Marvel has now given us the third teaser for Avengers: Doomsday, which will be released in cinemas this December. In the first two teasers, fans could look forward to the return of Steve Rogers and Thor. And this time, it’s the X-Men who are giving us goosebumps. But this move is more than just pure fan service — it’s a calculated nostalgia strategy that also raises questions for the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe).
What the Teaser Revealed
The trailer presented two pivotal moments: Charles Xavier aka Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen) playing chess in a rather dilapidated version of the X-Mansion. Magneto’s philosophical words permeate the scene: “Death comes for us all!”
James Marsden also returns as Cyclops — for the first time in the comic-accurate outfit that fans have somehow been demanding for years. He takes off his goggles, looks battered, and fires his powerful optic blast. In the background, we see the giant, mutant-hunting Sentinels, suggesting a conflict of epic proportions.
Even though they can’t be seen in this trailer, following an earlier announcement, we can hope to see the return of some familiar faces: Kelsey Grammer as the Beast, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, and Channing Tatum as Gambit again in the new Avengers film. Marvel is once again bringing back the entire old guard.
Nostalgia is a Powerful Marketing Tool
The return of Stewart, McKellen, and Marsden has enormous emotional significance, which Marvel should be aware of. The first X-Men film from 2000 ushered in the modern age of comic book adaptations — long before the MCU. These actors are something like the pioneers of the genre.
Marvel’s strategy is clear: they are relying on the old guard because newer MCU characters alone can no longer generate the same excitement. It’s an admission that you need actors from a franchise that wasn’t even part of the MCU in the past to electrify audiences. This strategy could work again — and that’s what makes it both brilliant and problematic.
A Narrative Minefield
The biggest challenge lies in the integration of these characters. What timeline are these X-Men from? A live-action version of X-Men ’97, as Cyclops’ costume might suggest? I’m not really into these different movie universes enough to have an overview, I have to admit.
It’s also difficult that there’s an inflationary number of deaths in the X-Men: Charles Xavier has already died three times, Jean Grey alias Phoenix has died twice. When death becomes a revolving door, it loses all emotional impact. Marvel risks getting bogged down in its construct of a multiverse and different timelines.
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That’s why the X-Men revelation seems like a double-edged stroke of genius. On the one hand, brilliant marketing on the part of Marvel and a homage to the roots of the genre. On the other hand, it is an implicit admission that the current cast of characters no longer has the same pulling power. Whether this move will take the MCU to new heights or cause it to collapse under the weight of its own history remains to be seen. When will the curtain rise? Avengers: Doomsday opens in cinemas on December 18, 2026, based on the trailer. We’ll definitely know more by then!
I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Marvel that they get their act together again after some really poor performances. What about you? Are you hyped — or do you no longer believe that Marvel will recover?
