James Marsden is finally stepping back into Cyclops’ visor in the 2026 movie schedule release of Avengers: Doomsday. This long-hoped-for reprisal comes three decades after Marsden first started playing Scott Summers for the original X-Men. The return brings plenty of nostalgia but, as he recently told us, not every part of suiting up feels exactly as it did the first timeCinemaBlend caught up with Marsden at San Diego Comic-Con this weekend. Our own Jeff McCobb asked what felt most different about playing Cyclops again, along with what remained shockingly familiar. Marsden went straight for the easiest target: the passage of time. He explained:Well, my body doesn’t feel the same. My body feels pretty different. I mean, I guess, 27 years later.Our interviewer immediately jumped in to insist that the Jury Duty a-lister still looked the same, which earned a laugh and a grateful response from the actor. He accepted the compliment, though he was not about to pretend that wearing a superhero suit today feels identical to doing it in his twenties.His answer is funny because the Enchanted star remains one of those actors who, much like his Doomsday co-star Paul Rudd, seems to have negotiated unusually favorable terms with aging. Still, Cyclops is not exactly a forgiving role. The costume is tightly fitted, the posture is rigid and Scott Summers has traditionally carried himself as though relaxing his shoulders might trigger an international incident.(Image credit: Marvel Studios)Marsden’s original run also arrived during a very different era of comic book movies. He first suited up during production on the groundbreaking comic book film, 2000’s X-Men, before interconnected universes and annual new superhero movie releases became standard studio business. Now, he is returning in a crossover that places the Fox-era mutants alongside Avengers and Fantastic Four characters.The physical experience may feel different after nearly three decades, but the returning X-Men star said the emotional charge came rushing back as soon as he put on the costume and visor. That part of playing Cyclops, at least, has not changed. He continued:What does feel the same? I guess that, sort of, feeling that runs through your blood when you put on the visor on and you throw the suit on and just–it’s such an iconic role. It’s such a special movie franchise that I’ve been a part of for so long. And that thrill and that sort of adrenaline rush, stepping into this character again, is the same from the first day I did it.That enthusiasm helps explain why fans have been so excited about Marsden’s return. Cyclops was a key member of the original Fox-era X-Men lineup, but those movies often pushed him aside to spend more time with Wolverine, Magneto and Professor X. Avengers: Doomsday gives Marvel another chance to show why Scott Summers is supposed to be one of the team’s central leaders. You can watch a portion of CB's conversation with James Marsden in the clip embedded below:A post shared by CinemaBlend (@cinemablend)A photo posted by on Marvel officially confirmed Marsden's return as Cyclops alongside Patrick Stewart’s Professor X and Ian McKellen’s Magneto back in March 2025. They'll also be joined in the film by other franchise alums like Rebecca Romijn and Alan Cumming, who will reprise their roles as Mystique and Nightcrawler, respectively. The Russo brothers’ crossover reaches theaters Dec. 18, 2026.Marsden also joined several of his Doomsday co-stars during Marvel Studios’ Comic-Con presentation, making his return feel considerably more real than a name on a cast list.Whether Cyclops gets enough screen time to make up for the old movies remains to be seen. Marsden, however, clearly has not lost his affection for the character. His body may be filing a few more complaints, but the visor still flips the same internal switch.You can revisit Fox's era of Cyclops and all the Marvel movies streaming with a Disney+ subscription.