James Marsden Says AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY Cranks Up Cyclops in a Way the X-Men Movies Never Did

For a lot of X-Men fans, James Marsden never really got the chance to show everything Cyclops was capable of on the big screen.

The original Fox films introduced Scott Summers as the team’s field leader, but the spotlight often shifted elsewhere, leaving one of Marvel’s most important mutants feeling underused.

That looks like it’s finally changing with Avengers: Doomsday.

The first footage from the film has already teased a much more commanding Cyclops, and during Comic-Con, Marsden shared a few thoughts that should get longtime fans excited.

If what we’ve seen so far is any indication, Marvel Studios might finally be giving Scott Summers the showcase he’s deserved for decades.

When asked if Doomsday includes the kind of defining Cyclops moment fans have been hoping for, Marsden was understandably careful not to reveal too much, but he did point to one sequence that meant a lot to him.

“Well, the moments I can talk about are probably the moments from the trailer, which is a pretty epic shot.

“You know there’s a great cover of Cyclops in one of the comics where he’s on his knees and just unleashing his full optic blast, and that was pretty special, pretty cool scene to shoot, so, it doesn’t get much more Cyclops than that,” Marsden said.

“The first movie was so long ago, and there were was so many characters being introduced, and you know, everybody shined, but I feel like we just turned up the volume on this one quite a bit.”

Thats exactly what I want to hear! Marsden first suited up as Cyclops in the original X-Men movie back in 2000, but even across three films, Scott Summers never really received the attention his comic counterpart deserved.

Things became even more frustrating in X-Men: The Last Stand, where the character was pushed aside almost immediately before disappearing from the franchise altogether.

Meanwhile, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine went on to headline multiple solo adventures, including Logan and Deadpool & Wolverine, while Cyclops remained on the sidelines.

Now, after all these years, Marsden is finally getting another shot, and from everything that’s been revealed, this version of Cyclops looks like the one fans have been waiting to see.

The trailers feature Scott sporting his classic badass ‘90s costume and unleashing devastating optic blasts against an unknown enemy.

The footage suggests those targets are Sentinels. On top of that, a recently revealed LEGO set shows Cyclops piloting a Quinjet, hinting that he’ll have a significant part to play in the fight against Doctor Doom.

I’m really hoping Marvel follows through on that promise. Cyclops is one of Marvel’s greatest tacticians and one of the defining leaders of the X-Men.

For far too long, the movies treated him like a supporting player when he should’ve been one of the central heroes driving the story.

Hopefully, Doomsday finally lets Scott Summers step into that leadership role. The visual spectacle is great, but what I’d really love to see is Cyclops making the big calls, standing toe-to-toe with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and proving why the X-Men have always trusted him to lead them into impossible battles.

It’s exciting to think Marsden may finally get the material that has eluded him since his first appearance nearly 26 years ago.

Whether this is the beginning of something bigger remains to be seen. Most fans still expect Marvel Studios to introduce a newly cast X-Men team following Secret Wars, but the Multiverse has shown that just about anything is possible.

It certainly wouldn’t be hard to imagine Marsden sticking around in some capacity if audiences embrace his return… if Marvel doesn’t kill him off.

For now, though, I’m just hoping Avengers: Doomsday gives Cyclops a major role in the story and reminds everyone why Scott Summers has always been one of the most badass heroes in Marvel Comics.

Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18.