Why 1 Of The MCU’s Returning X-Men Could Join The Avengers In Doomsday

January 13, 2026

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The precedent exists for one of the returning X-Men in Avengers: Doomsday to formally join Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. As it stands, seven characters from the X-Men’s corner of the Marvel Universe are confirmed to be on hand when the Avengers go up against Robert Downey, Jr.’s Doctor Doom: Gambit, Mystique, Professor X, Magneto, Beast, Cyclops and Nightcrawler.

As it stands, it’s unclear exactly how they’ll factor into the battles ahead. However, it is known that they’ll come from elsewhere in the MCU’s multiverse. Movies like Deadpool & Wolverine, The Marvels and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness have made it abundantly clear that the existence of various realities is how it plans to approach this iteration of the X-Men and its place in the MCU.

In light of that, it makes sense that their outing in Avengers: Doomsday will come in the form of a short-lived team-up with the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. But that’s not to say none of them will stick around after the story has wrapped up.

Beast Is A Major Member Of The Avengers

Due to the longevity of the Avengers brand, its various branches, and its constantly growing and rotating lineup, a multitude of characters technically count as Avengers in Marvel Comics, and that list is so diverse that it includes the likes of several X-Men, including Gambit, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, and even Deadpool.

But for one X-Men in particular, their ties to the Avengers are far from typical; unlike the many X-Men characters who joined the various Avengers factions in the 2000s and beyond, Beast a.k.a Hank McCoy is a longstanding member of the team whose history with them dates all the way back to 1976.

In fact, Beast became a fixture of the Avengers comic during the late 1970s, fighting alongside heroes like Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Black Panther, Vision, and Scarlet Witch. He was present for many of the team’s landmark moments, from the resurrection of Wonder Man, to Carol Danvers joining the Avengers, to the epic battle with Count Nefaria, to Chthon’s attempt to control Scarlet Witch.

And though Beast was eventually rotated off the roster, his connection to the team has remained a key part of his story. Over the years, he’s enjoyed several stints and reunions with the Avengers. Marvel even had Beast take their side during the Avengers vs. X-Men crossover of the 2010s.

The MCU’s Beast Could Permanently Join The Avengers In Doomsday

As a nod to his Avengers ties, the MCU could put Kelsey Grammar’s character on a similar path when it features him in Avengers: Doomsday. It’s already signaled that he may be particularly important to its multiverse arc, given that he became the second X-Man from Fox’s movies (after Professor X) to make an MCU appearance, via The Marvels.

Most likely, Marvel will build toward having an original, younger incarnation of the X-Men in the MCU, so a long-term presence for most of the Fox versions may not be feasible. But with all the characters in the X-Men library, Beast may not necessarily be among those it reimagines. If not, it could elect to keep Grammar’s Beast on hand in Earth-616 and avoid reintroducing him.

Heading in this direction makes sense, especially since the Beast can fill the void left by Iron Man and Bruce Banner. Iron Man is dead, and Bruce Banner has yet to be confirmed for Doomsday, so Sam Wilson’s Avengers team may be lacking an in-house scientist. Unless Shuri joins the group, Beast could be the perfect candidate to take that role.

What’s more, joining the Avengers could lay the groundwork for a comic-accurate dynamic and one of the most memorable friendships from the classic comics. Wonder Man and Beast share a storied bromance in the comic books, and adapting it could be possible later if Beast’s invitation to the MCU is extended past Avengers: Doomsday

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