James Marsden is back as Cyclops, and the little glimpse we saw of him in the leaked Avengers: Doomsday teaser (via X) proves that Scott Summers is in full force. However, Marsden’s return takes us back to the X-Men days, particularly X-Men: The Last Stand, where his character met a shocking and abrupt end.
So, what happened? After Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) sacrificed her life in X2, fans will remember seeing a Phoenix-like shape rising from the Alkali Lake. This brings us to The Last Stand, where we see Scott still distraught over her death.
TITLEX-Men: The Last StandRELEASE DATEMay 26, 2006DIRECTORBrett RatnerWRITTEN BYSimon KinbergZak PennROTTEN TOMATOES56%BOX OFFICE (Via The Numbers)$459,260,946
A depressed Scott keeps hearing Jean’s voice calling his name, and he eventually drives to the Alkali Lake, where she lost her life. Thinking that he is losing his mind, he demands the voices to stop, but to no avail. The loud voices and visions of Jean’s death cause him to shoot an optic blast at the water, and he is shocked to see that he created a whirlpool, which continues to get bigger until a splash of water knocks him off his feet.
He looks up to see a figure standing over him, which he realizes is Jean. Overcome with emotions, they embrace and kiss after she reassures him that he cannot hurt her. In the middle of the kiss, Jean opens her eyes, and something strange happens to Scott, which those back at the school are able to feel.
Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Storm (Halle Berry) rush to the area only to find Scott’s glasses and a comatose Jean. Logan later comes to the conclusion that Jean killed Scott. That is the last we see of Marsden, until the next film, X-Men: Days of Future Past. Watch the scene below:
Not only was Scott’s death unexpected, but it was also absolutely unnecessary, as many fans have argued. It didn’t make sense why Jean, even with the Dark Phoenix alter ego, would attack Scott of all people.
So if Scott died in X3, how is Marsden returning in Doomsday? Well, luckily for fans, the films redeemed themselves with Days of Future Past by bringing him back when Logan reawakens in 2023 after helping stop Mystique from assassinating Bolivar Trask in 1973.
Real Reason Why James Marsden’s Cyclops Was Killed off in X3
Superman Returns | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
If Cyclops’ death in X3 felt rushed and forced, it’s because it was, and there may be a shocking reason behind the decision. According to MovieWeb, Marsden’s character was killed off in The Last Stand after he was cast in Superman Returns.
Filmmaker Bryan Singer, who directed the first two X-Men films, dropped out of The Last Stand to work on Superman Returns, and he took Marsden with him. Marsden was pretty much an unknown actor when he was first cast as Cyclops, but with time and projects like The Notebook, he started gaining real popularity.
Reportedly, 20th Century Fox’s Tom Rothman was so disappointed by Singer’s exit that he decided to fast-track The Last Stand and set a release date for May 26, 2006, despite not having a finished script.
Now, X3 and Superman Returns faced scheduling conflicts. Marsden had apparently hoped to do both films properly, but reports suggest that the studio ordered Cyclops to be killed as a punishment for doing Superman Returns. Of course, the studio never confirmed these reports.
Perhaps if it weren’t for the conflict, Marsden would have had a more prominent role in X3, instead of having his character die in the first 20 minutes. The original idea was to have him become the leader he was meant to be, pushing the mutants to train hard and avoid further deaths after Jean’s loss. Instead, what we got was someone who was the complete opposite of that.
James Marsden Talks About Reprising His Role in Avengers: Doomsday
The third teaser for Avengers: Doomsday shows Marsden’s Cyclops in a blue suit, taking his glasses off and shooting a powerful beam from his eyes before the screen fades to black.
Talking to Vanity Fair about revisiting the character after over a decade, Marsden stated that the feeling was “pretty special.” He stated that he was constantly asked about his return, and while getting into the costume was a struggle, he couldn’t be happier.
He said,
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.
Marsden went on to add that Doomsday proved to be “a nice little homecoming” for him, as Cyclops was essentially the role that made him a household name. In his words,
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.
So, Marsden is back, and we cannot be more excited. He is bringing his old friends along for the ride, and it will be a treat to see how Marvel Studios handles the mutants we love so much.
What do you think awaits Marsden’s Scott Summers? Share your theories in the comments section below!
Stream the X-Men films on Disney+. Avengers: Doomsday will be released on December 18, 2026.
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