James Marsden Comes Clean About Lying for AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY and Teases Cyclops’ Comic-Accurate Return

When Marvel Studios is gearing up for a massive crossover like Avengers: Doomsday, secrecy becomes part of the game. Actors dodge questions, fans speculate wildly, and sometimes… people straight-up lie.

Now, James Marsden is owning up to doing exactly that as he finally confirms his return as Scott Summers, aka Cyclops.

Marsden’s comeback was officially revealed in one of the film’s teaser trailers released over the past few months, but before that, he played along with Marvel’s usual “say nothing” strategy. While appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the actor didn’t hold back about how it all went down.

"I did. I lied. I was lying. I was being coy. I was told by Marvel, 'You can’t say anything.' And I was like, 'What if I just say I’m not in it?' They were like, 'That’s fine.'

"And then there was all this litigation and stuff going on, and I was like, 'I don’t want to get in trouble.' So I just lied. I’m sorry. I am in it. Yeah. I’m in Avengers: Doomsday. I’m back as Cyclops."

It’s classic Marvel misdirection, and it makes you wonder how many other “denials” from actors are about to age poorly once the movie hits theaters this December.

Beyond the secrecy, Marsden seems genuinely pumped about stepping back into Cyclops’ boots, especially because this time he finally gets to wear something fans have wanted for decades.

Instead of the black leather suits from the early X-Men films, he’s rocking the bright blue and yellow costume straight out of the comics.

"Yeah, the yellow one with the blue. It’s pretty cool. It’s the one from the comics," he shared. "The visor is...you can’t really see out of it very well. It’s like wearing sunglasses inside all the time.

“You’re like, 'Where am I going?' But it looks cool. I had a little cameo in Days of Future Past. So it’s been a while since The Last Stand in 2006. I’m back. It was fun to put the visor on again."

Marsden also pointed out how much more practical the new suit is compared to the stiff costumes he used to wear.

"You couldn’t really do anything. Like, if you had to jump over a wall or something...it was restrictive. The new one is better."

While it doesn’t sound like Cyclops or the X-Men will dominate the story, their inclusion in Avengers: Doomsday feels significant. There’s a strong sense that this could act as a farewell to the original Fox-era mutants before Marvel Studios fully reimagines the team for the MCU.

Either way, seeing Marsden back in action and finally suited up in a comic-accurate design is going to be a fun moment for longtime fans.