X-MEN: Casting Marvel's Mutant Team (And Their Enemies) In The Marvel Cinematic Universe

X-MEN: Casting Marvel's Mutant Team (And Their Enemies) In The Marvel Cinematic Universe

At some point in the next few years, the X-Men are coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now, we're taking a look at who could end up playing the Original Five, and a few other key characters...

Feature Opinion
By JoshWilding - May 05, 2020 09:05 AM EST
Filed Under: X-Men

While it appears as if the Fantastic Four are a bigger priority for Marvel Studios at the moment seeing as Kevin Feige specifically mentioned them at last year's Comic-Con, the X-Men are coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the not too distant future (hopefully in a reboot titled Uncanny X-Men). 

Recently, we took a look at who could end up playing the MCU's version of Marvel's First Family (along with a few of their enemies), but what about some key mutant heroes and villains? 

We're sure you guys all have very different opinions about who could play the likes of Cyclops, Storm, and Wolverine, but in this feature, you'll find some of our top picks. As well as the original five X-Men, we include a few other characters who should be part of this reboot, along with some notable baddies. 

To see who made the cut, all you guys need to do is click on the "Next" button down below!
 

10. Aldis Hodge - Magneto

Aldis

Aldis Hodge has impressed in the likes of Black Mirror and The Invisible Man, and it definitely feels like his big break is fast approaching. With that in mind, a major superhero role feels like an inevitability, so why not give him a shot at playing the MCU's Master of Magnetism? 

Unfortunately, the concept of Magneto being a Holocaust survivor no longer works (unless you'd like a geriatric version of the villain), so why not use an Erik who has faced a different sort of prejudice?

This would be far more in-keeping with today's world and the themes in an X-Men movie, and we think it would be awesome to see Hodge initially playing a heroic Magneto before giving in to his darker impulses and embracing his future as a foe to Professor X and his team.
 

9. Bryan Cranston - Mister Sinister

Bryan

Bray Cranston is one of the best actors working on the planet today, and he's expressed interest in playing Mister Sinister a number of times in the past. Honestly, we can't think of anyone better, and it's not even remotely hard to imagine him playing one of the X-Men's most unique bad guys. 

While we would be interested in seeing a heroic Magneto who helps lead the X-Men, this is a franchise in desperate need of a new villain, and Mister Sinister definitely fits the bill in that sense. There's so much he could bring to the table (particularly in regards to exploring the genetics of mutants), and while we want a rebooted Apocalypse, for example, lets do something new first.

However, he definitely needs to be played by Cranston because he really would do the character justice.
 

8. Joseph Gordon-Levitt - Professor X

JGL

Go and Google "Joseph Gordon-Levitt Bald" and we think you'll agree he would make a pretty good Professor X! Appearances aside, though, and there's a lot The Dark Knight Rises star could bring to the table as the leader of this team of mutants. He's incredibly talented, and someone who could bring new ideas to the table after James McAvoy's memorable run. 

However, whereas the Scottish actor had to impersonate what had come before to some extent, Levitt could make the character his own (and bear in mind Charles Xavier is supposed to be American). 

In some ways, it's tempting to say that maybe this reboot should move on from Professor X altogether, but a new, younger version could help ensure he remains a vital part of this franchise in the MCU.
 

7. Jon Bernthal - Wolverine

Jon

As you'll soon see, we've gone a little younger when it comes to the rest of the X-Men, but Wolverine definitely shouldn't be a guy in his twenties. Instead, he needs a little experience under his belt, and Jon Bernthal is the right choice of actor to bring that baggage to the table, while also putting his own stamp on a character who Hugh Jackman once made entirely his own. 

Visually, he's perfect for the role, and at 5ft,11" he's pretty much the right size for the hero as well. 

Oh, and we know what you're thinking: how can The Punisher play Wolverine? At this point, it would be naive to think that Marvel Studios is going to bring The Defenders into the MCU, so giving this talented actor the chance to play a totally different superhero badass just makes sense.
 

6. Coco Jones - Storm

Coco

Despite being perhaps best known for her work as a singer, Coco Kones has also landed a few memorable acting gigs over the years, including Good Luck Charlie and Five Points. Landing a role like this could be the making of her, and we're confident she has the acting chops to pull it off. 

We've now seen a couple of different takes on Storm, and neither really did the comics justice. 

