X-Males: The Final Stand was one of many largest motion pictures of summer season 2006. The earlier two X-Males movies had been main field workplace and important hits, and with the third movie teasing an epic last showdown and an adaptation of the Darkish Phoenix Saga, followers had been excited. Audiences actually confirmed up in droves throughout its opening weekend, when it broke the report for the largest Memorial Day opening weekend on the time. But essential and fan response to the film was extra unfavourable and was seen as a major step-down within the franchise.

There have been a whole lot of criticisms of the third film, from smashing collectively The Darkish Phoneix storyline with the mutant remedy storyline in a movie whose runtime was shorter than X2: X-Males United to the dealing with of sure characters. One was Cyclops, performed by James Marsden. Regardless of being the chief of the X-Males within the comics, he was killed off early within the film by The Phoenix. This actually took followers abruptly since not solely was he a serious character, however he was additionally within the posters suited up in his costume, regardless of by no means carrying it within the movie. Why did the filmmakers kill off Cyclops so early? Right here is how a rushed launch date, a bitter studio govt, and Superman killed Cyclops in X-Males: The Final Stand.

Cyclops’ Function Was Lowered Resulting from Scheduling Conflicts

James Marsden performed Cyclops in X-Males and X2: X-Males United and was set to have a serious function in X-Males: The Final Stand. The unique concept was that following the occasions of X2, Cyclops would start pushing the X-Males more durable to coach and guarantee they may keep away from loss of life after dropping Jean Gray. He would have constructed the Hazard Room and would have been current all through the film.

But within the completed movie, Cyclops’ function is subjugated to the primary 20 minutes. The movie establishes that he has been checked out since Jean’s loss of life, to the purpose that Wolverine is subbing in for him in Hazard Room classes, and Xavier is trying to Storm to guide the X-Males. Cyclops later goes to Alkali Lake and finds Jean Gray alive. Jean makes use of her powers to cease Scott’s optic blast to look into his eyes, however when she kisses him, she finally ends up killing him. Audiences do not see him die onscreen, as Wolverine later finds Cyclops’ glasses floating once they uncover Jean Gray, however Cyclops’ physique isn’t proven. Later, it’s revealed that Jean Gray did, in truth, kill the person she liked utilizing the Phoenix Pressure.

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This was a fast loss of life for a beloved character and somebody whose star energy was on the rise. Whereas Marsden was a relative unknown when he was first forged as Cyclops in 2000, by 2006, he had began to make a reputation for himself, together with a distinguished function within the romantic field workplace hit The Pocket book and a task on the hit tv present, Ally McBeal. Marsden had clearly grow to be a favourite of director Bryan Singer, who forged him in his subsequent film after X2: X-Males United, the movie that may trigger scheduling conflicts for Marsden on X-Males: The Final Stand. That film was Superman Returns.

James Marsden in Superman Returns

Superman Returns

Launch Date

June 30, 2006

Director

Bryn Singer

Runtime

154 Minutes

Studio

Warner Bros. Photos

Tagline

On June 30, 2006! Look Up In The Sky!

Bryan Singer directed each X-Males and X2: X-Males United, however regardless of each movies being field workplace and important hits, twentieth Century Fox didn’t rush to signal him to direct X-Males: The Final Stand. By 2004, he determined to direct Superman Returns, the newest in an extended line of in-development Superman movies that Warner Bros. had been attempting to make. Warner Bros. set a launch date for Superman Returns for June 30, 2006. In an odd accident, future X-Males: The Final Stand director Brett Ratner was signed on to do Superman Flyby, the movie that changed into Superman Returns, that means Signer and Ratner traded movies.

twentieth Century Fox chairman Tom Rothman was so upset by Singer leaving X-Males: The Final Stand in favor of one other studio tentpole superhero movie he fast-tracked X-Males: The Final Stand and set a launch date for Could 26, 2006, though they didn’t have a script. The concept was to get X-Males: The Final Stand out earlier than Superman Returns. Singer mentioned he would have returned to direct X-Males: The Final Stand after Superman Returns had the studio held off on the discharge date, however twentieth Century Fox needed the film out shortly to match the three-year hole between X-Males and X2: X-Males United.

Singer had forged James Marsden in Superman Returns. Marsden was not taking part in Superman, Lex Luthor, or any comedian e book character; as an alternative, a brand new character was invented for the film: Richard White. Richard White was the nephew of Every day Planet editor Perry White, Lois Lane’s fiancee, and apparently the daddy of their little one, Jason. Richard White could be very a lot within the fashion of Marsden’s character in one other film, The Pocket book, and even Cyclops within the X-Males movies, the “different man” that stands in the way in which of the principle romance however can also be by no means performed as a jerk however only a good man. Marsden would play an identical function in Enchanted the next 12 months.

