An X-Men reboot - hopefully titled "Uncanny X-Men" - is somewhere on the horizon and, after 20th Century Fox's efforts (which ran for nearly two decades), Marvel Studios needs to do a lot to differentiate its take on these characters.
As of now, we don't know whether we'll meet the MCU's mutants as a fully-formed group who have been established for several years or a rookie team of teenagers heading into battle under Professor X's guidance.
Either way, we have an idea of the characters we think should make up this iconic team. These won't necessarily be the heroes (and villains!) you'd expect to see form the X-Men on screen, but don't worry, we explain why this franchise would be all the better for it.
To check out this dream team of X-Men, simply click on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below!
7. Polaris
Polaris, also known as Lorna Dane, is the daughter of Magneto, one of the most powerful mutants in Marvel lore, making her a half-sister to Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch.
Lorna possesses the ability to manipulate magnetic fields, similar to her father. This grants her powers such as flight, force fields, and the ability to control metal objects. Throughout her comic book history, Polaris has struggled with issues such as mental instability, identity crises, and conflicts regarding her parentage.
All of that makes her an essential addition to the X-Men reboot. Short of a franchise-shattering reboot after Avengers: Secret Wars, there's no way to include Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver in this movie. As a result, Polaris can fill the void left by Wanda and Pietro Maximoff.
6. Pixie
Who? While she's probably the most little-known mutant listed here, Pixie - also known as Megan Gwynn - made her debut in 2004 and would make for a great rookie addition to a team of far more experienced X-Men.
Yes, familiar faces like Kitty Pryde or Jubilee could fill that void, but we've been there and seen that multiple times. Pixie is interesting because as well as insectoid wings on her back which grant her the ability to fly, she possesses a magical "soul dagger" that can create teleportation portals.
That would be a useful skill for the MCU's X-Men to utilise. Over the past two decades, the Welsh mutant's unique combination of mutant abilities and magical powers, along with her endearing personality, have made her a fan-favourite character among those who know of her.
5. Juggernaut
Cain Marko is probably best known for being a supervillain, but he has fought alongside the X-Men and ultimately found redemption in their ranks. That's a take we're keen to see in the MCU and, in terms of pure power, Juggernaut would be an epic part of this iconic team.
Marko is the stepbrother of Charles Xavier, and his origin is closely tied to the mystical Crimson Gem of Cyttorak (which immediately gives him a link to the wider MCU and Doctor Strange).
After discovering the Gem, Marko gained immense superhuman strength and durability, transforming into the Juggernaut, an unstoppable force capable of smashing through virtually any obstacle in his path. Sure, he could eventually betray his fellow X-Men, but there's no need to rush that.
4. Storm
Marvel Studios' X-Men movie will inevitably feature some familiar faces from the past and it absolutely should. Among them is Ororo Munroe, the beloved weather-controlling mutant better known as Storm who has the ability to manipulate the elements.
Born in Kenya, Ororo Munroe is descended from a line of African priestesses with the ability to control the weather. After her parents' death, she spent her childhood as a skilled thief in Cairo before being recruited by Professor X to join the X-Men.
Ultimately establishing herself as an Omega-level mutant - the most powerful classification of mutant - Storm is a heavy-hitter with the potential to change the MCU as we know it. In the MCU, we'd like to see her quest to lead the team alongside Cyclops explored.
3. Wolverine
Wolverine arguably received too much screentime in 20th Century Fox's X-Men movies but there's no denying Logan's popularity. In the MCU, a new actor should pick up where Hugh Jackman left off, even if that won't be an easy feat for them.
As we're sure you'll already know, Wolverine was born in Canada in the 19th century and, after undergoing the horrific Weapon X experiments which gave him Adamantium-coated bones, the hero's past was lost to him.
There are ways Marvel Studios can differentiate its version of James Howlett from what we've seen before; they can lean into Wolverine's animalistic nature or take a slow-burn approach by introducing him as a member of Alpha Flight first. Either way, he needs to join the X-Men!
2. Emma Frost
Emma Frost, also known as the White Queen, has telepathic abilities, including mind reading and mental manipulation, as well as the power to transform her body into a diamond form which makes her incredibly strong and near-unstoppable.
Initially depicted as a villain, Emma led the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle, a group of powerful and influential mutants. However, she'd eventually join the X-Men where she became romantically entangled with Cyclops and found a love rival in Jean Grey.
The Cyclops/Jean dynamic is one we've seen explored on screen a great deal (even as recently as X-Men '97), so why not explore Emma's dynamic with the team's leader in this reboot? Jean could still be involved, but we'd argue that Emma is far more interesting...
1. Cyclops
Cursed with the ability to emit powerful optic blasts from his eyes, which he cannot control without special visors or sunglasses, Scott Summers has never got his due on the big screen.
That has to change in the MCU and, on the page, this founding member of the X-Men is known for his strong leadership skills, tactical brilliance, and unwavering dedication to Professor Charles Xavier's dream of peaceful coexistence between mutants and humans.
At times, Cyclops' fight for mutantkind has bordered on the extreme, though we'd hold off on heading down that route for a while. For the time being, Scott needs to lead this team and be portrayed as the badass we all know and love from the comics.