Four Marvel heroes who have never been utilized in past MCU movies will get their first chance for action in Avengers: Doomsday. Marvel Studios' fifth Avengers movie is still far from having its full cast confirmed, but from the names already announced for inclusion, Marvel Studios has a few new personalities to integrate into its grand story.
While the Avengers movies are known for bringing together many of the biggest names in entertainment to help the titular team assemble, Avengers 5 will take this a step further by featuring legacy characters from outside the MCU timeline. Confirmed to have 27 actors in line for its cast, Avengers: Doomsday will bring together the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and more for what could be the biggest story in comic book movie history. They will be tasked with confronting Robert Downey Jr.'s Victor Von Doom, whose undisclosed mission will jeopardize the Multiverse's safety. Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released in theaters on December 18, 2026.
Every Avengers: Doomsday Superhero Making Their MCU Debut
Magneto
Portrayed by Sir Ian McKellen (the oldest leading actor in the MCU as of writing), Avengers: Doomsday will reintroduce Marvel fans to Erik Lehnsherr, better known as Magneto. This will be McKellen's sixth time playing the character after five appearances in the X-Men saga - his first since 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Known as the master of magnetism, Magneto will make his MCU debut in this movie, interacting with franchise veterans like Thor, Captain America, Black Panther, and the Fantastic Four for the first time on screen. He will also get to return to a familiar friendship/rivalry with his most notable X-Men co-star, Sir Patrick Stewart's Charles Xavier, who had a cameo as part of the Illuminati in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Fans are intrigued by Magneto's inclusion because he was largely portrayed as a villain in the X-Men saga outside of his alliance with the team in Days of Future Past. While his friendship with Charles is legendary, the two have always fought for mutant rights with different methods. Although there is a chance he could be depicted as a villain under the MCU umbrella, Magneto may be in for some of the biggest changes to any legacy character in Doomsday.
Nightcrawler
Another iconic member of the X-Men team joining the Doomsday cast is Kurt Wagner, better known to Marvel fans as Nightcrawler. The blue-skinned teleporter will be brought to life in this movie by Alan Cumming, who returns to the role for the first time in 23 years after making his debut in 2003's X2.
Although other MCU characters have used unique methods for moving across the world (Doctor Strange's portals and Iron Man's flight), Nightcrawler's teleportation abilities are unlike anything Earth-616 has seen before. He will be one of the most nimble and agile fighters Marvel Studios has tackled. On top of that, personality-wise, Kurt is likely to be one of the kindest and most spiritual people any of the MCU's mainstays have ever met.
Cumming already teased a fight between Nightcrawler and Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards in a recent interview, giving fans an idea of some of the action they will see from this MCU newcomer. The German hero's powers are sure to be useful for the Avengers in plenty of their battles coming in Doomsday, although it remains to be seen how this mutant will be viewed by those meeting him for the first time.
Mystique
Doubling Doomsday's quota of blue-skinned mutants (not including Beast) is Rebecca Romijn, who returns to the Marvel universe as Raven Darkhölme/Mystique. Known as a key player in the original X-Men trilogy, Romijn will play the role for a fifth time (the first since an uncredited cameo in 2011's X-Men: First Class).
Mystique's powers are also new to the MCU; along with being a skilled fighter, her abilities allow her to shapeshift and mimic the image and voice of anybody. While she cannot have other heroes' powers, she is still formidable, with her skills allowing her to infiltrate almost any location and fool lesser opponents.
Similar to Magneto, she was largely depicted as a villain in the original X-Men trilogy (outside of both of them working with the X-Men in 2003's X2). She will likely retain her darker persona in Doomsday, but fans will see something much different from her as she teams up with other mutants and the MCU's Avengers. Earth's Mightiest Heroes are also sure to go through an adjustment period with Mystique, but after the Skrulls' tenure in the MCU, that may not be as difficult.
Cyclops
Joining the X-Men contingent in Avengers: Doomsday will be Scott Summers/Cyclops, portrayed in the original X-Men saga by James Marsden. Marsden embodied the mutant leader in a leading role in all three original X-Men films, and his last appearance came via a cameo in 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Expected to be depicted as the X-Men's leader (the way he is in X-Men '97 and other iterations), Cyclops will have plenty of responsibility for his team as they meet some of the biggest names in the greater Marvel universe. Scott is largely known as a stand-up guy and a true hero (oftentimes to the chagrin of Wolverine), which could make his MCU transition easier.
Many are excited to see him work closely with characters like Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson and Brie Larson's Captain Marvel and to see him reunite with the rest of his mutant brethren. Marsden should also get more of a chance to shine in the role in the MCU after being somewhat sidelined in the X-Men saga, allowing him to explore parts of his character that were underutilized until now.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
