The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a behemoth franchise, one that consistently treats the fandom to new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. While there are plenty of upcoming Marvel movies to look forward to, the hype surrounding Avengers: Doomsday is on another level entirely. And Falcon actor Danny Ramirez spoke to CinemaBlend about what it was like working with legends like Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick Stewart on the forthcoming blockbuster.
What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, but fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order are hyped about the various MCU heroes crossing over with the OG stars of the X-Men movies. Ramirez spoke to CinemaBlend at San Diego Comic-Con about that title, and spoke about filming with legends like Stewart and McKellen. He told us:
When Sir Ian McKellen is speaking, you listen because you never know what nugget might change your life. And in the same way as Sir Patrick Stewart or and anybody. And so I think, there is no ‘I’ve arrived’ moment. Because you realize through their experience it’s a continuous craft. And there’s nothing more exciting that.
Honestly, this makes a ton of sense. Both Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen are legendary actors, who have had long, celebrated careers on both screen and stage. Working with those icons is a dream for many actors, and Danny Ramirez clearly was thrilled to be sharing the screen with them in Avengers: Doomsday. And it sounds like he was all ears in case the X-Men stars (and besties) were ready to drop any advice or tidbits on set.
Later in his same conversation with CinemaBlend, Ramirez went on to share what he learned from working with the great Patrick Stewart. In the Top Gun: Maverick actor’s words:
Gravitas. Real gravitas. I would watch these, like, learning Shakespeare videos that are on YouTube if you guys want, like in the ’80s. And it’s like eight part series. And I watched both Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Patrick Stewart in it. And I think because of how they understand the words, they could take you on the ride, even with a simple sentence.
Both Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart definitely have gravitas, and I love hearing how Danny Ramirez even learned from them outside of the Doomsday set. Namely by watching videos from the ’80s where they broke down how to properly perform Shakespeare. They’ve both got lots of experience with The Bard’s catalogue of plays, and clearly the videos are still helpful to this day.
During our same conversation with the Last Of Us actor, CinemaBlend’s Jeff McCob asked why he thinks A-listers from the Doomsday cast continue to sign up for these types of blockbusters. He responded with:
I think it’s, the fans. Like when you come to Comic-Con, you realize what it’s all about. I think it’s clear as day that when that much energy surrounding something you’re like, that’s very rare. And it’s not nihilistic. It’s purely romantic passion around storytelling. And as an actor, I think that’s what you live for. You want to be a part of projects that affect people, and people will go see. And all of this talent, I think, wants to be able to express story in a way that’s going to be received.
Fandoms annually travel to San Diego Comic-Con, to cosplay, see panels, and be in the same room as their favorite stars. And it sounds like for Danny Ramirez and other Marvel actors, the love from fans is a big reason why they continue to come back to the superhero genre.
Avengers: Doomsday will hit theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. We’ll just have to wait and see how Falcon interacts with the likes of Magneto and Professor X.
