X-MEN: Alexandra Shipp Shares Advice For Whoever Takes Over As Storm; "Make It Your Own"

X-MEN: Alexandra Shipp Shares Advice For Whoever Takes Over As Storm; "Make It Your Own"

Alexandra Shipp will not be returning as Storm for Marvel Studios' long-awaited X-Men reboot, but she has some sound advice for whoever does end up taking over the role...

By MarkCassidy - Aug 07, 2025 11:08 AM EST
Filed Under: X-Men

Alexandra Shipp made her debut as Storm in X-Men: Apocalypse, before returning as the weather-manipulating mutant hero in what would turn out to be the final X-Men movie of the 20th Century Fox era before the Disney/Marvel takeover, Dark Phoenix.

Shipp did a pretty good job with what she had to work with, which, by the actress' own admission, wasn't very much.

“I would and I wouldn’t," Shipp replied when asked if she'd like to play Storm again in a 2019 interview. "Because Storm barely has anything to say as it is. I don’t know about [the other actors] but like we never talk. So it would be really nice if we weren’t piled into yet another jam-packed cast, in which you only see me in the back of the shot like f*cking sasquatch.”

The Barbie star was asked if her stance had changed at all last year.

"Not interested. I think there are other women who can take on that role and really kill it."

Honestly, it was always highly unlikely that Shipp would be asked to reprise the role for the MCU X-Men reboot, which recently enlisted Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier to helm. Casting has only just got underway, but there have been persistent rumors that the studio is interested in Wicked star Cynthia Erivo for the part.

Whoever ends up taking over as our next big-screen Storm, Shipp has now shared some sound advice.

“You have to make it your own," she said during an interview with Collider. “I think a lot of the time, people want to compare performances. They want to compare how Halle did her Storm, to my Storm, or any other character, really. I don’t think that is fair to the actor, and I don’t think that’s fair to the audience. I think it’s making that role your own, finding ways in which you can be an individual, and allowing that to form. Because my Storm much younger, and not trained,” she continued. “So she was coming from the streets in [X-Men] Apocalypse. So for me, I really wanted her to be a street fighter, and we brought a lot of that into her fight style and the way that she flew. So I would just say, make it your own.”

Shipp was also asked which comic book iteration of Ororo or storyline she would most like to see explored the MCU movie.

“I would love to see Storm after her and T’Challa [Black Panther],” she revealed. “I want to see that part of Storm’s backstory brought into the through line, into her story at that moment. Because that Storm, that African goddess, we’ve never seen before.”

Schreier has proven that he can deliver on a story featuring a team of misfit characters (Thunderbolts* may have underperformed at the box office, but it was well-received by fans and critics), but he still seems to be a somewhat divisive choice for this project.

The likes of Harris Dickinson, Margaret Qualley, and Julia Butters are said to be on the studio's radar (they were reportedly in contention to play Cyclops, Rogue and Kitty Pryde, but we don't know if this is still the case), along with Alien: Romulus star David Jonsson and Trinity Bliss, who may be in line to play Jubilee.

Other names that have popped up in the rumor mill include Hunter Schafer (Mystique), Ayo Edebiri (Storm) and Javier Bardem (Mr. Sinister). 

Here's what Kevin Feige had to say about his "10-year plan" for the Mutant Saga in a recent interview.

"I think you will see that continues in our next few movies with some X-Men players that you might recognize. Right after that, the whole story of Secret Wars really leads us into a new age of mutants and of the X-Men. Again, [it’s] one of those dreams come true. We finally have the X-Men back."

Macbeth (2015), The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) and Assassin's Creed (2016) scribe Michael Lesslie penned the script, but we wouldn't be surprised if another writer (or two) were brought in to give it another pass before the movie enters production.

No release date has been set.

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KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 8/7/2025, 11:51 AM
“I would and I wouldn’t," Shipp replied when asked if she'd like to play Storm again in a 2019 interview. "Because Storm barely has anything to say as it is. I don’t know about [the other actors] but like we never talk. So it would be really nice if we weren’t piled into yet another jam-packed cast, in which you only see me in the back of the shot like f*cking sasquatch.”

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This is the most Storm thing I've even seen her do!!! This reads like Ororro taking a STAND! 👏🏽 👏🏽 👏🏽
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 8/7/2025, 11:54 AM
@KennKathleen - *Ororo

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Ressurrect the edit!!!!!

