Marvel Studios has enlisted X-Men franchise stars Patrick Stewart (Professor Xavier), Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), and Kelsey Grammer (Beast) for Avengers: Doomsday. But...that can't be it, right?
Sure, Channing Tatum's Gambit will join them, but this X-Men team is still missing some heavy-hitters, including Wolverine, Storm, and Jean Grey.
Famke Janssen first played Jean in 2000's X-Men, and followed it with X2: X-Men United (2003), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), and cameo roles in The Wolverine (2013) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014).
Entertainment Weekly recently caught up with the actress and asked her about reprising the role in Avengers: Doomsday. "Every time I do an interview, it's mentioned," she said. "It's interesting. I didn't realise that was such a big part. Every interview I do, that will come up, and of everything I say, that is going to be the only thing that's gonna be printed."
The site pushed Famke on whether Marvel Studios had asked her to return as Jean, to which she said, "Never. Never ever."
She added, "I should be flattered, I suppose, that this character has resonated with people. It's been so long, but it's nice that people are still talking about her. I'm sure every single time there's a new movie that they're doing, like [is it] Doomsday? It'll come up again."
So, Marvel Studios hasn't asked her to return as Jean? We're not buying it. Janssen does appear to be playing coy here, and her response very much feels like it's coming from someone who is trying to avoid spoiling a big surprise.
After all, it's hard to fathom that the Russo Brothers would go to the lengths of bringing back the original big screen X-Men, only to leave some of the team's most iconic members on the shelf. It's always possible they'll appear in Avengers: Secret Wars instead, of course, but fans will be beyond disappointed if this X-Men team is missing so many key mutants.
Earlier this year, Halle Berry was asked about whether she'll get a chair with her name on it for Avengers: Doomsday (a reference to that lengthy cast reveal), and replied, "Keep waiting. It’s not going to be there. It’s not going to be there."
Hugh Jackman has expressed enthusiasm about returning to the MCU, and rumours have swirled about him not only being in the next Avengers movies, but serving as the MCU's Wolverine beyond Secret Wars.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to arrive on December 17, 2027.