Anthony Mackie has teased ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ will give audiences “that old Marvel feeling”. The highly anticipated film is expected to be one of the biggest blockbusters of 2026, according to industry analysts.
The 46-year-old actor will reprise his role as Sam Wilson/ Falcon in the upcoming blockbuster and he is “really excited” for what directors Anthony and Joe Russo have in mind for the film. The Russo brothers previously directed four Marvel films, including “Avengers: Endgame,” which became one of the highest-grossing films of all time.
“We’re kicking on down the road, so everybody’s getting excited and we’re getting the band back together,” he told IGN. “We’re supposed to go out this week, and we’ll be out there doing it. Everybody’s excited. I feel with the script and having the Russo brothers back, it’s going to be great.
“I’m really excited for what this project is going to be. It’s going to give the audience that old Marvel feeling that they always had.” This sentiment reflects a strategic shift for Marvel Studios, which has faced criticism for some of its recent projects.
Meanwhile, Tom Hiddleston recently admitted he is “very, very excited” to be playing Loki again in the film, though he refused to share many details. Hiddleston has portrayed the character in multiple films and a Disney+ series since his debut in 2011.
“[I’m] very, very excited,” he told ComicBook.com. “It’s really remarkable that I can talk about it because mostly I’m in a position of knowing and not being able to say anything … it’s been an extraordinary chapter of my life playing Loki, and it’s not over yet.” The character has become one of the most beloved in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Hiddleston has portrayed Loki – the God of Mischief and adopted brother of Thor – multiples times since 2011, including the Disney+ series ‘Loki’, which ran between 2021 and 2023. The series became one of Disney+’s most popular Marvel shows, drawing millions of viewers.
And Alan Cumming recently gushed that he is “excited and amazed” to portray Nightcrawler from 2003’s ‘X2: X-Men United’ again in the flick. His return marks a significant gap since his last appearance as the character.
The 60-year-old star explained that the big reason he agreed to return was because the makeup process to get into character has been streamlined. The original makeup application was an extensive, multi-hour process.
“Isn’t it nuts? I’m excited and amazed. It’s been 23 years since I was a superhero,” Cumming said, speaking with fellow ‘X-Men’ star Olivia Munn for Collider. “I’ve had some makeup tests already for the role, but what’s great about it was that before it was about four and a half hours to apply it, but now it’s only 90 minutes.
“Before, all of the tattoos were done by hand. They hadn’t decided on them before we started filming. Now, they just stick onto my face. It’s a game changer.
“I’m going back to being a 60-year-old superhero, and everyone seems really lovely.” Modern prosthetic techniques have revolutionized special effects makeup, significantly reducing application time compared to early 2000s methods.
As well as Cumming, other ‘X-Men’ alums returning for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ – which will be followed by ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ in 2027 – include Sir Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Sir Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Kelsey Grammer (Beast) and Rebecca Romijn (Mystique). This crossover represents one of the largest assemblies of Marvel characters on screen to date.
Channing Tatum – who portrayed Gambit in ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ – is also set to appear in the 2026 movie, though he recently joked he was “only guaranteed” a chair to watch the movie in. His appearance in “Deadpool and Wolverine” fulfilled a long-standing ambition after previous Gambit solo film projects were cancelled.
“Personally, all I was guaranteed was a chair,” he told ExtraTV. “They said that I have a chair, and I can at least watch the movie from the chair. You know, and it was just my name, it wasn’t exactly Gambit.
“So, I work in the world of just like, of binary yes or nos, and I’ve only been guaranteed so far a chair to watch the movie in, so that’s where I’m at.” Tatum had been attached to a solo Gambit film for several years before the project was ultimately shelved.
‘Avengers: Doomsday‘ will see the Avengers, Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts and the X-Men team up in an effort to stop the dreaded Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.). The film is set to be one of the most ambitious crossover events in superhero cinema history, bringing together multiple franchises under the Marvel banner.
