Cyclops Actor James Marsden Teases Avengers: Doomsday as Ultimate Fan-Service Spectacle

Actor James Marsden, who will be reprising his role as the titular team leader, Cyclops, of Xavier's finest, the X-Men, for Avengers: Doomsday, has dropped tantalizing hints about what fans can expect from the highly anticipated Marvel crossover event.

Fans of the franchise and those of the movie rejoiced at the casting, even though the original movies received an above-average reception; franchise fans were just happy to finally get live-action adaptations at all, and some praised Marsden's acting but said the writers made questionable character choices for Cyclops. The reprisal would mean another shot at the character.

Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Marsden was asked if Old School X-Men movie fans, and especially fans of Cyclops, would be getting what they'd originally wanted: an awesome Cyclops. The actor humorously responded with "I've also been trained not to speak about this particular project."

However, Marsden couldn't resist teasing what's to come. Cyclops was briefly shown in one of the four teasers Marvel has released for the movie so far, ripping off his visor and unleashing his full powers in the iconic 90s X-Men outfit, amidst a backdrop of a destroyed building with what seem to be two Sentinels. Trying his best not to give anything away, unlike a certain Spider-Man actor, Marsden promised that MCU fans would be "blown away" by Doomsday, and that Marvel is definitely making this for the fans. He went on to reassure the fans by saying the Russo Brothers were "upping the ante" with Doomsday.

This isn't just about Cyclops making a return to the MCU; he'll be joined by his former X-Men co-stars Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Ian McKellen as Magneto, Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, Kelsey Grammer as Beast, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique and while there's no official confirmation, rumors about Hugh Jackman returning as Wolverine have been surfacing, fueled even further by a segment of him on the Graham Norton show saying "Maybe. I'm never saying 'never' ever again [...] I have done ten films now, so I think they have enough for an AI version of me." when asked about his appearance in Doomsday. However, all fans of the franchise can agree that Wolverine is an integral part of the X-Men.

A welcome bit of news, seeing as how the last chunk of the MCU had seen an abysmal reception. Fans will have to wait till Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on the 18th of December 2026, to see what Marvel has to offer.

The return of the original X-Men cast represents a significant shift in Marvel's strategy, moving away from the more recent, less well-received X-Men adaptations toward what appears to be a celebration of the franchise's legacy. With the Russo Brothers at the helm, known for their work on Infinity War and Endgame, expectations are running high that Doomsday will deliver the epic scale and emotional resonance that fans have been craving.

The casting announcements have already sent ripples through the fan community, with many speculating about how these characters will fit into the broader MCU narrative. The inclusion of the original cast members suggests Marvel is taking a multiverse approach, potentially allowing for interactions between different versions of beloved characters.

As we approach the 2026 release date, anticipation continues to build. The combination of fan-favorite actors returning to their iconic roles, the promise of "upping the ante" from the Russo Brothers, and the potential for epic mutant-versus-Avenger showdowns has positioned Avengers: Doomsday as one of the most anticipated comic book movies in recent memory.

For fans who want to revisit the original X-Men films before Doomsday hits theaters, the X-Men and Wolverine collections are available on Amazon, offering a perfect opportunity to refresh memories of these characters' original portrayals before seeing them in their new MCU context.