James Marsden Would Love To Return As Cyclops; Comments On His "Death" In X-Men 3!

James Marsden Would Love To Return As Cyclops; Comments On His "Death" In X-Men 3!

The actor goes into detail about the focus being on Hugh Jackman's Wolverine in the X-Men movies, comments on the way in which Cyclops was killed off and the fan reaction to that as well as his desire to return for a fourth movie...

By JoshWilding - Mar 31, 2011 12:03 PM EST
Filed Under: X-Men
Source: Movieline

Many fans were unhappy with the way in which Cyclops was portrayed in Bryan Singer's two movies, and even more upset with how he was apparently killed off by Brett Ratner in the third installment of the franchise. Well, James Marsden has no commented on both of those things in a recent interview. Here are the X-Men related excerpts, but ro read it in its entirety, be sure to head on over to Movieline by clicking the link below.

This week we heard whispers that even more X-Men films are in the works. Do you hope to return to the franchise?

Yeah, I would love to! Honestly, people ask me more about that than anything and it’s almost embarrassing how little I know about what’s going on with X-Men: First Class. But I guess it’s obviously a prequel and it takes place before our movies, so I’m excited to see it, and I’m excited they’re making it. I think they’re smart, they know they can make X-Men movies as long as they want. There are plenty of characters and plenty of backstories, so I’m happy that they’re continuing the mythology. And I’m happy to have been a part of it at some point. But it would be great to get Hugh [Jackman] and Famke [Janssen] and Patrick [Stewart] and Ian [McKellan] and Halle [Berry] and everybody back together again to do another installment, our next chapter.


Did you share certain feelings about how Cyclops went out in X-Men: The Last Stand, or were you satisfied with his ending?

[Laughs] Well, the thing is I appreciate all the fans that have said that he didn’t get his due, or whatever. But for me it’s very difficult to look back on that experience with any sort of disappointment or regret. I feel really lucky to have been in those movies and feel very proud of what I do in those movies; it’s difficult when you have however many — 12, 15 — new characters that you’re trying to introduce to an audience in 90 to 120 minutes, to give everyone their due. That’s one of the reasons you’re seeing so many spin-offs, because every character could have a spin-off. You could have a Cyclops spin-off, you could have a Jean Grey spin-off — there’s an enormous wealth of backstory and character that you could make a franchise out of each of these characters.

So in our X-Men they were always written from Wolverine’s standpoint. He was the lead protagonist. But that could have easily been Storm’s, or Beast’s — it just so happens that the ones I was a part of were very much focused on Wolverine, who was a very popular character in the comics. But I think there’s a lot more story to Cyclops, there’s a lot more depth that exists in the comics. But again, I’m also really realistic about the challenge of introducing and bringing all that depth to however many characters there are within the average running time of a movie.





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LEEE777
LEEE777 - 3/31/2011, 12:15 PM
Yawn, all this guy is, is just talk!

Good luck with an X4 coz FOX wants to [frick] the franchise up with Fist A$$ 1, Fist A$$ 2, Fist A$$ 3 etc! : p
Ranger14
Ranger14 - 3/31/2011, 12:23 PM
We will never see the old cast of the X-Men again. The reboot... umm... errr.... prequel... will see to that.
SoulAllFlush
SoulAllFlush - 3/31/2011, 12:26 PM
I'd like him to come back, but they'd have to put a lot more effort into the character. Make him much more of a leader.

A reboot doesn't mean a change of actor, a reboot for a comic book film should just be a retcon anyway, not a 'back-to-basics' 'work from scratch' affair.
6of13
6of13 - 3/31/2011, 12:28 PM
How unfortunate with all the character depth and their back histories that The Last Stand showed hardly any character development.
JoshWilding
JoshWilding - 3/31/2011, 12:28 PM
I'm beginning to think it's YOU who's all talk LEE! :P Only two months to go mate...just you wait and see, X-Men: First Class will be a great movie! Everything I've seen and heard certainly points to that anyway.

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marvel72
marvel72 - 3/31/2011, 12:30 PM
they should of rebooted the x-men with first class.

fox knows best,fox can kiss my shit hole.
mainstream05
mainstream05 - 3/31/2011, 12:31 PM
Wait, where does he talk about how he was killed off?
gambgel
gambgel - 3/31/2011, 12:32 PM
Finally one actor from the franchise says it was focused on Wolverine.

