X-MEN Actor Calls Returning to Role ‘Pretty Special’: ‘It’s Been a Blast’

Published: August 18, 2025

By India McCarty

X-MEN star James Marsden says returning to the MCU for AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY has been a total “blast.”

“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?’” the actor said in a recent interview with Vanity Fair.

Marsden played Scott Summers, also known as Cyclops, in 2000s X-MEN and following movies X2: X-MEN UNITED and X-MEN: THE LAST STAND, in which his character was killed off.

“I’m dead,” Marsden said of his character, then added, “Well, maybe not.”

He continued, “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.”

JAMES MARSDEN WILL RETURN AS CYCLOPS IN ‘AVENGERS DOOMSDAY’. pic.twitter.com/B0vYmYMPQp

— X-Men Updates (@XMenUpdate) March 26, 2025

Along with Marsden, fellow X-MEN actors Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn and Kelsey Grammer will also reprise their roles for DOOMSDAY.

Romijn spoke about shooting DOOMSDAY at this year’s Comic-Con, saying the process has been “very, very fun.”

“It was very surreal to be with my old cast as well as a new cast,” the actress shared. “I had crazy dreams while I was there for a large chunk of shooting. Like, really kind of regressive dreams. It was very strange, my brain was really trying to organize. Like, wow, this is a character I played 25 years ago, 20 years ago. Yeah, [it was] very surreal.”

While Marvel fans are excited to see their favorite X-MEN actors return to their roles, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige has made it clear that they aren’t permanent additions to the MCU.

In a conversation with press, he explained that 2027’s AVENGERS: SECRET WARS will serve as a “reset” for the franchise.

“Reboot is a scary word,” Feige added. “Reboot can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Reset, singular timeline — we’re thinking along those lines. X-MEN is where that will happen next.”

He also shared that future X-MEN projects will focus on younger characters, pointing out that many of the series’ comic books are centered on Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.

“They have been a place to tell stories about young people who feel different and who feel Other and who feel like they don’t belong,” he said of the comic books. “That’s the universal story of mutants, and that is where we’re going.”

MCU fans can’t wait to see Marsden and the rest of the X-MEN actors reprise their roles — and to see which new actors Marvel brings on to continue the story of the mutant superheroes.

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