What If… The Original X-Men Cast Appeared As Villains in AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY and SECRET WARS?

With Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars set to redefine the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the multiverse offers a perfect opportunity to bring back classic characters in unexpected ways. One of the most exciting possibilities? Reintroducing the original X-Men cast—not as heroes, but as villains.

Imagine the likes of Famke Janssen and Halle Berry returning to the big screen, but twisted into their darkest forms. This wouldn’t just be a nostalgia play; it could be a way to showcase iconic characters in a fresh, thrilling light.

Janssen returning as Jean Grey wouldn’t be surprising—but what if she came back as the full-fledged Dark Phoenix, no longer held back by her moral compass? The Phoenix Force is one of the most powerful cosmic entities in the Marvel universe, and Jean’s potential as a villain has never been fully realized on screen. There’s also Jean’s clone, Madelyne Pryor aka the Goblin Queen, but Marvel might want to save that for a future Mister Sinister plot.

Instead of another redemption arc, this version of Dark Phoenix could be an unrepentant force of destruction, perhaps even serving as an enforcer for a greater villain like Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom. She could be a key antagonist, tearing through heroes effortlessly, leading to a desperate attempt to stop her.

While Halle Berry is best known for playing Storm, Doomsday or Secret Wars is the perfect time to introduce an alternate version: Bloodstorm. This version of Ororo Munroe was turned into a vampire and possesses all of Storm’s weather-controlling abilities, but with enhanced supernatural strength, flight, and a taste for blood.

A Bloodstorm variant could serve as a terrifying wild card, not necessarily aligning with Doom but acting as a ruthless predator in the chaos of a collapsing multiverse. Imagine a sequence where she faces off against Blade or an alternate Black Panther—it could be an unforgettable addition to the film’s high-stakes action!

Hugh Jackman has already returned as Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine, but what if Secret Wars pushes him into darker territory? In some timelines, Wolverine has been brainwashed into serving villains, such as when Apocalypse turned him into Death or when the Hand corrupted him into an assassin.

A mind-controlled, brutal Wolverine hunting down heroes could be both tragic and exhilarating. He could serve as Doom’s personal enforcer, a near-unstoppable warrior with no regard for his past alliances.

There are endless possibilities: Magneto as an Emperor Doom ally, Charles Xavier as Onslaught, James Marsden as a corrupt leader, and Anna Paquin as a villainous version of Rogue that puts Captain Marvel into a coma.

Bringing the X-Men back as villains could not only subvert expectations but also give these actors some of their best material yet. Instead of just playing nostalgic versions of their characters, they could explore new, sinister sides.

With the multiverse fully unleashed, anything is possible. If Avengers: Secret Wars wants to go big, turning the original X-Men into villains could be an unforgettable way to do it.

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