The original Jean Grey wants back in, and she’s not thrilled about being left out.
Famke Janssen, who played Jean Grey/Phoenix across Fox’s X-Men films, says Marvel “made a mistake” by not bringing her back for Avengers: Doomsday, even as a wave of her former co-stars suit up for the December crossover.
However, there may be more to the story, and it may have to do with the mystery character Sadie Sink is playing in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
“I Think They Made A Mistake”
Speaking in a recent interview, Janssen didn’t hide her disappointment at being passed over.
“I think they made a mistake, but hey, who am I? I’m just a little me who thinks that,” she said. She also made clear she’d jump at a return, adding, “I am ready to show you some Phoenix, some very dark Phoenix.”
The snub stings a little more given who is coming back.
Avengers: Doomsday is reuniting a deep bench of original X-Men film stars, including Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), James Marsden (Cyclops), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler), and Kelsey Grammer (Beast), among them, making Janssen’s absence conspicuous. She last played the role in 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Marvel Hasn’t Called
Janssen has been consistent that Marvel simply hasn’t reached out.
She previously said she’s “never ever” heard from Disney about reprising Jean Grey for any MCU project, noting the question follows her through nearly every interview.
“I should be flattered, I suppose, that this character has resonated with people,” she said. “It’s been so long, but it’s nice that people are still talking about her.”
The timing is notable because Marvel is clearly rebuilding its mutant corner of the universe.
Beyond the Doomsday reunion, an X-Men reboot is in active development under director Jake Schreier, and there are those rumors that Jean Grey might already be back in the MCU by the time Doomsday rolls around.
Which Brings Us To Sadie Sink
That open Jean Grey slot is exactly why so many fans believe the role has already been quietly filled — by Sadie Sink.
The Stranger Things star joins the MCU in Spider-Man: Brand New Day in a mystery role that’s been heavily rumored to be Jean Grey, and she’s reportedly set to return in a future Avengers film, the kind of long-game casting that fits a major mutant character, not a one-off.
If Marvel is indeed seeding a younger Jean Grey for its X-Men reboot, Janssen being left out of Doomsday starts to look less like an oversight and more like a clean break, making room for a new face to carry the character forward. (For the counter-case, new Brand New Day footage has some fans wondering if Sink is playing the Spider-Queen instead.)
So while most of the original X-Men actors are returning, they haven’t exactly been replaced yet.
For now, the original Phoenix is on the outside looking in, ready to return, but waiting on a call that may never come.
Avengers: Doomsday Release Info
Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters December 18, 2026. Spider-Man: Brand New Day, where Sink makes her MCU debut, swings in July 31, 2026. For more on the cast and everything we know, read our Avengers: Doomsday guide.
