Alan Cumming Calls ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ a Confusing Superhero Mix as He Returns After 23 Years

Scottish actor Alan Cumming is making a long-awaited return to the Marvel universe as Nightcrawler in Avengers: Doomsday, but his experience with the upcoming blockbuster has been rather different from what fans might expect. More than two decades after first playing the blue-skinned mutant in X2: X-Men United, Cumming is stepping back into the character’s shoes for one of Marvel’s most anticipated films.

In a recent interview with Collider, Cumming spoke about his return to the superhero franchise, his experience working on the new film and his feelings about the enormous Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). While his return has generated excitement among longtime X-Men fans, the actor admitted that keeping track of the many characters and interconnected stories in the MCU is not an easy task.

Cumming described the upcoming film as a crowded collection of superheroes, reflecting the challenge of bringing together characters from different corners of the Marvel universe. With several established heroes and returning favourites expected to appear, Avengers: Doomsday is shaping up to be one of the franchise’s biggest crossover events.

The actor’s comments also revealed that he does not follow every Marvel release. Despite being part of the franchise, he has not kept up with its extensive collection of films and television series. He mentioned watching WandaVision, but the wider MCU remains difficult for him to follow. The number of characters, storylines and connections between different projects has made the franchise feel particularly complicated from an actor’s perspective.

For Cumming, returning as Nightcrawler was nevertheless a welcome opportunity. The character first appeared in the 2003 film X2: X-Men United, where he portrayed the mutant known for his ability to teleport. Nightcrawler quickly became a memorable character among X-Men fans because of his unusual appearance, gentle personality and impressive abilities.

His return is especially significant because he did not continue playing Nightcrawler in the subsequent X-Men films. More than 20 years later, the opportunity to revisit the role gave him a chance to reconnect with a character he had previously portrayed during an important period of his career.

Cumming has also spoken positively about the experience of working on the new production. His earlier involvement in X2 was not entirely enjoyable, particularly because of the demanding makeup process. Transforming into Nightcrawler required extensive preparation, with blue body paint and numerous tattoos forming an important part of the character’s appearance.

However, advances in makeup technology have made the process considerably easier. The transformation that once required several hours can now be completed in a much shorter period. This improvement has made returning to the character less physically demanding and allowed the actor to enjoy the experience more than he did during his first appearance.

Another interesting aspect of Cumming’s return is the scale of the production. Avengers: Doomsday brings together characters from different Marvel properties, creating a large ensemble that includes familiar faces from the X-Men universe. For an actor who has not followed every development in the MCU, working within such an enormous fictional world can be a confusing experience.

Nevertheless, Cumming appears to have found something enjoyable in the opportunity. Although he does not consider himself an expert on the entire Marvel storyline, he has expressed renewed appreciation for Nightcrawler. Returning to a character after such a long break has allowed him to see the role from a different perspective.The actor's return also comes at an interesting time in his career. Alongside his film work, he has become widely recognised as the host of the reality competition series The Traitors. His dramatic presentation, distinctive clothing and entertaining personality have made him an important part of the show's identity.

In the Collider interview, Cumming also discussed his work on The Traitors and the differences between hosting a reality competition and acting in a major superhero production. While the reality show allows him to guide contestants through an unpredictable social game, Marvel productions require him to work within a carefully planned fictional universe. Both projects, however, give him opportunities to explore different sides of his performance skills.

His return as Nightcrawler is also part of a broader reunion of familiar X-Men characters. Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn and James Marsden are among the returning performers associated with the franchise. Their appearances have raised expectations among audiences who have followed the X-Men films for years.

The film is also expected to feature a much larger collection of Marvel characters, making it an important event for the franchise. Robert Downey Jr. is set to appear as Doctor Doom, while several other established Marvel actors are expected to join the crossover.

Despite the excitement surrounding the production, Cumming's comments offer a refreshing perspective on the experience of working in a major superhero film. His honesty about not following every Marvel storyline shows that even actors involved in these productions do not necessarily have a complete understanding of the fictional universe.

For audiences, however, the most important part of his return is the opportunity to see Nightcrawler on the big screen again. The character's absence from the X-Men films for more than two decades has made his comeback particularly meaningful to longtime fans.

Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on December 18, 2026. With its combination of returning X-Men characters, familiar Avengers and other Marvel heroes, the film is expected to bring together several generations of superhero storytelling.

Cumming may not have followed every chapter of the MCU, but his return as Nightcrawler is already an exciting development for fans. His experience also suggests that audiences can expect a different and more enjoyable chapter for the actor and the character when the film finally reaches theatres.