While the X-Men are expected to play a role in the remainder of the Multiverse Saga, it won't be until after Avengers: Secret Wars that the team's franchise is rebooted.
Those actors will already have the shadow of their predecessors looming large over them, but even more so after we see them in upcoming Multiverse movies (like this summer's Deadpool & Wolverine). With that in mind, Marvel Studios must attract top-tier talent to the new X-Men franchise.
Recently, we looked at the actors who can play the MCU's Wolverine. He's far from the only important character in the team, of course, which is why we're now shifting focus to Jean Grey, a.k.a. Marvel Girl/Phoenix.
Whether we're getting an experience Jean or a version of the hero who has only just come to grips with her mutant powers, we think you'll find plenty of compelling possibilities here. To check them out, click on the "NeXt"/"View List" buttons below!
7. Thomasin McKenzie
Thomasin McKenzie received widespread critical acclaim for her work in Taika Waititi's Jojo Rabbit and has since impressed in M. Night Shyamalan's Old, Edgar Wright's Last Night in Soho, and Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog.
Combining the actress with the right director leads to spectacular results and we're confident McKenzie could do Jean Grey justice across several movies.
At 23, she'd be the right fit for a younger Jean, albeit one who is experienced enough to make for a convincing superhero with a strong grip on her powerful mutant abilities. Following in Famke Janssen's footsteps won't be easy (Sophie Turner, less so) but McKenzie is more than capable.
6. Mckenna Grace
After playing the young Carol Danvers in 2019's Captain Marvel, Mckenna Grace has established herself as one of Hollywood's brightest rising stars with standout performances in movies like Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Annabelle Comes Home, and The Handmaid's Tale.
She turns 18 later this year, so if the plan at Marvel Studios is to cast the "first class" of Professor X's X-Men, then we find it hard to imagine a better fit for the role.
Grace is a powerhouse talent who is just one big role away from becoming a household name. By bringing Jean Grey to life in the MCU, she can establish herself as this character over the course of several years, similar to Tom Holland as Spider-Man.
5. Conor Leslie
An actress with superhero experience, many of you will know Conor Leslie best for her role as Donna Troy/Wonder Girl in Titans. Her other credits include The Man in the High Castle and Graves, though she's yet to land a true breakout role.
At 32, she'd likely be a Jean Grey who is already a veteran superhero in the MCU. We've already seen the team as teenagers, of course, and there's nothing to say the MCU's take on the X-Men can't be established heroes similar to what we'll soon see in X-Men '97.
Leslie is a left-field choice, albeit one who has the ability to surprise a lot of people. She'd make a great Madelyne Pryor too...
4. Kiernan Shipka
Breaking out as a young actress in Mad Men, Kiernan Shipka later landed a well-deserved lead role in Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. That was yet another streaming series that ended before its time, though the actress has since impressed in Wildflower and White House Plumbers.
The next couple of years look set to be crucial for her courtesy of lead roles in huge movies like Red One and Twisters, and should those go her way, a major superhero role surely beckons.
The 24-year-old would be a fantastic choice to bring Marvel Girl to life on screen and has the right level of confidence and screen presence to do this mutant justice. Shipka's role as Sabrina was proof of that.
3. Sadie Sink
21-year-old Sadie Sink is best known for playing Stranger Things' Max, a role which has seen her earn critical acclaim and establish herself as an actress with serious range.
That's something we also got to see in The Whale and for you Taylor Swift fans out there, we're sure you'll remember her in the "All Too Well: The Short Film" music video written and directed by the singer.
Yes, she's a redhead, but that's far from the only reason Sink is here. She undeniably looks the part of Marvel Girl, though, and should be a perfect fit for the role by the time Marvel Studios starts casting and she has even more experience as an actress under her belt.
2. Leslie Grace
She missed out on playing one redheaded superhero, but Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav's baffling decision to scrap the near-completed Batgirl has nothing to do with Leslie Grace's inclusion here.
In the Heights marked her breakout role and we've yet to really see what she can do beyond that. Jean Grey would be an exciting role for the 29-year-old and one which we believe would allow the actress to shine as one of the most powerful members of the X-Men.
There would inevitably be some predictable backlash to this casting; that's unfortunate, but we're positive Grace could silence the haters as she was once set to with the DCEU's Barbara Gordon.
1. Lily James
At 34, Lily James is the oldest actress listed here but, if we once again assume the MCU will introduce the X-Men as established heroes, we don't see why that matters. Janssen, remember, was in her mid-30s when she was cast in Bryan Singer's X-Men.
Making a name for herself in Downton Abbey and Cinderella, James has since stunned in movies like Baby Driver, Yesterday, and The Iron Claw. She also delivered a transformative performance as Pamela Anderson in Pam & Tommy.
With all that in mind, we believe the British actress would be a phenomenal Jean Grey. James effortlessly commands the screen when she's on it and would undoubtedly deliver the version of this character fans have been waiting to see on screen.