What is Alan Cumming and Rebecca Romijn’s Return in Avengers: Doomsday About?

Nivedita Dubey
March 28, 2025

Summary:

Alan Cumming and Rebecca Romijn return as Nightcrawler and Mystique in Avengers: Doomsday, marking their first live-action appearances in decades.
Their inclusion suggests a deeper X-Men and MCU crossover, following previous Fox character cameos in Deadpool & Wolverine and The Marvels.
Marvel fans speculate whether Doomsday will finally address Mystique’s mother-son dynamic with Nightcrawler, a major comics storyline left unexplored in past films.

Why Are Alan Cumming & Rebecca Romijn Returning in Avengers: Doomsday?

Marvel Studios officially confirmed Avengers: Doomsday has begun filming, and with it came a massive cast announcement. Among the biggest surprises were Alan Cumming and Rebecca Romijn, both reprising their iconic X-Men roles as Nightcrawler and Mystique, respectively. The duo last appeared in Fox’s X-Men franchise, with Cumming in X2 (2003) and Romijn in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and X-Men: First Class (2011, cameo). Their return marks another major step in integrating Fox’s X-Men universe into the MCU’s Multiverse Saga.

Who Are Alan Cumming & Rebecca Romijn Playing in Avengers: Doomsday?

While Marvel has not officially detailed their roles, it’s heavily implied that Cumming and Romijn will reprise their respective mutant characters.

Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): Known for his teleportation abilities, Nightcrawler was a standout character in X2, playing a key role in the White House attack sequence and aiding the X-Men against William Stryker. His return raises questions about which version of the character will appear—his Fox iteration or a variant from another universe.
Rebecca Romijn as Mystique (Raven Darkhölme): Romijn’s Mystique was Magneto’s trusted ally in the original trilogy before being depowered in X-Men: The Last Stand. Unlike Jennifer Lawrence’s version, which took center stage in the X-Men: First Class prequels, Romijn’s Mystique was a ruthless strategist. Her return could finally explore her relationship with Nightcrawler, as she is his mother in the comics—something the Fox films never acknowledged.

What Does Their Return Mean for the MCU?

1. Expanding the X-Men & MCU Connection

With Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), and Kelsey Grammer (Beast) also appearing in Doomsday, it’s clear Marvel is weaving Fox’s X-Men into the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. This follows Kelsey Grammer’s Beast showing up in The Marvels and the rumored Deadpool & Wolverine timeline shake-ups.

2. Will Avengers: Doomsday Explore Mystique & Nightcrawler’s Relationship?

In Marvel Comics, Mystique is Nightcrawler’s biological mother, a plotline never addressed in Fox’s X-Men movies. With both characters now returning, fans speculate that Doomsday might finally explore this long-overdue familial connection. Social media buzz suggests audiences are eager for this emotional subplot, adding depth to the otherwise action-packed multiversal chaos.

3. How Do They Fit into the Plot?

With Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom leading the narrative and a sprawling cast that includes Sam Wilson’s Captain America, Loki, the Fantastic Four, and the Thunderbolts, Mystique and Nightcrawler could serve multiple roles:

Allies to the Avengers? Their unique abilities—Mystique’s shapeshifting and Nightcrawler’s teleportation—could make them invaluable assets against Doom’s forces.
A Magneto Connection? Given McKellen’s return as Magneto, it’s possible they align with his vision, bringing tension between mutant factions and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Marvel Studios staged an unprecedented five-and-a-half-hour livestream to announce Doomsday’s cast, revealing names one by one on director’s chairs. This culminated with Robert Downey Jr. (Doctor Doom) taking his seat, signaling the movie’s massive scope. With over 60 characters expected, Doomsday is shaping up to rival Avengers: Endgame in size and spectacle.