Robert Downey Jr. Says the OG X-Men Cast Lit Up the Set of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

Marvel is on an exciting journey to assemble its largest crossover event yet, uniting heroes from various corners of its cinematic universe that have never shared the screen before. Among the many reunions on the set of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, one stands out for generating immense excitement among the cast, harking back to the origins of the modern superhero movie era.

This memorable reunion brought together actors who played pivotal roles in shaping the comic book blockbuster genre long before the MCU as we know it came to be. Rebecca Romijn and Kelsey Grammer, who first portrayed Mystique and Beast in the original 2000s ‘X-Men’ trilogy, returned to their iconic roles for the first time in years, joining the extensive ensemble Marvel has gathered for this major crossover.

Their return left a significant impression on one of the franchise’s leading stars. In a post-Hall H interview with Entertainment Weekly at San Diego Comic-Con, Robert Downey Jr. expressed how their presence “lit up this constellation of excitement” among the cast.

Now portraying Doctor Doom after over a decade as Tony Stark, Downey directly acknowledged Romijn, saying, “It was a big moment, you and Kelsey being back,” and described the enthusiastic reaction from his fellow castmates in the room. “I have to say, we nerded out,” he added, referring to co-stars Lewis Pullman, David Harbour, Paul Rudd, Chris Evans, Letitia Wright, and Pedro Pascal, all of whom were present for the same interview.

Romijn and Grammer last portrayed their characters together in 2006’s ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’, although both have made brief appearances in their roles since then. Romijn reprised Mystique for a cameo in 2011’s ‘X-Men: First Class’, while Grammer made a brief return as Beast in a post-credits scene from 2023’s ‘The Marvels’.

During the same interview, Romijn shared her experience returning to the character, noting that the makeup process for transforming her into Mystique was much quicker this time compared to the original trilogy. She reflected on how the lengthy transformation process had influenced her performance, stating that it helped her get into the right mindset to portray a character as intense as Mystique.

While Downey refrained from revealing specific plot details about Mystique and Beast’s roles in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, Marvel continues to keep most of the film’s central storyline and character relationships tightly under wraps ahead of its release.

The X-Men’s involvement in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ goes beyond just Romijn and Grammer, with the film’s confirmed cast also featuring Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Alan Cumming, and Channing Tatum reprising their original roles as Professor Xavier, Magneto, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, and Gambit, respectively. This lineup adds a significant layer of connection to Fox’s original X-Men franchise, transcending mere nostalgia.

The extensive cast also includes Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Anthony Mackie’s Captain America, the Fantastic Four lineup of Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, along with Thunderbolts members like Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Wyatt Russell.

‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is set to hit theaters on December 18, marking the first part of the Russo brothers’ two-part Avengers finale. With such a cross-generational cast reunion already stirring genuine excitement among the film’s stars, anticipation continues to build for how Marvel will utilize its returning X-Men veterans ahead of the release.

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