At Spacecon 2026, Famke Janssen did not hold back. Asked about the absence of her Jean Grey from Marvel's upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, the actress told Nerdtropolis: "I think they made a mistake, but hey, who am I? I'm just a little me who thinks that."
The comment arrives as Marvel Studios has confirmed the return of several original X-Men castmates for the December 2026 ensemble. Patrick Stewart will reprise Professor Charles Xavier. Ian McKellen returns as Magneto. James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, Alan Cumming, and Kelsey Grammer are all confirmed to appear. Jean Grey, the franchise's most powerful mutant, is not on the list.
Janssen played Jean Grey across the original X-Men films from 2000 to 2014. The Phoenix arc ranks among the most consequential storylines in X-Men mythology, making the omission conspicuous given the scope of Doomsday's confirmed roster.
The actress noted in an October 2025 interview that the subject of Jean Grey's MCU future surfaces in nearly every press conversation she takes. "Every interview I do, that will come up," she said, "and of everything I say, that is going to be the only thing that's gonna be printed." At Spacecon 2026, she appeared to have decided the subject was worth addressing on her own terms.
