Robert Downey Jr. has expressed enthusiasm about the return of the original X-Men to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, revealing that the presence of legacy cast members created palpable energy on the ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ set. The actor, now playing the nefarious Victor Von Doom after his legendary run as Tony Stark, “nerded out” alongside his fellow cast members over Kelsey Grammer and Rebecca Romijn reprising their roles as Beast and Mystique, respectively. The reunion marks a significant moment for the franchise as it integrates characters from the Fox-era ‘X-Men’ films into the larger MCU narrative for the first time.According to Entertainment Weekly, Robert Downey Jr. sat down for a post-Hall H interview at San Diego Comic-Con on July 25 alongside the assembled ‘Doomsday’ cast, including Lewis Pullman, David Harbour, Paul Rudd, Chris Evans, Letitia Wright and Pedro Pascal. During the conversation, Robert Downey Jr. reflected on the significance of Kelsey Grammer and Rebecca Romijn joining the production.
Robert Downey Jr. and Avengers: Doomsday cast ‘nerded out’ over original X-Men return
Robert Downey Jr. described the moment he learned about the casting of Kelsey Grammer and Rebecca Romijn. “It was a big moment, you and Kelsey being back,” he told the actors, who played the blue-furred mutant and blue-skinned shapeshifter in the original trilogy. “I have to say, we nerved out.”
Robert Downey Jr. revealed the cast “nerved out” when Kelsey Grammer and Rebecca Romijn returned as Beast and Mystique for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’.Image credit (Instagram)
The actor made it clear that his co-stars felt true emotion about learning of the resurrection. Having the original mutants on set had a definite effect on the set’s mood and vibe.
Robert Downey Jr. says original ‘X-Men’ cast brought new energy to ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
While Robert Downey Jr. declined to reveal any details about Kelsey Grammer’s and Rebecca Romijn’s roles in the top-secret plot, he spoke glowingly about the creative energy their involvement generated. “Their presence on set lit up this constellation of excitement. It’s just incredible,” he said.The enthusiasm Robert Downey Jr. expressed underscores the significance of bringing these legacy characters back into the MCU fold after decades of separation from the Avengers and other Marvel properties.
Kelsey Grammer opens up about returning as Beast in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Kelsey Grammer’s last substantial appearance as Beast came 20 years ago in 2006’s ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’, the final film in the original trilogy. When asked how it felt returning to the blue-furred character with genius-level intellect, Grammer told Entertainment Weekly, “I love the character. I have this sense of this kind of nobility about him that he carries himself with, a deep respect for all life.”
Kelsey Grammer said Beast’s sense of nobility and respect for all life made returning to the beloved mutant feel meaningful.Image credit (Instagram)
The Frasier star elaborated on the thematic resonance of the character. “I mean, honestly, I think that’s what we’re all here for, and it’s extraordinary that these characters have taken on a role in our society that actually reflects the same thing. It’s just this goodwill. The hope that actually there is goodness in all of us and that good still triumphs.”
Rebecca Romijn reveals Mystique’s faster transformation for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Rebecca Romijn, returning as the blue-skinned shapeshifter for the first time since ‘X-Men: First Class’ in 2011, noted a significant practical change in how the character is brought to life on set. “Apparently, they were no longer interested in waiting for actors to be processed, so it was much faster,” she said, referencing the extensive makeup application required for previous appearances.
Rebecca Romijn shared that the makeup process for Mystique has been significantly streamlined for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, while recalling how the original transformation helped her embody the character.Image credit (Instagram)
Despite the streamlined transformation process, Rebecca Romijn acknowledged that the original makeup routine served an important creative purpose. “The original transformation that I went through for those first three X-Men movies was really imperative to that character for me: It really put me in just the right headspace to play a character as angry as Mystique,” she joked.
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ reunites the original ‘X-Men’ cast with Marvel heroes
The upcoming film reunites a constellation of characters from across the franchise’s history. Alongside Kelsey Grammer and Rebecca Romijn, Patrick Stewart returns as Professor Charles Xavier, Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr, James Marsden as Scott Summers and Alan Cumming as Kurt Wagner. The integration of these legacy performers represents a landmark moment in MCU history, finally bringing together characters that were separated for decades by competing studio ownership.‘Avengers: Doomsday’ releases in theaters on December 18, 2026.
