Famke Janssen May Return as Jean Grey in Avengers: Doomsday, Says Chris Claremont

Fresh speculation is swirling around Avengers: Doomsday after legendary X-Men comics writer Chris Claremont suggested that Famke Janssen will return as Jean Grey — despite earlier reports and the actress herself saying otherwise.

Claremont, who shaped much of the X-Men mythology during his long run on Uncanny X-Men from 1975 to 1991, shared his thoughts while reacting to the newly released Doomsday trailer. The footage shows Professor X and Magneto together at what appears to be the X-Mansion, before cutting to a dramatic shot of Cyclops on his knees as the mansion lies in ruins.

During the discussion, Claremont commented that Marvel is bringing back the “original cast.” When one host assumed he meant James Marsden, Claremont quickly clarified that he was referring to the original ensemble — specifically mentioning Janssen by name.

A Surprising Claim

Janssen famously played Jean Grey in X-Men, X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, and The Wolverine. However, she was notably absent from Marvel’s recent cast announcement livestream for Avengers: Doomsday, which confirmed the return of several Fox-era X-Men stars.

Those officially announced include Marsden as Cyclops, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, Kelsey Grammer as Beast, Ian McKellen as Magneto, Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier, and Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler.

Adding to the confusion, Janssen previously told Entertainment Weekly that Marvel had never contacted her about reprising Jean Grey, saying plainly: “Never. Never ever.”

Marvel’s History of Surprises

Still, fans know better than to take anything at face value when it comes to Marvel Studios. Surprise appearances have become something of a tradition, most recently with Wesley Snipes returning as Blade and Jennifer Garner reprising Elektra in Deadpool & Wolverine.

It’s also worth noting that Halle Berry, who played Storm in the original X-Men trilogy, has not been announced as part of the returning cast either — leaving the door open for more unconfirmed appearances.

For now, Claremont’s comment remains unverified, and it’s unclear whether he revealed insider knowledge or simply misspoke. As always with Marvel, the full picture may not be clear until opening night.

Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters on December 18.