It’s been twelve years since one of the best cast characters in all of superhero movies graced our screens as his character, as James Marsden returned to the role of Scott Summers, aka Cyclops, for a brief appearance in X-Men: Days of Future Past. After his appearances in the original X-Men trilogy, Marsden’s work as the leader of the X-Men ended with his cameo in that film (with Tye Sheridan taking over in the following movies), but soon he’ll finally put the visor back on. As confirmed by a chair previously, and a teaser trailer earlier this year, Marsden is back as Cyclops in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.
Speaking with ComicBook for the upcoming Hulu original movie Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, we had the opportunity to ask James Marsden about returning to the role of Cyclops for Avengers: Doomsday. Not only did the actor confirm that he didn’t even read the script to sign on for the role (it went even deeper than that), but that he missed having his biggest on-screen rival, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, as one of his primary scene partners. We asked Marsden if he was happy to be back in his character without Jackman butting heads with his character, prompting an intriguing answer about Doomsday.
James Marsden Admits He Missed Hugh Jackman Filming Avengers 5
“I love Hugh Jackman, and I love the dynamic between Wolverine and Cyclops,” Marsden revealed. “It was always a brotherly, healthy competition between the two of them, where they were annoyed with each other. It did feel like a brotherly relationship. I wouldn’t say that I was excited to slide into that role without him barking in my ear. He was missed. I’m trying to… answer, without saying too much… Yeah, that’s my answer. “
The rumor mill continues to work overtime about the cast for Avengers: Doomsday, but based on what we know officially, Marsden’s character is back, while Jackman’s hasn’t been confirmed. When asked if he would return, Jackman didn’t say no, but it seems like Doomsday will give Marsden the chance to offer a new flavor of Cyclops that wasn’t seen in any of his previous films. The initial teaser trailer for the X-Men in Avengers: Doomsday already confirmed this, with a distraught and screaming Cyclops, but it would certainly be even worse for him if Wolverine was also yelling at him while he was screaming into the abyss that is cataclysm.
Given the unique premise of Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, a gangster comedy that also involves time travel, we asked Marsden if he’d ever signed on for a project without reading the script. This offered the star the chance to reveal that not only is his answer to that yes, but it happened with Avengers: Doomsday.
“It was a conversation,” Marsden revealed about how he was convinced to return for Avengers: Doomsday. “And in that conversation, we talked about what my involvement would be and everything, but I hadn’t actually read the script yet. So that was something like, yeah, sure, yes, of course.”
Marsden can be seen in Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice this Friday, March 27, on Hulu and Disney+, while his return to X-Men happens this December in Avengers: Doomsday.