Yesterday morning, the third Avengers: Doomsday teaser trailer leaked online (you can find it here if you missed it). Putting the spotlight on the X-Men, the sneak peek concluded by showing James Marsden in Cyclops' comic-accurate blue and yellow costume.
Scott Summers always got the short end of the stick in 20th Century Fox's X-Men movies. Pushed aside so Wolverine could take the spotlight, he was slotted into the role of being Jean Grey's annoying boyfriend. Ultimately, he died in X-Men: The Last Stand when Marsden decided to follow filmmaker Bryan Singer to Superman Returns.
Cyclops fared a little better when Tye Sheridan took over the role, but still wasn't necessarily portrayed as the capable leader that fans of the comics know him as.
Chances are, Kevin Feige and the Russo Brothers are aware of that, as that shot of Cyclops removing his visor and shooting his optic blasts into the sky—while surrounded by Sentinels—is exactly what fans want to see from the character. Unsurprisingly, it's since inspired some impressive pieces of fan art.
You can check out some of our favourite pieces below, but make no mistake about it, Avengers: Doomsday is shaping up to be a turning point for how this character is portrayed on screen. And for Marsden, it feels like redemption, as he's finally given the chance to portray a version of Cyclops that does the source material justice.
"I’m getting a little long in the tooth to put on the superhero costume. [Laughs.] I was excited because you’re a part of something gigantic," Marsden said of his Avengers: Doomsday return earlier this year. "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. So it’s been a blast. It really has," the actor added. "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."
How excited are you to see Slim back on the big screen in Avengers: Doomsday?
Avengers: Doomsday officially stars Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Winston Duke, Tom Hiddleston, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, and Robert Downey Jr. Wyatt Russell, Simu Liu, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, Florence Pugh, Danny Ramirez, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Lewis Pullman all make their Avengers franchise debuts in the movie.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps leads Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn join them, as do X-Men franchise stars Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, with Deadpool & Wolverine star Channing Tatum.
Chris Evans is also officially confirmed to reprise his role as Steve Rogers, as is India Rose Hemsworth as Love. The Hollywood trades have reported that Hayley Atwell and Ryan Reynolds will appear as Peggy Carter and Deadpool, respectively.
The Russo Brothers direct Avengers: Doomsday from a screenplay by Stephen McFeely, with whom they previously collaborated on the Avengers and Captain America franchises. Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness's Michael Waldron is also working on the script.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to arrive on December 17, 2027.