Following last week’s release of an Avengers: Doomsday teaser featuring select members of the X-Men, Marvel’s legendary X-Men writer Chris Claremont is adding to the hype by revealing another cast member he says is destined to show up in the MCU event film. According to Claremont, Famke Janssen will return as Jean Grey in Avengers: Doomsday, despite previous claims that she’s not involved with the production.
Claremont spills the beans again
During an interview on the Power of X-Men podcast, Claremont expresses his excitement for the latest Doomsday teaser, featuring Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Magneto (Ian McKellen), and Cyclops (James Marsden). While praising the X-Men-filled preview, Claremont let it slip that Janssen is also a part of Doomsday‘s X-Men ensemble.
“The thing I find most wonderful about it is they’re bringing back… the original cast, including Famke,” Claremont said on the podcast.
To be clear, Claremont’s claim is not ironclad. Until I see Janssen in a trailer, on a poster, or confirmed by Disney/Marvel themselves, I’ll take Claremont’s words with a grain of salt. I love the man, but I’ll wait for an official announcement before I take his word as gospel. What’s interesting about Claremont’s statement is that it’s not the first time he’s revealed characters destined to appear in Avengers: Doomsday. In April 2025, Claremont announced that Chris Evans would return, and thanks to a recent trailer, we can confirm that to be true. Additionally, Claremont also stated that Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch would return, and that Marvel would also include Psylocke.
Previously, Janssen denied Jean Grey’s return
As for Famke Janssen, the actress has previously denied being a part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast, saying the question has “never” and “never ever” come her way since the end of Fox’s X-Men movies. While she could have been telling the truth, it’s also possible that she’s sworn to Marvel secrecy about her character’s revival. There’s also a chance that Marvel/Disney did not contact her about the role until after she gave that statement.
An unpopular take on the X-Men’s return
I’ll be honest, the X-Men coming back for Avengers: Doomsday does very little for me. I know, I know. I’m a monster. I’ve never been a significant fan of Fox’s take on the Children of the Atom, and I’d rather the team be rebooted in a couple of years than do another nostalgia play in Doomsday. I know many people are excited about Fox’s X-Men getting more screen time, and I’m genuinely happy for them, but it’s simply not what I need or want from Doomsday. Again, I know I’m the minority here, but I can’t help it. I want to move on to a new X-Men era, and if that means we need to wait a few more years to see the team again, so be it. Feel free to comment below. You know you want to.
