Kevin Feige Teases Bringing Back the Original X-Men for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

The X-Men are officially back, and this time, they’re joining the Avengers and the Fantastic Four in Avengers: Doomsday. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige recently opened up about what it means to bring back the original X-Men for this massive Marvel crossover and why it’s such a full-circle moment for him.

Feige spoke with Marvel.com while promoting The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the latest MCU movie that finally introduces Marvel’s First Family. But during the conversation, the topic quickly shifted to the next big event film, Avengers: Doomsday, which will bring together characters from across the multiverse, including the X-Men.

Feige started his career working on the early X-Men films at Fox, so getting to revisit these characters in the MCU is personal for him.

“It was another dream that we just didn’t think about for many years,” Feige said. “Deadpool & Wolverine scratched the surface of that. And now, we’re really delving into it with Doomsday.”

After Disney’s acquisition of Fox, Marvel Studios gained the rights to the X-Men again, opening the door to bring those classic characters into the MCU. Fans saw hints of this in Deadpool & Wolverine, but Avengers: Doomsday looks like it will go even further.

The film will include major Marvel teams like the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and now, the X-Men. Feige said one of the most exciting things about making an Avengers movie is the chance to put different kinds of heroes together and watch how they interact.

“The fun of an Avengers movie is introducing people to each other and seeing how very different personalities get along,” he explained. He added that in Doomsday, which deals with worlds literally colliding, those moments are even bigger and more fun.

According to Feige, the film lets characters visit each other’s worlds, including the iconic Baxter Building, which fans saw in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. But now, instead of four people inside, that location is packed with more heroes than ever. That includes characters from the X-Men universe.

He didn’t name specific actors or characters yet, but we know some names that have been confirmed during a live stream that took place several months ago. Patrick Stewart will return as Professor X, Ian McKellen as Magneto, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, and James Marsden as Cyclops. Additionally, Kelsey Grammer will reprise his role as Beast with Allan Cumming returning as Nightcrawler. It’s clear that Feige is excited to finally bring back the mutants he once helped launch on screen, only now, within the massive world of the MCU.

“It’s a thrill to see that interaction,” he said. “And it’s surreal for me, who’s been around for 25 years.”

Feige’s comments come from his recent interview with Marvel.com, where he reflected on the journey of bringing these characters together and the personal meaning behind it.

The X-Men have a long history in Marvel’s comics and in Hollywood. They helped launch the modern superhero movie boom with the first X-Men film in 2000. Now, more than two decades later, they’re back, and they’re about to collide with the rest of the Marvel Universe in Avengers: Doomsday.

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