It wasnt fair, however Wolverine was popular in the comics or not.
number10
number10 - 3/31/2011, 12:36 PM
cyclops has been known to defeat wolverine in combat yet singer makes him out to be some sissy [foo foo]
TheStranger
TheStranger - 3/31/2011, 12:38 PM
He wasn't bad as Cyke at all, but he got raped in those movies. They didn't give him the right lines. Nor did they establish him as the amazing leader he is. In X1 the story wasn't focused on the team. In X2 he gets abducted like some little girl. In X3 he gets killed by Jean Grey/wannabe Scarlet Witch. Dude never gets a break.
queenofdisaster
queenofdisaster - 3/31/2011, 12:39 PM
It was a joke how they treated Cyclops in the movies. Look, Wolverine's a great character, he used to be my fave during my teens, but he is supposed to be the perfect foil to Scott, who has the personality of a true leader. I would have loved to see more Scott scenes, leading the team, and actually watching him and Jean be a couple for goodness' sake. X-Men 3 was the ultimate insult to his character - gets a lousy death off screen, after which Wolverine becomes the leader (instead of Storm, WTF) and gets to be the one to kiss Jean and to tell her that he loves her. Insane!!
MARVELous
MARVELous - 3/31/2011, 12:39 PM
***i would love to see an X-Men movie that displays how great a leader Cyclops is. his tactical awareness and combat prowess surpasses many in the Marvel universe.***
JosePetrelli12
JosePetrelli12 - 3/31/2011, 12:39 PM
MAN... I just want a good on-screen version of Cyclops. Even in Origins he only got off two good eye blasts. ANd only one of those hit its intended target. BS!!!!
Ranger14
Ranger14 - 3/31/2011, 12:39 PM
marvel72@ I have said since the first hints of this, that the prequel is going to end up being a reboot in the long run. It is a good way to "retcon" the whole franchise and start over. I still think they are trying to sell the Prequel aspect to keep some of the fans happy. Just my opinion. :-)
WellDrawn
WellDrawn - 3/31/2011, 12:46 PM
Cyclops is the Jacktard of the X-men. He's just like Leonardo from TMNT, a complete douche.
ShadesAtKnight
ShadesAtKnight - 3/31/2011, 12:49 PM
I'd love to see him return, but an X4, I don't care for. Catch22 I suppose.

But Marsden did great with what he was given, though what he was given wasn't much unfortunately.
ShadesAtKnight
ShadesAtKnight - 3/31/2011, 12:51 PM
And you idiots who hate Cyke, go pick up a Joss Whedon or Matt Fraction or Ed Brubaker X-Men comic.
CapFan79
CapFan79 - 3/31/2011, 12:54 PM
Yawn at the Fox haters. Marvel Studios didn't exist when they made these and Marvel Entertainment was involved. Arad was EXECUTIVE Producer. If Fox hadn;t made these then we wouldn't be where we are today with all these films.

Anyway I'm sure had he not left for Superman his role would've been small anyways, if you compare to X2, so his death probably didn't change too much. Arad chose to make Wolverine the focus, just like he forced Venom on Raimi. I can see why he bailed for SR.

Still, I'd love an X4 film that centered on the return of Cyclops and Xavier with Magneto getting his powers back (no Wolverine and Storm). Maybe it could be a good plot. Sentinels?

I interpreted Donner's comments about X4 and X5 the other day as being sequels to First Class, but unless she totally can't count we likely will get an X4.
Armageddon26
Armageddon26 - 3/31/2011, 1:04 PM
Cyclops is the best,those stupid [frick]ing wolverine movies just didnt allow you to see who the character truly is
gambgel
gambgel - 3/31/2011, 1:08 PM
All this new talk about the future of the franchise is getting interesting.

I hope the other actors from the main trilogy start talking about X4.

Hopefully Fox will give it green light next year.
DBeck
DBeck - 3/31/2011, 1:25 PM
@pitydafool "Its just crazy its like if saberthooth and deapool fought to the death and they didnt show it but referenced it that would be just silly." I literally spit out my water laughing. Well played sir.
Urban8er
Urban8er - 3/31/2011, 1:36 PM
[Frick] FOX! And fist A$$ is going to SUCK!!!!!!!
nuck82
nuck82 - 3/31/2011, 1:37 PM
agreed [frick] singer, cyclops was made out to be a [foo foo] in the movies, the only movie that gave him so credit was x1 the back and forth with him and wolverine was great but thats it. i want more cyclops in xmen movies, he is the [frick]ing leader after all!!! and this guy was great as cyks and i would love for him to do it again, [frick] x3!! cyclops has never died in any comic, so suck me side ways!!
StuartGreen01
StuartGreen01 - 3/31/2011, 1:44 PM
@Knightstalker's comment - "BS! I remember an interview with him where he didn't want to come back for X-3 and only agreed to do it if he was taken out early and his part wasn't very big."