Halle Berry was only ever okay, while Alexandra Shipp was largely forgettable (that can mostly be blamed on the material she was given to work with in fairness). A younger Storm would be better at this point too because it means her origin story could be explored to some extent, and it would be no bad thing for Marvel Studios to tie her to Wakanda in some way, shape, or form!
 

5. Dev Patel - Angel

Dev

X-Men: The Last Stand took Angel down the body horror route, while X-Men: Apocalypse...well, that movie just made him a generic villain who fell under En Sabah Nur's spell. That's frustrating because the character has so much potential, and a quality actor is definitely essential for his MCU debut. 

Something tells us that Dev Patel (who seems to excel regardless of whether it's in The Personal History of David Copperfield, Chappie, or The Newsroom) would excel as the spoiled rich kid Warren Worthington III who is eventually put through the wringer and takes on the moniker of Archangel. 

Marvel Studios would be wise to snatch Patel up and make Angel a lead character in this reboot. 
 

4. Daniel Radcliffe - Beast

Radcliffe

For reasons entirely beyond our comprehension, there are some fans who would like to see Daniel Radcliffe (yes, the same Daniel Radcliffe who played Harry Potter once upon a time) star in the MCU as Wolverine. It's a terrible casting suggestion, and there's an X-Man much better suited to the actor. 

In recent years, Radcliffe has completely re-invented himself as an actor who takes on all manner of quirky, memorable roles, and we're sure he could have a lot of fun as the human Hank McCoy.

However, perhaps even better than that would be to see him as a mo-cap version of Beast, and given how unique his work as been since moving on from the Boy Who Lived, we're sure he would make every bit as significant an impact with that sort of role as Mark Ruffalo has as The Hulk. 
 

3. Joe Keery - Iceman

Kerry

Iceman was barely recognisable in those early X-Men movies and, in fairness to Brett Ratner, it wasn't until The Last Stand we got to see a comic accurate version of the hero (however, he still spent far too much time pining after Rogue for our liking in that poorly received threequel). 

The problem is, Shawn Ashmore didn't really give Bobby Drake much of a personality, but we're confident Stranger Things star Joe Keery could make up for that with a far more memorable Iceman. 

He has that fun-loving, sharp-witted side a character like this needs, and looks the part to boot. There's a lot of potential in Iceman, and the right actor is necessary to ensure he shines on screen.
 

2. Emma Watson - Jean Grey

Emma

Yes, we are indeed suggesting a Harry Potter reunion in Marvel Studios' X-Men (sorry, Ron). There have been rumblings in the past that the studio is keen to work with Emma Watson, and with a properly fleshed out version of Jean Grey who helps lead the X-Men - rather than falling victim to the Phoenix Force - we're sure that the talented British actress would agree to join the MCU.

Watson is a true force to be reckoned with on screen, and while we're not overly desperate to see more Dark Phoenix after Fox's failed attempts, she has the ability to property depict that on film. 

Jean Grey definitely deserves another chance on screen, but if Kevin Feige and company are reluctant to head down that route, could Watson possible play Emma Frost instead? It could work! 
 

1. Ansel Elgort - Cyclops

Ansel

Ansel Elgort delivered an unbelievable, unforgettable performance in Baby Driver, and since moving on from the Divergent franchise, he's never really failed to impress. If he's willing to try another big budget franchise, then we're pretty sure that Scott Summers would be a perfect fit for him. 

We're done seeing a Cyclops who is the butt of Wolverine's jokes or pining after Jean Grey, and it's about time we get to see a version of the character who is a true leader of the X-Men. 

The actor has an edge to him which Cyclops needs to help him stand out in this team, and while Tye Sheridan did his best with what he was given, we think Elgort could deliver the version we've been waiting for (while bringing some much-needed complexity to the hero). 
 

RUMOR: AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER Star Eyed To Play Cyclops In Marvel Studios' X-MEN Reboot
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RUMOR: AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER Star Eyed To Play Cyclops In Marvel Studios' X-MEN Reboot

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JustALurker
JustALurker - 5/4/2020, 1:58 AM
Comment Section: Content Here
RolandD
RolandD - 5/5/2020, 10:57 AM
@JustALurker - 😂🤣
lvcl
lvcl - 5/5/2020, 12:05 PM
What a disappointing cast selection!

