X-Men veteran James Marsden teased the exciting idea of worlds colliding in a new discussion about Marvel Studios' Avengers: Doomsday. Along with the biggest cast of any Marvel movie in history, Doomsday will explore multiple different universes in its plot, going far beyond anything seen in the comic book movie world. While plot details for the movie are still unconfirmed, the theory of multiple universes may be quite prevalent in this eagerly awaited sequel.
Cyclops star James Marsden spoke with Variety about his return to the role in Marvel Studios' Avengers: Doomsday. Commenting on how long it has been since his last time playing the role, he shared how fans can "feel that it's something special." He also spoke on the world being ready for what this movie will deliver and for "these worlds to collide," possibly hinting at the film's core plot:
"25 years later, yeah, yeah, it's different. Well, I guess 20 years later. It's exciting, you can feel that it's something special, you can feel the world is ready for this movie and these worlds to kind of collide."
He also admitted that he was not sure if he would get another chance to play Cyclops again, joking that Marvel was waiting for him and his castmates to "get a little grey in the hair, long in the tooth" before they returned:
"I thought there was a chance, but I think once 10 years passed and then 20 years passed, it was like 'Well, that was a nice idea.' But now, I guess it was just waiting for us all to get a little grey in the hair, long in the tooth, to bring us back."
Marsden's 'worlds collide' comments are referring to the X-Men and MCU worlds meeting in Avengers: Doomsday for the first time in a substantial manner; his comments also have a clever double meaning regarding worlds literally colliding in Doomsday.
These quotes potentially tease the idea of multiple universes colliding with one another in Avengers: Doomsday, a concept already seen in 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Specifically, this event was called an Incursion, and it leaves one or both universes in question destroyed.
James Marsden starred in the original X-Men saga as Scott Summers/Cyclops, appearing in all three films from the original trilogy and making a cameo in 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past. Announced to return for Doomsday in March 2025, Marsden's Cyclops was recently shown in the movie's third trailer, marking his first appearance in the role in more than a decade.
Avengers: Doomsday will be the MCU's fifth Avengers movie and the third theatrical release lined up for Marvel Studios' Phase 6 slate. Led by Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom, at least 29 MCU and legacy Marvel stars are confirmed for this movie's cast, which will bring to life an all-out battle between Doom and the Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and more. Avengers: Doomsday will debut in theaters on December 18.
Incursions Incoming in Avengers: Doomsday?
At the very least, due to this film's inclusion of various teams from the MCU and past Marvel films, fans are well aware that multiple universes will be part of the story. Looking at Marsden's comments, it should be no surprise that the idea of worlds colliding with one another could be one of the biggest driving forces for the plot.
In Doctor Strange 2, fans saw the aftereffects of an Incursion when Strange and Christine Palmer went to the universe in which Strange interacted with his doppelganger who protected the Darkhold. That universe had withered away to almost nothing, with the sky fading away and all color having evaporated from the surroundings.
In Doomsday, it seems likely that Doctor Doom's actions against the multiverse may lead to at least the threat of an Incursion making an impact on one or more universes. Interactions between heroes from different universes have already been confirmed by multiple actors, as fans wonder which of their worlds could be in real danger of being destroyed.
Considering Cyclops' position as one of the X-Men's leaders, Marsden may be more familiar with the idea of Incursions than others, making his role in the movie particularly intriguing to follow.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