Where was that? I remember James Marsden saying he'd not only love to come back for "X-Men 3", but he'd do it FOR FREE. Here's the link to that:
http://www.insomniacmania.com/news/2271/james-marsden-wants-be-cyclops-x-men-3-he-will-even-do-it-free

He's always been saying he'd love to come back to play Cyclops and he was a great Cyclops, even if the role Cyclops got in the movies wasn't great. Marsden isn't like Bill Murray to "Ghostbusters 3" in that he'd be reluctant to go back to his role. It was because Marsden agreed to do "Superman Returns" with Bryan Singer that made Fox decide, "You're doing Superman when we're trying to do another X-Men? Well, we'll show you! The movies are about Wolverine as the lead anyway, not Cyclops! We'll make the story even more dramatic by having Jean Grey kill Cyclops and THAT will be what makes her go crazy! Fans will LOVE IT!"

As we all know, that approach backfired, Fox gained the ire of fans for Cyclops' "death" scene, and to this day most fans still aren't convinced he's dead and/or want to see him come back.

I don't get where all the hate to Cyclops comes from. Blame the writers, blame Fox for reducing Cyclops's role, blame Bryan Singer or Brett Ratner for making the LEADER of the X-Men a SUPPORTING character, blame anyone you want. I prefer not to blame Marsden. At least he WANTS to come back as Cyclops, and after being Cyclops for three movies, he doesn't have to and yet he'd love to. That's rare, especially since guys like Christian Bale don't want to be their character for more than three movies.

I say, let James Marsden come back as Cyclops. Then again, Cyclops is and always has been my favorite X-Man, so my comments shouldn't be too much of a surprise.
Durango95
Durango95 - 3/31/2011, 1:54 PM
Marsden's Cyclops was the ONLY bright spot in Singer's X-Men for me. The rest of the cast sucked!
kylum616
kylum616 - 3/31/2011, 2:00 PM
im sorry im new to this site but why the hell are pepole exteid for fist a$$ if fox is behind it it most sertinly will suck
TheGoshdarnRobin
TheGoshdarnRobin - 3/31/2011, 2:06 PM
@TheGDSUPERGUY

Superman takes orders from Batman all the time in battle.
marvel72
marvel72 - 3/31/2011, 2:14 PM
cyclops was so badly treated in all the x-men films.

-never really showed how much of a leader he really was.

-always made out to be a vagina in front of wolverine.

-the small role he had in x-men 2.

-when wolverine stole his car,the n-sync cd in the stereo was insulting

-the 5 minute scene he had in x-men 3.

-when the phoenix died in x-men 3,cyclops should of been there in her final moments not wolverine.

and finally if any character should of been in first class its cyclops.

JULES
JULES - 3/31/2011, 2:22 PM
@pitydafool
@ dbeck- me too :)
Lol. You sir are a scholar and gentalman with a great sense of humor. Also, great job on catching what he says on adding depth to characters in team film. If only WB felt the same way. O'well
nuck82
nuck82 - 3/31/2011, 2:25 PM
agreed 110% with marvel72!!!! we need a cyclops movie!!! or at lest him in 1st class insted of his little brother havoc
kylum616
kylum616 - 3/31/2011, 2:32 PM
@marvel72

FINILLY!!! someone who is atchully saine that is my fox shouldnt make anthour f@$king movie
JackBauer
JackBauer - 3/31/2011, 2:46 PM
I'm pretty sure he was only in X3 for 5 minutes because he was tied up filming that blockbuster called Superman Returns. I could be wrong, but that still doesn't excuse how he got the shaft in X2. I did love the interaction between him and Wolvie in X1 though.
CapFan79
CapFan79 - 3/31/2011, 2:52 PM
@JackBauer I think you mean "lackluster" Superman Returns. If a film doesn't make it's money back domestically then its not a blockbuster (unless that's where you rent it from). X3 made about $100 mil more than SR on a smaller budget.
JackBauer
JackBauer - 3/31/2011, 2:54 PM
They need to reboot the series:

X1 Reboot: The ORIGINAL team takes on Apocalypse. No more Magneto. Begin to set up the Dark Phoenix Saga.
X2 Reboot: The Mutant Massacre with Sinister and the Marauders. Use the same team from that arc, just add Cyclops and Jean. Introduce the Shi'ar in after credits sequence.
X3 Reboot: Do a proper [frick]ing Dark Phoenix movie with the X-men getting their asses kicked by the Imperial Guard with Cyke and Jean on the run.
JackBauer
JackBauer - 3/31/2011, 2:56 PM
@CapFan79 - I was being sarcastic bro :)
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