Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe (but after Howard the Duck), there was the X-Men trilogy. Produced by 20th Century Fox in the early-to-mid 2000s, the X-Men movies made Hugh Jackman's Wolverine and other heroes a household name. Of course, heroes are nothing without villains, and the X-Men movies were full of them. Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn, Ray Park and more all served as thorns in the X-Men's side.
Avengers: Doomsday, which hits theaters on May 1, 2026, will feature some long-awaited, history-making supervillain comebacks. Announced during Marvel's official March 26 livestream, Doomsday's cast is confirmed to include two supervillains from the era of Fox's X-Men films: Ian McKellen Erik Lehnsherr aka, Magneto, as well as Mystique, again played by Rebecca Romijn.
Phase 6 Will Include 2 Big-Time X-Villains
Ian McKellen hasn't portrayed Magneto since 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past. For Rebecca Romijn, it's been even longer; the last time the actress was painted blue was for X-Men: The Last Stand from 2006. Nevertheless, they will both suit up yet again. Due to the popularity of these characters and the amount of time since McKellen and Romijn have embodied them, their inclusion in Doomsday could be seen as historic.
Previously, Summer 2024's billion-dollar-grossing Deadpool & Wolverine saw Hugh Jackman unleash his claws once again as the X-Man Wolverine following the actor's supposed retirement from the role in Logan. But none of the villains from the Fox X-Men installments showed up, played by their original performers.
So, Avengers: Doomsday marks a significant and historic moment in the Marvel Multiverse with the return of Magneto and Mystique, along with the stars who originated the parts.
What Brings Magneto and Mystique to Avengers: Doomsday?
Magneto
Ian McKellen's Magneto is an extraordinarily powerful Mutant who is able to telekinetically control metal. Erik was an old friend of the X-Men's wisened leader, Charles Xavier, but the two couldn't reconcile their approaches to Mutant safety. In short, Charles wanted to coexist, Erik wanted to conquer.
Although Magneto had a role as a post-apocalyptic freedom fighter in X-Men: Days of Future Past, his last major showing was in X-Men: The Last Stand. In that movie, he made his most ruthless attack yet, harnessing the power of the Phoenix in a move to teach the humans of Earth a very important lesson.
In Avengers: Doomsday, it's not yet known what brings Erik back into the fray. But given that the film is assumed to deal in Multiversal storytelling, it seems likely that he will have an encounter with the Avengers themselves. McKellen was also spotted near the Doomsday set in late April, sporting a beard, possibly indicating a different look for Erik this time out.
Mystique
Raven Darkholme stood by McKellen's Magneto in the original X-Men trilogy as his right-hand woman. Mystique is a shapeshifter, able to assume any form and voice that suits her. She's used her gifts for deceit and infiltration but was accidentally injected with a Mutant cure in X-Men: The Last Stand, stripping her of her power and turning her human.
With Mystique confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday, barring some Multiversal subterfuge, audiences expect the character to be the same version from the original X-Men films. This would likely necessitate an explanation as to how she got her abilities back, but such a thing could be done in a couple of lines of dialogue.
In 2022, Romijn was asked if she would ever participate in another Marvel movie as Mystique. The actress confirmed that she was "open to it." An admission That now bears fruit.