When Marsden was forged in Superman Returns, it was clear that there could be a problem as X-Males: The Final Stand and Superman Returns had been now competing movies with comparable manufacturing schedules. Bryan Singer additionally supplied Iceman actor Shawn Ashmore the function of Jimmy Olson in Superman Returns, however he declined because of scheduling conflicts with X-Males: The Final Stand. Whereas Marsden doubtless hoped to do each movies, rumors have circulated that the Cyclops character was killed off as an order from the studio as punishment for doing Superman Returns. Whereas that has by no means been confirmed, it does say one thing concerning the Fox X-Males movies that Marsden would relatively play a non-superpowered unique character than one among Marvel’s most well-known characters.

The Fox Motion pictures By no means Knew What to Do With Cyclops

Whereas Cyclops’ loss of life in X-Males: The Final Stand actually pissed off followers, this was removed from the primary time the character was given the quick finish of the stick within the movie. Regardless of being one of many unique X-Males within the comics and one of the crucial iconic characters within the franchise, the X-Males movies appeared to have little curiosity in Cyclops. He does seem within the first movie, X-Males, and it’s arguably the largest function he has within the movie franchise. The movie established him because the chief of the X-Males and in addition a rivalry between him and Wolverine for Jean Gray.

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It was clear by X2: X-Males United that the filmmakers and studio had pivoted and prioritized Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine because the star character. Cyclops is shortly dispatched early within the movie, is absent for all of Act II, and reveals up as a mind-controlled puppet within the third act earlier than breaking free. Cyclops was purported to have a subplot within the movie the place audiences would have seen him present process torture by Stryker and his individuals, nevertheless it was reduce from the ultimate movie. Marsden’s first three appearances as Cyclops within the X-Males movie sequence are transient and, in some ways, broken the popularity of the character for years, one that’s being repaired due to X-Males ’97.

Marsden Cyclops Returns in 2014…and Perhaps 2024

2014’s X-Males: Days of Future Previous appeared to unite the forged of the unique X-Males trilogy and the brand new forged from X-Males: First Class in a time journey story adapting the long-lasting comedian storyline “Days of Future Previous.” The movie introduced again lots of the X-Males left alive on the finish of X-Males: The Final Stand, together with Wolverine, Storm, Shadowcat, Iceman, and Colossus, and even introduced again Professor X, who died on the finish of The Final Stand however was teased to be alive within the movies post-credit scene. Resulting from dying in The Final Stand, Cyclops didn’t get his grand return…not less than not till the very finish.

X-Males: Days of Future Previous ends with Wolverine waking up in a brand new timeline that’s completely different from these seen within the unique X-Males trilogy that branched from occasions within the Seventies the place Mystique didn’t kill Boliver Trask. Wolverine wakes as much as a brighter future, the place X-Males: The Final Stand by no means occurred, as each Jean Gray and Cyclops are alive. Marsden and Jean Gray actress Famke Janssen’s cameos had been stored secret till the movie’s launch, and it was a pleasant shock for audiences because it gave some much-needed closure.

With a brand new timeline set, 2016’s X-Males: Apocalypse appeared to introduce a brand new, youthful Cyclops for the movie’s Nineteen Eighties setting. Actor Tye Sheridan stepped into the function for each it and 2019’s Darkish Phoenix (in addition to a short cameo in Deadpool 2), however much like the earlier movies, it appeared that these behind the digicam struggled with what to do with Cyclops because the film tended to prioritize James McAvoy’s Professor X, Michael Fassbender’s Magneto, and Jennifer Lawerence’s Mystique.

The upcoming launch of Deadpool & Wolverine has followers eagerly anticipating many Marvel cameos. Along with Hugh Jackman returning as Wolverine, Aaron Standford is reprising his function as Pyro, and Jennifer Garner will seem as Elektra from 2003’s Daredevil and 2005’s Elektra. James Marsden hinted there’s a likelihood he might present up within the third movie as reportedly Deadpool & Wolverine was capturing very near the set of Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Nothing is confirmed, however it could undoubtedly get a giant response from the viewers to see Marsden return as Cyclops for what seems to be a goodbye to the twentieth Century Fox X-Males movies, significantly if he reveals up in a comic-accurate costume just like the current multiverse X-Males cameos have been. X-Males (2000) is streaming now on Disney+. Deadpool & Wolverine is headed to theaters on July 26, 2024.