ROTTEN TOMATOES: No Nightcrawler for "X-Men 3"?

No Nightcrawler for "X-Men 3"?

by Scott Weinberg | June 20, 2005

Over at Alan Cumming's official website you'll find the following statement: "Alan will NOT be appearing in X3. Fox has not picked up his option to play Nightcrawler for a second movie." Which means one of two things: Either the cast is already crowded enough and Nightcrawler doesn't really fit in to the planned adventure -or- Fox has opted to hire a different actor for the role. Either way it's pretty bad news, since most of the X-fans will agree that Mr. Cumming's Nightcrawler was one of "X-Men 2"s true highlights.

Related Items

Movie:	X-Men
	X2: X-Men United
Celeb:	Alan Cumming

(1-20 of 28 posts) | Reply

Roadhg67 writes:
on Jun 20 2005 01:41 AM

wow... of all the bad news to hit this movie... this is the worst yet. Fox needs to to take a cue from the Batman series and make sure they don't start on the path of a "Batman Forever" and "Batman and Robin"

(Reply to this)

loudharley writes:
on Jun 20 2005 02:54 AM

Yea, i really liked nightcrawler in the last one.It will be a shame if hes not in it.

(Reply to this)

MrJillis writes:
on Jun 20 2005 03:00 AM

[b]However[/b]
firstly, not great news, Nightcrawler had one of the best sequences in the film, that being the opening one. I don't think this is all bad news, I would much rather see good characters completely out rather than lessened to Bane-like supporting roles. X-men is like no other comic book franchise in the sheer amount of plot angles and characters it could take. I think for those of us who are waiting for the appearence of our particular fav's (for me Gambit) this is good news because it makes room that will allow more development beyond cameo roles. Besides Nightcrawler had no official 'joining of the X-men' so it makes sense for him to leave after the particular issue was resolved, now all they need to do is get rid of Ratner and give the job to Fincher and this will really gather steam for the movie.

(Reply to this)

highscorekid writes:
on Jun 20 2005 03:28 AM

Oh sure, Cumming will do act in some stupid B.S. like Son of the Mask, but when it comes to a real, respectable role like Nightcrawler in X-Men 3, it's a no-go. Whatever, dude.

(Reply to this)

Madman writes:
on Jun 20 2005 06:32 AM

In reply to this comment (#823354)
I'm not sure what made you think that Cumming didn't want to return based on what was writen in the article. It says that Fox didn't pick up his option for the third movie, not that he declined to be in the movie. I'm sure he would have loved the paycheck that would have gone along with that role.

Madman

(Reply to this)

puablo writes:
on Jun 20 2005 08:00 AM

[b]Sigh...[/b]
The most likely reason is simply that Nightcrawler didn't fit in the story, and I'll agree with the earlier poster that it is probably better to not have a character at all than to have him in a pointlessly small role. Still, Alan Cumming was a great Nightcrawler, so I hope we see him again in the future, presuming this movie actually succeeds and they make a 4th film.

It's a shame that Nightcrawler isn't a main X-Man... I could really do without Cyclops and Storm in this one instead of him.

(Reply to this)

piranhahead writes:
on Jun 20 2005 08:22 AM

[b]more cyclops[/b]
cyclops is a great character, just really underused. i'd like to see more eye-blastin' action in the next movie.

(Reply to this)

deadpickle writes:
on Jun 20 2005 10:19 AM

[b]IMDB[/b]
Its wierd thought that IMDB has not changed the fact that Cummings may not be playing Nightcrawler.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0376994/
What does this mean? Probably nothing. Oh well. Of coarse I would have to agree with the above statement, SO MAKE ROOM FOR GAMBIT!!!!

(Reply to this)

speelbergo writes:
on Jun 20 2005 10:24 AM

[b]first brett FATner and now this[/b]

(Reply to this)

rcbaker87 writes:
on Jun 20 2005 10:55 AM

[b]what about beast[/b]
Kelsey Grammer is going to be in X3 playing Dr. Hank McCoy A.K.A. Beast (I can't think of anyone better to play him.) so bring on Beast. And Gambit

(Reply to this)

lovelykeira writes:
on Jun 20 2005 12:18 PM

That's to bad about Cumming's he was a great Nightcrawler. Although I had heard about 5 months ago in an interview with him promoting Son of the Mask that he was trying to get out of the 3rd movie because he couldn't stand the makeup process. It's cool that they've added Beast and Juggernaut Jones, whom I'm sure will be played very well by Vinnie Jones. Even though no else seems to care or remember. And everyone seems like they can hardly wait for the day that Gambit's added, but what about Archangel he's an original, or Lucifer who messed up Professor X.