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M.E.G.A.
vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 8/7/2025, 11:56 AM
@KennKathleen - she's psychic. This is practically how Doomsday and SW will be 😭😭😭😭😭
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 8/7/2025, 12:05 PM
@vectorsigma - 100% 😆

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Remember me? Next scene. Meeee. Next scene. Hey, Im here too. Power move, joke joke joke.
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 8/7/2025, 12:23 PM
@KennKathleen - lol so true …these event movies are like Where’s Waldo page …all those zany characters just standing there and only the three best paid actors getting línes
Matchesz
Matchesz - 8/7/2025, 6:43 PM
@KennKathleen - When Pedro comes on screen he should just stand there for 10 seconds so the audience can stop cheering then wink at the camera
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 8/7/2025, 8:57 PM
@Matchesz -

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Wahhvacado
Wahhvacado - 8/7/2025, 11:51 AM
Nah, make her the strong force both morally and with her powers that she is in the comics. Storm might be the hardest to cast as she needs to hold a strong presence and be unwavering

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KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 8/7/2025, 12:00 PM
@Wahhvacado - Not hard at all. She's been written well for decades.

I don't want to to see "strong black woman" as most would expect.

I want to see soft princess with immeasurable sympathy for life, that is only matched by her omega level power.

Her story could be huge, if MARVEL gave a 💩. They could make this City of God meets Dragonball Z.

...the epic cartoon- not the movie.
Wahhvacado
Wahhvacado - 8/7/2025, 12:06 PM
@KennKathleen - I absolutely agree, hopefuly they are careful with the casting and get someone that can hold the right presence and power
grendelthing
grendelthing - 8/7/2025, 1:31 PM
@KennKathleen - I think to do her correctly it will have to be done over multiple movies and evolving over time. Start out like you you describe before facing a crisis that transforms her into the tougher version most people know from the animated series. I read Uncanny X-Men #173 when she faced off against Silver Samurai when I was a kid and that was the moment things changed for her. That change is part of her story and I think needs to play out over time.
LenSpiderman
LenSpiderman - 8/7/2025, 1:52 PM
@Wahhvacado - I am not typically one to be a hardliner on casting. Typically the complaints about female casting in supe roles are masked “boobs not big enough” gripes, anyway. But when it comes to ororo, I always picture someone tall and statuesque and regal. I know the last two actresses have been of low average height, and I can say that Halle Berry at least carried herself with the quiet confidence I imagine for storm, but shipp didn’t really bring it for the role. I’d love to see an actress that has a PRESENCE, as mentioned above, that includes personality, and looks.
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 8/7/2025, 3:33 PM
@grendelthing - This. We need evolution for each character. Not just an evolution of power, but also ideals. Not just one character at a time, but the group as a whole.

How does the Silver Samurai change Storm?

What about her trauma with claustrophobia via Shadow King?

Her relationship with Forge? How is her love for nature compatible with Forges love for engineering?

What made her steal? Did she have a mentor? Was it one bad decision. Her features make her stick out like a sore thumb.

I want a good story with interesting situations.

Can we still do this?
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 8/7/2025, 3:43 PM
@LenSpiderman - Comics the official height is 5'11 I believe but as average female height in America is 5'4 last I checked it does make casting more tricky when that far from the average and needs to be black within a set age range.
LenSpiderman
LenSpiderman - 8/7/2025, 4:21 PM
@Apophis71 - true, but marvel isn’t calling for my opinion, so this is a fantasy draft anyway. Give me a tall drink of water, or else!
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 8/7/2025, 6:51 PM
@LenSpiderman - Oh for sure, source accurate is always good, but talented is higher importance to me thus be nice if we got someone that looked the part but I can live with a great actor who isn't.

That said I'd kinda want an actor at least 5'8 to split the difference between average and source, easier to get around a few inches (heals and the like) than put it ALL on talent to make a shorter version seem statuesque, powerfull and regal which is tougher for smaller end to pull off well.

Ultimately, for a number of reasons Storm and a new Wolverine are probably the toughest to cast cos of who came before, the nature of the comic personalities and what the source should point towards without even getting into what % of the available talent look around the age they want and for Orora black.
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 8/7/2025, 8:48 PM
@LenSpiderman - Shipping describes it perfectly. If she's given no light you can't see her shine.
MisterBones
MisterBones - 8/7/2025, 11:55 AM
Storm has to be a FORCE in her next live action adaptation.

