James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn and Kelsey Grammer reunited at Comic-Con before their return to the MCU in “Avengers: Doomsday.” Image credit (Instagram)
More than 25 years after the original “X-Men” film helped launch the era of modern superhero movies, the stars of the original franchise reunited at San Diego Comic-Con ahead of their highly anticipated return in Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Doomsday.”
Hall H’s appearance was a full-circle moment for longtime fans, bringing together many of the actors who helped turn “X-Men” into one of Hollywood’s biggest superhero franchises. This gathering comes as Marvel prepares to bring many of these beloved characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, marking the culmination of a crossover that has been years in the making.The stage brought together James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, and Kelsey Grammer, the stars behind Cyclops, Mystique, and Beast, respectively.
Black Panther’s Tenoch Huerta and several Thunderbolts cast members including Hannah John-Kamen, Lewis Pullman and David Harbour, were also present, teasing their upcoming collaboration with the mutant heroes. Patrick Stewart, Sir Ian McKellen, and Alan Cumming, who played Professor Charles Xavier, Magneto, and Nightcrawler, respectively, did not attend the festivities.
The original X-Men film crew reunites at Comic-Con ahead of Avengers: Doomsday
Among the stars expected to reprise their iconic roles in Avengers: Doomsday are Patrick Stewart (86), Ian McKellen (87), James Marsden (52), Kelsey Grammer (71), Rebecca Romijn (53), and Alan Cumming (61).
Gambit actor Channing Tatum will join the ensemble, following his surprise appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine. The return of these longtime stars shows Marvel Studios’ dedication to respecting the franchise’s classic mythology and integrating it into the broader MCU narrative.
James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn and Kelsey Grammer joined their fellow Marvel stars for a special reunion at Comic-Con ahead of their return in “Avengers: Doomsday.” Image credit (Instagram)
How the original ‘X-Men’ series helped create the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Before Tony Stark started the MCU in 2008, the X-Men were Marvel’s biggest movie stars. Bryan Singer’s 2000 film “X-Men” launched the series, followed by 2003’s “X2” and 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand,” which brought fan favorites like Nightcrawler and Beast.
Over the next two decades, the series has evolved into a sprawling franchise that includes prequels, Wolverine spinoffs, “Deadpool” films, and popular standalone entries like “Logan.”
How the ‘X-Men’ movie rights returned to Marvel Studios
Despite their popularity, the “X-Men” have remained separate from the Avengers for one simple reason: the film rights are owned by a rival studio. That finally changed in 2019 when Disney completed its takeover of the previous rights holder, bringing the “X-Men” rights under Marvel’s control and opening the door to the crossover fans had dreamed of for years.Since then, Patrick Stewart has returned to the role of Professor The first true crossover came in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, which saw Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool working alongside Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in a historic team-up.
Avengers: Doomsday brings together the X-Men, Avengers and Fantastic Four.
“Avengers: Doomsday” is expected to unite the X-Men with the Avengers, Fantastic Four and the heroes of Wakanda as they take on Doctor Doom and a multi-layered threat. The film is the result of years of Marvel’s efforts to integrate separate franchises into a shared narrative universe. With a release date of December 18, the film is positioned to be a huge tentpole that will change the course of the MCU for years to come.