Marvel Studios seems to have has a plan for which superhero will be the leading figure in the MCU post-Phase 6. Phase 6 is about to come to an epic end with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, setting the stage for even more new and exciting stories to unfold in Phase 7 and beyond. Led by heroes like Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and more over the last 18 years, things are now set to change in a big way with the franchise's leads.
Marvel Studios will reportedly feature Cyclops as the leading figure in the MCU's third major saga of movies and TV shows. According to insider/host Kristian Harloff, "Cyclops will be the focus of the new mutant saga," which he noted while clarifying information he reported on Marvel Studios' Avengers: Doomsday.
The MCU is slowly working its way towards introducing a new set of X-Men into the story, which will come after featuring legacy X-Men stars next to Marvel Studios' veteran heroes in the next two Avengers movies. James Marsden will reprise his role as Cyclops in Avengers: Doomsday, serving as the X-Men's leader in battle, and he may also return for Avengers: Secret Wars. Following these movies, the X-Men will be recast and rebooted for the MCU, although Marvel does not have anyone in line to play Scott Summers as of writing.
Currently, Marvel Studios' last confirmed project with a set release date is Avengers: Secret Wars on December 17, 2027, which concludes Phase 6. Plans for Phases 7, 8, and 9 have not been revealed, although they are expected to be heavily focused on the X-Men and mutants.
How Cyclops Will Impact the MCU's Phase 7 & Beyond
While Cyclops was expected to get a boost to his role in the MCU after being sidelined in Fox's original X-Men Saga, this news seems to be pushing him even further into the spotlight. This news seems to partially corroborate previous rumors about Cyclops being a central figure for the X-Men in the MCU, and it opens the door for his entire family to be major players for the franchise moving forward.
Along with Scott Summers, the MCU also has the chance to bring back Jean Grey (his love interest/wife), Havok (his brother), Cable (his and Jean's son from the future), Rachel Summers (his daughter), and more. This group features some of the most powerful and interesting characters in Marvel history, including Cyclops himself.
Many hope to see a new version of the Dark Phoenix Saga revived in the MCU behind Jean Grey, which could be delivered through either her or Rachel Summers in later movies. After previous X-Men movies could not bring this story's full potential to life, fans hope Marvel Studios can do it justice within the MCU.
This news would also further solidify the idea of Phases 7-9 being dubbed "The Mutant Saga," which has been on fans' wishlists since Disney first got the movie rights to these characters back in 2019.
While more details may not be readily available until closer to the end of Phase 6, the Summers family is expected to be no small player in driving the MCU towards its next endgame-level event.
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.
