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One way or another, the X-Men are on their way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s basically been set in stone since 20th Century Fox’s merged with Disney and Marvel head-honcho Kevin Fiege mentioned “the mutants” at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con. Which means we’ve got a whole world of casting stories ahead of us; new Wolverine, new Jean Grey, new Cyclops, the whole nine yards.

So naturally, when I sat down with the OG Cyclops, James Marsden, to discuss the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog, I also asked if he had any advice for the MCU’s future eye-beam-blasting mutant. Marsden played Scott Summers across four films and fourteen years, starting with 2000’s X-Men and for the last time in 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past. Appropriately enough, the actor’s advice is all in the eyes. Or, lack thereof.

“The biggest challenge was that, the audience and other actors never being able to see your eyes. Definitely was a handicap in bringing a persona to the character, and an energy to the character. To a character who is also very, by nature, very by-the-books. Kind of a Boy Scout, ‘do the right thing.’ He’s a foil to Wolverine’s character, who is more fly by the seat of his pants, a little more unpredictable, and aggressive. – I would just say lean into it. Own it. And carve out your own thing. The fans of the books are going to tell you ‘it needs to be this’. Find a new way to make it interesting. Because it is tough to like get something interesting and cool and different across when no one ever sees your eyes. Which is obviously, you know, the main part of the character.”

Check out exactly what Marsden had to say in the player above, and be on the look-out next week for our full interview with the actor, along with Jim Carrey and Ben Schwartz. For more out of the Sonic junket, here is Jim Carrey getting philosophical about a Truman Show sequel.