While it won't hit the 2025 movie schedule, the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday is set to be the next major team-up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and excitement around the movie’s sprawling cast continues to build. From returning Avengers to long-awaited X-Men debuts, the upcoming Marvel movie is shaping up to be an MCU milestone. Now, Anthony Mackie is opening up about the film, specifically which mutants he’s most excited to share the screen with and, honestly, he’s got great taste.
Mackie revealed the X-Men characters he’s dying to team up with while speaking with Screen Rant. Whether it’s because of childhood nostalgia or the sheer fun of a potential buddy mission, his picks feel perfectly in line with what fans would love to see. The 8 Mile star first name-dropped a character who's served as a leader of the mutant team at some point or another:
Look, I am a big Cyclops fan. That’s my favorite X-Men. I have a Cyclops action figure on my keychain that I’ve had since high school. When I was in high school, the X-Men cartoon was really big, and this was before the movies. I’ve always been a huge Cyclops fan, and I’m really, really excited – hopefully, knock on wood – for them to be a part of it and come into it.
Cyclops may not always get the same fanfare as Wolverine or Deadpool but, for those who grew up with X-Men: The Animated Series, he was the clear-eyed leader and emotional anchor of the team. Sam Wilson, a fellow leader in the MCU, teaming up with Scott Summers could make for a strong, strategic dynamic, especially in a high-stakes movie like Doomsday.
However, Anthony Mackie didn’t stop at Cyclops. When asked about who he’d want to spend actual time with in the MCU, he gave an answer that leans all the way into fun:
[I’m excited] to hang out with Xavier and Beast and all those guys. But my favorite is Nightcrawler. If I can hang out with one character? Me and Nightcrawler in the French Quarter during Mardi Gras for two weeks, that’s what I do.
Let’s be honest, if that were a short streaming with a Disney+ subscription, I’d stream it in a heartbeat. Nightcrawler’s teleportation skills combined with Mackie’s charisma and the wild setting of New Orleans during Mardi Gras? That's instant comedy gold with plenty of heart.
The good news for the Adjustment Bureau actor (and fans) is that both Cyclops and Nightcrawler are confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, with Sonic the Hedgehog star James Marsden and The Traitors host Alan Cumming, respectively, reprising their roles. With the Russo brothers back in the directors' chairs and an all-star lineup including Paul Rudd, Florence Pugh, Pedro Pascal, Tom Hiddleston, and Robert Downey Jr., the movie already feels like a full-circle moment for both the Avengers and the X-Men.
If Anthony Mackie gets his wish, we may see some memorable mutant moments involving the new Cap. If not, someone at Marvel should still greenlight Captain America & Nightcrawler: Mardi Gras Mayhem. You know you'd watch it.
You can catch Avengers: Doomsday when it releases in theaters on May 1, 2026.
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