Marvel is bringing back numerous on-screen characters from the past two decades, but five former key heroes have yet to receive comparable roles in film or television. Jubilee, Colossus, Kitty Pryde, Iceman, and Blade have all appeared in movies or spin-off games in the past, yet they remain absent or marginalized in the currently announced slate of new projects.
"Avengers: Doomsday," scheduled for release on December 18, 2026, will bring back Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Ian McKellen as Magneto, and James Marsden as Cyclops. Marvel's own "X-Men" film is planned for May 2028 and will feature new actors for characters such as Jean Grey, Cyclops, Rogue, and Storm.
Jubilee appeared in "X-Men" (2000), "X2" (2003), and "X-Men: The Last Stand" (2006), though largely in background roles. Lana Condor later portrayed the character in "X-Men: Apocalypse," featuring in a mall scene. She has stated she discussed returning with the reboot team, but there is no official news as of now.
Colossus presents a different case. Daniel Cudmore portrayed the character three times, most recently in "X-Men: Days of Future Past" (2014). Since then, Colossus has continued to appear in the "Deadpool" series as a fully digital character voiced by Stefan Kapičić, making an appearance in "Deadpool & Wolverine" (2024), though his role has shifted toward providing comedic relief alongside Deadpool. Currently announced casts for "Avengers: Doomsday" and plans for the 2028 "X-Men" film do not include Colossus.
Kitty Pryde was pivotal to the plot of "X-Men: Days of Future Past," responsible for sending Wolverine's consciousness back in time and sustaining the time travel. Fox attempted to develop two films centered on her—one involving "Deadpool" director Tim Miller and another penned by Marvel Comics writer Brian Michael Bendis—but neither project came to fruition. She has not appeared on screen in 12 years and is not included in the currently announced lineup of new films.
Shawn Ashmore, who played Iceman, appeared in four "X-Men" films, from the original in 2000 to "X-Men: Days of Future Past" in 2014. Ashmore confirmed that Marvel has not contacted him and that he will not appear in "Avengers: Doomsday"; Iceman is also absent from the cast announced so far for the 2028 "X-Men" film.
The most senior among the five is Blade, portrayed by Wesley Snipes. The 1998 film "Blade" grossed $131 million against a $45 million budget, "Blade II" earned $155 million, and "Blade: Trinity" (2004) took in $132 million. The franchise later expanded into a 13-episode TV series, a PlayStation game, and a Game Boy Color port, but Snipes' film series ended after the third installment.