The X-Men will eventually be rebooted for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but with the bad taste left by Dark Phoenix and The New Mutants still fresh in the mouths of many fans, we don't know when that'll happen. Introducing mutants to this world isn't going to be an easy task, and regardless of whether they just start showing up or the Multiverse is involved, Marvel Studios is taking its time.
That's not a bad thing, of course, and taking a slow-burn approach to these characters will definitely be the smartest move. There are literally hundreds of mutants who would all bring something new and exciting to the MCU, but it's crucial that mistakes of the past aren't repeated; in other words, we don't want big-name heroes like Colossus, Jubilee, and Emma Frost used as glorified extras!
In this feature, we're sharing our dream team of X-Men for when that first movie does eventually arrive. While not everyone's favourite will have made the cut, we think you'll appreciate this mix of characters, and when it comes to the villain, well, we have a pretty compelling idea about that too!
To take a look at the mutants we want to see assemble in the reboot, click the "Next" button below!
8. Kitty Pryde
Kitty Pryde made her big screen debut in X-Men: The Last Stand, and while Elliot Page did his best with the material he had to work with at the time, Brett Ratner and Simon Kinberg failed to tap into what makes Shadowcat so great. While her powers are a little similar to The Vision's, his ability to phase through objects has only been explored on a surface level, giving Kitty plenty of room to shine.
Astonishing X-Men established that Kitty is, in fact, one of the Marvel Universe's most powerful mutants, while she recently became Kate and has started leading her own no-nonsense team as part of the Marauders. There is a lot of great material in the comics to pull from, and Kitty's evolution from bratty teen to a formidable badass would make for a fun ride (and yes, we want Lockheed by her side).
7. Angel
A character Fox dropped the ball on in both X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: Apocalypse, we'd like to see Angel made a priority for this first iteration of the team. He is a founding member, after all, but it's his fall from spoiled billionaire to outcast mutant we think would make for particularly compelling viewing on screen. In terms of visuals, a "mutie" who looks like a literal angel has a lot of potential.
Those of you familiar with Warren Worthington III's journey will know his wings are eventually taken from him, leading the hero down a dark path that ultimately leads to Apocalypse. That's been done in a movie (albeit not particularly well), and seeing this X-Man's fall from grace would be a fascinating way to explore the consequences of gaining and then losing these powers...against your will, of course.
6. Emma Frost
As much as we'd like to see Jean Grey/Marvel Girl finally portrayed as more than just a plot point used to introduce the Phoenix Force, that's a character who needs to be shelved for a while. Marvel Studios can one day do the "Dark Phoenix Saga" justice, but before then, why not shift the spotlight to another incredibly powerful psychic in Emma Frost? It would definitely make a nice change, anyway!
Starting off as a villainous member of the Hellfire Club, Emma eventually found redemption with the X-Men and discovered that along with her psychic abilities, she can transform her skin into diamonds. That makes her a powerhouse on two fronts, and she feels like the perfect character to be taken down the Quicksilver/Scarlet Witch route by showing her have a change of heart and join the X-Men.
5. Iceman
Despite appearing in the first three X-Men movies, Bobby Drake was sorely underutilized and a shadow of his powerful comic book counterpart. Covering him in snow and having him throw snowballs (which is how he was portrayed in the pages of Uncanny X-Men #1) would have been preferable, though we will give Brett Ratner some props for finally powering Iceman up in X-Men: The Last Stand.
Another founding member of the team, the hero has displayed immense levels of power on the page, going so far as to create giant, sentient ice creatures that he can utilise in battle. Bobby also recently came out as gay, and as the X-Men franchise should embrace diversity from the start, we'd like Marvel Studios to head down that same route...just handled in a less awkward manner than in the comics
4. Storm
Storm made multiple appearances across both X-Men franchises, but neither of them ever portrayed this God-like mutant in a way that was befitting of her status in the comic books. Ororo Munroe's origin story deserves to be explored in a more meaningful way, while the fact she can go toe-to-toe with Thor...well, that's something we're ready to be blown away by seeing on the big screen.
There are lots of characters we thought of giving this spot to, especially as some will argue that Storm has had her chance. However, we think there's room to quickly move on from the past, particularly if it's with an authentic portrayal of the African superhero that allows the MCU to explore new avenues. Heck, we'd actually like to see Ororo serve as the team's leader in Cyclops' place to start with.
3. Wolverine
Yes, this was inevitable, and no, we don't want Wolverine to overshadow the rest of the X-Men as he did the first time around. If anything, he should only be a supporting character in this reboot, with his own franchise taking Logan on the sort of adventures Fox failed to capitalise on time and time again. That's not to say he shouldn't be an X-Man; he should just drop in now and again, similar to the comics.
The simple fact is, Wolverine is a huge draw to casual fans and there is room for him in an X-Men franchise. We're not sure how Marvel Studios will broach the fact that he's hundreds of years old (especially if mutants just appear), but this is a character with a rich history that should be explored across the entire MCU. The actor who plays him will have big shoes to fill, but we trust Marvel Studios.
2. Magneto
We love Magneto, but after he was used as the lead villain in pretty much every single one of Fox's movies, it's time for a change. It's because of that we're not actually suggesting he serve as this reboot's big bad. Instead, we believe Magneto should be introduced as the leader of the X-Men before eventually giving in to his darker impulses as the Master of Magnetism much further down the line.
Yes, the first X-Men movie would, in fact, show Magneto forming the X-Men...as a Brotherhood. Professor X can get in on the action at some point, but over the course of a trilogy, it would be fun to see Magneto go from creating the X-Men to trying to make them into his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. That would lead to changes of allegiances, betrayals, and an eventual battle between two teams!
1. Mister Sinister
So, with Charles Xavier on the sidelines and Magneto leading the X-Men, who would be a fitting foe for this powerful team of mutants? A human scientist who became obsessed with engineering humanity into a perfect race of superhumans, Nathaniel Essex is understandably fascinated by mutants, and as Mister Sinister, he was intent on creating the ultimate mutant by absolutely any means necessary.
That involves a lot of twisted experiments, and Sinister could be a big part of what brings mutants to the forefront of the MCU. His obsession with the Summers bloodline means Cyclops and Havok could be reintroduced at some point, while his fascination with cloning and the X-Gene opens the door to countless stories. There's no way he should be a one-and-done baddie either, so don't kill him off!