In brief
Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick Stewart are set to reprise their iconic roles as Magneto and Professor Charles Xavier in Marvel's upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, alongside a formidable cast, including Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, scheduled for release in May 2026.
In an exciting turn of events for Marvel fans, original X-Men stars Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick Stewart are set to reprise their roles in the much-anticipated film, Avengers: Doomsday. Scheduled for release in May 2026, this outing will see Sir Ian return as Magneto for the first time since 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past, while Sir Patrick brings back his role as Professor Charles Xavier two years after appearing in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.Marvel Studios officially confirmed the new film's cast via a video showcasing a lineup of chairs marked with the actors' names, including renowned talents like Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, and Anthony Mackie. Besides McKellen and Stewart, other notable additions to the cast are Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova and Simu Liu as Shang-Chi.Excitingly, fans can look forward to seeing more familiar faces from the Marvel universe. The roster includes Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, Wyatt Russell, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, David Harbour, Kelsey Grammer, and newcomers from this year's upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, including The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal.One of the most talked-about returns is that of Robert Downey Jr., who will step into the role of Doctor Doom, shifting gears from the beloved Iron Man character that catapulted the Marvel Cinematic Universe into existence with the 2008 film. Downey Jr. last appeared in the MCU in 2019's Avengers: Endgame, but made a memorable reveal last summer at Comic Con, wearing Doctor Doom's signature mask and cloak.Expressing his enthusiasm for the complexity of his new character, Downey Jr. stated in interviews, "I like playing complicated characters," hinting at the rich storytelling Marvel fans can expect. The anticipation for Avengers: Doomsday grows as the film aims not only to bring back fan-favorite characters but to weave together an intricate narrative that welcomes both old and new faces.
