The leaked Avengers: Doomsday teaser featuring the X-Men sparked widespread discussion among Marvel fans, particularly following a brief but striking moment that prominently featured Cyclops. Shortly after the footage began circulating online, former X-Men ’97 showrunner Beau DeMayo publicly weighed in, asserting that the renewed prominence of Cyclops in the Marvel Cinematic Universe did not occur in isolation and was influenced by creative decisions made during the development of X-Men ’97.
DeMayo shared his thoughts across multiple posts on X, focusing on both Cyclops’ portrayal and what he described as a lack of recognition for the creative team behind the animated series.
Cyclops’ Appearance in Avengers: Doomsday
The teaser, which has yet to receive an official release from Marvel Studios, includes a sequence featuring James Marsden reprising his role as Cyclops. Wearing a streamlined version of his classic blue-and-gold costume, the character removes his ruby-quartz visor and unleashes a full-power optic blast, a moment that quickly circulated across social media and drew strong reactions from fans.
(L-R): Rogue (voiced by Lenore Zann), Jubilee (voiced by Holly Chou), Jean Grey (voiced by Jennifer Hale), Cyclops (voiced by Ray Chase), Roberto Da Costa (voiced by Gui Agustini), Nightcrawler (voiced by Adrian Hough), Storm (voiced by Alison Sealy-Smith), and Morph (voiced by JP Karliak) in Marvel Animation’s X-MEN ’97. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 MARVEL.
For many viewers, the scene stood out due to its straightforward presentation of Cyclops as a powerful and commanding figure, closely aligned with his traditional depiction in Marvel Comics.
DeMayo Credits X-Men ’97 Creative Direction
Responding to the reaction, DeMayo publicly credited his team while calling on Marvel Studios to acknowledge their contributions. In one of his initial posts, he wrote:
“Glad my team and I could help, the Russo brothers. Marvel Studios, hopefully you’ll give Chase Conley and his board team the flowers and credit they deserve.”
Beau DeMayo tweets about Cyclops in the MCU – X, @BeauDeMayo
DeMayo later expanded on his comments by sharing pages from his original X-Men ’97 series documentation, explaining that Cyclops was positioned as a central figure from the outset of the project.
For those curious — these are the pages from my bible for #xmen97. You’ll see how Wolverine was listed from go as a C character. I’ll find the script I used to pitch to the head studio where I explicitly stated “This is not the Wolverine show. It’s time to move on.”
I was… pic.twitter.com/JOmQpEvn66
— Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) December 28, 2025
“For those curious — these are the pages from my bible for X-Men ’97,” he said. “You’ll see how Wolverine was listed from go as a C character.”
According to DeMayo, this approach was explicitly communicated during early discussions with Marvel.
“I’ll find the script I used to pitch to the head studio where I explicitly stated ‘This is not the Wolverine show. It’s time to move on.’”
He further claimed that this creative stance faced resistance internally, explaining:
“I was requested to remove that line from the mission statements before sending it to crew,” he admitted, “But I made it clear that we were no longer making the X-Men all about Wolverine.”
Beau DeMayo via Cool YouTube Guy YouTube
Despite that pushback, DeMayo said the direction remained a priority for his team.
“This was a mandate both fought for and proven by my team. It deserves to be recognized.”
Claims of Inconsistent Credit From Marvel Studios
Beyond creative decisions, DeMayo raised broader concerns about how credit is assigned within Marvel Studios. He contrasted public recognition given to some creators with what he described as a lack of acknowledgment for the X-Men ’97 team.
It’s important as fans to honor the artists that brought this to fruition. The #xmen97 and I faced significant doubt and resistance from the studio when I insisted Cyclops be the main character — instead of Wolverine — so it is weird to see this trailer and fans crediting certain… pic.twitter.com/cyXDL3mes6
— Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) December 28, 2025
“It does trouble me that I’ve seen Kevin and Marvel Studios credit Jon Favreau and other White creators for setting the tone and direction of the MCU but completely ignoring the work of the many Black, qu**r, Asian, and Latino teammates that actually set the tone and proved to Marvel — who was still on the Logan train — that Cyclops deserves his due,” he said.
DeMayo emphasized that his comments were intended to draw attention to the artists and animators behind the scenes, rather than to diminish the work of those involved with Avengers: Doomsday.
Beau DeMayo via Cool YouTube Guy YouTube
“But what’s most important is fans are happy, and that makes it all worth it,” he said. “I’d urge X-Men fans to reach out and show love to the team of artists and animators who made this all possible.”
Fan Response and Broader Context
Following DeMayo’s posts, fans responded with a mix of praise and discussion. Many credited X-Men ’97 with restoring Cyclops’ stature after years in which the character was viewed by some readers and viewers as diminished or sidelined. Others pointed to earlier efforts across Marvel comics, animation, and video games that had already begun repositioning Scott Summers prior to the animated series’ debut.
No, but with that said, it certainly helped rehabilitate the character considering
Marvel hasn’t done right by Scott since Bendis destroyed the Xmen starting w “No more mutants”
It’s been a cornucopia of disasters, lame plot points, creepy pod people stuff & villainy
20yrs of💩— Kevin Apollo #Ironshogun #TheDadTitan #Colosseum (@WarDogApollo) December 29, 2025
DeMayo himself acknowledged that audience reception ultimately mattered more to him than individual recognition, reiterating that fan enthusiasm was the most meaningful outcome.
An Ongoing Conversation
Marvel Studios has not publicly responded to DeMayo’s statements. As Avengers: Doomsday continues development and X-Men ’97 moves forward following his departure, discussion surrounding creative influence, credit, and recognition remains ongoing.
(L-R): Bishop (voiced by Isaac Robinson-Smith), Cyclops (voiced by Ray Chase), Magneto (voiced by Matthew Waterson), and Morph (voiced by JP Karliak) in Marvel Animation’s X-MEN ’97. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 MARVEL.
For now, Cyclops’ moment in the MCU has reopened a broader conversation about how creative contributions are attributed — and how those contributions are remembered when iconic characters reemerge.
Do you think Beau DeMayo is right about Cyclops? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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