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It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when Marvel wasn’t a name at the top of the pop culture hierarchy. “X-Men: The Animated Series” helped change all that. The Fox Kids director literally risked her career to air the showwhich turned out to be a great decision. The series’ success indirectly helped pave the way for 2000’s live-action “X-Men” film, which was a watershed moment in comic book movie history, especially for Marvel. A key actor from the animated series also auditioned for a role in the film.
In a 2017 oral history discussing “X-Men: The Animated Series” published by The Hollywood ReporterActor Chris Potter, who voiced Gambit in the series, revealed that he auditioned for the role of Cyclops. Even though it seems like a big deal, Potter didn’t seem very interested in bringing Scott Summers to life. Here’s what he had to say about it:
“They didn’t have Gambit in the movie, which was a shame because I had the look and I was the perfect age to play him. They had me audition for Cyclops, who I really didn’t want to play. When I was at the audition, I remember reading it and a young boy, who looked like he was about 15, stuck his head in and then walked away. I thought he didn’t know where he was, but he figured it out. turned out to be Bryan Singer, the director.
Gambit would only come to life in live-action when Taylor Kitsch played him in 2009’s “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.”As for the role of Cyclops, the role ultimately went to James Marsden, becoming a career-defining role for the actor. He played Cyclops three more times in “X2”, “X-Men: The Last Stand” and briefly in “X-Men: Days of Future Past”.
Chris Potter Didn’t Want to Play Cyclops in X-Men, But James Marsden Did
“I wasn’t really into comics, but when I got the role, I called some friends who were into comics and asked them, ‘What do I need to know about this guy?’ and everyone was like, he’s the guy, he’s the guy, he’s the leader,” Marsden said in a 2006 interview with Box office mojorecalling what it was like to land the role of Cyclops. “I immediately called my friends and stopped at comic book stores to ask them what comics to read. They were always very helpful. I knew this character was an icon.”
“X-Men” was a huge box office success with nearly $300 million in revenue. While “Blade” had been a decent hit for New Line in 1998, it proved that Marvel could be the center of a true blockbuster. The “X-Men” franchise, in total, has grossed more than $7.4 billion worldwide. Whether Potter was interested in playing Cyclops or not, it could have changed the course of his career if things had gone differently.
Potter has since returned to the Marvel Universe, voicing Cable in “X-Men ’97,” which is one of the highest-rated Marvel films of all time. Potter has also had a healthy career, with roles in long-running series like “Kung Fu: The Legend Continues” and “Heartland,” while also starring in numerous films over the years.
Marsden, meanwhile, disguises himself as Cyclops again in this year’s “Avengers: Doomsday” alongside some of his other “X-Men” co-stars, including Patrick Stewart (Professor X) and Ian McKellen (Magneto). Marsden has also played a significant role in the “Sonic the Hedgehog” franchise in recent years, while also starring in shows like “Westworld” and “Dead to Me.”
