More than 25 years after the original “X-Men” helped launch the modern era of superhero movies, the franchise’s original stars reunited at San Diego Comic-Con ahead of their long-awaited return in Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Doomsday.” The Hall H appearance marked a full-circle moment for longtime fans, reuniting many of the actors who helped make the “X-Men” one of Hollywood’s biggest superhero franchises. The reunion 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 protagonists of Cyclops, Mystique and Beast respectively. Black Panther’s Tenoch Huerta and several Thunderbolts cast members including Hannah John-Kamen, Lewis Pullman and David Harbor were also in attendance, 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.
Original ‘X-Men’ cast reunites at Comic-Con ahead of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Among the stars expected to reprise their iconic roles in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ are Patrick Stewart at 86, Ian McKellen at 87, James Marsden at 52, Kelsey Grammer at 71, Rebecca Romijn at 53 and Alan Cumming at 61. The ensemble will be joined by Channing Tatumpool and his surprise appearance in Gambit, Deadpool. The return of these legacy stars demonstrates Marvel Studios’ dedication to honoring the franchise’s classic mythology and incorporating it into the larger MCU narrative.
James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn and Kelsey Grammer joined other Marvel stars for a special Comic-Con reunion ahead of their return in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. Image Credit (Instagram)
How the original “X-Men” franchise 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 franchise, followed by 2003’s ‘X2’ and 2006’s ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’, which brought back fan favorites like Nightcrawler and Beast. Over the next two decades, the series grew into a sprawling franchise that included prequels, Wolverine spinoffs, the “Deadpool” movies and acclaimed stand-alone entries like “Logan.”
How the “X-Men” movie rights returned to Marvel Studios
Despite their popularity, the ‘X-Men’ were kept separate from the Avengers for one simple reason: the film rights belonged to a competing studio. That finally changed in 2019 when Disney completed its acquisition of the previous rights holder, putting the “X-Men” rights under Marvel’s control and opening the door to the crossover fans had been dreaming of for years.Since then, Patrick Stewart returned as Professor X in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’, while Kelsey Grammer surprised audiences with a Beast cameo in ‘The Marvels’. The first true crossover occurred in 2024’s ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’, which saw Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool work alongside Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in a historic team-up.
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ unites the ‘X-Men’, Avengers and Fantastic Four
“Avengers: Doomsday” is expected to unite the “X-Men” with the Avengers, the Fantastic Four and the heroes of Wakanda as they face off against Doctor Doom and a multiverse-level threat. The film is the result of years of efforts by Marvel to merge the separate franchises into a common narrative universe. With a December 18th release date, the film is positioned to be a big marquee that will alter the course of the MCU for years to come.