After two decades, Marsden steps back into the visor as Scott Summers in Marvel’s upcoming multiverse epic.
It’s official: James Marsden is returning as Cyclops in Avengers: Doomsday, set for release in December 2026. In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, the 51-year-old actor opened up about slipping back into the role that introduced him to millions of fans in 2000’s X-Men — and what it means to revisit the Marvel universe after so many years.
“It’s a nice little homecoming to a role that really put me on the map,” Marsden said. “I’m getting a little long in the tooth to put on the superhero costume,” he joked, before adding that the experience has been “a blast.”
Cyclops Returns to the MCU — Officially
Marsden’s return as Scott Summers (Cyclops) is part of Marvel Studios’ broader strategy to integrate the X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe following Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. With Avengers: Doomsday, the studio is going big — teasing a multiverse-spanning storyline that reunites several original cast members.
Confirmed to return alongside Marsden are:
- Patrick Stewart as Professor X
- Ian McKellen as Magneto
- Kelsey Grammer as Beast
- Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler
- Rebecca Romijn as Mystique
This marks a major pivot from the standalone X-Men films of the early 2000s to the unified, multiverse-driven MCU.
A Long and Winding Road for Cyclops
Marsden originated the role of Cyclops in X-Men (2000), and reprised it in X2: X-Men United (2003) and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), where his character was seemingly killed off. However, Cyclops reappeared via alternate timelines in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), cementing his presence as one of the franchise’s core characters.
“I’m dead. Well, maybe not,” Marsden quipped. “It really has been a blast… a very beloved character, this icon from the comics. And so to step back into that role was pretty special.”
Marvel’s Multiverse Grows Bigger
With Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel is pulling together legacy heroes from across decades, crafting a story that pays homage to its cinematic history while launching a new chapter for fans. For longtime X-Men followers, seeing Marsden back in action is more than just nostalgia — it’s closure, celebration, and a hint of what’s to come.
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