Famke Janssen to Return as Jean Grey in Avengers: Doomsday

Marvel veteran Chris Claremont has stated that Famke Janssen will return as Jean Grey in the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday. Claremont made the announcement during the Power of X-Men podcast, noting that Janssen is part of the original cast returning for the movie. This claim contradicts previous statements by Janssen, who has said she was never asked to reprise the role. Claremont has previously revealed other plot details for the film, including the returns of Chris Evans and Elizabeth Olsen. Principal photography has wrapped, with additional filming planned for the spring to include more characters.

Chris Claremont, the veteran writer behind the X-Men comics, has announced that Famke Janssen will appear in Avengers: Doomsday. Speaking on the Power of X-Men podcast, Claremont discussed the recent trailer for the film which featured several legacy X-Men movie cast members. He specifically highlighted the return of the original cast, confirming Janssen's involvement.

The trailer already showcased Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Ian McKellen as Magneto, and James Marsden as Cyclops. Claremont's comments suggest the film will feature an even broader return of the original X-Men actors. He expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating, "The thing I find most wonderful about it is they're bringing back... the original cast, including Famke."

This is not the first time Claremont has offered insights into the plot of Avengers: Doomsday and its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars. At the Huntsville Pop Culture Expo last year, Claremont revealed several characters who were not yet officially confirmed for the movies. In April 2025, he claimed that Chris Evans would return, a fact Marvel has since officially confirmed.

Claremont also stated that Elizabeth Olsen would return as Scarlet Witch and that the character Psylocke would appear. At the time of those statements, fans speculated that Claremont might have access to plot details due to his role as an X-Men consultant. Other Marvel comic book writers have served similar roles for previous movies. It remains unclear if he will continue in this capacity given his public discussions of the film.

The writer's claims stand in direct contrast to statements made by Famke Janssen herself. The actress has previously denied being asked by Marvel to reprise her role as Jean Grey. She stated that the question has "never" and "never ever" been put to her since the end of the Fox X-Men movies.

Janssen originally played Jean Grey starting with the 2000 X-Men film and continued through a cameo in 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past. Her character died in 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand as the Phoenix. Sophie Turner later took over the role for subsequent X-Men movies. With Avengers: Doomsday wrapping principal photography late last year, additional filming is scheduled for this spring to accommodate actors who were unavailable previously.

The film is set to feature a significant number of Fox X-Men veterans. Beyond the confirmed returns of Stewart, McKellen, and Marsden, the movie will also include Kelsey Grammer, Alan Cumming, and Rebecca Romijn.

These actors have various histories with the Marvel Cinematic Universe:

• Kelsey Grammer played Beast in the Fox franchise and made his MCU debut in The Marvels post-credits scene.
• Patrick Stewart appeared briefly in the MCU as a member of the Illuminati in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
• Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, and James Marsden have yet to appear in the MCU.

The inclusion of these characters has led to speculation that Avengers: Doomsday may function as an Avengers vs. X-Men style film.