It could be good for another FOX MEN movie
dracula
dracula - 5/4/2020, 1:59 AM
On an unrelated note, Amber Heard's mother died
https://comicbook.com/movies/news/amber-heard-mother-paige-heard-dies-tribute/
also wow, deleted all the comments making fun of a a published article that clearly isnt finished. Bravo.
LadiesmanBumble
LadiesmanBumble - 5/4/2020, 2:00 AM
I must say this is one of the weirdest fan casting lists Josh has ever put up. While I agree with everyone that A is the most likely choice for Start Page 1, I kind of think that J would be a better choice for the character. And don't get me started about Page 4, I could talk about how far left field that fan casting choice is for hours. That being said, I think Josh is on the money for Page 3. She'll probably win a bunch of awards for her role as Page 3.

sickboy76
sickboy76 - 5/5/2020, 11:33 AM
@LadiesmanBumble - there isnt any news he can steal right now so that's why we get these crappy top 10 articles. Now we have the poxy next button back he's at it every chance he can get.
L0RDbuckethead
L0RDbuckethead - 5/4/2020, 7:36 AM
Lol deleting all the comments?

Rookie move, Josh.
Battabing
Battabing - 5/4/2020, 8:46 AM
@L0RDbuckethead -
😂😂 These mods, I tells ya.
WaffeX
WaffeX - 5/5/2020, 10:44 AM
@L0RDbuckethead - In February Mark Cassidy wrote an article about the new James Bond song (by Billie Eilish) and I commented "boring song" with a 'Homer Simpson saying boring' gif, someone deleted it, someone didn't liked my comment/gif so he deleted it... WTF... are we in China?
Satan
Satan - 5/5/2020, 12:26 PM
@IcemanX - Probably because your comment was boring. Without an explanation it just comes off as bait to start some argument that will go nowhere.
tmp3
tmp3 - 5/5/2020, 9:18 AM
Bruh, this fan-casting is so weird. Wrong Little Women star for Jean, wrong Hollywood pretty boy for Cyclops, and JGL looks way too [frick]ing young for Xavier. Also, why not just say mutants age slower and keep Magneto a surviver of the Holocaust? Or do some time distortion?
Also, Dev Patel would be a great Scott Free for New Gods.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 5/5/2020, 11:22 AM
@tmp3 - Do you really want more time altering shenanigans?

They can just say that a secret group within the Government has known about mutants for about 30-40 years. They have facilities set up around the country where they keep mutants and run messed up tests on them. Sometimes mutants even die during those tests. Magneto was held in one and escaped.

That gives him all the motivation he needs to hate humanity. They can even say that he was living a normal life with his wife Magda and their daughter, but they were killed when the government came to bring him in originally.

And just like that, you set the stage for everything mutant related, you keep Magneto's anti-human outlook intact while keeping him in a messed up camp.

Then, let's go further. Mutants aren't well known to the world. They see people with powers all the time because they know about the Avengers. So if a random mutant uses their powers in public, they wouldn't instantly hate that person. If anything they would think of the Avengers.

So the public doesn't know about mutants or that they are the next step in evolution. Thats where Sinister steps in and manipulates Bolivar Trask, who works for this secret organization that knows about mutants. Sinister manipulates Trask to "out" mutants to the world as a threat to humanity by telling them they are the next step in evolution. Trask creates Sentinels.

Xavier runs a school to train mutants as an outreach program. When the Sentinels are let loose, he takes his most talented students and forms the X-Men.

They go an beat the Sentinels. Magento gets pissed that humanity has started war between humans and mutants, and he's the villain for the sequel.

All the while, Sinister is manipulating events in the background as a way to test mutants for the coming of Apocalypse.
Steel86
Steel86 - 5/5/2020, 9:21 AM
Armie Hammer-Cyclops, Rey Fiennes-Prosser X, John Bethel- Wolverine, Andy Serkis- Beast, Karen Gillian- Jean Grey, Daniel Craig- Magneto, Hailee Steinfeld- Rogue, Gasbard Ulliel- Gambit, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson- Sabertooth. Side not Shea Leboeuf could pull Wolverine off to me.
tmp3
tmp3 - 5/5/2020, 9:26 AM
@Steel86 - Shia LaBeouf's turned into a hell of an actor since he got sober. Still think he'd be an incredible Moon Knight.
Chappers
Chappers - 5/5/2020, 9:24 AM
99% of those choices are horrendous
Gmoney84
Gmoney84 - 5/5/2020, 9:29 AM
Can someone please start reposting Josh’s shit list in the comments going forward? So tired of having to click count his mess.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 5/5/2020, 9:30 AM
Josh was downing that Hennessy when he wrote this
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