(Reply to this)

Banana Kid writes:
on Jun 20 2005 12:28 PM

This kinda sucks. I love Nightcrawler, and I thought he was fantastic in X2. X3 is looking worse and worse by the minute, with all these new revelations. I really hope it can still be good in spite of its suicidal tendencies.

(Reply to this)

TCat4343 writes:
on Jun 20 2005 01:19 PM

I don't think it is to big of deal that he is not coming back for Nightcrawler. As long as they don't get someone else to play him. I hate when these movies switch up the actor playing the role. Especially in this case where you have so many characters already, there is no need to bring back Nightcrawler. I would like to see more of Cyclops. He is kind of the leader of the X-Men. They should have Gambit also. Hopefully this director doesn't screw this franchise up.

(Reply to this)

totalmatt writes:
on Jun 20 2005 02:31 PM

[b]no harm no foul[/b]
Nightcrawler = cheesie accent and lame actor

Yes the sequences with the actual character were great, but let's not try to say Alan Cummings made the role, by the end of X2 I wanted that lil blue fucker dead. It's x-men people not excalibur!!!!

(Reply to this)

ninjaandy writes:
on Jun 20 2005 03:09 PM

From what I've read, we've got at least Cyclops, Wolverine, and Jean Gray/Phoenix coming back. Little to no Storm. Don't know about Iceman, Pyro, Rogue, etc.

New will be Colossus, Angel, Beast, and Gambit.

I don't know . . . I don't exactly love the new characters, but I don't hate them either. I don't really see a problem with this team.

Rattner? Hmm. He hasn't really had a chance to do anything like this before, so maybe it won't be anything like his other films (which weren't THAT bad).

(Reply to this)

arpeggio191 writes:
on Jun 20 2005 05:13 PM

In reply to this comment (#823365)
I heard about Beast, but not about Gambit, Angel, or Colossus. I was a big fan of Gambit and I hope they do a good casting job. Have you heard anything as to who they'd cast? Who does everyone want to play Gambit?

(Reply to this)

sprsteve writes:
on Jun 20 2005 06:27 PM

Colossus was in the 2nd movie so how can he be new??? I did read somewhere that his character was being considered for a larger role though. And Beast had a cameo in the 2nd movie too. If you watch the bar scene with Mystique you'll notice that Dr. Hank McCoy is on some sort of talk show about mutants. I never noticed it before until the other day when my roommate happened to be watching it. And I'm dissapointed that Nightcrawler isn't coming back, he was one of my favorite characters from the X-Men Universe. I actually don't really like Gambit. And I also heard that they have a new Kitty Pride actress. Which will make the third different actress in three movies. Of course she has only had cameos, so no one will probably notice.

(Reply to this)

Ophiuchus writes:
on Jun 21 2005 07:54 AM

That's kinda weird. I had it on good authority that Cummings had signed a contract meaning he had to appear in the third movie. He expressed unhappiness because he hated the makeup process, but admitted there was no choice. So what's with the sudden turnaround?
I hope he does end up in number 3. He was one of the best X-Men yet. For one thing, he confirmed the fact that not all mutants are American! Having a German mutant show up made it more realistic.

(Reply to this)

fluffy_malone writes:
on Jun 21 2005 07:58 AM

In reply to this comment (#823360)
I wasn't actually considering Kelsey Grammar to be a good thing before we learned Cummings was out. Now with Cummings out, it seems to just be one in a series of missteps in putting this together.

(Reply to this)

rcbaker87 writes:
on Jun 21 2005 10:10 AM

In reply to this comment (#823369)
thats a very intresting comment

(Reply to this)

Related Links

Related Articles

Most Discussed

Latest News

Latest Interviews

Latest Features

Sponsored Links