Jayme Lawson from Sinners and The Batman would be ideal
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Wahhvacado
Wahhvacado - 8/7/2025, 12:03 PM
@MisterBones - Ooh I hadn't considered her before since I had only seen Sinners recently but I could get behind this.

What a great movie and as a big blues fan Buddy Guy at the end had me so happy
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 8/7/2025, 1:23 PM
@MisterBones - :Attention Marvel:

Now that's some great casting. She has the right look, build, and she can bring gravitas to the role. The woman is also a Juiliard graduate.
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 8/7/2025, 1:29 PM
@MisterBones - nice shout, good actress and damn atractive
SuperCat
SuperCat - 8/7/2025, 11:58 AM
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KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 8/7/2025, 12:02 PM
@SuperCat - dammit, you!!! This'll be burned in my memory 😆!!!
SuperCat
SuperCat - 8/7/2025, 12:02 PM
@KennKathleen - :D
Wahhvacado
Wahhvacado - 8/7/2025, 12:05 PM
@SuperCat - Absolutely incredible

Also reminds me of the villains dropping down in Mortal Kombat Annihilation
RegularPoochie
RegularPoochie - 8/7/2025, 1:10 PM
@SuperCat - how do you do these?
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DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 8/7/2025, 1:25 PM
@Wahhvacado - User Comment Image
Wahhvacado
Wahhvacado - 8/7/2025, 1:36 PM
@DarthOmega - What a terrible but fun movie!
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 8/7/2025, 1:43 PM
@Wahhvacado - User Comment Image

Oscar worthy performance.
Wahhvacado
Wahhvacado - 8/7/2025, 1:46 PM
@DarthOmega - User Comment Image

I will say the new one seeming to lean into the campiness has me feeling a lot better about it
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 8/7/2025, 1:56 PM
@Wahhvacado - Oh yeah, I'm looking forward to it. They seem to be going all in. My brother is not a theater fan. He always waits till the movie comes home. But he and I were massive MK fans growing up. We went to see 3 movies together.

Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat Annihilation
Mortal Kombat 2021
And coming soon Mortal Kombat 2

We barely get to hang out anymore outside of holidays and birthdays. Family, work and distance, but we are making an effort to see this one together. Regardless of how bad Annihilation was, we still had fun in the theaters. Also the Scorpion Sub-Zero fight was pretty cool. So was Jax, Sonya and Cyrax
Wahhvacado
Wahhvacado - 8/7/2025, 1:59 PM
@DarthOmega - That's awesome that you are going together! Life gets so crazy and moves so fast sometimes it's just hard to keep up but it's always great to get back together and feel like 0 time has passed. I hope you two have an absolute blast!

Now I'm itching to watch all these movies, and the series that was on YouTube!
Wahhvacado
Wahhvacado - 8/7/2025, 2:01 PM
@DarthOmega - These movies were a big part of my childhood. My friends and I all had our different ninja, I was Scorpion. Had so much fun playing Mortal Kombat on the playground
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 8/7/2025, 2:05 PM
@Wahhvacado - I was always Sub-Zero or Reptile. My brother was obsessed with Scorpion and later Ermac. It's funny. I'm reading the comments on this video and so many people are pointing out how Sub-Zero walks down the stairs. I still find myself doing that walk to this day lol

?si=sA3o1RpadV0w9233
SuperCat
SuperCat - 8/7/2025, 2:14 PM
@RegularPoochie - Photoshop and https://ezgif.com/maker :)
RegularPoochie
RegularPoochie - 8/7/2025, 2:30 PM
@SuperCat - thanks, I'm aware of photoshop, went to graphic designer school, but the gif maker is kinda what I needed to know
Wahhvacado
Wahhvacado - 8/7/2025, 2:37 PM
@DarthOmega - It looks like his balls were frozen to his leg and he was trying to unstick them!

Such a memorable scene
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 8/7/2025, 3:33 PM
@Wahhvacado - lol
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 8/7/2025, 8:52 PM
@RegularPoochie -

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He does the flip book version...
DannyBrandy20
DannyBrandy20 - 8/7/2025, 12:07 PM
Waiting for usual youtube grifters to say MCU X-Men is woke for making Storm op

I can already see the thumbnails

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