans disappointed.
His cameo in ‘Days of Future Past’ in 2014 restored some hope, rewriting Cyclops’ tragic end. Now, in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, he has the chance to reclaim the role fully. “It’s been a nice little homecoming to a role that really put me on the map,” Marsden said. “It was the first real event project that I was ever a part of, and a very beloved character, this icon from the comics. And so to step back into that role was pretty special.”
For Marsden, revisiting Cyclops is both a nostalgic callback and a chance for redemption. Marvel has an opportunity to give the fan-favorite leader of the X-Men the cinematic justice he never fully received. Taken together, Cumming and Marsden’s comments highlight the dual nature of Marvel’s latest endeavor.
