Overview

• Cumming said he "just finished" his Avengers: Doomsday work earlier this month and condensed his shoot to fit around hosting The Traitors, using green screen and brief pickups.
• He contrasted the new production with his "miserable" experience on 2003’s X2, citing past marathon makeup sessions and difficulties with director Bryan Singer.
• Updated techniques cut Nightcrawler’s makeup time from roughly four to five hours to about 90 minutes, and he trained with stunt performers to handle action beats.
• Marvel has stacked the cast with returning Fox-era X-Men, including Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn, Kelsey Grammer and James Marsden, under directors Joe and Anthony Russo, with Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom.
• Release-date reporting remains split, with Variety, Deadline and other outlets listing Dec. 18, 2026, while People and The Hollywood Reporter cite May 2026.