According to James Marsden, who will return as Cyclops in Avengers: Doomsday, his 86-year -old co-star Ian McKellen was intent on performing his own stunts wherever possible.
At 86, Sir Ian McKellen has still got it. The British actor is reprising some of his most esteemed roles, including Gandalf in the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, and sooner than that, we’ll once again see him again as Magneto in the Marvel Universe.
McKellen is one of a number of X-Men stars set to return for Avengers: Doomsday. You can check out the full cast list here. Despite his old age, McKellen wouldn’t let physical scenes get the better of him. Rather, he attempted to conquer stunts by himself. This news comes from his co-star James Marsden, who returns as Cyclops in the upcoming ensemble flick. Speaking to the New York Post while promoting Season 2 of the AppleTV+ show “Your Friends & Neighbors,” the actor recalled moments when McKellen would be “pushing his stunt double aside,” and asking that he try stunt scenes himself.
Seeing McKellen enter the set with such intent on performing as much as possible, his own apprehension evaporated. Marsden was in his 20s when he first portrayed Cyclops. Now he’s in his 50s. “I was worried that I wasn’t going to be able to do any of this physical stuff, but it all worked out great,” he said. “I still fit the costume!”
Additionally, Marsden admitted that before joining Doomsday, he presumed that his journey as Cyclops was over. “For the longest time, I didn’t think it was going to happen,” he said. “I just thought, ‘okay, well, that’s kind of done…they don’t want the fifty year-old version of me.’”
You’d think that after so many years, he’s learn that Marvel heroes can take long breaks, but they seldom are forgotten. Returning is always possible, even in different roles. Look no further than Robert Downey Jr., who will return as the movie’s big villain Doctor Doom.
Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for release on December 18, although there are rumours on the grapevine that Disney is seeking to move forward its release by one week.
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