Alan Cumming finds healing as Nightcrawler in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

Alan Cumming has described his return to the Marvel universe as both unexpected and healing. More than two decades after first portraying Nightcrawler in 2003’s X2: X-Men United, the Emmy-winning actor has stepped back into the role for Avengers: Doomsday, set for release in May 2026.

Cumming, now 60, admitted that his first outing as the blue-skinned mutant was far from enjoyable. He recalled long hours in the makeup chair and an unpleasant working environment, experiences he previously documented in his memoir Baggage: Tales from a Fully Packed Life. But this time, he says the project was different. Speaking at the Televerse 2025 conference, he revealed that filming had just wrapped earlier this month and that the experience left him feeling “really healing.”

He explained that advances in special effects made the return far easier, with makeup application now cut down from five gruelling hours to just ninety minutes. Filming was also compressed because of his commitment to The Traitors, meaning many of his scenes were shot quickly on green screens and stitched together. The actor said this allowed him to perform the superhero stunts he never expected to take on in his sixties, adding that everyone on set treated him with kindness and professionalism.

Marvel has assembled an ambitious cast for Avengers: Doomsday, including the return of Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn and Kelsey Grammer alongside the wider Avengers ensemble. The film introduces Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, a role already generating intense anticipation among fans.

For Cumming, the return of Nightcrawler is a nostalgic reprise. It is also a chance to rewrite a difficult chapter in his career with a positive experience. He described it as stealthy, swift and above all satisfying, a contrast to the misery he once associated with the role. As he put it himself, “It was actually really great to go back. A great film, great film. I love the film.”