Nightcrawler's Comeback: Alan Cumming Talks Intense Prep for 'Avengers: Doomsday'

At the Creative Arts Emmys held on September 7th, 2025, actor Alan Cumming took home the award for outstanding host for a reality competition program for his work on "The Traitors". However, the real news backstage was Cumming's confirmation that he has already wrapped filming for his return as the mutant Nightcrawler in the highly anticipated Marvel film "Avengers: Doomsday".

Cumming, who last played the character in 2002's "X2", spoke about the intense preparation he underwent to reprise the role. The actor revealed he did a significant amount of stunt work and training, joking that the stunt team was surprised by his physical capabilities. "I did a lot of stunt work and training. That was amazing," Cumming said. "The stunt people couldn't believe that I could get up, let alone jump around and do this boxing and training."

Despite not rewatching the previous film before filming, Cumming found the process advantageous, stating, "I think that was what really helped, because this is super intense, and is loads of stuff at once." The actor also discussed the advancements in technology, noting that the makeup process has been streamlined from the previous film, now taking only 90 minutes compared to the previous 4-5 hours.

Cumming will be joined by several other returning X-Men cast members, including Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Kelsey Grammer, James Marsden, and Rebecca Romijn. Additionally, several core Marvel Cinematic Universe favorites, such as Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Mackie, and Tom Hiddleston, are set to appear in "Avengers: Doomsday".