When Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters, it will bring back a slew of familiar faces from Marvel's past, and for some, it's been a long time coming. Among them is Alan Cumming, who reprises his role as the teleporting mutant Nightcrawler after more than two decades. But while fans are thrilled to see him return, Cumming himself is just along for the ride—and he's not entirely sure what's happening.
In an exclusive interview with Collider, Cumming opened up about his return to the Marvel universe, describing the upcoming blockbuster as "superhero soup." The actor originally played Kurt Wagner in 2003's X2: X-Men United, but he famously hated the experience due to the grueling makeup process. This time around, however, he found the whole thing much more enjoyable, even if he's not exactly a Marvel superfan.
"I suppose how much I liked him. I forgot," Cumming said when asked what surprised him most about returning to the role. "The whole thing last time was, when I look back on it, I don't really think much about the playing of him and the character. It's all sort of mired in the whole awful nature of the fact that making it was so difficult."
He added, "It was completely out of the blue. I didn't think it was gonna happen, so when they asked me, I was like, 'Oh!' It was really nice. He doesn't really do that much in the film. He's got nice bits, but there's a lot of superheroes in that film. It's so nuts. It's like superhero soup. But I just enjoyed playing him again. He's got a sensitive side, and he's quite funny. It was nice to go back to something and remember how much you actually enjoyed it."
Since his last appearance as Nightcrawler, the superhero landscape has changed dramatically. The MCU didn't even exist in 2003, and now it's a sprawling franchise with over 30 movies and numerous TV shows. For Cumming, catching up on all of it feels like an impossible task. "I don't know how people have the time! I really don't," he admitted. "I watched the one with the different sitcoms, and I loved that, but now, I feel like there are so many. It's impossible. I'm never going to have the time to catch up, so it feels daunting."
The "one with the different sitcoms" is almost certainly WandaVision, which cleverly paid homage to classic TV eras. But even with that appreciation, Cumming finds the sheer volume of Marvel content overwhelming. "I just try to understand my bits and play the voice," he said. "Also, some people have different names—that's the other thing. They have different names, and they become superheroes, and all that sort of stuff. It was very confusing to me. It's not designed for me."
Despite his confusion, Cumming's enthusiasm for Nightcrawler remains strong, and fans are eager to see him back in action. Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters on December 18, 2026. For more on Cumming's return and his thoughts on the MCU, stay tuned to Collider.
While you wait, check out our ranking of 2012's superhero movies or dive into the best superhero TV shows to get your fix. And if you're curious about other crossovers, we've got the scoop on Star Wars and Marvel teaming up.
