Famke Janssen Says Marvel "Made a Mistake" Not Casting Her in 'Avengers: Doomsday'

Famke Janssen says Marvel "made a mistake" by not bringing her back for 'Avengers: Doomsday'

Washington, June 20

Janssen, who portrayed Jean Grey/Phoenix in the 'X-Men' franchise, said she believes Marvel missed an opportunity by not bringing her back for the highly anticipated superhero film, which is scheduled to premiere on December 18, 2026.

Speaking in a recent interview, the actress addressed speculation about a possible return and suggested that she would not have been able to keep such news secret.

"I am so bad at keeping secrets that I always say to everyone I'm the worst actor in the world," she said, adding, "It's all on my face. You right away will read it," as per Deadline.

Janssen then commented on her absence from the project, saying, "I think they made a mistake, but hey, who am I? I'm just a little me who thinks that."

The actress also made it clear that she remains open to reprising the role in the future.

"Oh, yes. I am ready. I am ready to show you some Phoenix, some very dark Phoenix," she said, as per Deadline.

The comments follow remarks Janssen made in November, when she revealed that she had "never ever" been contacted by Disney regarding a return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

"Every time I do an interview, it's mentioned. It's interesting," she told in an interview, adding, "I didn't realise that was such a big part. Every interview I do, that will come up, and of everything I say, that is going to be the only thing that's gonna be printed," as quoted by Deadline.

Reflecting on the enduring popularity of Jean Grey, she added, "I should be flattered, I suppose, that this character has resonated with people. It's been so long, but it's nice that people are still talking about her. I'm sure every single time there's a new movie that they're doing... it'll come up again."

Janssen last appeared as Jean Grey in 2014's 'X-Men: Days of Future Past'.

Since then, several of her fellow 'X-Men' actors have been confirmed for 'Avengers: Doomsday'.

Patrick Stewart will return as Professor X, alongside Ian McKellen as Magneto, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, James Marsden as Cyclops, Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler and Kelsey Grammer as Beast.

Meanwhile, Marvel Studios is also moving forward with its 'X-Men' reboot. Director Jake Schreier, who is helming the project, recently provided a brief update on its development.

"I can't say anything about it, but we've started work on X-Men, and that's obviously very, very exciting," Schreier said in a separate interview in August, as per Deadline.

— ANI