X-Men star James Marsden addresses his Marvel return for Avengers: Doomsday
Having not played the X-Men hero in over a decade, James Marsden has gushed his return as Cyclops for Avengers: Doomsday has been "a nice little homecoming" for him.
James Marsden feels like his return as Cyclops in Avengers: Doomsday has been “a nice little homecoming” for him.
The 51-year-old actor - who starred as the hero in 20th Century Studios’ X-Men franchise from the 2000 eponymous movie until the character's death in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand - is due to return as Cyclops for the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) blockbuster, and while Marsden feels he is “getting a little long in the tooth” to be a superhero, he’s thankful he’s been given the opportunity to suit up as the character again.
Speaking with Vanity Fair, Marsden said: “I’m getting a little long in the tooth to put on the superhero costume.
“I was excited because you're a part of something gigantic, and I've spent 20 years listening to people say, ‘When are you coming back? When are you coming back? Are you coming back?’ I'm dead. Well, maybe not.
“I'm going to have a tough time struggling to get into costume if they waited a couple more years.”
The Sonic the Hedgehog star - who previously returned as Cyclops for 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past - added it was “pretty special” to step back into his beloved role for Avengers: Doomsday.
He said: “So it's been a blast. It really has. It's been a nice little homecoming to a role that really put me on the map.
“It was the first real event project that I was ever a part of, and a very beloved character, this icon from the comics. And so to step back into that role was pretty special.”
Marsden won’t be the only X-Men star to return for Avengers: Doomsday, as Sir Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Sir Ian McKellen (Magneto), Kelsey Grammer (Beast), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler), Channing Tatum (Gambit) and Rebecca Romijn (Mystique) are also confirmed for the film.
Other stars announced for Avengers: Doomsday include Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Anthony Mackie (Captain America), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Sebastian Stan (James ‘Bucky’ Barnes) and Lewis Pullman (Sentry).
Meanwhile, The Fantastic Four - as portrayed by Pedro Pascal (Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (The Human Torch) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Thing) - are slated to join the team.
Avengers: Doomsday - which is being directed by Joe and Anthony Russo and is due to release on December 18, 2026 - will likely follow the Avengers, the New Avengers, the X-Men and the Fantastic Four as they join forces to stop Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) from unleashing his devastating plans across the Multiverse.
Recently, Anthony Mackie revealed the Avengers: Doomsday cast were still “in the midst of it” and production was “going well”.
When Screen Rant asked the 8 Mile actor if Avengers: Doomsday was close to wrapping, he said: “No. Hell no. No, we are in the midst of it.
“I mean, it's such a big, moving set piece, and it's such a big story. The best part of shooting a Marvel movie is that it's always an ever-evolving canvas. There are those staple pieces, and then there are the pieces that circulate throughout the course of the shoot.
“So, we're in the midst of it, but it's going well.”
