The Russo Brothers Just Explained Why ‘X-Men’ Had To Come Before ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Could Happen
The ‘X-Men’ franchise practically invented the modern superhero blockbuster, and now that legacy is officially colliding with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ has spent the better part of a year rolling out teaser after teaser, slowly reintroducing beloved faces from decades of comic book cinema back into the fold.
Fans have watched Chris Evans return as Steve Rogers, Chris Hemsworth reprise Thor, and a wave of nostalgia hit hard when Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen showed up as Professor X and Magneto once again. Marvel Studios has been dribbling out these brief teasers ahead of the film’s December 2026 release.
Now, directors Joe and Anthony Russo are putting that nostalgia into context. According to a clip shared by MCU Film News, the filmmaking duo credited the original ‘X-Men’ movies as a foundational influence on how ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ came together, calling them a threshold moment for the franchise joining the MCU and describing those films as newly relevant to their process. The quote was captured via Fandango, which has been covering the film extensively at CinemaCon.
That CinemaCon connection tracks. Fandango correspondent Nikki Novak sat down with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige alongside Joe and Anthony Russo at 2026 CinemaCon to share new details on ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ including why it mattered to bring back Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans. It is the kind of access that has made Fandango a go to outlet for breaking Doomsday news all year.
The X-Men connection is not just sentimental, either. The full cast reveal, delivered through an extended chair reveal event, confirmed that Patrick Stewart returns as Professor Xavier, Ian McKellen as Magneto, Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, James Marsden as Cyclops, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, and Channing Tatum reprising Gambit. Kelsey Grammer also returns as Beast, rounding out an X-Men alumni roster that spans multiple eras of the franchise.
For Stewart and McKellen especially, this is a genuine homecoming. Sir Ian had not appeared as Magneto since 2014’s ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past,’ while Sir Patrick last played Professor Xavier in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ back in 2022. Their reunion on screen, even in brief teaser form, has already become one of the most talked about elements of the marketing rollout.
The Russos clearly see this crossover as more than fan service. They have described the film as reaching a new level of narrative complexity compared to their previous MCU work, pointing to Robert Downey Jr.’s Victor von Doom as demanding a distinct tone from the story. Weaving the X-Men into that framework appears to be central to how they are building the stakes.
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is set to bring together heroes from three separate cinematic universes, and the Russos framing the ‘X-Men’ films as a threshold moment suggests just how much weight that legacy carries heading into December. With Stewart and McKellen back in their iconic roles after over a decade away, how are you feeling about the X-Men officially crossing into the MCU?
