Even Alan Cumming does not understand the plot of Avengers: Doomsday, and he is in it
An Avengers: Doomsday star says even he can’t make sense of the MCU film’s plot — and he’s due to return as Nightcrawler on December 18, 2026.
Now, here’s a bit of honesty you don’t often get from superhero blockbusters. Alan Cumming – yes, he’s back as Nightcrawler – has admitted he’s got about as much idea what’s actually happening in Avengers: Doomsday as the rest of us reading the wilder Reddit threads. One could hardly blame him; have you seen the cast list or the mad stuff going about this plot?
Cumming vs the Plot
Cumming hopped on SiriusXM and, in classic Cumming style, laid it all out regarding his time on set for the next MCU cavalry charge. Here’s how he set the scene: actual backlot set work, none of the usual blue screen purgatory. As for what on earth was going on, well, he got some attempted explanation from someone clearly tasked with ‘keeping the talent in the loop’. Even then, it sounds like he kept one eyebrow up the whole time.
Here’s Cumming himself, describing his experience trying (and politely failing) to get to grips with all the moving pieces:
To be honest, I don’t fully understand the plot. There was a bit when we were shooting a scene, and it was one of the rare scenes when I was actually on the backlot and not in front of a blue screen. And this man came and said, ‘So right now Alan, these giant robots are blah blah,’ and started to tell me the thing, and I was like, ‘You know what, thank you so much, but just tell me where I point my, whatever I point. And I’ll do that. Really, I just know I’m here to run around.'
What’s Actually Going On?
Marvel are doing their usual tight-lipped routine about story details, but they have confirmed their next villain: Doctor Doom, portrayed by none other than Robert Downey Jr. (yes, you’ve read that correctly). The official Marvel line is that 'Avengers: Doomsday' follows a whole crowd of ‘beloved heroes from three distinct universes’ – so expect crossover madness – who’ll be facing ‘an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered’. All very on-brand for Phase 6’s main event film, if you ask me.
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ follows beloved heroes from three distinct universes as they’re set on a deadly collision course and face an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered.
The hints so far? When they reissued Avengers: Endgame, keen-eyed fans caught some notable additions: a new ending where Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, TVA paperwork and all, shows up to Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter and asks them for help. Meanwhile, a cheeky post-credits scene in ‘Avengers: Endgame Encore’ has Bruce Banner sulking off alone, only to get a visit from Doctor Doom himself. Marvel’s never subtle, are they?
The Roster Gets Messier
Talking of wild, the cast is pure Marvel excess. Besides Cumming’s Nightcrawler, you can expect to see Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Pedro Pascal, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh, Channing Tatum, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell and, inevitably, even more. At this point, half of Hollywood seems set to turn up for a fight.
- Avengers: Doomsday is planned for release on 18 December 2026.
Read more: Avengers: Doomsday still has secret cast members, its director says